The Ultimate Scam

Published online: 04-08-2008

This article will be edited on an as needed basis so please check back for updates.

If you have had a similar experience send me your information at:  tar9091@aol.com

 
These pictures were taken the day after he was returned to me.

Recently I had a harassment scam pulled on me.  Two months later I have decided that I need to tell the fact of this scam to other breeders so they can look out for similar situations as I feel this was a pre-planned scam.

On December 31st I received a phone call from Maryland a gal who was shopping for an Italian Greyhound Male to be used as a stud dog.  She claimed that she did not have internet service therefore I made a copy of my website and snail mailed it to her with my "Condition of Sale Terms".  Five weeks later on January 28th I received a money order in the mail.  No one had even contacted me to see if the dog was still available but later that same day I received a phone call from Maryland asking me if I received the money order.  Since so much time had passed I really did not recall who I was talking with, she told me her name, and that she had decided she wanted the blue and white male Italian Greyhound and that she would be using him as a stud dog. There have been many money order scams online and I had sent information telling her that I do not take money orders due to all of the scams, the Nigeria check scams and other scams have been happening everywhere to many people.  She gave me her full name, address and phone number and told me what airport to ship him to...  I told her I would tentatively schedule his flight for Tuesday Feb 5th but if the money order had not cleared the bank we would have to reschedule his flight.  She told me that she wanted to get him as soon as possible and I had to inform her again that I do not usually accept money orders of any kind and I do not know for sure how long it takes a money order to clear the bank.   That Saturday afternoon, Feb 2nd, I received another call from Maryland and she was insisting that I ship him out on Monday.  She needed him for sure Monday and she would not wait for Tuesday.  My plans were to take him to the vet for his health papers (required for flight) on Monday and then ship him on Tuesday to her.  She argued and argued with me, she wanted him now she would not wait until Tuesday.  I had to repeat everything I said a couple of time to her, it was like she could not understand what I was trying to say.  I thought at that time that maybe she was mentally handicap, I told her at least 5 times that I would call and try to find out more information on the money order, and as to my knowledge it had not cleared yet.  She was literally screaming at me that she needed this dog now.  Due to it being a weekend I had a terrible time trying to get any additional information to verify if in fact this money order was even real.  I also had to call a veterinarian to get him in for a health paper, and on a weekend.  I tried a number of vets before I found one who was willing to make an exception for me, the veterinarian was out of town but would be back for the Super bowl party Sunday evening and if I really needed the health paper that bad that I could meet her at her office after the game Sunday evening, but I would have to pay the emergency fee rate. This was a big inconveince for the veterinarian as well as for myself.  I also raise dogs so I totally understand the situation of having a female to breed and needing to get that female bred on the exact day necessary for her to conceive and this is what I was assuming this situation was as there was nothing else that made sense of why this gal in Maryland could not wait one more day.  I booked the flight, and took the dog for his health papers Sunday evening at 10:30 pm, he was also vaccinated for Rabies at this time so he was current on all vet care.  I checked in at Northwest Airlines Cargo at 4 am Monday and shipped him to Maryland, his flight left at about 6 am Monday.  The items that were sent along with him were his health papers, shot records, rabies tag and certificate, microchip transfer form with a tag for his collar with his microchip number on it, his feeding schedule, and his American Kennel Club registration papers.

Later in the day on Monday I received an email from a friend of the gal, the email stated nothing but "she does not like the dog and she wants to send him back"  call her.

So I called her and she said she did not like his coloring and she thought that he might be sick.  I asked her to take him to her veterinarian to be sure he was alright, just incase he had been hurt on the long flight (about 14 hours total time from check in until she got to her home with him) she refused to take him to her vet.  She said that she is not willing to invest another dollar in the dog because she does not like him.  She said she would call me with flight information as soon as she had a return flight booked for him.  I informed her that if she wanted money back for him she would need to keep him and sell him as I do not refund money.  My contract is simple (attached further down on this page) I do not send dogs on a trial basis.  People are more then welcome to come to my home and meet the puppies and parents, if a person has a question or concern about a dog prior to the purchase I can email pictures but if they want to see his personality etc they need to get in the car or on a flight and come see the dog in person.  She again started screaming at me and told me that GOD WOULD GET ME.  I told her again that if she wanted money for him she would have to sell him...

I received a call later that evening with flight details for his return on Wednesday.  She was yelling in the phone that I better be at the airport to get him or else. 

Well of course I would be there to get him...  At the airport Wednesday evening the gal behind the counter carried out the pet porter and met me in the lobby, she was holding her nose saying things like "wow does he stink".  The items that were returned along with him were his original health certificate and his rabies certificate.  She did not return anything else with him.  Foxy greeted me right at the door of his crate and he was so happy to see me.  He came out of crate covered in fecal material and old dirty newspapers stuck to him, the airport gal asked me to take him outside as he stunk that badly.  I took him home and cleaned him up and we visited the vet the following morning, he weighed a full pound less then before he left but other than his weight he appeared happy and healthy.  He was bouncing around in no time begging for attention and treats so I was relieved as I was expecting the worst.  The pet porter was so dirty inside that I came to the conclusion that he was kept in the crate for the full 3 days. 

Since this time I have not had one phone call from the gal in Maryland.  Instead what I have had are false complaints filed against me which in return has caused me to be inspected and investigated by:

1.  The Italian Greyhound Rescue:  states “looks like a happy healthy guy to me!”

2.  The Humane Society:  inspected my dogs and my facility, and found no reason for any further action

3.  The Better Business Bureau:  who dismissed the complaint stating the plaintiff is not of sound mind

4.  The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection:  who thought he was adorable

5.  The American Kennel Club:  dismissed the claim as his microchip has been on file with their club since he was a tiny baby puppy.  There is no chance that he is any other dog then this one as microchips can not be altered.

6.  Bowtie Incorporated

7.  The USDA who upon their inspection of our home and kennel found everything to be 100%

I really do not know why this gal is giving me such a bad time, maybe she didn't get the male in time to breed her female to him and she is upset that she did not get puppies or maybe she just figures that if she harasses me enough I will send her money back and she will get a free stud fee?  I really don't know the true answer to all of her false claims and reasoning behind her false claims.  Her harassments and false claims are damaging my reputation as an individual and also as a breeder.  I have had to write numerous reports responding to her false claims and I have also been inspected many times because of all of these false claims she keeps filing.  I have had to time and time over again explain the situation and answer questions in regards to this gorgeous dog.  This little boy is very pretty, he is healthy, happy and sweet. 

The Maryland gal sent pictures trying to claim that my dog was missing hair on his back (shown below) In Exhibit #5 she tries to claim that he has no hair on his back but then in an additional picture that I labeled Exhibit #6 that she also sent with her complaint you can see his back again and it is clear that there is no hair missing.

This is a copy of my webpage that I had originally sent to the gal from Maryland

In the middle of my page it says  "All deposits and payments are non-refundable".

These are pictures I took of him the day after he returned home to me:

This is a copy of his health certificate (below)

And a copy of my receipt from the Veterinarian who issued the health certificate and rabies vaccination: