Real or a scam?

[JellyBeanleatherback]

Hey y’all, I’m trying to buy a red monster from someone on Facebook. His business is Jeff’s Exotics. Has anyone done business with him? I’m getting a bit off an off vibe. He sent a video with my name, but it was blurry, and could have been voiced over. He also tried to call from a phone number with no caller id

 

[KarrieRee]

Hey y’all, I’m trying to buy a red monster from someone on Facebook. His business is Jeff’s Exotics. Has anyone done business with him? I’m getting a bit off an off vibe. He sent a video with my name, but it was blurry, and could have been voiced over. He also tried to call from a phone number with no caller id

I would be leery of anyone on FB

 

[xp29]

Red monsters are pretty easy to identify, but quality not as much. If your interested meet him somewhere to take a look at the beardie in question. Look at eyes, fat pads, look for mucus, listen to the breathing, ect. Check it over throughly.
Red monsters are still pricey so if he is offering at a price thats to good, be suspicious.
Take a look at red monsters on
Captive Bred Reptiles For Sale from Breeders Worldwide - MorphMarket look at pricing and at appearance be informed before you meet up with him.

 

[JellyBeanleatherback]

Red monsters are pretty easy to identify, but quality not as much. If your interested meet him somewhere to take a look at the beardie in question. Look at eyes, fat pads, look for mucus, listen to the breathing, ect. Check it over throughly.
Red monsters are still pricey so if he is offering at a price thats to good, be suspicious.
Take a look at red monsters on
Captive Bred Reptiles For Sale from Breeders Worldwide - MorphMarket look at pricing and at appearance be informed before you meet up with him.

He was asking 350, which I’m new to this world, but seemed really low?

 

[xp29]

He was asking 350, which I’m new to this world, but seemed really low?

Monsters can bring 2,500 or more with good coloring and good gentics (as good as monsters can be anyways, they were very heavily line bread to create, so gentics are questionable at best).
For a full 100% being priced at 350 I'd be cautious.

 

[ChileanTaco]

Red monsters are pretty easy to identify, but quality not as much. If your interested meet him somewhere to take a look at the beardie in question. Look at eyes, fat pads, look for mucus, listen to the breathing, ect. Check it over throughly.
Red monsters are still pricey so if he is offering at a price thats to good, be suspicious.
Take a look at red monsters on
Captive Bred Reptiles For Sale from Breeders Worldwide - MorphMarket look at pricing and at appearance be informed before you meet up with him.

Agree on this, and I personally would also want to see where/ how this animal was housed so far.

And if in doubt (which I would be very much about this: really a red monster (visual identification yes, but...), which genetics, health, living under which conditions, ...), I would not get a dragon there.
The price difference IMHO is too large to explain it as something like "I just don't want to overcharge people but share a cool hobby".

 

[Claudiusx]

As a general rule of thumb, the newest most sought after morphs are going to be the most heavily scammed. If you absolutely have to have one of the newest morphs, buy from a large breeder who has been in business for decades.

Not only does this reduce your risk of getting scammed, it also reduces your risk of getting a sickly inbred new breed that will be lucky to make it's first birthday. Established breeders are typically much more ethical in their breeding practices because they have a reputation to uphold. Fly by night breeders can likely get you a new morph, but you're taking a huge gamble.

-Brandon

 

[ChileanTaco]

@Claudiusx

I totally agree. And these are basically the same guidelines as always when buying something. (Of course, a bearded dragon is a living being and for me is a "somebody", not a "something", but technically, it is that: Buying something.)

 

[AHBD]

Red monsters are pretty easy to identify, but quality not as much. If your interested meet him somewhere to take a look at the beardie in question. Look at eyes, fat pads, look for mucus, listen to the breathing, ect. Check it over throughly.
Red monsters are still pricey so if he is offering at a price thats to good, be suspicious.
Take a look at red monsters on
Captive Bred Reptiles For Sale from Breeders Worldwide - MorphMarket look at pricing and at appearance be informed before you meet up with him.

Those are all good points if the seller is in your area and willing to meet up. Most of the time these people would be shipping them. Another thing about meeting up with a stranger would be to do so in a public place like the parking lot of a busier large store in view of other people in the daytime.

 

[xp29]

Those are all good points if the seller is in your area and willing to meet up. Most of the time these people would be shipping them. Another thing about meeting up with a stranger would be to do so in a public place like the parking lot of a busier large store in view of other people in the daytime.

Agreed

 

[ChileanTaco]

Agreed

Absolutely. Like with buying anything (hate to compare a living being with that, but technically it is as of: expensive, problems not always obvious, easy to rip off somebody) that is delicate, expensive or both and that is not sold at a store:
avoid shipping, meet, and do so at a public place (plus bring somebody with you, I find that important - in case something is really badly off, but also against people who try to convince with psychological tricks).

Had done so x times when buying certain things that fall into that category, or adopting pets, and always refused when the seller was not agreeing to this. And the second person was often helpful; still not bad if really everything is alright, but very helpful in case of somebody "puts on a show, full drama" e.g. in case of not buying.

 

[Xjrosie]

Those are all good points if the seller is in your area and willing to meet up. Most of the time these people would be shipping them. Another thing about meeting up with a stranger would be to do so in a public place like the parking lot of a busier large store in view of other people in the daytime.

Most police stations, at least in Michigan, have safe trade areas, where it's brightly lit and has cameras recording. I was selling something, can't remember what, and the police were okay with me waiting in their lobby with my item. It was a $200 sale, so I wasn't risking anything.