Bad Guy Natasha Smith/Scales N Tails Exotics/Karma Reptiles

[SPAR0W HAWK]

This is my first in depth post, so bare with me. On Facebook I responded to a post made by Scales N Tails Exotics in Effingham, Illinois. The post stated she had 17 baby bearded dragons for sale $15ea or $10ea in larger lots. I do not unfortunately have this post saved. After a few communications it was agreed upon all 17 for $170 shipped and she would ship the following day. The following day she states she cannot ship because all the eggs have not hatched. I'm confused but I agree to wait to see if the eggs hatch. I'm not understanding why this wasn't disclosed in her post or even the day before to me. After a few days of not reaching her I get nervous and frustrated and ask her to ship the 12 and give me a refund for the others, like she had offered. She finally gets back with me and agrees to ship. After a few more attempts of reaching her she lets me know she will ship that coming Wednesday. Wednesday comes along and she misses Fedex before they close, and says she will ship Thursday. She ships Thursday evidently, I never receive a tracking number or even a response to my inquiry as to if they have shipped. Friday I receive the package and I am horrified to find a non insulted box and no heat packs, the weather at 12 noon when they arrived was 45 degrees! I send her a message letting her know my displeasure and also I inquire about my refund that I have yet to receive. Messages go back and forth on the matter and she states that the shipping conditions were my fault (?) and I would receive my $50 that night, Friday. After several more attempts of trying to reach her, she then proceeds to unfriend me on FB, which I would have done AFTER our transaction was complete. I then proceed to comment on her page asking for my refund. She once seeing that, blocks me. In no way have I threatened or been unreasonable to her, I have always tried to be polite and compromising through this complete transaction. Along with not getting my refund she also changes her mind on who is the father of the babies and also states as to why she never responded to a lot of my messages, is that she is busy and only responds to what she deems is important. All I want is for her to finish our business and move on, she has other plans. So here I am to spread the word on her bad business practices. The following is all messages, screen shots and emails that I have for proof. They tell things in more detail.
First is FB messages, then it switches to email, then goes back to FB.

Crystal Koppenhafer
o Do you have a pic of them? Im interested in 10.
·
September 24
Scales N Tails Exotics
o can i send one in the morning? they are all sleeping lol they look half dead when sleeping....
·
September 24
Crystal Koppenhafer
o lol, thats fine
·
September 24
Scales N Tails Exotics
o ok i will send u one in the am thanks
·
September 24
Crystal Koppenhafer
o thank you!
o I may try to get them all too
·
September 24
Scales N Tails Exotics
o tell u what.... i will pay shipping if you take them all.
o these are going to have some amazing color to them! i bred a orange tiger to a citrus female.
·
September 24
Crystal Koppenhafer
o ok ill take them all, whats your paypal? and you can ship tomorrow if youd like, i will paypal you in a little while gotta go chase down my son, lol
·
September 24
Scales N Tails Exotics
o lol ok.... and yea i can ship out tomorrow too my paypal is [email protected]
·
September 24
Crystal Koppenhafer
o You should have the money now
·
September 24
Scales N Tails Exotics
o ok thanks i will check it out
o yep i got it! i will ship these babies out tomorrow!
·
September 24
Crystal Koppenhafer
o cant wait to meet them!
·
September 24
Scales N Tails Exotics
o they are pretty and some are feisty! lol
·
September 24
Crystal Koppenhafer
o I love feisty, lol
·
September 25
Scales N Tails Exotics
o hey i just noticed that 5 of the eggs havent hatched out yet ..... i dont want to ship twice if possible so i can either ship u out 12 now and give u a credit back of 50.00 or i can ship them all out at one time im thinkin any day they shud hatch? these eggs were alot bigger than the rest of the clutch for some reason maybe twins i dont know.... but let me know what u want me to do - thanks!
·
September 25
Crystal Koppenhafer
o we can wait
·
September 25
Scales N Tails Exotics
o Ok thanks. I will keep u posted on them.

On Sep 26, 2012, at 5:28 PM, Crystal Koppenhafer <[email protected]> wrote:

> I just wanted to contact you because your FB account has been deactivated and I'd like to know what is going on with the beardies. If you could please let me know ASAP as to whats going on. Thanks!
>
> Crystal Koppenhafer

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Natasha Smith <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, Sep 26, 2012 at 6:18 PM
Subject: Re: Your Facebook account and my beardies.
To: Crystal Koppenhafer <[email protected]>


Wut?

Natasha Taylor
618-335-4086

From: natasha smith <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 6:55 PM
Subject: Fwd: Your Facebook account and my beardies.

thanks for notifying me - my daughter who just moved out because shes going crazy at the moment tried to hack into my account! i can really strangle this child right now! sorry! your beardies are just fine im thinking about just shipping you the 12 and credit u the balance because these other eggs look like its gonna be a while yet and i dont want to keep you waiting...



Re: Fwd: Your Facebook account and my beardies.
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FROM:

Crystal Koppenhafer

TO:

natasha smith

Message flagged
Wednesday, September 26, 2012 9:03 PM
Whatever you think is best, I can accept shipping anytime, I'm always home Good luck with your daughter! Thanks!



Re: Fwd: Your Facebook account and my beardies.
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FROM:

Crystal Koppenhafer

TO:

natasha smith

Message flagged
Thursday, September 27, 2012 12:16 AM
Ok if you can do the refund for the no shows that'd be great. Id rather get the munchkins here and settled in asap

hi - just letting u know i will be shipping beardies on wed this week and i will refund you 50.00 because they havent hatched yet and i dont want u to wait any longer. Sorry for the inconvienence. i thoutht they would of hatched by now?? they are almost twice the size of the others so idk whats going on w them.

Re: Fwd: Your Facebook account and my beardies.
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FROM:

Crystal Koppenhafer

TO:

natasha smith

Message flagged
Saturday, September 29, 2012 2:57 AM
If you get a chance, could I get pics of the parents? I'd like to see their potential Thanks!


Re: Fwd: Your Facebook account and my beardies.
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FROM:

Crystal Koppenhafer

TO:

natasha smith

Message flagged
Sunday, September 30, 2012 9:13 AM
Haven't heard from you, is everything ok? If you get a chance could you send me pics of the parents and are you going to be able to ship Monday? Thanks!

Re: Fwd: Your Facebook account and my beardies.
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FROM:

Crystal Koppenhafer

TO:

natasha smith

Message flagged
Monday, October 1, 2012 11:59 AM
PLEASE ship today.


Re: Fwd: Your Facebook account and my beardies.
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FROM:

natasha smith

TO:

Crystal Koppenhafer

Message flagged
Monday, October 1, 2012 5:14 PM

hi - just letting u know i will be shipping beardies on wed this week and i will refund you 50.00 because they havent hatched yet and i dont want u to wait any longer. Sorry for the inconvienence. i thoutht they would of hatched by now?? they are almost twice the size of the others so idk whats going on w them.

·
October 3
Crystal Koppenhafer
o Were you able to ship?
·
October 3
Scales N Tails Exotics
o I am actually in route to fed ex now!
·
October 3
Crystal Koppenhafer
o Yay!
·
October 3
Scales N Tails Exotics
o They close at 6! My daughters dad was late picking up! Ggrr.
·
October 3
Crystal Koppenhafer
o Always happens that way when you least need it to.
·
October 3
Scales N Tails Exotics
o Well I'm on my way back home! W the dragons... I missed them by 8 min! I will unpack them n head back out to fed ex Tom at 3p. Mydaughters dad was heldup at work which made him late getting to me! But Tom I can leave at 3 so I will def make their cut off.
·
October 3
Crystal Koppenhafer
o Thats fine, thanks for trying. Sorry you rushed for nothing
·
October 3
Scales N Tails Exotics
o aahhh i had this planned all week! i hate it when something happens and throws it all off! these guys are cute! ok well thanks for understanding and for sure i will be able to leave at 3 p tom.
·
October 3
Crystal Koppenhafer
o Is that the daddy you have pics of in your beardie album? Can you tag me in his pic, mommy to if you have a pic of her. Id like to see their genetics
o Oh have you sent off that $50 yet?
·
October 4
Crystal Koppenhafer
o Were you able to send them off?
·
Friday
Crystal Koppenhafer
o Well I got them, thanks. Im just really worried about them, they came in ice cold. No insulated box and no heat pack. Im also not understanding why you havent sent me my refund, directed me to pics of the parents or just downright wont talk to me? What have I done wrong?
·
Friday
Scales N Tails Exotics
o Was not insulated or heat because it was very warm here..... I only use insulated box n heat when it's 70 n below.....
·
Friday
Crystal Koppenhafer
o its in the 40s here, just worried about them right now
·
Friday
Scales N Tails Exotics
o Ok first I do not appreciate the message today! I message u if there is a prob. There are no pics if the mom or dad on my fb and because I haven't had time to respond u just assume I don't wanna talk to u? I don't ignore anyone on purpose? I cud if just not talked to u at all n not notify u of the others not hatched yet??? I did. N I even talked to you about just sending them cuz I didn't want u to wait? I do communicate w u. I don't deserve this. As far as the refund I will get it out to u today! I do have a full time job n 3 kids still at home as that means I'm a very busy person. Sorry! If I knew it was that cold where u are then I wud of sent heat packs n insulated box!
·
Friday
Scales N Tails Exotics
o The mom was a citrus n the dad is a sandfire. That's the genetics. I'm sure when they are warm and basking u will see some colors. The colors n genetics are just a bonus really as I sold these as a bundle wholesale prices. I prob shud of kept them really.
·
Friday
Crystal Koppenhafer
o I originally wanted to see the parents is all, its a normal request. At least for what I have experienced. Im sorry your really busy, but messages or emails just really seem to get ignored most of the time and Ive never dealt with a situation where temps arent checked on both ends. Your going through a lot right now I get it . The most important thing to me right now is to heat these guys up slow to try and avoid respiratory problems. Being so young Im just worried, I hope you can understand that. All I ever tried to do is communicate, Im sorry that Ive gotten frustrated on that end. I hope you can understand at some point where Im coming from. I hope things get better for you and your family, also thank you for getting to that refund. Wish me luck on keeping these lil ones healthy.
·
Friday
Scales N Tails Exotics
o U say above about temps being checked on both ends?? Did u ever ask me what my temps were here? No. I responded to u on the important messages. In the end I wish I wud of just kept them here.
·
Friday
Crystal Koppenhafer
o So the orange tiger as stated first is not the father? Sorry that my questions as a paying customer werent important. Honestly if one of these babies even gets sick I dont care how much they were, I wish you would have kept them too. There health is the important thing here, and Id hate to see anyone get sick from this, I will be attentively working with them to try and make sure that doesnt happen though.
·
Friday
Scales N Tails Exotics
o Maybe u shud of told me ur temps were so extremely diff than mine???? That's a thot.
·
Friday
Crystal Koppenhafer
o Wow really Im surprised your putting this on me. Im not going to argue with you, you shipped without checking temps, period. Getting you to respond to anything has been like pulling teeth. Please just issue me my refund and lets part ways. This transaction is just getting worse by the second. On a good note at room temps they are perking up so now Im moving them to my reptile room where temps are higher. By this evening I will have them to regular basking temps, a good soak, then food. So far so good.
·
Yesterday
Crystal Koppenhafer
o I'm happy to report, babies are doing well and there are no signs of respiratory problems They are eating there roaches like little fiends! Still no money in my account?
·
2 hours ago
Crystal Koppenhafer
o I need the money sent to me today, you promised I would have it Friday.


Re: Fwd: Your Facebook account and my beardies.
Hide Details

FROM:

Crystal Koppenhafer

TO:

natasha smith

Message flagged
Monday, October 8, 2012 6:49 AM
Please send me the $50 today, you promised I would have it Friday.

I will be attempting screen shots next. Also in my Email I noticed her name is posted as Natasha Taylor, I know she is going through a divorce, so I'm thinking maiden name?

 

[SPAR0W HAWK]

Ok if you would like screen shots, I will need help, lol.


Crystal Koppenhafer

 

[Lucille]

Scales N Tails Exotics
I do have a full time job n 3 kids still at home as that means I'm a very busy person. Sorry! If I knew it was that cold where u are then I wud of sent heat packs n insulated box!

Reptiles are a business, but each reptile a seller sends out is a little life and deserves to be treated with respect.
The quote above makes me very angry. Being busy with other things is NOT an excuse to short a critter of basic needs and that includes heat. It takes just a few seconds online for a seller to see temps where the critter is being shipped.
Many of us are/were working moms. If you are too busy to treat your critters well, sell off the business and take it up later in life when you have more time.

Scales N Tails Exotics

o these are going to have some amazing color to them! i bred a orange tiger to a citrus female.
·

Scales N Tails Exotics
o The mom was a citrus n the dad is a sandfire. That's the genetics. I'm sure when they are warm and basking u will see some colors. The colors n genetics are just a bonus really as I sold these as a bundle wholesale prices. I prob shud of kept them really.

There seems to be a discrepancy and once again this seller grabs at excuses. Whether they are sold as a wholesale bundle or not, you told your buyer that the father was an orange tiger and if that is not true, you lied.

Seller, if you can't tell the truth and ship your critters safely, you should have kept them.

 

[Ed Clark]

$10.00 each which included a hefty delivery cost should have been ample warning to you.

If its to good to be true BEWARE!

Sorry this happened to you, hope it can be worked out.

 

[Ed Clark]

The following day she states she cannot ship because all the eggs have not hatched. I'm confused but I agree to wait to see if the eggs hatch. I'm not understanding why this wasn't disclosed in her post or even the day before to me.

Friday I receive the package and I am horrified to find a non insulted box and no heat packs, the weather at 12 noon when they arrived was 45 degrees

Waiting for babies to hatch so she can ship should have been disclosed in the ad or at least in the first email exchange.

Insulated boxes should always be used, 45* temps require heat packs.

Buying hatchlings right out of the egg is risky, how are they doing?

 

[Slashmaster]

That business name sounds familiar. I'll keep an eye on the Wheaton, IL and Tinley Park, IL shows here in Illinois, and if I happen across said seller I'll inquire what's going on with your refund.

 

[SPAR0W HAWK]

Actually they are doing quite well. I was so relieved the first time I put roaches in there with them and they went nuts. Even eating their veggies too, like good lil babies

 

[NUCCIZ_BOAS]

I have personally spoken with natasha and made her aware of this thread. She has no interest in responding to this incident any further "because she's too busy for nonsense"...... Take it for what you will. but the least we can say is that she's been made aware of it

 

[Ed Clark]

I have personally spoken with natasha and made her aware of this thread. She has no interest in responding to this incident any further "because she's too busy for nonsense"...... Take it for what you will. but the least we can say is that she's been made aware of it

With the email proof posted there is really no defense that she can make. she should at least come here to tell her buyer when she can expect the refund promised.

 

[NUCCIZ_BOAS]

With the email proof posted there is really no defense that she can make. she should at least come here to tell her buyer when she can expect the refund promised.

I agree, thats why I made her aware of the thread, so she could come state her side of the story and defend herself.

She seems to only be interested in defending herself via facebook status. (less than professional in my opinion)

I would like to say that I AM NOT representing her or sticking up for her, based on the he said/she said, and that I've seen both sides, I think Natasha is in the wrong.

But what I will say, her argument via facebook is something along the lines of, the original agreement was free shipping for the 17 lot of dragons. Being that she only sent 12, the buyer should be responsible for the shipping cost. According to Natasha, thats what this disagreement is all about.... the shipping cost.

Nowhere in her facebook thread does she make mention if the stud male being in question, or the lack of heat packs and insulation. She avoids that completely and shows no interest in replying to this thread because "theres thousands of other buyers who are happy with their transactions with her, so she doesn't feel the need to respond to petty nonsense like this"

Less than professional in my opinion, but to each his own. I'm just the messenger, I made her aware of this thread to straighten things out, she's not interested.

Future buyers just have to beware

 

[SPAR0W HAWK]

In all communication you can see she offered the refund to me twice before I took it. I personally wanted all 17 but I just started getting this feeling when it was so hard to get a response from her that I better take what I can get. I never asked for a refund on the others, it was her idea, not mine. I just want her to live up to it.

 

[Willow]

uhg how sad...can't even be bothered to check the temps to where you are shipping too...and then blame the BUYER because of your laziness and lack of concern.

Insulated boxes should always be used...no matter the temps on either end.

Flip your lid because your customer asks simple, normal industry questions like "do you have pics of the parents"

I personally have a huge issue with so called professionals coping an attitude with their customers at the drop of a hat. Just because you work with animals does not mean you should act like one.

Very sad situation indeed. I'm happy the babies are thriving well for you and wish you all the luck in getting the partial refund you deserve.

 

[ronritzer]

The seller should check the weather at all points during the trip when decieding how to pack the box.

 

[hhmoore]

If she doesn't want to post here, please don't post for her (which includes relaying what she posts elsewhere).

 

[meowmeowkazoo]

I'm amazed that she implied it was the buyer's responsibility to check temps for her. Definitely someone to avoid.

 

[SPAR0W HAWK]

Stumbled across my Paypal account yesterday, it seems she returned the full amount to me back on the 11th. To say the least I am shocked! I thank everyone for your input on this matter.

 

[elena]

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that the seller advertised a 17 lot of baby dragons, when what she really had was 17 eggs that had not yet hatched? It seems borderline dishonest to me. What if some of the eggs failed to hatch? And that stuff about a daughter hacking her account and her daughter's father not dropping the package off on time... classic "blame the crazy family to avoid responsibility." She also clearly lied about the genetics of the clutch. All these little fibs add up.

 

[SirenSanJose]

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that the seller advertised a 17 lot of baby dragons, when what she really had was 17 eggs that had not yet hatched? It seems borderline dishonest to me. What if some of the eggs failed to hatch? And that stuff about a daughter hacking her account and her daughter's father not dropping the package off on time... classic "blame the crazy family to avoid responsibility." She also clearly lied about the genetics of the clutch. All these little fibs add up.

Yeah, did the original ad ever mention they were OOE (and some not even that) and not well started? That's shady as all get-out if she was presenting them as started/established babies.

 

[SirenSanJose]

Stumbled across my Paypal account yesterday, it seems she returned the full amount to me back on the 11th. To say the least I am shocked! I thank everyone for your input on this matter.

Glad that got resolved at least!

 

[Ed Clark]

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that the seller advertised a 17 lot of baby dragons, when what she really had was 17 eggs that had not yet hatched? It seems borderline dishonest to me. What if some of the eggs failed to hatch? And that stuff about a daughter hacking her account and her daughter's father not dropping the package off on time... classic "blame the crazy family to avoid responsibility." She also clearly lied about the genetics of the clutch. All these little fibs add up.

Don't understand why anyone would start selling hatchlings when all they have is eggs that may or may not hatch.

It takes 3-4 weeks of heavy feeding to get that hatchling dragon started and ready for shipping.