Need Advice- Possible Scammer Made a Purchase From Me *rainydancer86-3*

[goddessofpeep]

It is sad that these people can't be stopped.  Sad, and disgusting.  Last I heard, she was hanging around etsy a lot.  As terrible and woefully inadequate as ebay's seller protections are, etsy's are *a lot* worse.  It may have changed, but she was taking advantage of etsy's policy that sellers can't block buyers.  Maybe the eventually changed it as what I read was from a few years ago, I don't know.  I don't sell on etsy, and I'm not as up on their policies as I am with ebay's.  But from what I heard, she was particularly active on etsy a couple years ago.  Not that she ever abandoned ebay totally, but etsy was a much easier place to scam.  I can't remember what her ID was there.  Not that it really matters - she changes it every time she gets outed as a scammer. 

The take away from this is to be careful if your buyer's address is in Florida.  It's not fair to all the good people who live in Florida, but she's been working the Paypal chargeback to the tune of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise for a while now.  She's been scamming since...geez as long as I've been in the community(1997).  If the girl hasn't been arrested by now, it's just never going to happen.

With the huge turnover of people in the pony community in the last several years, there's a real danger that these old school scammers will be forgotten.  I was glad to see this thread, and I hope everyone sees it and learns from it.

Here's some of the things I read about her a while ago:
https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/694571.html
https://scenceable.deviantart.com/journal/WARNING-to-etsy-sellers-do-NOT-sell-to-this-person-391995445
Bonus - that last link has a link to her old Ponyland Police bad traders entry from back in the day.

I'm sure there's more, but it's been a few years and things disappear.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I cannot even describe the level of effort that the community has taken to try and stop her... but yeah since at LEAST 1997!!!! 

You can see many of her ID's on my Bad Trader List but she always makes a new one... this rainydancer86-3 is ID#20.  TWENTY!!!!

[Stiletto]

Thanks Christa for the heads up and sharing this ebay ID.  We (other eBay/online sellers appreciate it!)!

[Sweet Daes]

goddessofpeep's links are interesting. The one from Way Back Machine dates back to 2004, where her parents got involved. Apparently that wasn't enough to make her stop.

This is enough to add a dash of paranoia to trading with anyone without ratings, and I'm newer than most to this  @___@

[SpaceButtPonies]

I am amazed at the effort this woman does to scam people.

I've been reading about her now for the past 2 hours, so many people have been scammed! Just googling her full name so much comes up its insane!

[Taffeta]

I cannot even describe the level of effort that the community has taken to try and stop her... but yeah since at LEAST 1997!!!! 

You can see many of her ID's on my Bad Trader List but she always makes a new one... this rainydancer86-3 is ID#20.  TWENTY!!!!

I guess like some of us collectors keep going for ages, apparently so do some scammers. I can't believe she hasn't been charged and convicted on any of these cases yet, there's so many stories and so many victims. It's great to have heads up that she's still around.

In the old days, things were more basic, but because the community was smaller, references were done by email between people who knew people and when a scammer came out, they were often well monitored, reported on and whatever else. With this one, though, 2004 is even quite late because she was definitely around a long time before that and like goddessofpeep does, I remember her pretty much from the beginning (I came online in 97)

We're not a community of the size of then where knowing everyone you trade with really well is possible, and a lot of people have come and gone, meaning people like her have the opportunity to touch new victims who aren't aware. it's a lot of reading to go through all the scammer information and keep up with it. I wonder if there is a better way to protect our newer members because honestly, writing off the whole of Florida is hardly fair on the people there who aren't this person, and there's nothing to stop her relocating anyway.

[Christahope]

Update: I was going in to cancel the order when I saw I received a message from them already asking to cancel. I wonder if they check the forums and happened to see this? If it isn't her then I feel bad, but the name and location was way too coincidental. A bit of further info, there are three different names associated with this one transaction alone. One for ebay, one for shipping and another for paypal. I know the site rules say not to post real names, but I have the info saved for future reference. Have also blocked this ID. If it's truly her then I imagine another ID is in the making. As a member of the community (even if I'm very quiet) it is very important to inform everyone and keep each other safe.

[Brightglowpony]

Whoa, thank you very much for keeping us informed!  I would have been very skeptical to mail the parcel too and I am glad it worked out so that you did not have to send the pony!

[LadyMoondancer]

Are you allowed to post the city she was in?  Not the street address, but the city? 

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I have updated my Bad Trader List with the information given to me by Christahope  

[Galactica]

Update: I was going in to cancel the order when I saw I received a message from them already asking to cancel. I wonder if they check the forums and happened to see this? If it isn't her then I feel bad, but the name and location was way too coincidental...

Now that is interesting.  I am sure that this person is in fact on the Arena and saw this thread and got nervous and cancelled...

The three different names is a major red flag, along with the other all too coincidental coincidences in this...

I think it's terrible that these people get away with so much without getting caught.  And she must be a MLP fan as well, otherwise why not scam more expensive things?

[SpaceButtPonies]

Update: I was going in to cancel the order when I saw I received a message from them already asking to cancel. I wonder if they check the forums and happened to see this? If it isn't her then I feel bad, but the name and location was way too coincidental...

Now that is interesting.  I am sure that this person is in fact on the Arena and saw this thread and got nervous and cancelled...

The three different names is a major red flag, along with the other all too coincidental coincidences in this...

I think it's terrible that these people get away with so much without getting caught.  And she must be a MLP fan as well, otherwise why not scam more expensive things?

Also makes me wonder if she has a friend here on the arena who lurks around to warn her to see if anyone caught on.
Assuming that the admins can block IP addresses.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Also makes me wonder if she has a friend here on the arena who lurks around to warn her to see if anyone caught on.
Assuming that the admins can block IP addresses.

Very likely.  As much as the admins CAN and DO block by IP, they cannot always weed all the bad ones out

[Freeindeed]

Wow, I remember her from back in the 90's... can't believe she is still around! Does anyone else think it's a bit sad that a person who is probably at least in their 30's by now is still scamming My Little Pony toys?

[Taffeta]

Also makes me wonder if she has a friend here on the arena who lurks around to warn her to see if anyone caught on.
Assuming that the admins can block IP addresses.

Very likely.  As much as the admins CAN and DO block by IP, they cannot always weed all the bad ones out

If it meant that this seller doesn't have to deal with the problem then whoever it is has the power to make her cancel auctions...that's not a bad thing. If posts like this mean that someone in that individual's life gets a red flag and starts trying to limit damage then that's better for everyone. It's not perfect, but it's better than a seller getting a really tough ride. So in this case, if that did happen, it's probably for the best.