Beware: Furtastic Fursuits

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

WHERE: Through Facebook, original sales post was removed by them.

WHAT: $160 DVC small k9 blank with parts installed.

WHEN: August 24th, 2016

PROOF: Initial contact: http://imgur.com/a/Cswp1
Proof of payment: http://imgur.com/a/0iTW8
Asking about shipping: http://imgur.com/a/B6638
Asking again, telling them about USPS pick-up: http://imgur.com/a/pKmd8
Asking, no responses: http://imgur.com/a/zyUQY
Getting a response but nothing promising, then asking for a refund. The last message Facebook says they read was at 2:56. http://imgur.com/a/UAvHV
More being ignored. http://imgur.com/a/WIANH

EXPLAIN: Haley was offering a DVC small canine base up for sale on the "fursuit makers and furry artists" group on Facebook so I hopped on the opportunity since I needed one. Suffice to say I have yet to receive the product and actually ordered 6 resin bases from DVC on the same day a few hours earlier and have already received that before this.

It should be noted that I HAVE called PayPal about it and they refuse to issue me a claim because it was sent through the equivalent of "friends and family" while I had my student account (it sends everything outside of website purchases as such). At this point I may never receive my money nor my product.

EDIT September 19: She has posted a smaller A_B about me to a Facebook group using screenshots I posted above. I censored names of people not involved but she makes bold claims about me scamming other people, calls me "stupid" and a hypocrite, has spent the money I sent for the base so the option of a refund is no longer there and makes some unnecessary comments about my "perfect life". She has yet to message me back since Saturday so I did not know she apparently plans on sending out the base this weekend had I not received these screenshots.
http://imgur.com/a/o6voS
http://imgur.com/a/2uTGc
http://imgur.com/a/muhIM
http://imgur.com/a/Y2GBe

EDIT October 16: I have been asking practically every day for a month now (can provide screenshots, it's mostly just "Any updates?") and finally got them to respond... Just to be ignored again. They claim they'll issue a refund and then go back to the "I'll mail it soon" excuse. At this point I just want the refund because I know I will never see the supplies.
http://imgur.com/a/xOo2X

EDIT October 17: Finally got a response... to find out not only is she 15-years-old, but she can't issue a refund anyway and her boyfriend gets involved.
Our conversation (I admit to getting aggressive towards the end, I had a headache): http://imgur.com/a/cop1C
The conversation with the boyfriend: http://imgur.com/a/ZCYLb

She also decided to write a second Facebook Beware on me, it has since been taken down by the admins of the group but she ironically used a screenshot I took in her first piece of evidence. http://imgur.com/a/RaBYC

EDIT October 18: According to the bewaree and her boyfriend the boyfriend's mother mailed out the package this morning but neither of them are able to provide a tracking number. Here's the conversation I had with him today (language/caps warning): http://imgur.com/a/gf5Uv

EDIT October 20: Was blocked by the user but I received the base today. The box was poorly taped together so it buckled in and the base reeks of cat urine so an animal had to have sprayed it.
http://imgur.com/a/DXUZH

Base was infected with cockroaches. It turns out (upon ripping up it up) the box has pee and vomit stains on it. Lovely. http://imgur.com/a/lsxEN

Comments

[totschrei.livejournal.com]

Is there a link to this person on Facebook or would that not be available?
It really sucks this happened. Though, for next time always send as Goods/Services. :<
You might can report them to the group admins about her and they can remove her so possible no one else will buy from her? Not sure. I don't use facebook for items.
Best of luck!

Edit: Missed a word D:

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

OP noted that sales outside of website shopping carts are automatically deemed personal transactions by Paypal with the account type she is using.

Edit: and if you're asking for the personal fb of the bewaree; no she can't share that.

[clockmagic.livejournal.com]

I know I've heard that name before and I think I had problems with them in the past as well. Haven't hard about them since so I just assumed they stopped doing business.

Wish you the best, maybe they'll come to and ship their item, but it certainly sounds unlikely.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Do you remember if you bought something from her? If it can be contributed to I'd love to bring it up in another ignored message or see another post about the user.

Hey, if they can't ship things they shouldn't be conducting business.

[sewingstuffs.livejournal.com]

Just a heads up, I saw this person trying to make a beware about you on Facebook. Apparently they feel like they are entitled to take forever to ship your item and you are the unreasonable one >.< Don't know if I can link it or not, but I have screenshots incase it is taken down.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

A screenshot would be pretty cool, someone else commented on a smaller beware I left about them saying the same thing but when I asked for a screenshot they refused to give me one, making me think it was fake.

I'm amazed they think they they can write a beware on me when they're ignoring my messages, not shipping my item or giving me a refund. They have multiple options, they're not backed into a corner.

[talentedfool.livejournal.com]

Ugh! That little rant she went off on about you was so unnecessary and uncalled for. No matter how frustrated you are with someone, you don't go around making those sorts of personal remarks. And her claims about you scamming is clearly nothing more than idle gossip when all she has to back it up is "I heard from so and so", and an entirely unwarranted jab at your reputation.

I think that no matter how busy they were, they dug themselves into their own hole by not touching base with you properly and ignoring you. But I agree with others that you did get aggressive, suddenly saying they stole from you. I understand being frazzled and at the end of your rope when they're not responding to messages which makes it hard to talk things out, but it's especially for instances like this where the person in the wrong can turn around and use your attitude against you that you always, always need to maintain a polite, professional tone in transactions. There are always way to be firm without being accusatory.

To be honest I think the moment you accused her of stealing, she should have just refunded you and washed her hands of the matter because that was clearly the moment when any chance of this being worked out amiably dissolved, and if she spent the money, arranged to pay you back in installments instead.

Still though, can't get over her complaining you must have a perfect life because of your age? What a bizarre grievance to have, and what kind of 16yos does that person know. What gross behaviour on her part.

[meihyr.livejournal.com]

Agreed!

[torch-tiger.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I agree that at that point there's no use pretending that you think they haven't taken your money and ran.

I hope this gets resolved for you.

[sewingstuffs.livejournal.com]

As of this morning the Artist beware on the Facebook group that I linked you has since been removed.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Huh, really? Or were you blocked by her? Here's to hoping it was actually removed but the caps above remain.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Still nothing. :( According to the AB they deleted they were going to mail out my package last week or weekend (see fourth link), yet never contacted me about it. Still ignoring my messages.

http://imgur.com/a/V6XNM

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Edited for new content.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Another edit for today. Let's see if she mails my stuff tomorrow.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Any word on that?

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

This whole situation is unfortunate. I agree you were aggressive, and personally I think you should have just accepted her offer when she said she finally found a way to ship in the later messages. My reasoning being there's a higher chance of getting something from her that way, since you're far less likely to get a refund at this point.

That said, I don't think anyone would blame you for being fed up and assuming you'd neither get your base nor a refund at that point.

Please let us know if you actually get your head. We'll tack a resolved tag onto the post, but I think we'll leave the beware tag. The attitude of 'she's 15 so it's not her fault she took money for a base she can't actually send' is a big problem and people should be aware that they think it's okay to steal because she's young. Nothing will change the fact that she accepted money, spent it before sending the product, and then didn't see it as a priority to make sure the product was actually sent.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Her boyfriend lives next to the post office so finding this out made me really upset because that means she had that option for two months now. If she was going over to visit him she could easily walk next door and drop off the package. She just messaged me now saying she's going to have him ship it in the morning.

I felt good about keeping calm, then I got upset when I found out the stranger who messaged me was the boyfriend and even more upset when I found out she wrote a second beware on me. I've been working really hard to try and maintain a more professional attitude but I let it slip and I feel really guilty.

If I knew she was 15 I would have never bought it from her in the first place, as someone who is a minor and is just about to turn 18 I've seen so many peers not know how to handle business and use that excuse. It's why a lot of artists don't want to do business with minors, myself included, and I don't blame them!

I think that's what's most important: She took the money, spent it, ignored me for nearly a month and then decided to only take action when I threatened to go to the authorities. It should never have been dragged out this far and it's been a headache.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Was blocked either some time last night or this morning so if something happens to the package then I can't do anything about it, the tracking number hasn't changed since having it sent to me. Didn't see that one coming.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Updated, received the base so the matter is resolved.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

Will change the tags for you!

[marlinkhylacat]

*Reads update* Urine stench? And Facebook-stalking? Even "resolved," this entire situation is STILL a complete mess. Talk about a valid beware.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

I can't even decipher what the smell is. I own (clean) cats so I know it's urine but it also smells like vomit? Human or cat vomit? It's so unappealing it makes me sad. :(

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

Huh. So there are paint marks on the eyes, and the nose appears to have paint flecks taken out of it. Did she mention that to you prior to sale?

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

there's a roach nest in the mouth. one moment.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

So you finally, finally receive your item after two months and two third parties getting involved (mom and boyfriend), and it's covered in cat piss and bugs?

Beware well-warranted and I slapped the beware tag back on there. I don't personally recommend trying to actually use this base at this point, though I suppose that's up to you. If it were me, I would take photos as evidence, wrap it up in several garbage bags and take it (and the box it came in) out to the dumpster and chalk it up as a loss.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Allow me to preface this with the fact that I have never seen a cockroach in my entire life, I only knew it was a "bad bug" from seeing episodes of Hoarders on TV. I immediately had a panic attack and have placed all of them in my dumpster (minus one large one that's outside of the bag but still in the trash). This was the last thing I was expecting, maybe a rude note or something else, but not cat piss and cockroaches.

http://imgur.com/a/lsxEN

(Edited for good reaction icon.)

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

At this point I don't suggest you keep this in your house. From a safety standpoint, you may not be able to clean this in a manner that both:

a. ensures people with roach allergies won't react.
b. ensures that you get everything, and that you won't spread any egg sacs.

Double bag this, and it may be best to count this as a loss to your business.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Maybe share those images with the admins of the group you both that head from. Privately obviously. Don't do like Furtastic did and try to blast you all over. They need to be made aware they have a seller selling filthy items. You might not be the only victim.

This is completely disgusting and there is no way in hell that they couldn't see the vermin unless they're just that blind to filth.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

I've already posted about her to one small beware group, guess I'll have to join a major one and post there too. I really hope no one else has to go through this.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Maybe share those images with the admins of the group you both that head from. Privately obviously. Don't do like Furtastic did and try to blast you all over. They need to be made aware they have a seller selling filthy items. You might not be the only victim.

This is completely disgusting and there is no way in hell that they couldn't see the vermin unless they're just that blind to filth.

[sewingstuffs.livejournal.com]

God that is horrible, no wonder she didn't want to refund you. That thing was in no condition to be sold. I am so sorry to hear that after all of this you still technically did not receive a usable product.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

If you look back at the conversation from the day she mailed it she said she was trying to re-sell it anyway while promising me she would mail it, then went back on her word.

Thank you so much for all of your screenshots of the bewares!

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

THAT IS HORRIFIC.
I am so sorry you went through that. She effectively mailed you a bomb of bugs. Nevermind the health hazards of inhaling around cat pee!
Honestly one of the most awful stories of bad business I've ever heard. How awful. I'm really, really sorry that happened to you.
If this is how she keeps her products, she should not be in business anymore, period.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

I like your icon.

[syrusb.livejournal.com]

First off, I have to vomit.

Second, I know you can't get your money back, but I would still call Paypal and send the photos you took. That is so incredibly gross and hazardous, if that's how she conducts business she should not be allowed to use that service.

Third, I would consider filing a police report over the whole thing regardless. There is NO WAY she didn't know what she was doing. It goes far, FAR beyond being negligent in shipping a product.

[sewingstuffs.livejournal.com]

It scares me that this is how you received the base, cockroach infested and filthy, and now I see this same person offering fursuit commissions. I have no doubt that somebody else will have to endure the same disgusting mess that you had to.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Are you serious? The reason they were selling the base was because she didn't know how to finish it or make a fursuit. That's absolutely terrifying to know that she plans on taking on commissions in the state she's in.

[kipaki.livejournal.com]

god what a horror story, you are probably faster acting than i am, i don't know what i'd even do opening a box and having it roach infested.

but you can probably still contact paypal and show them photos and tell them this thing happened? Idk if they would do anything about who you bought it from but its worth a shot, so no one else has to deal with this risk.

Jeez

[jebboy.livejournal.com]

I know I am very late to this but oh my gosh this is 100% a beware. They gave you such a terrible product that was full of bugs. I never am interested in a fursuit but if I was I would never go to someone like this.