15 Months old Hyacinth Macaw [email protected]

http://www.birdsnow.com/bird-ad-464941

This is a series of emails that occured over the last 24 hrs. Thank goodness we did not fall for this! Must say I am heartbroken that I will not get a beautiful blue bird, but oh so happy that I still have my money!!!!

Would like a bit more info on the hyacinth you have advertised. I am assuming the $250 is a misprint!?!? I have always wanted one of these grand birds!
Please let me know your asking price and estimated shipping costs. I currently live n IL.
Thank you-

Hello Dear,
just saw ur message regarding the hyacinth
macaw parrot that we want to give out.Its a female called shaxy.she is 15months old.Due to
extreme personal reasons and life changes, I must find her a new home.
It has nothing to do with shaxy. shaxy will not be the right bird for
most homes, she needs a really special home. If you are looking for
that special bird, please read more about her. If you are interested
in her, I would be happy to talk about her with you, but only after
you have read everything below.
Shaxy is is going through her first molt –
hence the little white feathers - Sorry!. I have been training Shaxy
since she was just weeks old. She was hand fed and raised and trained
to be a “PR” bird. What I mean by this, is that she was raised and
trained to be in the public, and handled by the public. She has been
featured in many photo shoots, and has been used for educational
programs, nursing homes, exhibition shows, and much more. I raised her
to be comfortable in the “public eye”. Due to her extensive training,
she is very social and very friendly. she has a wonderful comical
personality typical of macaws. she is quite the goof when you get to
know her. she has none of the bad habits associated with most “older”
birds.
Shaxy can talk, likes to lie on her back and to be
cuddled. she is very affectionate and loving. she likes to be
scratched on her head and under her wings. she steps up every time you
ask. she has been well trained. she will do well in just about any
home where she will get constant attention. she does not scream, and
is very quiet for a larger parrot, again this is due to her training.
Unfortunately we are unable to keep this great
bird due to serious changes in our circumstances.we want to give her
out coz my husband and i went to the hospital some days back after i
have been vomiting (approx. thrice a day) and also noticing general
body weakness and the Doctor discovered that i am 3 months
pregnant.Though good news to my husband and i, we weren't prepared for
this as we are presently in New Mexico for our Honey
Moon.Had it been we knew earlier of the pregnancy, we would have
postponed our honey moon and stayed back inVirginia .More so, the
pregnancy has been causing much weakness in me so much so that i do
not have that required time and energy to devote on Shaxy.for us
continue keeping Shaxy is like preventing her from her rights as a
pet.I feel like she's not having that required time from us to cuddle
and pet her.Besides, i want to concentrate more on my pregnancy as
this is the first baby that we are expecting as couples and won't want
any extra load on me.We are enjoying this part of the country and do
not want to return back now, else we will just fly
back.Besides, i do not like traveling when pregnant as it endangers my
unborn child...''HONEY THIS IS OUR FIRST BABY AND I DO NOT WANT
ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO HIM'' says my darling husband...she's already
wishing for a male child...OHH men... LOL...
My husband and i have decided to re home her to any gentle and loving family that
is willing to usher the full required time to her.Hope your family is
gonna be the best for Shaxy if and only if,you can provide us with
some info about your home...that will help us better understand your
home.That's your family composition, their reactions towards pets in
general, whether or not you've owned pets before and how do you
intend welcoming blue into your home. Well, i will be willing to give
out the baby to your home provided you are going to give her all the
necessary care and attention that she deserves in the world.i am not
very much concerned about money now, all i want is to ensure that she
finds a good home.
Shaxy is on a pelleted diet. she also eats fresh
foods daily along with a couple of shell nuts every day. Shaxy needs a
home where she will be out of her cage most of the day, getting lots
of attention. That is what she is used to. If you think you are
interested in Shaxy, please contact me. I will also include all of her
toys and food samples. she is still a baby, and would make an
excellent addition to any home. she’s better than getting a tiny bird,
because she’s already trained. It will break my heart to part with
her, so I would really enjoy a home that would keep me up dated on how
she’s adjusting. I’m not asking to see her, that would be too hard for
me, but an update now and again and pictures would be good.
N/B, since you are not located around us, we will
have to arrange for shipping of the parrot okay...so, do tell us the
name of your state of residence in time.regards

Mrs Fina

I then responded why and how we would welcome this bird into our home and got this next reply:

Thanks for the prompt response to my email. Please , i want you to promise me that you are going to send me update pictures of Shaxy when you get her, coz she's just like a real biological kid to me though i have to let her go.Atleast, this pictures will help me know how she's doing in your home..

Well, i just inquired the shipping cost from the airport here in New Mexico that i will be shipping Shaxy through and they said it will cost you $270 for the shipping fee.They also told me that there is a flight schedule to your location (IL) tomorrow Monday at 11am in the morning so i will like to get Shaxy on that flight.so, you should send the following details so that i can drive to the airport and drop blue there, while registering her under your names so that she can be flown on the flight.;

receiver's full names
state
city
street address
house number
phone number
name of the closest airport to your location

the above details will also enable the airport couriers to deliver the parrot right at your home, since they offer home delivery services.I will let the airport contact you with the flight info and also with the payment mode of the airfare.
Note that Shaxy will be coming inside her cage so you dont have to get a new cage for her okay? also, i'll be sending her with her vet records and a hand written 1 year health guarantee certificate.I will also include her feeding menu hand booklet which will guide you on what to feed her.
Once more, i still want to reiterate that you shouldn't break your promise on taking good care of Shaxy once you get her coz she's a darling.you will see that for yourself when you get her.i will be waiting for your reply asap so that i can drive to the airport by morning.Regards
Mrs Fina

Next I basically replied oh yeah so happy and got this this morning:

i am just coming back from the shipping company and have given shaxy to them.it was really had letting go shaxy to them but i had no option than to let her go since i had already made up my mine.the shipping company said they'll email you with the flight invoice so im just wondering if they've contacted you yet??? hp to read from u asap Paker

From the shipping company I got:

PET TAXI - Pet Shipping and Transportation in USA [email protected] to me
show details 6:15 AM (10 hours ago)


Dear My Name,

YOU ARE WELCOME TO PET TAXI, USA. ATTACHED TO THIS EMAIL IS YOUR PARCEL ORDER FOR THE DELIVERY OF A HYACINTH MACAW PARROT, AT YOUR LOCAL AIRPORT, HOME ADDRESS FOR VERIFICATION AND ALSO INSTRUCTIONS AND DIRECTIVES ON HOW TO SEND THE PAYMENTS OVER TO US , SO YOUR DELIVERY CAN BE ACTIVATED.( THE DOCUMENT IS IN pdf format 97-2003) CAREFULLY DOWNLOAD AND OPEN USING ADOBE READER, TO READ CLEARLY ON HOW TO CONFIRM YOUR INFORMATION AND HOW YOU WILL BE SENDING THE PAYMENTS TO US ,JUST GO AHEAD AND REPLY TO THIS EMAIL AFTER GOING THROUGH AND FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS AND HAVING DONE THE PAYMENTS. IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE . A CONSULTANT WILL GET BACK TO YOU INSTANTLY. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND TRUST. REPLY BACK TO US WITH ANY INFORMATION AFTER CONFIRMATION OF PAYMENTS AND ADDRESS.


THANKS AND ENJOY OUR SERVICES
SENIOR CONSULTANT
MITCHELL WHITE

(From here there is an attachment but I don't know how to post that here) Anyway here are the last of the emails form today:
(from me)

I need your phone number ASAP so I can talk to you about something very important!!!! After talking to you I will try to find a western union.

On Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 7:18 AM, Fina Paker <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi, i am just coming back from the shipping company and have given shaxy to them.it was really had letting go shaxy to them but i had no option than to let her go since i had already made up my mine.the shipping company said they'll email you with the flight invoice so im just wondering if they've contacted you yet??? hp to read from u asap Paker

Fina Paker [email protected] to me
show details 8:48 AM (8 hours ago)

i tried calling u but u aint picking up.idk why, whatever, try calling us back on 216 769 4876. am glad u've heard from the shipping company.hope u complete the payment soon to them so that shaxy doesnt stays long there

(Notice here the change in the already broken grammer!)

Please tell me the exact airline and flight number blue is scheduled to be on and I will verifiy and call the cargo airline directly and pay via credit card--Pet taxi can then collect from the airline....

On Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 8:48 AM, Fina Paker <[email protected]> wrote:
i tried calling u but u aint picking up.idk why, whatever, try calling us back on 216 769 4876. am glad u've heard from the shipping company.hope u complete the payment soon to them so that shaxy doesnt stays long there

Next was:

no flight has yet been scheduled for blue coz you haven't paid yet for her airfare.besides, united, american airways, etc cannot ship pets.its ony a pet carrier.by the way, why all this??? you're making scared here....

to Fina
show details 9:15 AM (8 hours ago)
All the major airlines ship pets I do want the bird very much so, but you should understand that even $270 is alot of money to lose if you are not legitimate. I have dealt with shipping and receiving birds in the past and have never heard of Pet Taxi, nor can I find them on the internet. I would perfer to ship her thru Delta or American Airlines and pay them directly. If she is already at the airport this can easily be done. There are several flights out of Alberquerque NM as well as Rosland and Santa Fe today. Please let me know which airline and I will call them to verify and pay with my credit card.

Fina Paker [email protected] to me
show details 9:22 AM (7 hours ago)

what do you by that? that we're trying to take advantage of your money??? or the shipping company is trying to take ur money or what??? pet taxi is the one i've choosed coz i sent a chihuahua to my sister in CA thru that agency and she arrived well. here is their address; pettaxi.com .i don't know by what you mean they u've never heard of such a company before.

to Fina
show details 10:48 AM (6 hours ago)

I am agreeable to use pet taxi pet provided I can pay via credit card and NOT Western Union. This way they get their money and IF for some ungodly reason this is not liget I am also protected. Please understand Ms. Fina that it is not often you find such a good "deal" and dealing with ppl one does not know or can readily contact is scary for me too! Shaxy will be very much loved and pampered in my home but understand that $270 is a lot for us right now though are willing to do this due to our great desire to possess such a grand bird!

Fina Paker [email protected] to me
show details 11:14 AM (6 hours ago)
you're making me wanting to think that giving shaxy to you without demamnding any ransome from you has been a mistake????? the shipping company said that they can't accept paypal, cerdit cards, etc at the moment coz they're currently undergoing maintenance work with their online payment mode.thats why they requested u to send the money thru western union...but i see no need why you're suppose to be afraid even one bit for u have my address and the address of the company and can report to the corp should anything happens, which offcourse there isn't. this is the last email that i'll be writing to you to know if i should go and pick shaxy back from the company, or u're going to pay the airfare to them.

its rather funny to me cozz we're in the same country and u talk of scam when they're fbis everywhere....so let me know ur final decision coz i want to go and pick back poor shaxy at the company prremises

to Fina
show details 11:52 AM (5 hours ago)

http://petshippingblog.blogspot.com/200 ... trike.html
Please look at the link I have pasted above. We are a little sckeptical of sending you a western union money order becuse of this. We will gladly run down to the airport and pay cash (COD) for the bird as soon as it gets here. First thing in the morning I will send you a cashiers check for $250. They will not let us leave the airport with the bird without paying for the bird. This will work out great for you and us.. everybody will be happy.
Thank you

I have not heard a word since I sent this last email...
Of special note when we BING'd the email address it came up with another pet site selling husky puppies with the same email address only puppies were being sold from Ireland!!!!


edited for clarity - CW

I didn't make it as far as you, thanks to your posts here I realized it was a scam.
Here is the text of the email I received:
Hi,
just saw your message regarding the baby hyacinth macaw parrot
that we want to give out.Its a female called Blue. Due to extreme
personal reasons and life changes, I must find her a new home. It has
nothing to do with the parrot. If you are looking for that special
parrot, please read more about Blue below. If you are interested in
her, I would be happy to talk about her with you, but only after you
have read everything below. She's health guaranteed and will be
coming to your home in her travel cage. she interacts well with kids,
other pets and toys. Have an excellent temperament and takes a very
short time to know strangers. I have been training Blue since she was
just weeks old. She has been hand fed and raised and trained to be a
“PR” parrot. What I mean by this is that she was raised and trained to
be in the public, and handled by the public. She has featured in many
photo shoots, and has been used for educational
programs, nursing homes, exhibition shows, and much more. I raised her
to be comfortable in the “public eye”. Due to her extensive training,
she's very social and very friendly. She has a wonderful comical
personality typical of hyacinth macaws. She's quite the goof when you
get to know her. she has none of the bad habits associated with most
parrots.
Blue likes to lie on her back and to be cuddled.
she's very affectionate and loving. she likes to be scratched on her
head. she steps up every time you ask her, climbs on your shoulder
and mimics sweet sounds to your ears. she has been well trained. She
will do well in just about any home where she will get constant
attention.
Unfortunately, we are unable to keep this great parrot
due to serious changes in our circumstances. We want to give her out
because my husband and i went to the hospital some days back after i
have been vomiting (approx. twice a day) and also noticing general
body weakness and the Doctor discovered that i am 3 months pregnant.
Though good news to my husband and i, we weren't prepared for this as
we are currently in MARYLAND for our Honey Moon. Had it been we knew
earlier of the pregnancy, we would have postponed our honey moon and
stayed back. More so, the pregnancy has been causing much weakness in
me so much so that i do not have that required time and energy to
devote on Blue as before. Us continue keeping Blue is like preventing
her from her rights as a pet. I feel like she's not having that
required time from us to cuddle and pet her. Besides, i want to
concentrate more on my pregnancy as this is the first baby that we are
expecting as couples and won't want any extra load on me. We are
enjoying MARYLAND and do not want to return back now, else we will
just fly back. Besides, i do not like traveling when pregnant as it
endangers my unborn child...''HONEY THIS IS OUR FIRST BABY AND I DO
NOT WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO HIM'' says my darling husband...he's
already wishing for a male child...OHH men... lol... My husband and i
have decided to re home blue to any gentle and loving family that is
willing to usher the full required time to her. Hope your family is
gonna be the best for Blue if and only if, you can provide us with some
info about your home...that will help us better understand your home.
That's your family composition, their reactions towards pets in
general, whether or not you've owned pets before and how do you intend
welcoming Blue into your home. Well i will be willing to give out Blue
to your home provided you are going to give her all the necessary care
and attention that she deserves in the world. I am not very much
concerned about money now, all i want is to ensure that Blue finds a
good home. All i will ask from you as adoption fee is $290.
Blue needs a home where she will be out of her cage
most of the day, getting lots of attention for that is what she's used
to. If you think you are interested in Blue, then contact me. I will
also include all of her toys and food samples. she's still a baby,
and would make an excellent addition to any home. she's better than
getting an old parrot which will be hard to train. It will break my
heart to part from her, so I would really enjoy a home that would keep
me up dated on how she's adjusting. I’m not asking to see her, that
would be too hard for me, but an update now and then and pictures also
would be good.

N/B, If you are not located around us, we will arrange for shipping
of the parrot okay?...so where are you located?
Thanks

Gave a little bit of info and next got this:
Hi,
Please , i want you to promise me that you are going to send me
update pictures of Blue when you get her because she's just like
real biological kid to me though i have to let her go. At least, this
pictures will help me know how she's doing in your home. We're not
actually selling the parrot, but simply looking for a new home for her
for the aforementioned reasons I will be sending her to you with her
cage. Blue's cage contains Toys and also a sleeping/hiding box for
her to rest. Well, i just inquired the shipping cost from the shipping
company here in MARYLAND, USA that i will be shipping her through and
they said it will cost you $290 for the shipping fee. You should send
the following details which will help me to register her at the
shipping company for home delivery for, i want her to be delivered
right at your home.;

First and second names..............................
Your full contact address............................
Nearest airport to your locality......................
Home and cell phone number............................
City/Town/Country...........................
Postal code.................................

the above details will also enable the airport
couriers to deliver the parrot right at your home, since they offer
home delivery services. Once i drop the parrot at the shipping
company, i will give them your contact information so that they can
get in touch with you with the flight details, I will be sending blue
with her vet records . I will also include her feeding menu hand
booklet which will guide you on what to feed her with. Once more, i
still want to reiterate that you shouldn't break your promise on
taking good care of blue once you get her because she's a darling.
you will see that for yourself when you get her. i will be waiting for
your reply asap

after my reply, this was their next:

Thanks you very much for assuring me that Blue will be in a good home
and that you are going to keep me updated. Now that i already have
your delivery information, all you need to do is send the $290 to me
so that i take it along with Blue to the delivery agency and book the
next available flight to your location for her. Then i will get back
to you with more information about the flight details so that you can
know when to wait for Blue to be delivered to you right at your door
stairs. Use the bellow information to Western Union the money to me,
My husband will go for it and then we will take Blue to the delivery
agency right away:

First Name..................Ngang
Last Name...................Laurence
State.....................Maryland
City ......................Baltimore
Postal code...................21201
Address.................716 N. Washington Pl.

A test question and answer will be required, Use the bellow test
question and answer:

Test question...........To whom
Test answer.............Ngang

When you are done with the transfer, you get back to me with the MTCN
number and the sender's names so that we can proceed right away. Hope
a prompt response.

Then, my response:
Okay... just a couple of questions from my always cautious husband... were you living in Shreveport previously? He is just asking since the ad was on Craig's List under Shreveport. Was confused from your text on whether you are vacationing in Maryland or living there. Is your name Kelly Roland or Ngang Laurence? I am sorry about the questions and please don't take offense to them as offense is certainly unintended. As I said my husband is super cautious on everything.

And their response (this was the last, as I blocked after this)
I understand your husband being skeptical,but i assure you this is
real. I have Blue and i will send her to you. I promise. Yes we have
lived in Shreeveport, but we are currently in Baltimore Maryland where
we came for our horny moon. But we are going to remain here since i'm
pregnant and do not like traveling in this condition. My name is Kelly
Roland and Ngang Laurence is my husband. Please let me know how soon
you can send the money. Hope a prompt response.