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Kieth Cantore Scam Artist! Please help!

Michael,
I am sypathetic to your situation. You say you have an attorney working on it for you. While I would hope that others with means to get you information would choose to, by no means would I feel that they are obligated, or that it is in their best interests to. Your lawyer should make a written request of Lee ... his show is relocating BTW and will continue full-force. Lee will do whatever his attorney advises him, and it may be to not provide you with any additional information. This is not a situation where Lee or anyone else is protecting Keith, but rather his own position and obligation. In any case, a formal request from your attorney is far more proper than to throw around Lee's name here as though he has not done the right thing. You need to get a grip on the process other than to question Lee here in this forum, and your attorney can advise you there. Thank you for the head's up, and good luck.
 
Thanks to all you guys. I really appreciate the responses. As a matter of fact. I was notified by a BOI user via telephone today. His name was Vic ??? he stated he had been ripped off by Keith for some Albino Softshells. I knew this wasn't the first time. As far as Paypal. The paypal employees told me that for the Seller Protection Policy to be in effect the item had to be sold through e-bay. I have not checked that out yet. Hey Griz, please let me know what you find out from Lee Watson. I found out from this guy Vic today that Keith is storing his animals with a friend in Illinois before he got put in jail. Chances are my tortoise is still in IL. Everyone be on the look out for a 20 or 21 inch Aldabra for sale in Monee, IL. or that surrounding area. I appreciate any and all feedback. Thanks to all!
 
Hello Jim. I by no means have anything against Lee. In fact, I mentioned that I have only heard good things about him. I was just bothered by his coment that he was not willing to help. A friend should always be there for there friend through good times and bad, I agree. But this is about right and wrong. I would hope that Lee would reconsider. You sound like you know him. I would appreciate it if you would have him call or enter this thread. That's all. I am not a rich man and cannot afford to pay for this $3,800. It is a lot of money for me and my wife has been out of work for the past 6 months. I have had no other choice which is why I was hoping to get some help from my fellow herpers on the BOI.
 
The paypal seller protection doesn't cover live animals and Credit Card companies can go back to paypal to recover funds when ever they want to. Seems that each company has their own rules. Randy
 
Michael,
No one is questioning that you have a problem with Keith, that $3800 is not a trifle, etc. I think it a stretch for you to characterize Lee as having some sort of a "friend to a friend" obligation, and I do not mean to imply that Lee's motivation revolves around a friendship. I highly doubt it. I see it more as a legal obligation on his part to not provide you with info to contact Keith's family who may think Keith is a bum as well. There are far more legal ramifications for others to have to consider here than you acknowledge in deriding Lee for his stance. BTW, I have never met Lee, although we have mutual friends. I would hope that anyone here who may be able to help you would help you. But it is not as simple as that in our current civil litigation society. Let me suggest that while you claim is is about "right and wrong", it is still just a discussion in the BOI. If it truly involves legal matters, or matters where civil litigation is possible, by all means lake requests, send emails, etc. I wouldn't fault you here for saying that you had asked for help in contacting relations of Keith, but I think it a step too far to criticize those as you have who said they were unable to. In essance, you are using hte BOI to pressure people who have done nothing wrong solely because they have made a legal or ethical choice that while not the answer you want, is certainly within their rights, and may be prudent for them. Use your attorney to find these relationships. Spend $60 with one of the internet search sites and you'll find lots of contacts for this guy. Surely your lawyer knows how to get the info and what to do with it.
 
Jim. I am just a guy that either wants his tortoise back or to be reimbursed for the money that has been taken from me. Nothing more, nothing less. You seem to be getting a little bit too worked up over this. You have also missed the whole point or have not read all of my responses here. All I wanted Lee to do is contact Keith's family for me and pass along my information and have them call me at their leisure. I am trying to be as nice as possible even try to solve the problem with as little trouble for Keith as possible. A parent, I feel, would appreciate the gesture on behalf of their son. This "is" about right and wrong. Everyone else that has replied has acknowledged that except for you. If it were my friend that was in jail, I sure would let the family know what is going on. I also feel a lot of others would feel the same way. Everyone else seems to understand where I have been coming from. Just trying to get the message to Keith's family.
 
Jim. I am looking for help which is why I started this thread or discussion. I am not looking to argue or have a debate with you. I would like a positive respsone only please. Keith Cantore ripped me off for $3,800 and kept my tortoise. Lee knows the family and how to get in contact with Keith. Someone please contact Lee or anyone that know the family and have them contact me, PLEASE. Thanks!
 
Michael, you say:
Jim. I am looking for help which is why I started this thread or discussion. I am not looking to argue or have a debate with you. I would like a positive respsone only please. Keith Cantore ripped me off for $3,800 and kept my tortoise. Lee knows the family and how to get in contact with Keith. Someone please contact Lee or anyone that know the family and have them contact me, PLEASE. Thanks!

By all means, avail yourself of the BOI, asking for help. But when you don't get the answers you want, or a lack of cooperation as you want it to be, just give it a thought. To say "I would like a positive response only please" .... well, WTF, you don't always get the answer you want ! I have tried nicely to explain that business folk such as Lee have legal concerns that you have not considered. You claim to have an attorney. Use him. There are many other means available to you, legally, that you have not availed yourself of that are cheap and thorough, rather than come here and ask this community to help you put pressure on Lee to give you a response other than the one you got. It would be nice if Lee helped you more, but it is also completely understandable, and moreso by the minute, that he has not as things currently stand. Making it sound like there's a rule out there about "herpers helping herpers" is naive if you think it trumps legal issues. Its about more than your $3800 Mike when you reach out to others to provide you information that may not be in their best legal interests to provide willy nilly. Sorry Mike, but you've disregarded the concerns of others in pursuit of your own problem. Ask away, but don't publicly chastise, or attempt some kind or peer pressure rally just because you didn't like the answer. There are other means still available to you besides burning bridges.
 
You have a good start on names, etc. now use your attorney. No matter what Jim and others post, none of it will do what lawyer and the law can. The magic button you are looking for that will give you your money or animal back doesn't exist. Get the system rolling and the slow gears turning in the system.
 
Hello Alan. I agree with you. I came on the BOI only as a means to find out additional information and it worked. Yes, I will have my attorney take over from here. If anyone else has any additional information please write to me or call me. With the exception of one person who has done nothing to help, everyone else has been great and I appreciate it. Thank you.
 
Michael,

With the exception of one person who has done nothing to help, everyone else has been great and I appreciate it. Thank you.

You seem to have a difficult time with folks not doing things as you want them done, in this case who may have their own priorities to address. Whether it be Lee, or me, you seem to assume that when others are unable to embrace your requests, that they also are not sympathetic. Because they may be sympathetic to your plight, many will still try to do something to help you that respects their own legal standing in the issue, whether it be an email, phone call, advice based on otherwise confidential info, etc. Your words do not lend themselves to Lee doing what he can, or for others to do what they feel prudent. Wish you well !
 
Again, with the exception of one person. I appreciate everyone elses input and help! Thank you BOI members! Please call or reply on this thread if you feel you have information that may help me. Thanks.
 
Not as it sounds.

It bothers me to see my name thrown around,Especially when michael E-mailed me and wanted info on Kieth. He used some name like jurrasikpets and refused to give his name or anything I could ID him with. He was very rude in his mail, Of course making me want to help him more. Rudeness always gets you further, I told him that Kieth was always an upstanding vender at my swap and I'm sure there had to be something he was not telling me. I also explained that Kieth is 26 years old and therefor not tied to any apron strings.
What I did do is give him Kieths mailing address and advised him to write to Kieth, and I told him to tell Kieth to write me explaining himself.
Well to this day Kieth has not heard from him. It is completely ludicrous to say "I want to talk to your mommy" Maybe Michael you should talk to your mommy and tell her "that bad Kieth got my milkmoney"
ALso I would be sure your transaction was legal If you did send a galop you are in deep DooDoo, and quite possibly thats why he stopped payment.
If you donated the galop it is a legal transaction, If you sold it DooDoo. Also in the E-mails Michael sent he refused to tell me what Kieth owed him for. Which set off a lot of suspicion
Lee Watson
 
Lee Watson said:
What I did do is give him Kieths mailing address and advised him to write to Kieth, and I told him to tell Kieth to write me explaining himself. Well to this day Kieth has not heard from him.

Lee,

I really hate getting involved in this sort of stuff since it's no concern of mine, but since I did wade through the posts, I did have one question for you.. Unless I misread the quote above, you gave Mike the address to send a physical letter to Keith and to this point Keith has not received a physical letter from Mike? If this is so, it would indicate you have been in contact with Keith.. Do you know what the deal is? Can Keith send you pictures of the tortoise in question?

Lee, thank you for your time, man.

Rick
 
Let's see some pics. Shouldn't be hard to determine between the two at all.

Galop or Aldabra nonwithstanding, he doesn't get to keep the money and the tort!
 
I work for Visa as a dispute rep. Now it gets a bit fuzzy with paypal. Sometimes they buckle and we get the money back, other times they don't. Depending on the rep in charge of the charge back and the "sob" story they hear depends on your results.

As for Visa, they have a 180 day dispute policy. So if you wait 5 months and 29 days and disupute a charge that day, it will go through the system. Its complete bs, but what can you do?

Hopw this helped a little.
 
I think thats just utter crap for people who pay with Credit cards. it puts out such a horrendous image! im thinking all the major CC companies need to sit down and have a lovely chat with paypal about this sort of thing, and keep it from happening.. it pretty much will make sellers think twice about these sorts of things and i just feel it's not very fair. I know i use my credit card all the time to buy stuff, and i would never in my LIFE do something like this to somone...
 
I have no argument with Michael wanting his money, I have an argument with his wanting to contact Kieths mother and father over something they had nothing to do with. I'm certainly happy I don't have a misagreement with Michael because my parents have passed on, Would he try contacting my Aunt Bertha? Get a grip Michael. Your problem is with Kieth. I gave you his mailing address and since Kieth has not contacted me, I take it for granted you never wrote him. I really wish I knew more about this deal, But then again it's probably better I don't. One thing I have observed is there is no one else coming on this thread saying "Kieth cheated me too" anytime a thread like this is started a million people jump on to say they were involved in the scam. Why has nobody else come forward with similar stories? I still believe Kieth is honest and trustworthy, Due to all the people that he dealt with at my swap and across the nation. I think if the truth comes out ,Which again I don't know, I think this story will change. This is my final words on this one sided thread. you and I cannot make decisions based on one side of the story.

Lee Watson
cannot make decisions based on one side of the story
 
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