Watch out for scams

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FourTortoise

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Hey Guys,

I just wanted to post a conversation that I had with some scammers.

Here is what they said:

Hello ,
I try calling you back on the phone # but could not get you, However breeding of tortoises are what we do, I am an Approved Breeder of Sulcata, Adabra and Radiated Tortoises and I run a Reptile Farm. Attached are some pictures of my adult Aldabara and Radiated tortoises for sale we currently have 60 babies ready to get a new home.
We do have 12 adult female’s sulcata and 10 males Sulcata to go. All of my females are 100% proven breeder females and range between 24 1/2 " and 29 1/2 " large in size. One of the females usually lay between 3-5 times a years with last year a total of 108 eggs.

My adult Female Aldabara tortoises cost 650.00 USD in respective of the sex, and a pair of a male and female cost you $900.00, shipping to your location included to ship from Douala, their current location.
All our tortoises are home raised (bred) by myself and my family and they are very healthy. They are shipped alongside a health written guarantee and a document on their specific diet, which are very essential so as to maintain a healthy and strong shell.

Diet
Aldabra tortoises are mostly herbivores. In the wild, they eat grass, leaves, plants, stems and other tasty weeds. They will also feed on insects and dead animals, even their own kind. In captivity they will eat grass, flowers, cactus pads, all sorts of leafy greens and commercial tortoise food. They also like fruit and melons.


My adult sulcata tortoises cost 400.00 USD in respective of the sex, and a pair of a male and female cost you $600.00, shipping to your location included to ship from Douala, their current location.
She is so large and heavy and can only be shipped with Inter cargo Airlines to your closest airport in a wood crate.

The radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) A female is 15 1/2 " large in size and weighs 56 Ibs and the male is 18" large in size and weighs 70.5 Ibs My adult Female Radiated tortoises cost 500.00 USD in respective of the sex, and a pair of a male and female cost you $750.00, shipping to your location included to ship from Douala, their current location.

Aldabara Tortoise (Geochelone gigantea) is the world’s 2nd Largest Tortoise, male is 30 1/2 " large in size and weighs 130 lbs and female is 28 ''large in size and weighs 110 lbs females lay anywhere from nine and 25 eggs in a shallow nest. Usually less than alf of the eggs are fertile. Females can produce multiple clutches of eggs in a year. After incubating, the tiny tortoises hatch between October and December.


The Redfoot tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria) the red-foot tortoise lays clutches of 5 to 15 eggs between July and September. redfoot tortoises cost 550.00 USD in respective of the sex, and a pair of a male and female cost you $800.00,

Shipping is going to be done Via Inter cargo Airlines and they are going to be transported in a wooden crate. Our females at times she enjoys to be hand fed. If you will be interested in getting a pair, then let me know exactly which airport is nearest to your residence so we could get on and begin arrangements for delivery.

When that is done you shall be notified with the details of the flight including tracking number of parcel online, departure and arrival time to enable you know exactly when to be at the airport for pick up. Vet certificate shall be coming along with the tortoises. Sorry for the length of the mail, but i have just to give you every information about this transaction. Hope to get back to you soonest. Sincere greetings waiting for a soonest reply
God bless you.
Kim.
___________________________________________________________

They then responded with the following in a 2nd email


Hello Danny,

These amazing tortoises are outgoing, very tame, and are among the most hardy of the pet tortoises. You must keep in mind that not only do they get large, but they grow relatively quickly, and are very powerful. They do get much larger than most owners can deal with.

My females radiated tortoises are 100% healthy and do not carry infections bacteria or viruses that could adversely affect their health and which could be a threat to the health of any other tortoises you already own.
My tortoises will come with all documentary and they are protected by CITES

The tortoises will come with all it health papers and a health Guarantee for 1 year. All of our tortoises have a complete written health guarantee! We guarantee that there are no symptoms of disease at the time of sale/shipping and that our tortoises are completely healthy and are all captive bred.

All of our Females are 100% proven breeder and lays between 3-5 times a years.
Danny, also i will like to find out from you, if you have hatch tortoises eggs before?

Well this is because each of our females radiated is accompanying along side 3 fertile hatching tortoises eggs. Which you will not have to pay for the eggs i am given you for free, and If this is your first time, do not worry. We have CDs guide and hand outs to help you throughout, you will have no problem acquiring this wonderful tortoise as pet or to breed. All this will help you in the near future when you have to breed these tortoises or when you’re female start to lays some eggs.


Danny get back to me with your full contact address, and how long it takes to driver from airport to home address. As soon as i have your information for delivery, i will take the tortoises to the delivery agency and make flight reservation for the tortoises. i will contact you when i'm through with the flight reservation, and be reassure that i will make you the best selection snd over to you. Await your response
Kind regards.
Kim.


Just keep an eye out for emails that sound like this.

Here is their ad link: http://www.texassuperads.com/exotic...d_and_the_red_footed_tortoises_for__sale.aspx
 

dmmj

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I would be surprised if it wasn't a camaroon scam.

Another good sign of a scam is a lot of rare species available.
 

Neal

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Without a doubt this is a scam. Those are some good pictures though, sometimes they can get some really good ones. One time I got a guy to send me some pictures of albino leopard tortoises. It was pretty cool.

You should tell him you want all of his tortoises and you are going to send a wal mart money gram.
 

Yvonne G

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I don't know what a Wal-Mart money gram is, but it made me laugh all the same!!
 

Shelly

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I have never seen a scam that did not include "God bless you" somewhere in the correspondence. That's always a tipoff.
 

dmmj

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The person selling the tortoises lives in cameroon, or at least has you wire the money to cameroon.
 

Yvonne G

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The people placing those ads usually have ads for puppies using the same wording as the tortoise ads, and also ads for birds.
 

FourTortoise

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We thought it was too good to be true, so when I saw the email it confirmed my thoughts. They get so many people that way. I've heard of people losing retirement funds to these scammers. Luckily we can tell by the translated english. lol
 
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