Waiting 20 months for tegus from Bobby

[Danny]

My name is Libor Martinek (Czech republic - EUROPE) and I am waiting for my paid tegus from BOBBY HILL (VARNYARD) for second season - 2years.
In 2011 I send 2350,-$ to Mr.Bobby Hill. You can say "He has to be foolish to wait for so long time". But I was so excited and happy to buy tegus from so known and respected breeder - Bobby Hill. I emailed him many times. His several answers where the same: Still waiting for CITES papers from goverment. And I trusted him.....I built terarium, spend money for heating lamps, heating rocks, UV lamps......
I left many messages on his answering machine. I was lucky to got him on the phone twice. The result was - "Still waiting for papers, my exporter left with my money, but i have new one"...this was in August 2012. Then I started to read forums and I learned that he lied me, he fooled me.

Now he does not pick up the phone, no answer for emails.
Can somebody wake me up from this bad dream?
Do you think I can get my money back?
Does anybody know about him?

Thank you
Libor Martinek
Tel.001420724045930
[email protected]

 

[laurarfl]

Please do not post personal info such as home address and DOB, etc. You can send it in a PM or the info is located on the BOI thread on faunaclassifieds. Of course we all want to help Libor, but we also do not want to put this forum owner in a countersuit position.

 

[Libor]

Thank you Danny very much.
I filled out IC3, BBB, sent an email to local police in Panama City and sent a complaint to the office of General Attorney for state of Florida.
I informed my local police as well.....I will see what more I can do later...
..I am not going to let it go...
Thank you all
Libor

 

[laurarfl]

No, you shouldn't let it go. That is a lot of money. I'm not trying to stand in the way by removing personal info, but someone could post a countersuit for harassment.

 

[LizardzRock]

Thank you Danny very much.
I filled out IC3, BBB, sent an email to local police in Panama City and sent a complaint to the office of General Attorney for state of Florida.
I informed my local police as well.....I will see what more I can do later...
..I am not going to let it go...
Thank you all
Libor

Good Luck Libor. i hope that it works out and justice is served. a lot of us lost money, but not like yourself... absolutely astonished at the scam that man has done. I wish someone was able to disable his website....

 

[laurarfl]

I was wondering if that may be a result of the IC3 investigation.

 

[chelvis]

Not to stir the pot but did you ask Bobby what exporter he was using. If he uses a bigger company to export they tend to get the permits faster. So there might be a permit in the works just under a different name. I have seen this happen with zoo shipments. Larger zoos with house the animals for the quarantine and the ship them for smaller zoos, happens all the time.

Again not defending Bobby, but just shedding lights on international CITES permits. After the last two years of customer service I can't really defend him anymore.

 

[Libor]

Not to stir the pot but did you ask Bobby what exporter he was using. If he uses a bigger company to export they tend to get the permits faster. So there might be a permit in the works just under a different name. I have seen this happen with zoo shipments. Larger zoos with house the animals for the quarantine and the ship them for smaller zoos, happens all the time.

Again not defending Bobby, but just shedding lights on international CITES permits. After the last two years of customer service I can't really defend him anymore.

I know what you mean, but he was not willing to explain anything. Just saing "Still waiting for CITES documents". He warned me not to call or contact Fish and Game wildlife service with any questions "They will put my application on the bottom of the list."

Look this is an email from September 2011 :

From: Bobby Hill, Tegu Breeder [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 3:44 PM
To: E
Subject: Re: Dear Bobby Hill

Hi Libor, sorry it took some time to get back to you, I have been waiting to hear back from my
exporter on the paperwork, we are still waiting on the Cites permit from the US fish and game
commision. I will let you know as soon as the papers are ready.
Thanks, Bobby Hill, Owner,
http://www.varnyard-herps-inc.com/
http://www.tegusforsale.com/
http://www.tegutalk.com/


--- On Mon, 9/5/11, E <[email protected]> wrote:

From: E <[email protected]>
Subject: Dear Bobby Hill
To: [email protected]
Date: Monday, September 5, 2011, 8:46 AM
Dear Bobby Hill,

I am quite desperide. According your last mail animals where ready in the mid of July (if the
CITES papers will be done). Now i tis begining of september and I still have no informations.
I understand that you have plenty of work to do, but please send some info.

Thank you
Libor Martinek

............and this is his email from June 2012:

From: Bobby Hill, Tegu Breeder [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 5:17 PM
To: E
Subject: Re: Dear Bobby Hill

Hi Libor, I am sorry but I have been very busy here. We are still waiting for them to hatch, and I am waiting
to hear back from my exporter.

Thanks, Bobby Hill, Owner,
http://www.varnyard-herps-inc.com/
http://www.tegusforsale.com/


From: E <[email protected]>
To: "'Bobby Hill, Tegu Breeder'" <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 2:36 PM
Subject: RE: Dear Bobby Hill
Hi Bobbi,

I am trying to call you (laeving messages), I am sending emails and no answer from you.
How can I reach you ?????

Call me or email me please.

Thanks
Libor Martinek
O11 420 724045930


From: Bobby Hill, Tegu Breeder [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 3:33 AM
To: E
Subject: Re: Dear Bobby Hill

Hi Libor, I am still waiting on the Cites permit, as soon as I get it I will let you know.

Thanks, Bobby Hill, Owner,
http://www.varnyard-herps-inc.com/
http://www.tegusforsale.com/
http://www.tegutalk.com/

.......so his application was in proces for at least 12 month (other exporters wait for 2-3 month max.).....result can be only one - he never applied for CITES permit.

Libor

 

[chelvis]

USFWS do not care if you call so that is a red flag. They will also give you updates on why things are going slow, such as paper work was rejected, was not able to inspect, etc etc.

 

[Skeetzy]

Not quite sure why there is any discussion on what Bobby is doing. Simply put, he's a scam artist now. We shouldn't be spending time trying to figure out if he scammed us(though I do understand the OP investigating), but instead on how to make sure he gets what he deserves. Which is a law suit and his business shut down.

 

[Libor]

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.
(I will place the same info on faunaclassified)

Libor

 

[got10]

Its boggles me that he is already soliciting for new suckers for the 2013 season. He is lucky in all honestly that nobody has tracked him down and bashed his head in.I dont see how he keeps getting away with this for the past two years

 

[Libor]

I posted the same on http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334633&page=38

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. Full 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