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Bad Guy Mikethepike on ball pythons/hognose is SCAM

Reeptiles

Reeptiles

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I want to let everyone know that user "Mikethepike" has posted an ad "Rare Female Phantom Pinstripe - OFFER ME -EXTREMELY LOW PRICE - NEED VERY FAST SALE" on ball pythons which I have found to be a scam. I searched the morph and found a reptileforums.co.uk thread with exactly the same animal, the same picture, and he even copied and pasted a sentence directly from it into his ad. This thread was from 2008 so I'm sure he thought no one would find it, but he was wrong.

For proof, here is the ball python thread which he copied: http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/foru...4730-rarely-seen-phantom-pinstripe-royal.html

Below is his info.
11-07-2013, 07:23 AM
Mikethepike
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Houston Texas
Posts: 2
Name : Mike larson
Mikethepike is an unknown quantity at this point
Trader Rating: (0)

Also, he posted one about a hognose and I found those same pictures, etc. on the same website, in a thread from April 27, 2012. Here's the proof: http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snake-classifieds/841322-sale-male-western-hognose-toffee.html

Please do not fall for any of these posts as unsuspecting buyers will have their money stolen. Anyone who had already replied, cancel your transaction, stop payment, do whatever you have to do. I confronted this person with no response so hopefully we'll see the end of this one.
Thank you,
-Reeptiles
 
That's fantastic. Great to hear that, as it restores some of the trust in the herp community squandered by people like him. Thanks very much for doing your part!
 
Just for info, I sent a PM and link to this thread to Chris Miller after also observing what Brian observed.

I figured if this Chris Miller guy actually sent money via Paypal, as the visitor message to Chris from "Mikethepike" would suggest, then he will certainly respond and react.

If not, then buyer and seller beware both individuals, IMO.
 
Hi guys and girls,
just had a private message from a friend of mine on this side of the pond directing me to this post.
I can confirm that the Phantom Pin on RFUK is one I produced and sold to a fella in the UK a while back and anyone using those pictures to sell that particular snake is a scammer.

Hopefully your laws will allow someone to chase this guy down and shoot him, Happy Hunting!

All the best,
Darren.
MorphingRoyals.com
 
I didn't see this thread when I banned him. I just followed a reported post and noticed the IP originated overseas and the location in the user's location field was Texas. That with the fact that the poster was using pictures that didn't belong to him I just figured the person is a overseas spammer/scammer.

Anyway, I banned the account. Either he is using a proxy trying to hide his identity or is overseas. Not going to worry about trying to figure out which one he is.
 
Good job, your forum moderators are a bit more 'on the case' than the ones in the UK, glad to hear that measure have been taken:thumbsup:
I've emailed him to see if he'll ship to the UK, gonna have a little fun if I get a reply;)
Cheers,
Darren.
 
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