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Bad Guy Salvatore DeMasi (OnlyOneCanoli) Stealing snakes.

Luke9815

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
173
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Age
39
Location
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Sal contacted me on August 31 about a Pastel Calico I had available. He offered a trade in which I accepted. We decided to ship same day on Wednesday, September 5th. I shipped on Wednesday and sent him a tracking number, asking for a tracking number from him. I got no response.

Thursday, September 6th he says he was sick and not able to ship the snake out. I said ok, ship Thursday for Friday delivery. He then said he called ship your reptiles and reptiles express (not sure why he'd have to call them to set up a simple shipment) and says that they feel its not a good idea to ship on a Thursday. I know some people don't want to ship on Thursdays but the majority of my shipments come in on Fridays so I had no problem with it. He asks me 3 times if he should ship and I tell him yes each time. No tracking number.

Friday, September 7th I asked if he shipped. He says no, that he was worried about shipping on a Thursday because people told him it wasn't the best idea, after I reassured him 3 times that I was ok with him shipping the animal on a Thursday. He says he'll ship on Monday the 10th for Tuesday delivery.

Monday, September 10th I ask him for a tracking number at 8:30. I get no reply until 4pm telling me to just send him a Paypal invoice for him to just pay the price of the Pastel Calico, because he suddenly can't complete our trade. I'm not sure how you wouldn't have those animals set aside when you made the deal, so there should be no reason to not be able to complete the deal. I send him the Paypal invoice, though it was not apart of our deal.

September 10th I sent him a Paypal invoice, and also gave him the option to just ship the animal back to me. I even offered to send him a shipping label to ship the animal back. He insisted he was going to pay. Said it takes a few days for the money to clear in his Paypal, so I give him a few days for it to clear.

Friday September 14th I mention that it should have cleared by that point and he said he hadn't checked to see if it did or not. I tell him ok, just send it when you can and if you can't just ship the snake back.

Saturday, September 15th I ask if he can pay it as I had not got any payment. No reply.

Sunday, September 16th I ask again. He gives me an excuse about working at different hours of the day/night and says it'll be paid by 9:30. No payment.

Monday, September 17th, I tell him to go ahead and just ship the animal back to me and get me a tracking number when he gets it. He replies saying he's got to get something sorted with Paypal, says he transferred some money but was waiting for something else to clear (a payment from someone elses) Offers me a trade for another animal and I decline. I tell him to pay the money or just ship the snake back.

Tuesday, September 18th I ask if he has a tracking number for me. He begs to be able to have until the end of the week to pay for the snake. I tell him that I'll give him until the end of the week to pay for the snake or ship it back.

Sunday, September 23rd I ask if he will be able to pay it. I said if he can't, just set up shipment tomorrow. No reply.

Wednesday September 26th I ask if he's going to ship and he tells me he's getting his mother to send me a money order for $1100 and he'll be sending me the other $150 "when he can".

Monday, October 1st I ask for a reciept/tracking number for the money order with no reply.

Wednesday, October 3rd he cancels the Paypal invoice.

Thursday, October 4th I let him know that if he doesn't send the money by Sunday, I'll be posting a BOI thread and he will be contacted by my lawyer about possible fraud and theft charges. No reply.

Sunday, October 7th I let him know, it was the last day to make things right. He replies with another excuse saying it takes time for his mom to get to the post office etc.

Today is Saturday, October 20th and I have yet to hear from Sal again, nor have I seen any money order from anywhere for $1100 much less the full $1250. I've already contacted my lawyer and he will be dealing with the legal matters of the situation.

Here's a picture of the animal in question. If you see him offering it up for trade or sale, know that it is stolen.
IMG952408.jpg



Luke Martin
Bronze Serpent Reptiles
225-772-9898
www.bronzeserpent.com
[email protected]
 
If he asked SYR about shipping on a Thursday, I can almost guarantee that they did not tell him it was a problem to ship Thursday for Friday delivery. I posted a question about shipping on a Thursday a while back, because I had a customer ask if I could do it, and Robyn told me it shouldn't be a problem. I can dig up the thread later, if it's needed.
 
The thread was easier to find than I thought. Here's Robyn Markland's response:

Friday delays are really few and far between. Once in a great while we will get a call from a freaked out customer on a Friday, when a package is delayed and gets re-scheduled for a Monday delivery. Sometimes we can get it bumped to Saturday delivery, sometimes not.

Delays happen less than 2% of Thursday for Friday deliveries (Thursday is already a slow day for shipping normally).
And the link:
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=342726
 
Wow that is sooo bad. I am sorry he screwed you over this way. I can honestly say I would never do business with him after reading this. And he's on another thread here trying to convince three other people that he's a "good guy". Sad
 
. Sal you have only one chance to make his right. Return the snake. If you can not afford or don't have time I can help you get it back to him. Your starting to head down wrong road. You will soon realize the reptile community is very tight. I don't wanna send your name to a lot o breeders here in ct.
Make this right sal.
 
This is the address I sent the animal to.

Salvatore DeMasi
780 Clark st
Bridgeport ct 06606
(203)400-7785

i got contacted by this guy a while back,i remember the number..he asked me if i was looking for trades on a few animals i had up for sale...i am very sorry this happened to you.
 
People rely on distance and non-face to face conversations to trick and deceive others. It may not be the best thing to do but I'd show up to the address. Its also possible that the address is not his valid address or the name.

I hope justice is served. Hopefully the lawyer can work some magic.

What kind of person would bring his mother into this and blame it on the her?
 
I wonder if that's his real name. Sal Damasi is the name of a corrupt politician from Rhode Island I believe.
 
sorry to here about the Loss OUCH!!! i got burned for 600.00 dollers several yrs back by Nistico at dark forest reptiles in Boynton Beach an i thought i felt miserable but 1200.00 Bills is alot to Loose Hope your Lawyer or Attorney can Bring this Person Down
 
People rely on distance and non-face to face conversations to trick and deceive others. It may not be the best thing to do but I'd show up to the address. Its also possible that the address is not his valid address or the name.

I hope justice is served. Hopefully the lawyer can work some magic.

A confrontation would be very dangerous for the OP. People who steal things generally don't like being asked for the money/items back. He could be armed, or just looking for a fight. It's not the best thing to go and start one.

I'd either send the police or just let the lawyer handle it.
 
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