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Bad Guy Mark Mahon trying to sell a bumblebee that isn't his - FRAUD

B

brogdawg

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Yesterday, and for the last week or so the member mmahon56 has been creating classified posts regarding a female bumblebee for sale. The price has dropped from $700 shipped (on 7/22/2013) to $500 shipped (on 7/30/2013). I contacted Mark Mahon last night to inquire about the snake. He responded and we had email correspondence back and forth regarding the ball python. I will paste the emails below.

Here is the ad in question: http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=416645

I was a bit skeptical at first seeing as how cheap the snake was listed for but after talking to Mark I felt a little better about it. After becoming a bit suspicious about the email I received from him this morning about paying him through a different Paypal account I began to investigate the snake and ad a little more.

After a bit of google searching I came across this ad that had been posted most recently back in April of 2013 by a different member but the same images and same text.

Here is the ad I found: http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=392716

I immediately contacted that member and came to find out that he still has his snakes and has not sold them. I proceeded to contact paypal to start a claim and should be refunded after 11 days. I have not heard anything back from Mark.

I wanted to post this so no one else falls into the same trap I did. It's unfortunate that people like this are out there and trying to take advantage of people in the reptile community.

Email transcript:

Hey Nick. Would you mind sending the money to my business paypal account? I just realized I need it there, and I could avoid extra fees from Paypal if I just refunded you and then had you send the money to that account. Let me know and I'll issue a refund right away.

Thanks.

Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone

From: Nick <taken out for my privacy>;
To: Mark Mahon <[email protected]>;
Subject: Re: female bumblebee
Sent: Wed, Jul 31, 2013 6:19:40 AM

Money has been sent. I left it in the PayPal note but just so you have it my address is:
Taken out for my privacy

My phone # is: Taken out for my privacy

If you could send her out next Tuesday that would be perfect, I'm expecting a few other snakes Wed Aug 7th and will be working from home.

Let me know if you need anything else from me.

Thanks again Mark!

-Nick

On 7/31/2013 12:11 AM, Mark Mahon wrote:
> Yes it is.
>
> Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone
>
> From: Nick <taken out for my privacy>;
> To: Mark Mahon <[email protected]>;
> Subject: Re: female bumblebee
> Sent: Wed, Jul 31, 2013 6:11:48 AM
>
> OK, is this your paypal email?
>
> On 7/31/2013 12:04 AM, Mark Mahon wrote:
>> If you're paying now, then I see no problem with doing $475 for her.
>>
>>
>> Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone
>>
>> From: Nick <taken out for my privacy>;
>> To: Mark Mahon <[email protected]>;
>> Subject: Re: female bumblebee
>> Sent: Wed, Jul 31, 2013 6:04:12 AM
>>
>> Would you take $475 for her via Paypal right now?
>>
>> On 7/30/2013 11:50 PM, Mark Mahon wrote:
>>> Those were taken about a year ago or so.
>>>
>>> I do prefer Paypal. Next Tuesday will also be just fine for shipping.
>>>
>>>
>>> From: Nick <taken out for my privacy>;
>>> To: Mark Mahon <[email protected]>;
>>> Subject: Re: female bumblebee
>>> Sent: Wed, Jul 31, 2013 5:49:47 AM
>>>
>>> Looks good, how old was she there?
>>>
>>> I think I'm pretty interested. Do you prefer PayPal? Would you be able to ship next Tuesday?
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>> -Nick
>>>
>>> On 7/30/2013 11:27 PM, Mark Mahon wrote:
>>>> Attached.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> From: Nick <taken out for my privacy>;
>>>> To: Mark Mahon <[email protected]>;
>>>> Subject: Re: female bumblebee
>>>> Sent: Wed, Jul 31, 2013 5:05:42 AM
>>>>
>>>> Forgot to ask, do you have any other pictures of her? thanks!
>>>>
>>>> On 7/30/2013 10:54 PM, Mark Mahon wrote:
>>>>> She feeds once every 10-14 days and has not missed a meal within the past year (possibly earlier then that, but I only have one years worth of records.) her current empty weight is 1463g.
>>>>>
>>>>> From: Nick <taken out for my privacy>;
>>>>> To: Mark Mahon <[email protected]>;
>>>>> Subject: Re: female bumblebee
>>>>> Sent: Wed, Jul 31, 2013 4:28:37 AM
>>>>>
>>>>> Mark,
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for the quick reply. Do you know her exact current weight? How often is she feeding on f/t small rats and is she missing meals at all?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>> -Nick
>>>>>
>>>>> On 7/30/2013 10:07 PM, Mark Mahon wrote:
>>>>>> Hey Nick. She is a 2011, extremely docile, has not been bred, and I am only letting her go because I have another female bee that I am keeping.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> From: Nick <taken out for my privacy>;
>>>>>> To: <[email protected]>;
>>>>>> Subject: female bumblebee
>>>>>> Sent: Wed, Jul 31, 2013 3:29:40 AM
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Mark,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Do you still have the female bumblebee available? If so, what year was
>>>>>> she hatched, how is her temperament (how well handled), has she been
>>>>>> breed before, and why are you letting her go?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>> -Nick
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
 
In addition to the Mark Mahon ad that Nick has linked, Mark also has these 3 additional ads posted. All have the same verbage and same two snakes that were advertised but evidently still in the possession of user jjsnakedude.

Links to Mark's current ads:
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=414757
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=415995
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=414207

Here's a comparison shot in the event Mark deletes his ads.
 

Attachments

  • MarkMahon.jpg
    MarkMahon.jpg
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I did not. I replied to his last email saying I would comply and resend the money to the new email once I was refunded (hoping he would just refund so I wouldn't have to wait the claim out). But no response from him and I'm assuming Paypal has notified him of the claim by now. Let's hope I get my money back!
 
Thanks Dennis. Glad we could catch this relatively early on. I just got off the phone with my bank to put a stop payment on the charge (it hadn't gone through yet or hadn't shown as pending). It cost some money to do but I'd rather be safe and catch it now before my account was actually withdrawn.

Sad that there are people like this in the world...
 
Actually, I decided to ban the other two accounts (with the same birth date and IP) immediately. I will give mmahon56 account 24 hours to send proof of ID before banning that account as well.
 
I was able to get the stop payment on my bank account, but then received an email from Paypal that after failing to get money from my bank they would charge my credit card, (backup funding source) which did go through unfortunately. Looks like I'll be waiting for the Paypal claim to go through and hopefully get my money returned :(
 
brogdawg said:
I was able to get the stop payment on my bank account, but then received an email from Paypal that after failing to get money from my bank they would charge my credit card, (backup funding source) which did go through unfortunately. Looks like I'll be waiting for the Paypal claim to go through and hopefully get my money returned :(
Click to expand...

To heck with paypal. Call your credit card company!
 
I already talked to the credit card company. They said if Paypal doesn't follow through with the dispute then I should open one with them.
 
brogdawg said:
I already talked to the credit card company. They said if Paypal doesn't follow through with the dispute then I should open one with them.
Click to expand...

This is one of the main reasons, I never leave any money in my PayPal account they will go after what is most accessible first and then resort to credit card back up. You stand a much better chance with your CC company than risking it thru PayPal bs!

I've had to fight PayPal and if I hadn't had my payment thru my CC company I would have lost. My rule, always pay thru cc period! Much better recourse, less hassle...
 
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