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Mare
05-22-2016, 03:56 PM
My neice contacted me about an add she found, someone looking to relocate their African Grey. I'm in touch with the guy that owns him, he's local, he's just moved into a place that doesn't allow pets and has started a new job that doesn't allow him the time needed to spend with the bird.

I don't know if it's a CAG or a TAG, not that I would know the difference :). I don't know if I could get past the googly eye thing they do but he's supposed to be a very friendly, 4yr. old named Karl. I'm going to go meet him tomorrow.

I'm not familiar with Greys, at all..but I do have room in my heart, time to spend and the gumption to take on another bird. Does anyone have any advice on what I should be looking for when meeting this Karl bird..questions I should ask, besides the obvious like diet stuff?

kendrafitz
05-22-2016, 04:56 PM
I don't know anything about greys. They seem like awesome birds though. Just wanted to say I'm so excited for you!!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 05:11 PM
My neice contacted me about an add she found, someone looking to relocate their African Grey. I'm in touch with the guy that owns him, he's local, he's just moved into a place that doesn't allow pets and has started a new job that doesn't allow him the time needed to spend with the bird.

I don't know if it's a CAG or a TAG, not that I would know the difference :). I don't know if I could get past the googly eye thing they do but he's supposed to be a very friendly, 4yr. old named Karl. I'm going to go meet him tomorrow.

I'm not familiar with Greys, at all..but I do have room in my heart, time to spend and the gumption to take on another bird. Does anyone have any advice on what I should be looking for when meeting this Karl bird..questions I should ask, besides the obvious like diet stuff? Googly eye thing... Mare , that's funny! :th_embarassed: I'm not to knowledgeable about Greys. Health of the Bird should be first question to ask. When was last check-up. if Bird has Current health issues. etc.

Casper's 2nd best friend
05-22-2016, 05:42 PM
...he's just moved into a place that doesn't allow pets and has started a new job that doesn't allow him the time needed to spend with the bird.

Bad excuses, not good enough even to be reasons. Obviously he should never have been allowed to have a parrot in the first place and you should warn his girlfriend about a likely lack of commitment. Either that or this is a psycho-parrot* that has tried to kill him - so check for blood stains up the walls and scratches on his face. :)

*I have a vivid imagination.

kendrafitz
05-22-2016, 06:01 PM
Bad excuses, not good enough even to be reasons. Obviously he should never have been allowed to have a parrot in the first place and you should warn his girlfriend about a likely lack of commitment. Either that or this is a psycho-parrot* that has tried to kill him - so check for blood stains up the walls and scratches on his face. :)

*I have a vivid imagination.
Thank you for the giggle Jean-Pierre!!!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 06:38 PM
Bad excuses, not good enough even to be reasons. Obviously he should never have been allowed to have a parrot in the first place and you should warn his girlfriend about a likely lack of commitment. Either that or this is a psycho-parrot* that has tried to kill him - so check for blood stains up the walls and scratches on his face. :)

*I have a vivid imagination.
:gp5::th_shocking:

Mare
05-22-2016, 08:56 PM
Googly eye thing... Mare , that's funny! :th_embarassed: I'm not to knowledgeable about Greys. Health of the Bird should be first question to ask. When was last check-up. if Bird has Current health issues. etc.


Thanks, Suzanne. I understand Karl is in good health and has had recent vet checks. I will definitely ask and will have an open eye.

Mare
05-22-2016, 09:03 PM
Bad excuses, not good enough even to be reasons. Obviously he should never have been allowed to have a parrot in the first place and you should warn his girlfriend about a likely lack of commitment. Either that or this is a psycho-parrot* that has tried to kill him - so check for blood stains up the walls and scratches on his face. :)

*I have a vivid imagination.

I totally agree, very weak excuses for trying to find a new home for a member of the family! I will check for blood splatters on the walls and scaring on the face. He's asking $200 for the bird. It could be a totally plucked bird, it could be a fully neglected bird..I won't know till tomorrow.

Casper's 2nd best friend
05-22-2016, 09:11 PM
I think he should be paying you for getting him out of a bad situation and giving his bird a proper home. Good luck.
Plucked birds need love too, you could crochet it lots of little body-warmers, not in bright colours which might make it feel ridiculous and self-conscious but nice shades of grey. Erm, I might be getting a bit ahead of the game so I'll stop.

Mare
05-22-2016, 09:30 PM
Jean-Pierre, you only say this because you know I'm a good people that loves birds. When I went to introduce myself to Sassy, her owner was asking $300 for her and ended up giving her to me for free. I would surely pay $200 for a bird that needs a home and maybe putting a price on a bird is the only way to get someone who might be serious..

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 09:42 PM
Thanks, Suzanne. I understand Karl is in good health and has had recent vet checks. I will definitely ask and will have an open eye. That's a good start

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 09:44 PM
I totally agree, very weak excuses for trying to find a new home for a member of the family! I will check for blood splatters on the walls and scaring on the face. He's asking $200 for the bird. It could be a totally plucked bird, it could be a fully neglected bird..I won't know till tomorrow. I hope not

Lady
05-22-2016, 10:02 PM
Does Karl have a routine that he is use to? Does he have a favorite food, snack or treat? Has he ever spent any time around other birds? Will he come with all his things? Is he hand tame to any degree? Was he covered at night? Is there anything that frightens him that they may be aware of? Has he ever been in a car? Do they have a carrier or will you have to bring one?

bill-e
05-22-2016, 10:13 PM
The only thing worse than an unwanted bird is the one you keep and ignore. He may not realize it but this is the best thing that could happen to the grey.

Macaw Lover
05-22-2016, 10:34 PM
I think I would try doing a little detective work and find out maybe from the neighbors, how long he has lived there. If he has lived there a while I would not believe a word they say because they would be hiding things about the relationship they hope to pass off onto some unsuspecting person in order to get Karl off their hands.

When you go there, go there as an 'observer' not like a 'buyer' who is so happy to meet a new little birdie. By that I mean to observe every little detail in how they interact with Karl. It will be tougher as a lot of Greys don't necessarily like the hands on thing so stay keen on watching for the subtle signs of difficulty in handling him. I think I would ask the point blank question of: 'Just how bad has he ever bitten' as I think people would be thrown for a loop and actually start telling you stories. Pay attention to those stories and how often they happen, if there is a real pattern going on. Maybe another question to ask is 'What is something that you would like Karl to stop doing'. Get the people to talk, maybe tell them a story or two of your own, just get them to open up.

It could just be they cannot take anymore all the copying of sounds that Greys do such as the phone ring, or the alarm sounding. I think that could get to be annoying for someone who thought it was fun in the beginning but then it became more of a 'You try living with that' scenario when it is on going and they find themselves to not be the bird type owners they thought they were.

Mare
05-22-2016, 10:35 PM
Does Karl have a routine that he is use to? Does he have a favorite food, snack or treat? Has he ever spent any time around other birds? Will he come with all his things? Is he hand tame to any degree? Was he covered at night? Is there anything that frightens him that they may be aware of? Has he ever been in a car? Do they have a carrier or will you have to bring one?

Super good questions..thank you, Alice! :)

Mare
05-22-2016, 10:42 PM
I think I would try doing a little detective work and find out maybe from the neighbors, how long he has lived there. If he has lived there a while I would not believe a word they say because they would be hiding things about the relationship they hope to pass off onto some unsuspecting person in order to get Karl off their hands.

When you go there, go there as an 'observer' not like a 'buyer' who is so happy to meet a new little birdie. By that I mean to observe every little detail in how they interact with Karl. It will be tougher as a lot of Greys don't necessarily like the hands on thing so stay keen on watching for the subtle signs of difficulty in handling him. I think I would ask the point blank question of: 'Just how bad has he ever bitten' as I think people would be thrown for a loop and actually start telling you stories. Pay attention to those stories and how often they happen, if there is a real pattern going on. Maybe another question to ask is 'What is something that you would like Karl to stop doing'. Get the people to talk, maybe tell them a story or two of your own, just get them to open up.

It could just be they cannot take anymore all the copying of sounds that Greys do such as the phone ring, or the alarm sounding. I think that could get to be annoying for someone who thought it was fun in the beginning but then it became more of a 'You try living with that' scenario when it is on going and they find themselves to not be the bird type owners they thought they were.


Thank you, so much, Renee. Great advice!

Mare
05-22-2016, 10:53 PM
Ok, this is our last corespondence. Who is the idiot here, me or him..?.?

Marilee Rose Miller
5/21, 5:18pm
Marilee Rose Miller
Hi! My neice told me that you are looking for a home for your grey. I've never owned one but am an experienced parrot person. I have cockatoos and know how challenging they can be. If you are still looking for a person for your bird,,let me know smile emoticon
Today

4:34amGarry Jones accepted your request.
Garry Jones
4:35am
Garry Jones
hello thanks for your interest in the bird. he is 4 years old loves sitting on the shoulder. he is a good talker,hand tamed. he well behaved and loves children. also good with other household pets and has all documents and in good health. i do need to get the baby into a new family ASAP, cos we just moved into a new home where pets are not allowed and i got a new job so i will not have time to look after the bird or give him that attention like before. please do let me know if you can give that good home for the baby. please. where are you located? do get back to me asap thanks
Today
Marilee Rose Miller
7:49am
Marilee Rose Miller
Hi, Garry smile emoticon. I'm located off of Rd.600, between Raymond and Ahwahnee. I'm sitting here talking with my husband about Karl bird. He's good with it and I know I can give your bird a good home,,YOU just don't know it! I have an Umbrella Cockatoo, a Goffins cockatoo and two cockatiels. My 'tiels are setting on eggs that are due to hatch real soon smile emoticon
All of my birds are rescues and needed a good home so..here they are! I would love to meet Karl, I can't get away today but tomorrow would work for me. Let me know, thank you!
Today
Marilee Rose Miller
12:02pm
Marilee Rose Miller
Hello..?..? If you want to call me my # is
Garry Jones
2:40pm
Garry Jones
ok so are u gonna take Karl?
we just want the best home for him
Marilee Rose Miller
2:56pm
Marilee Rose Miller
I would like to meet him first. Let me know what works for you, Garry.
Garry Jones
2:57pm
Garry Jones
where u at?
?
Marilee Rose Miller
3:15pm
Marilee Rose Miller
scroll up a couple of posts..I live between Raymond and Ahwahnee
Garry Jones
3:43pm
Garry Jones
oh can u come pickup or would u prefer i arrange for a pet courier to deliver to your home address directly since they do offer door to door services cos we just moved into a new home where pets are not allowed

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 11:02 PM
What the heck ...something fishy in Denmark

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 11:05 PM
Sounds like a scam... Tony should talk to them , he
's good at busting their scam

Mare
05-22-2016, 11:09 PM
I'm going to respond to Garry, I definitely don't want him coming to my home but will help a bird in need. I'll keep you posted..

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 11:13 PM
I'm going to respond to Garry, I definitely don't want him coming to my home but will help a bird in need. I'll keep you posted..don't go alone, don't send him any money up front !

Macaw Lover
05-22-2016, 11:13 PM
Don't even think there is a bird. The first response had SCAMMER written all over it and when they put that word out there 'courier' that closes that deal in more than one way.

Hope you already had your running shoes on after his last response and don't have to blow your nose too hard in order to stop smelling that SCAMMER.

Macaw Lover
05-22-2016, 11:15 PM
i'm going to respond to garry, i definitely don't want him coming to my home but will help a bird in need. I'll keep you posted..

no no no no no no no no

there is no bird!!!!!!!!!

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 11:20 PM
Mare speaking of Scammers = what about spammer's on internet . For Privacy sake and your safety You should Delete your Phone Number on this thread . From the conversation with this jerk.

Mare
05-22-2016, 11:23 PM
Ok! Thanks! What does this person think he's going to gain being a scammer in my neighborhood? What if there IS a bird..possibly a stolen bird, that needs somewhere to go? I would never go to some stranger's home without an escort and my bow and arrows..don't worry.

Mare
05-22-2016, 11:26 PM
Mare speaking of Scammers = what about spammer's on internet . For Privacy sake and your safety You should Delete your Phone Number on this thread . From the conversation with this jerk.

Thank, Suzanne..I did delete

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 11:27 PM
Ok! Thanks! What does this person think he's going to gain being a scammer in my neighborhood? What if there IS a bird..possibly a stolen bird, that needs somewhere to go? I would never go to some stranger's home without an escort and my bow and arrows..don't worry. Your a big girl ...Just be careful...You really shouldn't leave your phone # posted though :th_smile: you never know who reads these forums

The Pinkertons
05-22-2016, 11:30 PM
Thank, Suzanne..I did delete:th_smile:

Macaw Lover
05-22-2016, 11:52 PM
How To Smell Out the Scammers: Coarse 101

hello thanks for your interest in the bird
Most all of the scammers will start out with this salutation. Is this how most Americans would write? No

he well behaved and loves children
Forgot the 'is' after the he. Could be a slip up but in the real world of birds and people looking for a home for their loved one, would YOU write 'loves children'? Maybe appropriate with dogs but we are talking about a bird here.

also good with other household pets and has all documents and in good health
Now that is a blanket statement that we know better about with 'other household pets'. I like seeing it written that way as you can spot it more easily vs if they said specifically a dog or cat. Then there is the issue with 'has all documents'. Is that how you go around describing documentation for the vets office? I love it when they say it has 'all it's shots'. If a bird owner falls for THAT one they deserve to lose their money.


cos we just moved into a new home where pets are not allowed and i got a new job so i will not have time to look after the bird or give him that attention like before

Didn't they know BEFORE they 'moved in' that pets were not allowed? Come on. People that do just happen to get a new job..... Yeah, that 'new job' is they are new to SCAMMING, or maybe they have already found there is good money in scamming.

ok so are u gonna take Karl?
Just confirming they have another sucker on the line ready to hand over $$$$

we just want the best home for him
Yeah, sure you do, haven't really gotten any info on what type of home you could offer. Just seeing $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

where u at?
He does not live in the area (more than likely Cameroon) so he has no clue the location your described.

oh can u come pickup or would u prefer i arrange for a pet courier to deliver to your home address directly since they do offer door to door services
How soon are you going to hand over the $$$$$? Using a pet courier is the final straw. That is not something that is commonly done but they (the scammers) don't know that and some people would 'think' that was something new and so great and .... and just fall for it.



Ok, lesson ended. You all have been good students and will pass your final next time one crosses your path. Anyone that fails this coarse will have to deal with me!

The Pinkertons
05-23-2016, 12:04 AM
It would be interesting to now how this crook wants to get paid...Mare could play along with the courier idea and have the bird delivered somewhere other than her home like at a local 7eleven in the public for safety.

Mare
05-23-2016, 12:06 AM
Have you been scammed before, Renee? My thoughts are that there really may be a bird involved :(. We have lots of Hmong/Vietnemese/Asian folks down in the city...they come up to our mountain areas to grow pot, I've nothing against this but know that there is a lot of crime going on in the city. The way I read this persons posts, he is Asian and may be involved in some nefarious activities that might involve bird theft.

Mare
05-23-2016, 12:10 AM
I am NOT a racist in any sense. I only said what I did because of the way Garry presented it.

PlaxMacaws
05-23-2016, 12:38 AM
Mare: Have you read the following two threads?

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]!&highlight=scammer%21

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]


If I were you, I would tell Garry that you wish to speak with him over the phone. Get his phone number if you can. Tell him you need assurance about Karl's health because you need to protect your own birds. Then ask him who his vet is. If Garry insists that he has documents and side-steps the vet question, ask him to either fax copies of said documents to you, or attach them to an email to you. Document copy transfer is not that difficult these days. If Garry's description is honest and he truly cares about this alleged bird's welfare (wanting a good home for him, etc.), he will accommodate your request and appreciate your prudence.

Mare
05-23-2016, 12:54 AM
Thank you, Tony, good advice. I messaged him and offered to meet him in town at the local Starbucks, Tim said he'll go with me. I've not heard back and I've also asked for his phone #, so far..no response.

PlaxMacaws
05-23-2016, 01:06 AM
Thank you, Tony, good advice. I messaged him and offered to meet him in town at the local Starbucks, Tim said he'll go with me. I've not heard back and I've also asked for his phone #, so far..no response.No surprise. I'm 99.999% sure it's a scam. Pet scammers typically want prepayment via Western Union. On the really expensive false animals they settle for prepayment of a percentage of the total asking price, or for the full shipping/transport fees - which will obviously never be booked.

Macaw Lover
05-23-2016, 01:14 AM
No, never have I been taken but the first ad I had answered I started learning how it all worked. Wanted to send the bird via a courier too and my friend was also going 'what is up with that'? The 'bird' was in the southern part of the state and when I wanted to go meet them and pick up the bird all of a sudden 'she' had to be with her sister who was having a baby but would get back to me when she was back. Like who was taking care of the bird while she was gone if she was single? yeah, right. These scammers are good at creating a lot of stories and they count on people just sending money which people must do otherwise there would not be so many of them still scamming unsuspecting people.

If you ever answer an ad for a bird or any animal, first ask SPECIFIC questions such as what vet they use, who the breeder was and when you don't get an answer back for any of YOUR questions, you know right there it is a scam.

You will be waiting until dooms day for this scammer to get back to you with HIS number and saying he will meet up with you at Starbucks. Not something they will do, they will want money in a Money Gram, something that cannot be stopped once the people wake up and realize they have been taken.

Also, please don't still be thinking there is a bird that needs a home, there is no bird, not from this person at least.

Mare
05-23-2016, 01:25 AM
Yeah, but what if there is, Renee? I'm not stupid enough to send money to anyone I don't know.

Macaw Lover
05-23-2016, 01:43 AM
There isn't a bird, It is a scam and they rely on working the heart strings of people who think they can get a bird at a really low price or in your case, wanting to do good and help a bird out. They count on that to perpetulate their scam and get your money.

Repeat after me:

THERE IS NO BIRD THAT NEEDS A HOME, IT IS A SCAM

THERE IS NO BIRD THAT NEEDS A HOME, IT IS A SCAM

THERE IS NO BIRD THAT NEEDS A HOME, IT IS A SCAM

THERE IS NO BIRD THAT NEEDS A HOME, IT IS A SCAM

THERE IS NO BIRD THAT NEEDS A HOME, IT IS A SCAM


Is your brain getting the message to your heart yet?

Macaw Lover
05-23-2016, 01:46 AM
Yeah, but what if there is, Renee? I'm not stupid enough to send money to anyone I don't know.

This is EXACTLY what these people count on and they prey on people.

Mare
05-23-2016, 02:45 AM
Well, I got a response back and this person with the bird lives in Susanville, CA., not locally. It's a 5-6hr. drive for me. I asked if he was willing to drive to Sacramento (3hr. drive for me) but before I would even think about hitting the road, I want to speak on the phone with him..I have many questions. Thanks everyone, for all your great advice.

PlaxMacaws
05-23-2016, 03:24 AM
Please keep us updated, Mare.

Macaw Lover
05-23-2016, 03:39 AM
So where was this ad placed? Actual bird owners are going to put it in a paper locally, not 5-6 hrs away. You see ads like that a lot, using the same (stolen) pics and advertising the bird needs a home for the same reasons (moved, new job) and they are dumb enough to repeat the same ad over and over in different cities/states.

Mare, stop making me hit my head against the wall!!!!!!!!

Mare
05-23-2016, 03:54 AM
Renee, please stop hitting your head against the wall!! I tend to have faith in the human race and this may be a scam but I'm going to ride it out and see where it leads. My neice found this add in her local section, close to where I live. My eyes are WIDE OPEN! I won't be scammed thanks to all the warnings I've had from all you concerned folks. No matter what..it will be ok.

Casper's 2nd best friend
05-23-2016, 10:05 AM
Wow this is exciting... can Mare scam the scammer or is it all going to end in tears. Ask him for some petrol money. Or is it a kosher bird. Stay tuned for the next installment :)

Mare
05-23-2016, 01:44 PM
Wow this is exciting... can Mare scam the scammer or is it all going to end in tears. Ask him for some petrol money. Or is it a kosher bird. Stay tuned for the next installment :)


Oh, SHUT UP! Have I ever told you the story about how many idiots I've run into on parrot forums? :)

The Pinkertons
05-23-2016, 05:06 PM
Oh, SHUT UP! Have I ever told you the story about how many idiots I've run into on parrot forums? :) :pcs:

Mare
05-23-2016, 08:42 PM
Ok..I wasn't going to post this because of all the nay-sayers that are waiting to tell me, "I told you so", but here is his last message. I've decided to skip it and not pursue this bird..although,,

12:46am
Garry Jones
oh hun sorry about the distance like i said we just moved into a new home where pets are not allowed so we do need to get him a good home asap but i do not drive. i am ready to tell u everything you wanna know about Karl ok

PlaxMacaws
05-23-2016, 09:00 PM
If it were me, I would pretend to play along and tell him: "OK. I'll drive all the way to your location. Please give me your phone number so we can arrange the specifics and if necessary make contact along the way (in case I get lost, etc)." And as well say to him: "By the way, who is your vet?" If this person gives you his phone number -which I'm sure he won't since he's a mere scammer- then you can call him and ask over the hone who Karl's vet is (ask him point-blank for the clinic name, its location, and the vet's name). In my opinion, this guy deserves to be put on the spot!

Mare
05-23-2016, 09:10 PM
Tony..will you do this for me? I'm a woos when it comes down to confrontation, well, sometimes anyways..this might be one of those times. You can tell him that I told you about the bird and you are also interested..what do you think?

The Pinkertons
05-23-2016, 09:15 PM
Tony..will you do this for me? I'm a woos when it comes down to confrontation, well, sometimes anyways..this might be one of those times. You can tell him that I told you about the bird and you are also interested..what do you think? Yes Mare Let Tony do it ...Hopefully he'll agree to do so!

PlaxMacaws
05-23-2016, 09:20 PM
Tony..will you do this for me? I'm a woos when it comes down to confrontation, well, sometimes anyways..this might be one of those times. You can tell him that I told you about the bird and you are also interested..what do you think?No, I'd rather not. I have quite a few things going on right now and you have already established a line of communication with him. Plus, I think a woman would be more capable of gaining his confidence. Go for it! :D

Mare
05-23-2016, 09:24 PM
Oookaay :(. I'll let you know what happens.

Mare
05-25-2016, 02:45 AM
I messaged the guy with the bird and told him that I was willing to make the drive up to Susanville to meet Karl, I asked for his phone number. Guess what! He never got back to me! I'm thinking you guys were right :(. The thing that's a little confusing, though..if he was a scammer, shouldn't he have mentioned wanting money up front (for one thing or another)?

Macaw Lover
05-25-2016, 03:11 AM
You would think so but then it could very well be when he thinks he has a sucker itching to hand over their $$$$ it stops when the buyer is wanting to pick up the bird and/or wants to meet the bird in person, etc. That could be their criteria for calling it quits with that person and just goes onto the next victim who is not willing to drive but will send the money to him thinking the scammer will arrange for that 'courier'. They want a simple and clean untraceable transaction, not someone who wants to meet in person because they cannot produce (the bird) and get the $$$$ then.

Anytime someone says 'get back to me ASAP' or 'courier' put your running shoes on and don't waste your time or allow your heart strings to be pulled and hurt. I am so thankful that you did not get hurt, that is the important part.

Great Mommie 1 - Scammer 0 :loveit:

PlaxMacaws
05-25-2016, 03:39 AM
The thing that's a little confusing, though..if he was a scammer, shouldn't he have mentioned wanting money up front (for one thing or another)?No. None of the scammers I've interrogated via deception have immediately requested money. To do so would quickly raise suspicion among many folks. Typical pet scammer MO is to wait until the victim agrees for them to proceed with shipping the animal (always nonexistent) before asking them to wire the money.

Mare
05-25-2016, 01:56 PM
Thanks guys and gals..lesson learned! :)

Casper's 2nd best friend
05-25-2016, 03:26 PM
OK, where do you go from here? Is it worth reporting to anyone? Is enough being done at State or National level to prevent these scams? Does anyone know how much a year these scammers are taking?
If there was a similar large-scale problem in the UK people would be writing to their Member of Parliament (MP) urging that something is done to stop these crooks from taking innocent citizens money.

PlaxMacaws
05-25-2016, 04:33 PM
OK, where do you go from here? Is it worth reporting to anyone? Is enough being done at State or National level to prevent these scams? Does anyone know how much a year these scammers are taking?
If there was a similar large-scale problem in the UK people would be writing to their Member of Parliament (MP) urging that something is done to stop these crooks from taking innocent citizens money.Jean-Pierre: The United States is indeed a prime target for this sort of thing. However, these pet scams are an international problem, and most of them are perpetrated by individuals who reside outside of the US. As internationally perpetrated crimes go, I'm not sure there are enough successful thefts of this type to make the matter a priority in the eyes of the US government. And an important question might be: what could the government of a targeted country do that may be a viable solution? Or even that may be merely an effective deterrent?

I personally believe that the governments of the countries from where these perpetrators operate may stand the best chance of making a positive difference on this front. But getting them to engage in that regard is another thing altogether. As far as what targeted countries might consider doing, I have no suggestions. The Internet neither can, nor should be filtered. And there is no way that I can think of to determine with absolute certainty whether an ad for an animal is false just from its claims. Moreover, it can be difficult to determine from where such an ad originates - although it's possible. All of this tends to leave little recourse for governments of targeted countries who feel they have bigger fish to fry.

So what are your thoughts as far as possible solutions go? I'm just curious.

Casper's 2nd best friend
05-25-2016, 05:37 PM
The first thing to be done would be to find out how big a problem it is by requesting information from the money transfer companies as to how many complaints they have about fraud and how much money is being syphoned out of the economy. The next step would be to get the government to put pressure on the the governments of the worst offending countries to do something about it. By diplomatic channels then and naming and shaming. The threat of reducing aid is a useful tool.

PlaxMacaws
05-25-2016, 05:50 PM
The first thing to be done would be to find out how big a problem it is by requesting information from the money transfer companies as to how many complaints they have about fraud and how much money is being syphoned out of the economy. The next step would be to get the government to put pressure on the the governments of the worst offending countries to do something about it. By diplomatic channels then and naming and shaming. The threat of reducing aid is a useful tool.That sounds like a task for a committee/investigation team to me. I suspect something like that may have to begin with a public petition. I have no idea on the requirements involved.

Casper's 2nd best friend
05-26-2016, 10:01 AM
Aye, public petition, letters to Senators, bring on board other victims like classic/valuable car purchasers. Do you have a national consumer fightback magazine/website like our which.co.uk and which? magazine
Advertising websites/magazines/newspapers should be more pro-active, if you can tell that a scammer is based abroad surely they can as well. As I mentioned earlier, the money transfer companies should be doing more to protect the purchasers (they get enough commission!)
It is a much bigger problem than people think.

PlaxMacaws
05-26-2016, 03:37 PM
Aye, public petition, letters to Senators, bring on board other victims like classic/valuable car purchasers.My guess is that it would be quite difficult to locate many victims of this crime who would be willing to admit their experiences, much less publicize them. And that's simply because (at least as far as the pet ads go) the victims appear to be few and far between in conjunction with the fact that having succumbed to such a scam can be considerably embarrassing for folks. And I don't have a great deal of confidence in this country's legislators. Among them, there is far too much corruption, reciprocity with/catering to special interests, and apathy toward the plight of the average citizen. In short, I don't trust that our legislators would be interested enough to become effectively involved.


Do you have a national consumer fightback magazine/website like our which.co.uk and which? magazineI would think so. However I'm unfamiliar with them. It may be worth checking into.


Advertising websites/magazines/newspapers should be more pro-activeThat sounds like a huge campaign to me ;)


if you can tell that a scammer is based abroad surely they can as well.There are a few ways I am able to determine that an author/publisher of an animal scam ad is based abroad. One such way is by the presence of canned phrases and descriptions within the text body, as well as by an accompanying presence of stolen and inconsistent animal photos. The descriptive ploys contained therein typically adhere to a particular format. They usually involve long-winded, inconsistent hardship stories and tend to be replete with grammatical errors. Another method I utilize is to fool the author/publisher into visiting a website hosted on one of my own domains. Doing so, of course, renders the perpetrator's WAN IP address within the domain's connection log, which in turn reveals their geographic location. Unfortunately, however, success from this method is not always possible. It can be foiled by a proxy or by simple avoidance. So determining a point of origin is not always successful. And as these people/organizations become increasingly wiser the method will likely become even less dependable.


As I mentioned earlier, the money transfer companies should be doing more to protect the purchasers (they get enough commission!)I agree. But thy are international. So who has ultimate jurisdiction over them?


It is a much bigger problem than people think.That may be. But efficaciously penetrating said problem would be a huge challenge for anyone! I also maintain my opinion that the victims are few and far between despite the ongoing nature of this phenomenon. In other words, my impression is that the ratio of victims to the amount of published scam ads is infinitesimally low. The problem is "big" due to its sheer long-standing persistence.

Macaw Lover
05-26-2016, 11:03 PM
Law enforcement, at least here in the US, have their hands full with murders, robberies and such and basically don't have extra time to be tracking something down on a small case likes these let alone in another country. I can see law enforcement wanting to investigate but they have to sort things by priority and let's face it, something like this is small and they just can't get to everything.

The Pinkertons
05-26-2016, 11:29 PM
Buyer beware...If it sounds to good to be true, It usually is. Common sense, DICTATES Think with your head not your heart.