• 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.

Info Hilton at Daytona Beach - check your bill

WJS Herps

WJS Herps

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Hi all -

I wanted to post this here as it coincided with the Breeder's expo in August. I was charged an additional $151 for a phantom "no-show." While reviewing my credit card bill I noticed it and called them. I was advised that it would be credited back - if so, no problem - but I haven't seen anything yet and I will need to dispute tomorrow if I don't see anything.

I told a friend of mine who set up at the Expo too and he told me his room was charged for someone else's drink bill of approx. 50 bucks. I haven't asked anyone else if they have had issues, but I wanted to post this so others could check it they hadn't all ready.
 
Thats one of the dangers

in having them authorize the card in advance, set the monies aside and add additional fee's .. Its something that should be stopped and its long overdue... Whenever credit comes up and Congress tries to reign in on some of these abuses, you never hear of the hotel industry being involved or the airline industry because they have such powerful lobbies that they can get away with these charges. The credit card companies are reluctant to start up with them..

A very similar situation occurred with my sister in law, but she received additional charges after she left Mexico and it also was from the hotel... That amounted to $ 5,000 which the hotel tried to attach to her card... The banks once they get the money are not obligated to participate in US arrangements with credit card agreements and never returned the money....
 
WHenever I go to mexico or even the Daytona expo at the Hilton I pay cash when checking out. Then i have a finalized bill in my hand.
 
Me too. I tell them to hold my card # and pay cash when I check out.

Randal Berry
 
I pay cash too credit card fees are way to high. I hope everyone gets their money back... That sucks...
 
Well, just when I was beginning to wonder they did make good. The money was charged back today. The only reason I even use my card is convenience as I pay it off month to month. I'm glad we hung on to our receipt! Next year I'm staying at a different hotel anyway. I'm tired of the rate hikes, extra charges for parking and off and on service. This was the icing on the cake. I'll stay at a close hotel next year with free parking and enjoy the exercise.
 
William, If it were I, I would drive back home everyday after the show. What is it, a 2 hr ride? That would really save money! Compared to staying in the Hilton!

Randal
 
Hi Randal -

More like a 3 to 3 1/2 ride for us. Besides, we set up there and it is like a mini vacation for the wife and I with my mom watching our daughter...

I enjoy the experience of being there, it's just the hotel that has worn thin with me...
 
I understand! Plus it's good to hang out with folk's anyway after the show.
I used to live in Lake Panasoffkee and have been to Brooksville many times, didn't realize it was a 3 + ride.
 
Paying in cash,

would certainly limit ones ability to add charges to a credit card, but usually even if cash is the preferred method in a final payment, a card is required to hold the room and possibly may be mandatory when first arriving... Its not so easy to control the monetary system without plastic and that for sure may include renting an auto, eating food, etc..
 
Every hotel I have stayed at provides a detailed receipt upon check out, using a credit card or cash, any or all charges are on the receipt, at that time a dispute of charges can be made.
 
Junkyard said:
Every hotel I have stayed at provides a detailed receipt upon check out, using a credit card or cash, any or all charges are on the receipt, at that time a dispute of charges can be made.
Click to expand...

Not in this case Michael. My detailed receipt had nothing about a "no-show" charge. The only way I found out about it was from the credit card bill itself. And it was charged the day after we checked out...
 
That being the case, that just is bad business. Good thing is you did receive your money.
 
add on charges

are most notorious with AMEX. Especially in foreign countries... The excuse is usually that additional charges did not register until the occupant left so they contact the card company and take the chance of adding additional charges hoping that the card holder either forgot the charge or pays without realizing the additional fee's that have been added...

It is impossible to cover anyexpenditure that gets added after you have left... Just be careful and keep good records... Watch out for the banking systems in other countries when using credit cards.... They the banks are under NO OBLIGATION to accept terms of VISA< MASTERCARD< AMEX or DISCOVER>..
 
Interesting Jerry.
I thought Amex was covered worldwide?
I used it in Europe several times without any problems, (when I got home and checked my charges).
I did have problems with over charges in London though, with my Visa debit card, but took care of it back home.

Randal
 
KNOBTAIL said:
It is impossible to cover anyexpenditure that gets added after you have left... Just be careful and keep good records... Watch out for the banking systems in other countries when using credit cards.... They the banks are under NO OBLIGATION to accept terms of VISA< MASTERCARD< AMEX or DISCOVER>..
Click to expand...

That's actually completely incorrect Jerry. Any establishment worldwide that accepts a major credit card is just as bound by the agreement as a domestic subscriber. A credit card company can charge back anyone anywhere. The logistics can make the process a little more cumbersome but that is all. That is, if the establishment wants to continue to accept credit cards :yesnod:


And before you ask...Yes...I work for a bank
 
John, I have to differ

banks in Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, may as well as establishments honor cards, but the banks are not under any obligation to the terms set forth by Visa and any other card if they deem it not to be in there benefit...

I was directly involved in a situation where fraud was involved while working for DAs office in NY at the time... The theft of adding additional monies to the tune of $ 5,000 went into someones pocket at a Mexican resort AFTER the person left to return to the states.... I personally , I said personally spoke to the issuing bank who provided the card (at that time NationsBank) now BofA and the response I received when we tried to get a chargeback issued was that the laws of that country may not allow any charge backs or because the transaction occurred outside of the US borders .

The fact that the vendor or hotel or auto rental accepts a US card, does not guarantee that the laws here in the states will be honored outside of the USA... It would naive to think otherwise... Especially if traveling to countries that have very limited cooperation with the US....................and to suggest that because they (the vendor) has a sign out accepting all credit cards,, is an invitation to a more nefarious method of beating unsuspecting Americans who seem to think that by some miraculous method their credit card makes them IMMUNE from theft......Visa/Mastercard may initiate the chargeback, but the monies because of it being an international dispute prevents those funds from being escrowed where the funds are taken out from the bank account in Mexico and then held here until a satisfaction is reached one way or another.... The govts in many countries prevent the dollars from leaving ! Mastercard agreement or not !


This was made very clear to me as we spoke to the Mexican consulate as well.. Who said "we shall see what we can do" In the end after several months of back and forths, it became apparent that this family was out the money because Visa could not, I said, COULD NOT initiate any response from the bank...and with no monies coming back the lady was out the money... Because NO CHARGE BACK could be initiated....The matter was referred to her attorney.............End of story..... Be careful, and do the following which may make a difference.

When you sign a charge card form outside the USA or even inside the USA. # 1 make certain that you put a line by pen after the amount so that NO ADDITIONAL CHARGES CAN BE ADDED. 2 Indicate if out of the country on a hotel bill or any other charge bill that the payment received is FINAL with NO OUTSTANDING AMOUNT DUE. Finally and most importantly..... NOTIFY THE ISSUING CARD COMPANY WHEN YOU TRAVEL AND SEE WHAT THEIR OWN RESTRICTIONS ARE AS WELL AS NOTIFYING THEM WHEN YOU GET BACK..... JERRY TRESSER
 
And let me just conclude

This is not an isolated situation !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It happens daily and more so with AMEX because of its advertising policy as a worldwide card... But there chargeback policy is pretty dam poor outside of the US... Inside it can also turn out to be a nightmare!!!

The information that I provided in the preceding post should be etched into ones travels as a safeguard .. Wherever possible always ATTEMPT TO LIMIT ONES LIABILITY ..

Secondly, that is not to say that all outside USA vendors are looking to commit fraud after a sale been generated... But the agreements are meaningless for a small business in Nairobi when they get the money and move on... $ 5000. is allot of money for some of these people, and when the see Americans, they see GREEN.................and I dont mean A FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT !!!!!!!!!!
 
Jerry, what year was that when you worked for the District Attorneys office in New York?

Thanks,
Randal
 
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