Zebra Scam

valhallan · Post by **valhallan** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:08 pm

Hi everyone,

There is a thread active on plecofanatics right now about the topic I'm about to address, but I wanted everyone here to know as well, as I believe that out of all the online communities, it hits closest to home here.

A couple of weeks ago there were a bunch of zebs listed on Aquabid by a guy under the user name of DietmarScholtz. To make a long story short, this guy has taken off with somewhere in the range of $2000 - $3000US (possibly more) from 5 people that we know of, and apparently has no intention of making good on the zebs he offered for auction. He claims to not receive emails, and then later, when confronted about a lack of information on shipping details, says that the tracking numbers have been sent and our email must be screwing up. All of us have heard similar stories, or in some cases, our emails have not been aswered at all.

I made an off-auction deal with him for what seemed like a very nice group of adults (he claimed to have over 250 L46 of various sizes), and now I'm out of pocket for a bunch of money. I used paypal, so hopefully I will be able to get it back, but some others were not so lucky.

So this is a warning for anyone out there that may come into contact with this guy and his attractive-seeming offers, he is a crook and you don't want to touch him with a ten foot pole. Though I very much doubt that he'll have the stones to show up again after this.

IF he ends up making good on his promises, I will happily retract any and all statements I have made about him. I highly doubt this will be the case though.

Val

Mindy · Post by **Mindy** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:12 pm

I contacted him and he said he couldn't ship to the UK... I guess I was lucky!

Hope it all turns out OK.

jerms55555 · Post by **jerms55555** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:03 pm

I was in contact with him also but I listened to my intuitions and it paid off big time...If its too good to be true maybe it really is....

Hey valhallan and zcat I hope he comes through for you guys or at least you get your money back!!!

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:48 pm

I too have had dealings with this joker, I enquired about L250 and L236. Luckily I had second thoughts and I got suspicious when my Cousin emaild him about the same fish and was quoted a price of 200 euros per fish less. At this point things just didn't seem right and I backed out.

Unfortunately it looks like one of our members may have been scammed by this crook

.

http://www.zebrapleco.com/forum/viewtop ... ight=#5287

lrry93 · Post by **lrry93** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:16 pm

I also got the same story from this guy and was getting ready to send payment but he asked to use Western Union only and would give me an extra free fish if I did this. Why would you give a free adult fish for using there service? So I got suspicious and cut off the deal. I went as far as getting an import permit. He also told me he had over 250 Zebras. I still have all my e-mails from this guy if it can help anyone that got ripped off.

Dr. P · Post by **Dr. P** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:20 pm

How shocking

Really feel for you guys that have been effected. I hope it all turns out for the better.

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:58 pm

I guess it had to happen. There's always somebody trying to make a quick buck out of a situation like the one we're in now. Adam has repeatedly warned us all that this would happen sooner or later (not this exact thing, but that there would be scammers), and now we have the first one. Sadly it probably won't be the last one

Watch out all, and like jerms said - if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!

valhallan · Post by **valhallan** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:58 pm

This whole thing makes me feel a little silly

Oh well, live and learn I guess. We are looking into filing a joint claim with a German collection agency to go after this guy, so Irry, your emails may indeed come in handy at some point down the road.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:15 pm

No one here is silly for being scammed or nearly scammed by this guy. Believe you me he will get his comeupance one day when he rips off the wrong person. The problem is that we are all too honest for our own good. I'm pretty good at smelling a rat now only because I have been ripped off on a few occassions. The result is that I am now deeply suspicious of too good to believe deals, invariably there is always a catch of some sort somewhere.

Just put it down to experience and move on but make sure you don't get caught again by some other scam.

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:19 pm

ohhh.. I think I know which one this is... I made an inquiry to him as well, but was told he didn't wan't to ship to Norway, as he needed an import license wasn't it? Which is nonsense, I remembered thinking why would he only sell to Americans....

Is it this incident we're talking about?

Mindy · Post by **Mindy** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:30 pm

I also thought it was odd that he could ship to America but not to us here in the UK... It's funny how obvious things are in hindsight...

Is anyone going to report him to the police or anything? What happens from here?

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:45 pm

He didn't say anything to me about not shipping to the UK, he quoted me prices for L236 and L250 and seemed more than happy to ship to the UK.

Mindy is right what happens from here does someone contact Interpol or something or are they for the big international crimes only

.

zeberdy · Post by **zeberdy** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:46 pm

OMG people are really doing this! I feel so much for everyone he has cheated..(((((((((((hug)))))))))).

Dan D' Man · Post by **Dan D' Man** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:04 pm

zeberdy wrote:OMG people are really doing this! I feel so much for everyone he has cheated..(((((((((((hug)))))))))).

Well, it is a sad reality. I'm new here & I'm one of the guys that got ripped by Dietmar. He took me for $1250 USD. I believe theres somebody in the UK that is also a victim. I should have been more careful, specially with this kind of money, but the L046 fever got the best out of me. I guess when it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:19 pm

I'm so sorry Dan

That's a lot of money too... I do hope he get caught and will have to answer for the pain he's caused!

Hindsight is the only true science, but we should have cought on to this guy. He told Mindy he didn't want to send to the UK, he told Adam he could, and also told me a story I thought weird. Next time I bet we'll all be even more wary when things don't add up I bet!

Welcome to the forum Dan, hopefully you'll be able to get in touch with somebody that will sell you a Zebra or two here