Savannah Cat Forum Message Board and Classifieds For Savannah Kittens and Cats. All cat owners welcomed!

I'm posting this as a warning to people looking to buy an exotic cat - whether it's a Serval, Savannah, Chausie, Ocelot... etc.

There is a serious fraud being commited (under investigation) by a company with what appears to be a UK based mobile number. They have a website set up on a free host and have adverts all over the internet - same mobile number, different breeds, different locations and different names specified each time.

They have already accepted large deposits (many thousands of pounds/dollars) on the strength of the photographs they send to customers alone. These photographs have been copied from websites of genuine breeders which these people are passing off as their own in order to extort money from their victims. How do they hook their victims in? They sell their animals for well under market value, and people think they're getting a bargain.

Their stated address belongs to a legitimate (unrelated) company based in the North of the UK. They state that their animals are bred on a farm in Africa. Most of the website has been copied and pasted from other breeders' websites.

Would-be owners of exotic cats need to do their homework before they part with any money. If you're based in the same country, do visit the cat. If you are buying from abroad make sure you investigate the seller as far as possible. This could mean googling the name, address, prefix (if stated), telephone number, and see what else these guys have been selling with that same information.

To quote a cliche - If it sounds too good to be true.. it probably is.

There are plenty of those on the internet. They rip off photos from other breeders site. They seem to be from out of the country because they use a broken English for communicating and weird grammar. Often selling F1s for $1000. People just need to do their homework and find which breeder are reputable. Who would send off money to someone with no references etc. That is just stupid.

This particular guy has hooked a lot of US based customers with his low prices. Perhaps he's more convincing than the others. *shrug*

Perhaps there is just more stupid people with money. LOL. I am not trying to me mean but the prices should be a warning sign. Does this person have a website we could see? Maybe this ones grammer is better!

Just has to be Nigeria, it always is.

IP originates from the Cameroon - however, a closer look took me to Russia! They claim to be in the UK - however, when I replied to an ad the kitten (10 weeks old - rang alarm bells with me immediately) was in Nicosia and they wanted to be paid in US$ (possibly because I have an hotmail addy) - the next day they, fortunately, for me misrouted an email and instead of it being received in France ended up in my email - same cat pics but suddently was living in Liverpool - yet I got the telephone number as well - this time they were charging the buyer in Euro's! I've already emailed her and told her that this is a scam!

However, who can we complain to in the UK regarding this - I had seen from the first post that they are under investigation!

Still searching for my Savannah! But now I have seen this I am beginning to understand the 'importance' of registering with licenced breeders! Which I will do now!

Not sure exactly where the complaint would end up, but I would start at a local police station.
The problem could just be apathy. These scammers have been operating for a long time now. I wonder if it's possible that nobody has complained to the police. I wonder if PayPal is used as a payment method.. I doubt it because PayPal offer protection.