Scam?

[Mariar]

When my fiancé was looking thru Cl for birds...he also found a lot of to good to be true ads in the Tampa area. In fact we found sissy on Cl. Her owners had a bunch of large birds in small cages on the floor in the picture they sent me and we decided to go meet them anyways. Horrible people. The very next day same pic of sissy but different phone number and a send me money now and I'll ship this rare bird to you at no cost. I camnt believe people fall for scams like that!!

 

[Solo]

Not 100% certain, but I do not believe that emails can be displayed in threads. I know its frustrating when encountering scammers, but it is reality that most of these ads are scams.

 

[Kalel]

I guess it's going to happen...wherever there's an opportunity, there will be scammers. Up to us to keep our guard up. If you have any feelings that something isn't right, trust your gut.

 

[Puck]

I will have you all know that there is a kind Nigerian Prince out there just waiting to receive my bank account information and routing number so that he can oh so generously send me the 3.5 million dollars that he no longer wants. *huffs* Scam, indeed! *I* am going to be a millionaire tomorrow!

 

[Shayne]

I live in UK so there's not a corner of this country I'm not willing to drive to to collect something I have bought. I can get anywhere within 5 hours. Also due to our high population density there are always multiple macaws listed on preloved within an hours drive of me.
So no chance of me ever getting scammed. To be honest if I lived in USA I'd probably drive over 1000 miles to look at the perfect bird but I like roadtrips.

 

[Solo]

I live in UK so there's not a corner of this country I'm not willing to drive to to collect something I have bought. I can get anywhere within 5 hours. Also due to our high population density there are always multiple macaws listed on preloved within an hours drive of me.
So no chance of me ever getting scammed. To be honest if I lived in USA I'd probably drive over 1000 miles to look at the perfect bird but I like roadtrips.

I drove 1500 miles for my little girl, so I hear ya there.

 

[nicolino]

Interesting email I got today

Hi , this is Kelly Ormar , I own a hyacint macaw that is for adoption.My hubby Jason Ormar is a businessman and Im a nurse. I can barely talk because I had a surgery on my tongue etc etc. We are residing in Albuquerque New Mexico etc etc. Baby blue is 5 years old and she was raised to be a PR parrot. Long story short same exact letter with different names and residence address. They are asking $ 600.00 adoption fee. They are moving to Australia. Told them I have a cousin living in Alb.N.Mexico who will pick up the bird for me. Courious if I will hear from them ??? She sent me 12 pics of Hyacint Macaw. Cant wait to hear from her !!!

 

[JerseyWendy]

HUH?? How can you get a random email like this? Do you have any ads running anywhere, posting you are looking for a (Hy) macaw? This is definitely a scam - zero doubt there.

 

[nicolino]

Yeah I have responded to advertising for Hyacint macaw adoption . Exact same letter with different names and story changed a bit. Price went up 200.00 . Email even end same - Hope a prompt response.

I have run into a lots of these scams when I was looking for my Scarlet m. Hoobly , CL, Oodle etc. pretty much any website advertising macaws had bunch of scam advertising. When I tried to report the add as a scam I got response that this person has posted originally on a different website and I should file a complaint there. Simply a dead end.
I do how ever like to play with scammers a bit . Last guy sent me a picture of scarlet with dog , I responded asking for another pict of macaw with dog from the front , then he said he has no phone camera. He claimed macaw has papers . I asked him if they are AKC papers , his response was yes….AKC - american kennel club ( dogs ) Stupid moron , I asked him to take a quick picture of AKC papers ,said then that the bird has no papers etc.
etc / I called him a scammer eventually he apologized …. I did tried to report him - unsuccessfully ...

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Not too long ago,just after Smokey passed away..and before Jonesy came into my life,I was looking for a "baby" Gray...Timneh,Congo,didn't matter.

I saw an add on Craigs List for a 6 month old CAG..and the add read "local"..and then there were more adds for the same bird,but listed in different towns in my area.
I called the number...and it was out in CALIFORNIA...how local is Cali to CT?? anyway the man told me all about the bird..social..talkative..DNA'd male..etc etc...he wanted $350 <CHEAP for a baby Gray lol> and told me he would be delivered TO MY DOOR..that very day..uh-huh..

I knew it was a scam from just reading about the many locations this bird was supposedly at and I just played along. PEOPLE BEWARE!

Jim

 

[DannyA93]

that add was in baltimore? lol total scam i saw the exact same add on craigslist here in las cruces!

 

[nicolino]

Also in Florida !!!

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I will have you all know that there is a kind Nigerian Prince out there just waiting to receive my bank account information and routing number so that he can oh so generously send me the 3.5 million dollars that he no longer wants. *huffs* Scam, indeed! *I* am going to be a millionaire tomorrow!

Hey...I think I know that "Prince" myself!..seems like he doesn't like money..

Jim

 

[SilverSage]

I received a similar story back after the Hawaiian macaw rescue when I inquired about a dirt cheap blue and gold that I was hoping was one of the ones who had been sold before we arrived. Same line about the tongue, but no pr nonsense. Well then they sent me pics of bull dogge puppies and Bengal kittens... Couldn't remember what species I was interested in! And suddenly it was no longer a rehome, but they were a breeder who "specialized" in many different species. Well... I might have fallen for their scam (I was desperate to believe they had the macaws we had lost) until the pups and kittens... Since dogs and cats have to be about 11 months old to enter the state of Hawaii...

 

[Tony21]

I love spammers, I just got finished with one a few weeks ago. Went along with it for a good month or so.

My rule of thumb is, if your not a reputable breeder (I normally only deal with breeders for any animal I buy, unless I'm taking in a remote) then we have to be able to meet in person, or the deal.doesn't happen. If one is willing to spend good money on something, then one should be able to meet in person, or deal with reputable people. At least that's how I do it.

 

[hsb_birds]

had the same one in Austin

 

[nicolino]

Well , He is back , this time in Florida's Craigs list advertising Hyacint macaw , actually several different ads with different email addresses , same MO.

 

[nicolino]

Unbelivable , every time I answer add for a blue parrot Hyacint macaw it leads me to the same person , Same MO. This time She's from Maryland and Her doughter died of brain tumor. (Can you believe this? ) She had a macaw and they need to find her a good home.
She's trained to be a PR parrot ( Yeah , just like every other advertising claim ) PR parrot tame young talking etc etc.And since Im too far they need to arrange for shipping. It leads me to believe this person is working a nationwide scam. I mean every single time it's a different email contact and different name , story has changed lately ( got some pics of a little girl with her macaw) But - a Brain tumor death in the family ??? Wow !!!

 

[JerseyWendy]

Pretty disgusting what these folks come up with, isn't it? They make an attempt to pull at those heart strings with made-up sob stories.

It's been said many times, but I'll say it again:

If it sounds too good to be true - it most likely is.

 

[Puck]

Yeah, people really need to tone down their scams if they want to make real money as a con artist. Big scale stuff like the hyacinth macaw might actually get you a payout once in ten thousand tries, but if instead you make a smaller scale, more believable scam then you could likely rake in lots of smaller amounts of money quite often. Like selling CAGs instead of hyacinth macaws on Craigslist. They are in high demand, with many people who no very little about birds looking for them, but they are common enough that no one would question the fact you have one. You could most likely convince someone to send you a deposit for a bird that doesn't exist quite easily. Seriously, haven't these people ever watched White Collar or Leverage?

EDIT: ...And as I read that back over I realize it makes me sound like a giant criminal. This is what happens when you take a university course in the psychology of con jobs and scams.