• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Bad Guy Bobby Hill - Varnyard Herps: Buyers Beware.

Kim86 on tegutalk

kim post that he contacted bobby last week pretending to be a interested buyer
and BOBBY REPLIED!!! hes still stealing from people! how low is he gonna sink? also saw a thread about a man interested in a tegu and someone who knew what bobby did to all of us still promoted varnyard because they had a "smooth transaction". whoever you are you are an enbler of fraud and theft.
 
Is there a way to prosecute him? We have all these people who he has stolen from, can he be charged? I live in NJ so I not sure of Fla law. My Aunt and Uncle are retired Miami Dade detectives. It's not their jurisdiction but they could find out what could be done if I asked them. Is anyone here that is interested in taking that route? I just want my son to get his tegu. Having an autistic child is very difficult to explain what is going on. He is high functioning and loves reptiles. They are a passion of his and he fell in live with the video of Mr. Hill's tegus. I know now that I was fooled. I don' t want this to happen to anyone else which is why I posted. I am curious on how people are still getting in touch with him in regards to new purchases. When I call the number it says no longer in service. Is it via email?
 
I have not heard back in this thread that many people have filled out consumer complaint reports on the website of their state attorney general consumer fraud divisions.
While filling one out is no guarantee that you will get a refund, if enough people fill out complaints there will be an investigation and it will not cost you anything. I urge those who have not received their tegu or a refund to complete these complaints.
If you do not know how to locate the consumer fraud division for your state, pm me and I will help you.
 
Thank you, just completed the online complaint with the Division of Consumer Services. Thank you so much for the link.
 
I spoke with a friend who is FL FWC and former police officer in FL. His response was that filing an IC3 complaint is the best bet because that agency communicates with all the necessary departments. He also encouraged contact with local police depts and Panama City police dept as well.
 
I did the IC 3 last night. Thank you. I am hesitant to bother our pd with this now because we are in a real bad place still from Sandy. Our first responders are still working like crazy here. Unfortunately our police are dealing with issues that are far more important then my issue here. If I were to call the police dept by him, would they take my complaint over the phone? If not I may have to wait a few more weeks before I go into our police dept.. Fema is still there with the Natl gaurd etc. Thank you for all of your help and information. I hope all of these stories prevent someone else becoming his next victim.
 
Ok, I sent an email to the office of The Attorney general of Florida and this is their reply:

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi received your email regarding your transaction with Bobby Grey Hill of Varnyard Herps, Inc. Attorney General Bondi asked that I respond. I am sorry for your difficulties.

The Attorney General's Office is concerned with all potentially unfair and deceptive trade practices. Our office uses complaints such as yours to identify patterns of questionable business activities which may indicate the need for formal investigation or action by our office to protect the broad public interest. However, our office does not generally mediate individual consumer complaints, and we are not at liberty to give legal opinions or advice to private individuals or businesses. I hope the following information proves helpful.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) licenses and regulates the selling of conditional reptiles within the state. We recommend that you contact the FWC for any assistance or information that may be available:


Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Farris Bryant Building 620 S. Meridian St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
Phone: (850) 488-4676
Conditional Reptiles Information:
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/conditional-prohibited-species/conditional-reptiles/
License Search: https://public.myfwc.com/maps/ConditionalAdopters/

As you seek to resolve your complaint, please contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Consumer Services (DACS). DACS serves as the clearinghouse for consumer complaints and has a voluntary mediation program to assist individual consumers. You may contact DACS at:

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Consumer Services
2005 Apalachee Parkway
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Telephone: (850) 410-3800
Toll-free within FL: (800) 435-7352
Website: http://www.800helpfla.com/

You may also wish to contact the following consumer organizations:

Federal Trade Commission
Toll-free: 877-382-4357
Website: http://www.ftc.gov

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Website: http://www.ic3.gov

Better Business Bureau of Northwest Florida
Phone: (850) 429-0002
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://nwfl.bbb.org/

Finally, Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act provides individuals with a private remedy to bring an action for damages, attorney's fees and court costs. Please consult a private attorney if you need any legal guidance. If you need help finding a lawyer, The Florida Bar offers a Lawyer Referral Service toll-free at (800) 342-8060.

Thank you for contacting Attorney General Bondi's Office. I hope this proves helpful.

Sincerely,

Nina Reich
Office of Citizen Services
Florida Attorney General's Office
PL-01, The Capitol
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050
Telephone: (850) 414-3990
Toll-free within Florida: (866) 966-7226
Website: www.myfloridalegal.com

I appreciate quick and helpfull answer from the office.
.....everybody who was scammed by Bobby Hill should contact all institutions recommended above to create some pressure.

Libor
 
Bobby Hill screwed me

varnyard said:
You never paid the balance, I sent you the PayPal request. You have two names you go by, and the name here is not the one conected to the PayPal account. Please post the emails where you tried to contact me before coming here.
Click to expand...
Well I had paid you in full and still you refuse to answer my emails and your phone is disconected,Do the right thing and let me have my money back.you broke a little boys heart when you did this to use ,He was looking foward in getting this Tegu,Thats all he talked about and now NOTHING.(snake1) Richard R Hynes
 
I sent him the full amont and still have not gotten anything.He broke a little boys Heart by screwing use,that was all my nephew could talk about was getting his tegu and now NOTHING,won't return emails ,disconected phone.Does anyone out there know how to get hold of him.Richard Hynes (snake1)
 
irishgrl said:
I did the IC 3 last night. Thank you. I am hesitant to bother our pd with this now because we are in a real bad place still from Sandy.
Click to expand...

I would file a complaint sooner rather than later. I understand that they are busy, but you can file and then they will triage their work as necessary and get to your complaint when they can.

Libor said:
complaints such as yours to identify patterns of questionable business activities which may indicate the need for formal investigation or action
Click to expand...

I believe establishing an online complaint with the AGs office in your own state is useful. The complaint will probably be referred, and if complaints from all over the US arrive via other AGs in the Fla. AG office they may be more likely to investigate.

One thing that you can do for your fellow herpers is to tell local herp societies and rescues about Fauna, the BOI, and Bobby. For those wanting a tegu, forewarned is forearmed, and they can make the choice of who NOT to order from if they read this thread.

And for all those who have ordered and not received a tegu, getting your story out there and particularly with local rescues may be a way for a homeless rescued tegu to find a home with you.
Especially during the holidays, it would be a blessing for all involved if a tegu needing a home ended up in a Christmas stocking of someone here who didn't get theirs from Bobby.
 
Bobby Hill,

This is another unsatisfied customer. I sent an entire $350 for an EXTREME TEGU, I neither received the Tegu, nor contact back from him. I have emails, showing my purchase, through a Walmart MoneyGram, which could only have been picked up by you, with Legal ID. Bobby Hill from Florida.

I want a lizard, or my money back. In full, no partial refunds!
 
Hallo people,
what about to make a list of all scammed costumers of Bobby Hill? Maybe institutions will be more interested in this case when they will see how many people is involved in it.
In case anybody else does not have better suggestion and you agree, I can start to get this list together.
On my email [email protected] send :

1. Name
2. Email address
3. Phone number
4. How much you paid
5. Date of your payment

Every week I can release info here.
What do you think? Let's do everything we can!

Libor
 
Been awhile now i emailed him again last week just for something to do, but i figured i'd tell everyone that one of his sites is down i will sleep better at night when tegusforsale.com is down too. This doesn't stop him from starting again under a false alias but at least the legend of bobby hill is dying.

http://www.varnyard-herps-inc.com/
 
I have never had any dealings with Bobby Hill from Varnyard, but I have read several of the Bad Guy threads on him. Sorry to hear that so many people got ripped off. I hope, somehow, all of this mess is rectified soon, and the buyers receive either their money or tegus soon. Somehow, I do not think anything is going to fix all of the problems Bobby has created.

Good luck to all.
 
I am coming here to post as the most active moderator of the TT forum and defend the forum from all sorts of accusations.

1) The forum (and I indirectly) have been accused of "covering up" for Bobby Hill's actions and even promoting them. How ludicrous!

2). Yes, I am quick to delete and edit posts. Some of our readers do not care to read foul language and I will edit it out. I think disagreements can be civil and do not need to resort to low class name calling.

3). Some of these discussion became so heated and nasty, that they were quickly removed. I don't think Fauna would tolerate such comments made of its mods and owners either.

4). The biggest spark seemed to be the removal of Bobby's personal info. Bobby was already making threats about harassment against the forum. The info was removed to protect the forum and readers were redirected here....a much bigger forum that had the same info posted.

5) So many attacks and issues behind the scenes that most people do not know about. But neither the TT owner nor I felt the need to expose the negative side of people's character just to justify our own actions. We just did what we felt was best for the TT readers for the forum to go on smoothly. I may not make perfect decisions or the best decisions all the time, but I do have good intentions.

I have much compassion for those who were scammed by Bobby. I gave away my last tegu for free. I have given out info to help people with their claims. I have spoken with LEO and FL FWC about the matter. And I have felt sadness for Bobby for what his life has become.
 
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