• 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.
  • 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 Cokski: is he a scammer, or simply not very smart?

Herpin Man

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Cokski has plagiarized, almost verbatim, an ad of mine:

He removed and reposted it when I commented on it, and probably will do so again. So here is a screenshot:
cokski ad.jpg

Here is my original ad for comparison:

Perhaps he doesn't quite have the mental bandwidth necessary to write his own ad. However, when someone is willing to steal photos or ad copy from another hobbyist, I'd say it's highly likely they would also steal the prospective customer's money.
Buyer beware-
 
So this is now the third time he has reposted the ad; again, using my copy. The guy's determined, if nothing else:

I decided to have a closer look at the photo he's using and of course, it's stolen too:

I initially assumed that he was merely too dense to create his own ad, but I am beginning to have serious doubts as to the existence of these geckos he is offering.
 
Randall, thanks for noticing that.
Most scammers are quick to remove plagiarized ads when called out, but not this guy.
I’m beginning to wonder what exactly is wrong with him.
 
I commented on his new ad, so I assume he’ll repost again soon. Interesting that he’s unwilling to comment in his own defense. I suppose he’s hoping to scam someone during the brief intervals before I comment.
This is definitely one of the more bizarre exchanges I’ve seen in this forum.
 
And another post. Dropped a link to this thread in the comments.
Also put a profile post on their user profile directly. No deleting that easily.
 
They're using new photos now. I was able to ID one of the photos, which was stolen from Dakine Exotic (name associated with that account is Lonnie Cornell) on MM.
1725974277219.png
 
Give him points for determination, I guess. The question is, whether he’s a determined scammer, or determined with stupidity? Re-posting stolen material over and over is certainly unusual. I feel sorry for whoever ends up sending him their money.
 
Cokski, aka Rico Canlas, has now stolen my avatar:
cokski.jpg


He is clearly enjoying his adventure with theft of intellectual property- however, is too gutless to respond here, or on any of his threads.
It does seem that most scammers are cowards on the inside.
 
Cokski, aka Rico Canlas, has now stolen my avatar:
View attachment 1387300

He is clearly enjoying his adventure with theft of intellectual property- however, is too gutless to respond here, or on any of his threads.
It does seem that most scammers are cowards on the inside.
People these days they copy every they see .they can’t even make something original these days.
 
Cokski ( publicly self identified as Rico Canlas of West Covina / Hacienda Heights, California, using the email [email protected] ) is now using photos taken from a journal article ( https://geckoevolution.org/publications/Griffing_etal_2018_HerpReview.pdf ).
.

Screenshot 2024-09-13 at 12.02.44 PM.png


He has also started trolling another Fauna member in his (Rico's) ads:

Screenshot 2024-09-13 at 12.05.39 PM.png



All the erratic and antagonistic behavior so far, coupled with a lack of photos of any alleged goods for sale, and a demand for local pickup, suggests that someone who follows through on a purchase with him may be putting themselves into an IRL situation that may be less than safe. It is worth a reminder that if anyone arranges to meet a stranger anywhere, tell someone responsible where you're going and when you'll be back, and consider going with another person or a small group. And if the stranger gives any indication that they're less than 100% legit, just skip the meeting altogether.
 
I'm very curious as to how this guy thinks that his bullshit antics are going to build a positive reputation in the herp community. Maybe the $200 he is asking for these geckos (that probably don't exist) is worth more than that. Either way he clearly doesn't have the balls to come here and provide a meaningful response.
 
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