My Turtle Store Scam

Ihsan

New Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Messages
13
Good day everyone!

I have a problem and I need some advice. I've got a red foot tortoise from My Turtle Store website, and it arrived in a bad shape. I contacted them, they don't replay on weekends, and even through the week they rarely reply. Anyway I told them about the situation and they instructed me to soak her in warm water for 30 minutes everyday. She didn't seem to get better, so I contacted them again but they didn't reply until the next week. they sent me a label and told me to send her back to treat her and send me a replacement. I told them that I don't have a proper container to put her in for shipping, so send me the replacement so I can use the same box, they refused, then they stopped replying at all. I've sent her back to them, and it has been a week now and I hadn't heard anything from them. I sent a billion emails to Robert Moore, the owner, and he didn't bother to reply. So now I don't know what to do, they took my money, my tortoise, and vanished! I haven't seen a worse company, bunch of lairs, scammers, and thieves.
What would you do if you were in my place?
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
And don't stop trying to get ahold of them.
On another note, you telling them you didn't have a container big enough to ship her back in, so for them to send the replacement first, so you would then have a big enough box, probably made you sound to them like a scammer. There was no way they could trust that you would send the other one back. Now, if they kept your credit card on file, they could have charged you for the replacement, if they didn't receive the first one back. However, no one in their right mind would send the replacement before receiving back the original one. Just keep that in mind for next time.
 

Ihsan

New Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Messages
13
And don't stop trying to get ahold of them.
On another note, you telling them you didn't have a container big enough to ship her back in, so for them to send the replacement first, so you would then have a big enough box, probably made you sound to them like a scammer. There was no way they could trust that you would send the other one back. Now, if they kept your credit card on file, they could have charged you for the replacement, if they didn't receive the first one back. However, no one in their right mind would send the replacement before receiving back the original one. Just keep that in mind for next time.

Well they have my credit card information so they could easily charge me if I didn't send it back.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Call your credit card company as they probably can help you.
Good advice. This is one reason I like to pay for things with a credit card. Gives the customer a lot of power should a seller go AWOL.

I would follow all of the other poster's advice too about reporting this info on every social media site as well as their FB page. If they don't like it, then they should darn well answer their paying customer.
 

african cake queen

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Messages
2,212
Location (City and/or State)
ct.usa
I got pancake 10years ago. It died in a week. Told the man I got them from I was taking back the credit card charges. I had a new one in the mail in a week. They hate credit cards. Lol. Good luck.
 

deadheadvet

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
813
Location (City and/or State)
Cary, NC
Having dealt with the general public a long time, there are always to sides to any story. We have only heard 1 side. Unless you have proof of the tortoise being very sick, your word only. I as a business would not ship you a replacement just because you said so.You are not dealing with Amazon. They offered to take the tortoise back, you elected not to do that. I have nothing vested with the company in question. Best advice is to send the tortoise back, request a refund or keep the tortoise and see what happens.
 

Big Charlie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
2,801
Location (City and/or State)
California
Having dealt with the general public a long time, there are always to sides to any story. We have only heard 1 side. Unless you have proof of the tortoise being very sick, your word only. I as a business would not ship you a replacement just because you said so.You are not dealing with Amazon. They offered to take the tortoise back, you elected not to do that. I have nothing vested with the company in question. Best advice is to send the tortoise back, request a refund or keep the tortoise and see what happens.
OP did send the tortoise back. He hasn't received a refund or a replacement. He isn't getting any responses to his emails.
 

Cowboy_Ken

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 18, 2011
Messages
17,560
Location (City and/or State)
Suburban-life in Salem, Oregon
I put a like on Big Charlie's last post because I like Big Charle helping to keep us on track. I typically always save shipping containers for this very reason. Good luck to you.
Check also the kingsnake classified section for a feedback area and voice your experience there.
 

Big Charlie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
2,801
Location (City and/or State)
California
I think a week may not be enough time. Did you send it back with tracking? Do you have proof the seller has received it? Has the tortoise been in the seller's possession for a week, or has it been a week since you sent it? This time of year, people are busier and may take longer to respond. I think the seller could work on his communication skills but it is too soon to determine that he is trying to scam you. I would probably give him 2 or 3 weeks from the time he received it back.
 

african cake queen

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Messages
2,212
Location (City and/or State)
ct.usa
Having dealt with the general public a long time, there are always to sides to any story. We have only heard 1 side. Unless you have proof of the tortoise being very sick, your word only. I as a business would not ship you a replacement just because you said so.You are not dealing with Amazon. They offered to take the tortoise back, you elected not to do that. I have nothing vested with the company in question. Best advice is to send the tortoise back, request a refund or keep the tortoise and see what happens.
I had proof and took the cakes to the doctor the day I got them. My vet.Said one will be fine and the other I don't know. The cake couldn't use his back legs and had mbd. He died at the doctors. I have never named this person because he sent me another. He is still with me. He also was under weight and and very skinny, like the pair I bought from him. That was a long time ago. He made good, I would never buy from him because it cost me tons of money and 8 mos. To get them where they should be. I advise anyone looking for them to take your time, try to buy them from someone you follow for a while or get a referral from who's been on here real long time. I've been helped here many, many times. After 10 years, I think I got it. Hope this works out for.You.
 

Ehaley

Member
Joined
May 16, 2016
Messages
47
Not to state the obvious but did you try calling them instead of emails. Get someone live right then and there?
My Turtle Store
Phone, (727) 847-5955 · Address. 6821 Industrial Ave; Port Richey, Florida
 

Shaif

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Messages
438
Location (City and/or State)
Pittsburgh, PA
Hi.

First off, I'm so sorry about your tort. It's very hard to have a sick one.

I also got a sick baby from the same store. In the end of August, I bought a baby Greek from mytortoisestore.com (same as myturtlestore.com) and he has been sick from the day of arrival.

When I called the store, they told me they soak the babies "maybe once or twice a week." The person I spoke to on the phone also said they are kept at "normal air" moisture.

It's been a long time and a lot of frustration for me. It's very hard to see my little guy suffer-- and I truly have been following the care sheets here. He is kept warm and moist at all times, but he doesn't grow and only eats (occasionally) if I place him in his bowl. I have healthy babies from breeders on this site, and the difference since day 1 is shocking.

I am not so interested in getting my money back, and I love my Zeus and will continue to do everything in my power to make him comfortable. But I think enough torts have been hurt--

I have sent Tom's, Hermanni Chris's, and Gary Bright's care sheets to the store in Florida. I will never support the store, and will continue to tell my story to whoever might listen.

I actually agree with Deadhead Vet; this is just my story. But if many of us have the same issue, it's a problem. I've considered asking moderators to make some type of list regarding sick hatchlings and where they came from. We could send education to the stores. Maybe help a few babies along the way.

As far as emails to Mr. Moore, he has never responded to me.
 

mark1

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,932
Location (City and/or State)
ohio
based on the fact elisabeth clark is the "president" of this place , i have to think this is the same place just a different name ? in hindsight you probably should have kept the tortoise , maybe give the credit card thing a try .......

https://www.bbb.org/west-florida/business-reviews/pet-stores/turtle-shack-in-port-richey-fl-90012118

Turtle Shack


Factors that affect the rating for Turtle Shack include:


  • 46 complaints filed against business
  • Failure to respond to 43 complaints filed against business.
  • Business has failed to resolve underlying cause(s) of a pattern of complaints.
 

Kaliman1962

Active Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2016
Messages
193
you know, i never thought about it, but i got 2 redfoot babies from them, they both died within 3 weeks.
my wife blamed me, but i bet it wasn't me
 

New Posts

Top