Sergio Martinez BAD GUY

[diamondback1]

Today I received a shipment from Sergio Martinez of Miami Bearded Dragons which was the result of Reptibid purchase I made on 09/22/ 05. I purchased four 50% possible het albino ball python females. They were described as being 150-200 grams and perfect in every way. Upon opening the box today I was surprised to see four thin babies. They were very cool to the touch. Two were emitting very wheezy breath sounds. Three of the four clearly had visible spines with very little fat reserves. I placed them on the scale and observed weights from 64- 130 grams. 130 gram weight in relation to it's length was not proportionate. In addition the snakes did not appear to even look like the same animals in the ad.

I contacted Sergio and received a hostile response which was not unlike the hostile response I received from him on Thursday after paying for the animals.

On Thursday the auction ended around 0530 hrs est. From 0706 until 1758 hrs. I received four emails from Sergio. The last threatening to post negative feedback and relist the animals. I emailed him and advised him that payment had been sent and then questioned him about how and why he would leave negative feedback 24 hrs after the auction ended when he had requested payment in 3 days. I received a hostile response from him. Approximately 3 minutes later he sent another email saying that he received payment and that it was his mistake, blaming it on " being stressed". Against my better judgement I did not request my money back at the time.

Today after contacting Sergio I received a hostile response in which he called me a liar and scammer. This was after I called to alert him of the problem with the animals. At that time I did not accuse him of anything. Sergio told me that there was no way that they were sick or could have a respiratory infection and that he had weighed them on August 20 and that the weights were 150-200 grams. I again informed him that all four were well under 150 grams and obviously the did not loose more then half their weight in a month. In addition I again informed him that they were very cool to the touch and that no heat pack had been used. Temps dropped to the low 50's here last night.

Sergio then emailed me saying that I was attempting to "pull a switch" which was not the case. At least not on my end. I filed a dispute with paypal.

I observed the pic of the four 50 % het albino females that I supposedly bought today on kingsnake.com listed for sale as 66% possible het albinos by Sergio.

I just want to alert others of this situation and hopefully prevent them from being scammed as I was. Sergio Martinez

 

[diamondback1]

link to ad

http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=32&de=350618 This is the link to the ad on kingsnake. Matt

 

[Jim O]

Matt,

You should post the full text of all of the e-mails between the two of you.

He sounds like a real treasure from your description.

 

[Junkyard]

Here are screen shots of the ad. Do you have pictures of the reptibid ad and also pictures of the ball pythons you received?

 

[diamondback1]

Jim,
do you know how to post the emails? I do have them saved.

 

[Jim O]

You should be able to cut and paste them. If not, you can forward them to me at [email protected] and I will post them.

 

[Jim O]

Does anyone else think this guy sounds like Mitch/Frank Tirana?

 

[Matt Haines]

I honestly think that it is in fact Triana but I have kept quiet about it at reptile auction because of the lack of evidence. But IMHO they are the same.

 

[South Dixie Dragons]

Matt,

Could you post a picture of the animals you received?
Perhaps I might be able to be of assistance to you, I work in Miami. If there is something you would like me to check out..
I have to tell you though, trying to find the right Sergio Martinez in Miami will be about as hard as finding a virgin in a whorehouse...
let me know if I can help..
Michele

 

[South Dixie Dragons]

forgot to mention, I did try to access the link to his website and it has been disabled. I became extremely dizzy and nauseous my the pop ups! I also forgot to mention that a few months ago he was running an ad on KS trying to sell out on his Bearded Dragons..website and all..this doesn't look good..

 

[diamondback1]

Michelle,
I have several pictures that I took. The picture quality is not great but if you or anyone can show me how to shrink the pictures down I will post them. I tried earlier but it came up that the file is too big. I also have numerous emails saved. If anyone knows how to post them without all my paypal info showing up I will do that as well. Matt

 

[South Dixie Dragons]

what kind of photo editor do you have on your computer? There should be an option that will allow you to crop ( you can crop out all your information ) and then resize it either by pixels or %..if you have the % option, just shrink it to 40 % that should do it..then save as a JPEG

 

[diamondback1]

emails

#1 09/22 0706 hrs. you are high bidder on the 4 50% poss het for albino females please send $300 total with shipping to paypal account [email protected] you really stole these I didnt expect it to get so ,they are great eaters and huge for there age.thanks


#2 09/22 1152 hrs. did you get my email reference payment of the het albino ball pythons?

#3 09/22 1551 hrs.when can I expect payment

#4 09/22 1758 hrs. if I dont here frm you buy tomorrow I will ropost and notify admin. and post negative -------------- Original message --------------
The following is the first email reply I sent.

Sir,
first off the money for the 4 50% het albino females has been sent.

Second off, RELAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I dont want to be rude but to say the least I am a little offended by your emails.

You sent me four emails in 10 hours and in the last one threaten to repost and file negative feedback??????? Dude,
i've been doing this for 20 plus years and must say, POOR BUSINESS PRACTICE. Since when is negative feedback left after 24 hours?????? 72 hours is the minimum accepted by pretty much every auction i've ever sold and bought from and in most cases is much longer.

The reason why I was not in touch earlier today was the fact that my wife just had a baby this morning and to say the least I have been just a little busy today with things other then checking auction sites to see if I won.

I will email you back later this weekend to set up a ship date that will work for both of us. Matt Kotowski

#5 09/22 2101 hrs.
----- Original Message -----
how was it sent when I only take paypal and I have had several people not pay for auctions as you have not thats why I ask for paypal only.you had time to sit and wait till last minute to bid but cant return a email.now to the payment I looked in my paypal account and emails no payment there so your full off it.

#6 09/22 2105 hrs. just got it now thanks will ship on monday.I have had 6 people not pay and its getting old thats why I get mad when no answer .

My next email
Original message --------------

You need to remember to give people some time to reply to your emails. I'm on the computer quite a bit but even if I was not at the hospital all day today I still would not of been able to reply back any earlier because I would of been at work all day. I usually give 3 days to hear from people with auctions and then 7-10 days for payment before I would even think of leaving negative feedback.

Also as I said in the previous email I will contact you over the weekend to set up a ship date that will work for both of us. I'm not sure if Monday for Tuesday will work at this point. Matt

#7 09/26 0956 hrs.HERE IS YOUR UPS TRACKING # 1ZY5794E0195405343 YOUR ITEM WILL ARRIVE BY 11AM TUESDAY MORNING, PLEASE MAKE SURE SOMEONES HOME ,YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CHECK ON TRACKING AFTER 5PM BECAUSE IT WILL NOT APPEAR UNTILL WE DROP THEM OFF.ONCE THEY ARRIVE PLEASE POST POSITIVE AND WE WILL DO SAME.THANK YOU AND HOPE YOU ARE VERY HAPPY WITH THEM.

My email after animals arrived.-------------- Original message --------------

Sergio,
I received the ball pythons and am very concerned.

They appear to have a respiratory infection.

They do not appear to be the ball pythons in your ad.
They were supposed to be 150-200 grams and "the largest you have seen for their age when they are in fact 64- 138 grams.

They all have very poor weight for their size and appear to have eaten very poorley if at all.

They do not appear to even have been captive bred let alone 50 % albino hets.

They have numerous scars.

Please respond asap to resolve this situation. Matt

#8 09/27 1305 They where weight right after eating on the 20th I do not feed my snakes before I send.they are all eating well give them mice and you will see and none of my snakes are sick we have a vet that constantlly checks our reptiles so we dont have any sick snakes.They where bought from special k reptiles for $550 to sell to a customer who never sent payment so we listed on retile auctions and lost $250 . They are only 2 months old and they are bigger than most 2 month old. Its impossible for a 2 month old to be any bigger. Tim at special k is a repitable dealer when he says they are 50% het they are 50% hets.they where eating live mice feed and they eat like crazy.

My reponse
Original message --------------

Sergio,
two of the females are wheezing with their mouths partly open ie respiratory infection. They were very cool upon arrival.

You said on reptibid that they weighed 150-200 grams. The largest one is not even 150. Two of them are only in the 60-70 gram range as a newborn hatchling. Three of the four have very loose skin in the rear third of their body which as you know is commonly seen in poor feeding animals.

The largest one has several scars.

I would like a full refund. Matt

#9 09/27 1500 hrs.its impossible for them to have any respatory infection ,before you sent the money you were complaining I really think you planed this to pull the old switch trick .they were checked and weighed on the 20th as all my snakes are .if you would have said look I dont like them I would of believed but when you say they are with there mouth open with a respitory infection that is a plain lie.why did you did ,I believe you just wanted to switch the snakes for nonhets and think I would fall for it.

M response
-------------- Original message --------------

Sergio,
I cant believe you would even suggest that I'm trying to pull a switch.

When was I complaining??? You sent me four emails in 10 hours with several being very unprofessional and rude! And then when you realized it was your screw up you attempted to cover your tracks saying you were "stressed"

All I wanted was four healthy female ball pythons in the 150 -200 gram range that were possible hets which is what your ad was for. Are you telling me that since August 20 that they went from 150 plus grams to the 60's?? The largest snake is somewhat close to the weight you claimed them to be but there is no way that it was born in August. If it or any of them were "great feeders" they would be much fatter then they are and not have the loose skin.
As far as the respiratory infection the tems was in the low 50's and you did not give them a heat pack.

#10 09/27 1537 hrs.----- Original Message -----
From: [email protected]
your a thief you even tried to take your money by paypal you thief.I should of known you low down thief.

My reponse
-------------- Original message --------------

Sergio,
I'm far from a thief. My money is had earned and I can not be wasting it on poor quality animals that were not as represented to be. Look in your mirror, your the thief.



#11From: [email protected]
To: matt
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 3:36 PM
Subject: Re: Matthew Kotowski has just sent you $300.00 USD with PayPal

All my animals are perfect quality and when you said they where sick I thought something was fishy and when paypal notified me that you tried to take money and they denied you I knew for sure you where a thief.why did you did just to switch snakes and take money back also by paypal.a double wammy right.I have tim and my emploees ,paypal and my pictures to prove your a thief.I knew I should of never listed on there.I am so glad you where not able to pull your switch and steal my money.dont ever email me again I am blocking you from emailing me.

 

[diamondback1]

url to reptibid

http://www.reptileauction.com/cgi-b...back1&BIDTOVIEW=b_snake_ballpythons1127381544



Hope this works

 

[diamondback1]

url to questions
http://www.reptileauction.com/cgi-b...?action=askquestion&category=&item=1127381544

 

[South Dixie Dragons]

Matt,

First things first...

Does your wife know you were busy bidding on snakes while she was in labor??
Tell you what, If you were MY husband bidding on ReptiBid while I was about to birth, I would beat the dog crap out of you! Totally whip your ass!

Ok, with that said....

This guys seems like a total nut, first he posts on Reptibid that you can leave a deposit and pay the rest within 2 weeks, then he takes your head off for not contacting him as soon as the auction is over.. then jumps to accusing you of trying to swap out snakes? sounds like maybe he has done that himself.

See if you can't post a picture.. What was the final outcome with Pay Pal? Did you get your money? Let me know if you want me to do some investigating here in South Florida for you..
Michele

 

[LotsaPetsGarfHt]

I wonder what Tim has to say.

I'm contacting Timmy, this could get real interesting, you need to post photos of the snakes you recieved.

 

[South Dixie Dragons]

he appears to be who he says he is, unless he is using a friens information..the address he provided on repti bid comes to this:
http://gisims2.miamidade.gov/myhome/propmap.asp?app=none&bytool=ADDR&cmd=FINDADDR&cmdTemp=&tool=SELECT&searchtool=ADDR&searchtoolTemp=&mapURL=http%3A%2F%2Fgisims2.miamidade.gov%2Foutput%2Fmd_prop_S01405154372442423501.jpg&minX=702253&minY=281551&maxX=1009861&maxY=589159&selX=&selY=&scale=30761&ownerl=&ownerf=&stnum=12251&stdir=SW&stname=2nd&sttype=ST&stunit=&stzip=&folio=&reffolio=&cfolio=&startnum=0&sOrthophoto=NO&sColorphoto=YES&fol=&Dis=&Mkt=&HexV=

 

[diamondback1]

I tried to post the pics I took but they are too big. I'm going to try and change the camera settings and take new pics tomorrow.

I attempted to email and call Tim earlier but have not received a response as of yet to show him the pics.

 

[Junkyard]

What program do you have your pictures under? You should be able to adjust the size there instead of taking another set of pictures.

Now, this guy needs to be reported to both Reptibid and Kingsnake for this. He is using the same picture for different snakes. Here are screen shots from Reptibid.