- Joined
- Nov 1, 2006
- Messages
- 168
SCAM ALERT! Part 1
looks like this will be a 2 or 3 part thread. sorry its lengthy.
where do I start. geesshh. here we go again. I accidently (for a lack of better words) uncovered this scam attempt and I will try to sum it up with details best I can.
So on Oct. 15, 2016 I contacted user "Miami Cracker" after I had been following a thread he posted about a import from Africa that contained Androctonus togolensis (apparently).
the thread can be found here: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/androctonus-togolensis.287889/
below is my correspondence with Phil about that thread via PM a little while later.
Now fast forward to today, Oct 23, 2016.
I contacted another user on AB that posted a thread in the classifieds looking for scorpions. wanted to let him know that I had a few threads posted if he were interested. long story short, this user told me that he is being/been offered androctonus togolensis for $30 each. I found that very strange after all the talk previously on Phil's thread about the A. togolensis and the fact that they are extremely rare and hard to get. it was too much of a coincidence that suddenly togolensis are being offered for sale....specially not being offered on AB. red flag tells me someone is trying to fly under the radar.
being the good person this user is, he didn't want to give me the name of the person at first due to privacy reasons and all. I can respect that. I guess my evidence convinced him otherwise after I threw out Phil's name to him. He told me the guys name is Jeremy and he posted on a facebook group called Invertebrate Classifieds (US Only).
I contacted Phil via AB again (today...Oct, 23, 2016) and here is our conversation:
Soooooo....I contact Jeremy Hargett on Facebook and ask about them. (in this time frame, someone removed the classified add on FB containing the togolensis...im thinking someone knew I was catching on).
-----Continued to second thread - Part 2
Scam Alert - Part 2
here is my FB conversation with Jeremy:
2:34pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Hi. I was hearing you might have scorps for sale?? Looking to expand my collection a bit
3:01pmThey accepted your request.
3:01pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Got some yes
3:02pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Ok cool. What do you have please?? Any buthid stuff?
3:03pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Let me connect you with my invertebrates manager his name is phil robbins
3:06pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Im already aware. Thank you
androctonus togolensis for $30 ??
3:13pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Yes sir
3:16pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Awesome. Can you send me a pic?
3:17pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Yes will do
3:17pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Thanks
Also, what is the paypal address for payment and what is shipping cost?
3:27pm
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Jeremy Hargett
Wgere are you located
3:31pm
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Rowdy Kent
Oh ya sorry. Texas
I assume shipping is $50 for express. That seems to be the norm. Im thinking maybe 4 of them. Thatd be $170 plus 3% paypal fee for 4 of them with shipping. Just need a paypal addy to send to
3:36pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Jshreptiles@gmail.com
3:42pm
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Rowdy Kent
Waiting on the pic still
3:46pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Sending now
**Continued to third thread. Page 3
Scam Alert: Part 3
3:58pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Ehat the hell are you talking about you brought him up not me
3:59pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Are you trying to tell me that have or have not offered for sale, this month, androctonus togolensis??
I already know that answer by tge way
4:00pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
What the hell are you talking about
4:00pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Youre about to give a damn!! Lol
4:00pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Look I'm not quite sure what's going on with you
I put an ad up for what I purchased
With government stamps
An identification from two people
I put an ad up with pictures where exactly is the fraud please tell me that
So as you can see, he is infact offering Androctonus togolensis. Two scenarios could be possible here, keeping in my my original conversation with Phil.
1) Phil scammed Jeremy and told him they were A. togolensis.
or 2) Phil told Jeremy they are or are not togolensis but sell them either way as togolensis.
No matter what, Phil knows they are not togolensis by his own submission yet they are being sold as such. That my friends, by definition, is fraud!
of course they areboth mad as a rattlesnake after I exposed this and let them know about it. name calling, typical "i don't care what you've got on me", etc etc. most scammers think they can intimidate others with the "maybe by chance ive got the allegations wrong" tactic.
its clear, cut, and dry in this circumstance because Phil knew for a fact by his own words that they are not togolensis.
I guess you be the judge of who is more wrong in this case but to me, they are both at fault.
its no circumstance that the scorps were posted on a totally different website from where he admitted they were not togolensis. that's flying under the radar at its best!!
my advise is to use great caution in dealing with either of them. mislabeled or not, if you are going to sell something that is venomous, you might want to consider knowing a little something about them before someone gets hurt/stung/killed. EX: you think your selling emperor scorpions and suddenly someone gets stung by a androctonus bicolor.....that's a issue!! knowledge at a minimum is needed here. but plain as day....this was a scam attempt. hopefully no one fells for it as I'm unaware as to the extent of how far this went in that weeks time.
This thread (or 3) is getting soo long that I didn't post the last few pm's from phil. they can however be seen on fauna classifieds BOI sight under the same title (its only a 1 part thread there). feel free to look into that further if need to.
looks like this will be a 2 or 3 part thread. sorry its lengthy.
where do I start. geesshh. here we go again. I accidently (for a lack of better words) uncovered this scam attempt and I will try to sum it up with details best I can.
So on Oct. 15, 2016 I contacted user "Miami Cracker" after I had been following a thread he posted about a import from Africa that contained Androctonus togolensis (apparently).
the thread can be found here: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/androctonus-togolensis.287889/
below is my correspondence with Phil about that thread via PM a little while later.
- hi there. been following your thread on the suspected togolensis. do you also have the mom or just a brood of babies??
also curious as to what you might be asking for them when you decide to sell some??
- ButhidaeBomb, Oct 15, 2016 Report
- Reply
Oct 16, 2016
Miami CrackerArachnosquire
75
0
246
South Florida
I am supposedly getting 50 adults. May African exporter put them in my venomous snake order.
He also put 100 H.hottentotta 100 A. australis 100 srtomatapelma calceatum. so I have a lot of work as far as separating things. but I'll let you know.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=187199
Miami Cracker, Oct 16, 2016 Report
Reply
Oct 16, 2016
ButhidaeBombCant Re-MemberArachnosupporter
121
109
333
North Texas (DFW)
May i ask your name? I know the majority of people who are importing hot snakes so now im even more curious. Lol
ButhidaeBomb, Oct 16, 2016 Report
Reply
Oct 16, 2016
Miami CrackerArachnosquire
75
0
246
South Florida
Phill. And no surprise, the supposed togolensis are just more H. hottentotta.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=187199
Miami Cracker, Oct 16, 2016 Report
Reply
Oct 16, 2016
ButhidaeBombCant Re-MemberArachnosupporter
121
109
333
North Texas (DFW)
ohhhh. I just bought a batch of H h a while back. got them for $6 each. I'm sure youll move them
ButhidaeBomb, Oct 16, 2016
Now fast forward to today, Oct 23, 2016.
I contacted another user on AB that posted a thread in the classifieds looking for scorpions. wanted to let him know that I had a few threads posted if he were interested. long story short, this user told me that he is being/been offered androctonus togolensis for $30 each. I found that very strange after all the talk previously on Phil's thread about the A. togolensis and the fact that they are extremely rare and hard to get. it was too much of a coincidence that suddenly togolensis are being offered for sale....specially not being offered on AB. red flag tells me someone is trying to fly under the radar.
being the good person this user is, he didn't want to give me the name of the person at first due to privacy reasons and all. I can respect that. I guess my evidence convinced him otherwise after I threw out Phil's name to him. He told me the guys name is Jeremy and he posted on a facebook group called Invertebrate Classifieds (US Only).
I contacted Phil via AB again (today...Oct, 23, 2016) and here is our conversation:
- Today at 1:40 PM
ButhidaeBombCant Re-MemberArachnosupporter
121
109
333
North Texas (DFW)
Question....have you sold any of your hottentotta hottentotta to anyone in florida recently?? They are still being marketed as androc togolensis. People im talking to are being told its togolensis for $30.
Obviously your name is in it because youre the first person to mention importing them but you told me they are not togolensis.
Plus the picture being circulated and sold as androc togolensis is infact hottentotta. Just trying to get to the bottom of it before it gets out of hand. If youre not responsible for it, id get involved and nip it in thd butt
- ButhidaeBomb, Today at 1:40 PM Report
- Reply
Today at 2:10 PM
Miami CrackerArachnosquire
75
0
246
South Florida
nope. Haven't sold any to anybody. Any where.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=187199
Miami Cracker, Today at 2:10 PM Report
Reply
Today at 2:17 PM
ButhidaeBombCant Re-MemberArachnosupporter
121
109
333
North Texas (DFW)
Weird. Something is going on!! I just dont want the wrong names to be looked at negativly. But someone just sent a pic of a hottentotta hottentotta and said it was androc togolensis for $30 each. The mods will look into it and pull ip addresses and get it figured out.
Not even germany collectors have many togolensis so for them to suddenly pop up in us collections for $30 is clearly a scam
ButhidaeBomb, Today at 2:17 PM
Soooooo....I contact Jeremy Hargett on Facebook and ask about them. (in this time frame, someone removed the classified add on FB containing the togolensis...im thinking someone knew I was catching on).
-----Continued to second thread - Part 2
Scam Alert - Part 2
here is my FB conversation with Jeremy:
2:34pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Hi. I was hearing you might have scorps for sale?? Looking to expand my collection a bit
3:01pmThey accepted your request.
3:01pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Got some yes
3:02pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Ok cool. What do you have please?? Any buthid stuff?
3:03pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Let me connect you with my invertebrates manager his name is phil robbins
3:06pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Im already aware. Thank you
androctonus togolensis for $30 ??
3:13pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Yes sir
3:16pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Awesome. Can you send me a pic?
3:17pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Yes will do
3:17pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Thanks
Also, what is the paypal address for payment and what is shipping cost?
3:27pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Wgere are you located
3:31pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Oh ya sorry. Texas
I assume shipping is $50 for express. That seems to be the norm. Im thinking maybe 4 of them. Thatd be $170 plus 3% paypal fee for 4 of them with shipping. Just need a paypal addy to send to
3:36pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Jshreptiles@gmail.com
3:42pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Waiting on the pic still
3:46pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
Sending now
**Continued to third thread. Page 3
Scam Alert: Part 3
3:58pmShow Images
Jeremy Hargett
Ehat the hell are you talking about you brought him up not me
3:59pmShow Images
Rowdy Kent
Are you trying to tell me that have or have not offered for sale, this month, androctonus togolensis??
I already know that answer by tge way
3:59pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
I have offered exactly what I bought
I don't give a damn what you know
Nothing has been Secret
4:00pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
So you got scammed by phil too
4:00pmShow Images
Jeremy Hargett
What the hell are you talking about
4:00pmShow Images
Rowdy Kent
Youre about to give a damn!! Lol
4:00pm
Show Images
Jeremy Hargett
I doubt it
4:00pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Alrighty
4:00pmShow Images
Jeremy Hargett
Look I'm not quite sure what's going on with you
I put an ad up for what I purchased
With government stamps
An identification from two people
I put an ad up with pictures where exactly is the fraud please tell me that
4:02pm
Show Images
Rowdy Kent
Word of advance....stop talking
So as you can see, he is infact offering Androctonus togolensis. Two scenarios could be possible here, keeping in my my original conversation with Phil.
1) Phil scammed Jeremy and told him they were A. togolensis.
or 2) Phil told Jeremy they are or are not togolensis but sell them either way as togolensis.
No matter what, Phil knows they are not togolensis by his own submission yet they are being sold as such. That my friends, by definition, is fraud!
of course they areboth mad as a rattlesnake after I exposed this and let them know about it. name calling, typical "i don't care what you've got on me", etc etc. most scammers think they can intimidate others with the "maybe by chance ive got the allegations wrong" tactic.
its clear, cut, and dry in this circumstance because Phil knew for a fact by his own words that they are not togolensis.
I guess you be the judge of who is more wrong in this case but to me, they are both at fault.
its no circumstance that the scorps were posted on a totally different website from where he admitted they were not togolensis. that's flying under the radar at its best!!
my advise is to use great caution in dealing with either of them. mislabeled or not, if you are going to sell something that is venomous, you might want to consider knowing a little something about them before someone gets hurt/stung/killed. EX: you think your selling emperor scorpions and suddenly someone gets stung by a androctonus bicolor.....that's a issue!! knowledge at a minimum is needed here. but plain as day....this was a scam attempt. hopefully no one fells for it as I'm unaware as to the extent of how far this went in that weeks time.
This thread (or 3) is getting soo long that I didn't post the last few pm's from phil. they can however be seen on fauna classifieds BOI sight under the same title (its only a 1 part thread there). feel free to look into that further if need to.
Last edited by a moderator: