SaltCritters Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Hello SaltCritters Friends,The SaltCritters family needs your help. We were robbed! Ok, maybe not literally robbed but pretty much the same thing. We apparently got hit last month by a bunch of crooks using stolen credit cards, and somehow they managed to slip through the system unfortunately. Over the last week the card owners have started to realized that their cards were stolen and used on our site. As a result we have gotten 5 chargebacks so far totaling almost $4,500 and are expecting to get many more. Overall we are looking at around $15,000 worth in chargebacks, possibly more. $15,000 worth of product that went out to these crooks. $15,000 that will be deducted from our bank account the day after the chargeback is issued without much warning. $15,000 that we will fight to get back but will ultimately probably lose. $15,000 that we don't have. You don't get rich selling coral that’s for sure.We are doing everything we can to prepare for what’s ultimately coming. Everything we can to keep our bank account and credit card processor in good standing. Everything we can to stay in business and keep food on the table. We are asking for your help. With your help we can continue to bring you great corals and we can beat these crooks.Starting Friday (9/23/16) we will be slashing prices on the website, www.SaltCritters.com, to help keep our accounts out of the red. We will do this as long as it takes to beat this. We have setup a Gofundme page if you would like to donate.https://www.gofundme.com/SaltCrittersEvery donation is greatly appreciated and will help immensely. Every order, as always, is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your years of support and for helping us grow.Thank you,Team SaltCrittersRyan, Heather, Rielyn, and Issac Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 This is horrible. I can't believe the credit card companies are not taking care of us for you. I will be donating and participating in the Friday sale. Been a customer ever since my first nano tank. Link to comment
William Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Such terrible news...... will help out froday Link to comment
ajmckay Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 That major blows... Your kids are hella cute hope you can come out of this. Can't you make some sort of counter claim? Doesn't seem like it should be the retailer that has to detect fraudulent charges since you pay a fee to them, presumably for exactly that type of service... Hmmm. The other sad part is it is probably a fellow hobbyist that is perpetrating the charges, right? Link to comment
SaltCritters Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 Thanks everyone. That major blows... Your kids are hella cute hope you can come out of this.Can't you make some sort of counter claim? Doesn't seem like it should be the retailer that has to detect fraudulent charges since you pay a fee to them, presumably for exactly that type of service... Hmmm.The other sad part is it is probably a fellow hobbyist that is perpetrating the charges, right? Thanks. We are trying to fight it. Unfortunately the credit card companies could care less about the companies that make them money. Link to comment
StevieT Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Ugh....I hate hearing about this and know the feeling all too well. Until the banks (card companies) are responsible for fraud it will keep getting worse. Or if they want to bring a version of their chip/pin to the interweb. But who am I kidding they profit off fraud. Wishing you the best Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I am a happy customer using my first post to let you know I will support you on Friday. Stay positive and your community will help pull you through. Link to comment
SaltCritters Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 Thanks for the support Link to comment
Geemanaz Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I hope my donation help you. Good luck. Spread word on tweets Link to comment
SaltCritters Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 Most defiantly does. Thanks for the support. We appreciate it! Link to comment
crawdads57 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 If you shipped product to the crooks that stole the card numbers, why can't the credit card companies cross-reference the fraudulent charges to the addresses where product was shipped? Have you consulted a lawyer? Link to comment
SaltCritters Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 If you shipped product to the crooks that stole the card numbers, why can't the credit card companies cross-reference the fraudulent charges to the addresses where product was shipped? Have you consulted a lawyer? The credit card companies don't care basically. That and we don't even know if those are the real addresses or if it was a random address that the crook just used as a drop house. Don't even know if the names are real. Link to comment
anizato Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 ...nonetheless there HAS to be something the law can do to help you out? Some investigation to trace these bastards at least. Is the 15,000 considering the product, or is it really going to be 30,000 taking the shipped product into consideration? So sorry to hear about this. I have numerous coral of yours in my tank! Always looking forward to your sales. Link to comment
crawdads57 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I would also think that law enforcement is obligated to help in some way. I would at least contact a lawyer. Link to comment
Astinus Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Salty! I will try and do my best to help you folks. I can make a Small donation to ur go fund me. I will see if I can order something Friday. Sick Ba$tards It's a shame this type of crime is getting more rampant. I Wonder if the FBI could get involved? Link to comment
SaltCritters Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 ...nonetheless there HAS to be something the law can do to help you out? Some investigation to trace these bastards at least. Is the 15,000 considering the product, or is it really going to be 30,000 taking the shipped product into consideration? So sorry to hear about this. I have numerous coral of yours in my tank! Always looking forward to your sales. I would also think that law enforcement is obligated to help in some way. I would at least contact a lawyer. Unfortunately not much the law can do since no one knows who really used the card. Salty! I will try and do my best to help you folks. I can make a Small donation to ur go fund me. I will see if I can order something Friday. Sick Ba$tards It's a shame this type of crime is getting more rampant. I Wonder if the FBI could get involved? Thanks for your support. We appreciate it. Probably nothing the FBI can do since its hard telling who it was. Link to comment
crawdads57 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Personally I would at least contact a consumer fraud attorney and see if you can get a tip or referral. Most attorneys have big mouths anyways, I would bounce it off 2 or 3 and see if you can get any ideas. A professional opinion is worth something when it's tens of thousands of dollars you're talking about. It's not something you can just google. Link to comment
ReefWeeds Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 The credit card companies don't care basically. That and we don't even know if those are the real addresses or if it was a random address that the crook just used as a drop house. Don't even know if the names are real.This is so Terrible! There's been a slew of people scammed on Facebook lately from a guy going by the name of Scott Rodriguez. Supposedly out of Carlsbad, CA but not sure. I wonder if this is related. This group was also scamming wholesalers - what a mess. Unfortunately I was one of the victims. I wonder if this is related. Regardless, I will be donating for sure. So sorry to hear this. Link to comment
pewpewkittah Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Personally I would at least contact a consumer fraud attorney and see if you can get a tip or referral. Most attorneys have big mouths anyways, I would bounce it off 2 or 3 and see if you can get any ideas. A professional opinion is worth something when it's tens of thousands of dollars you're talking about. It's not something you can just google. This. You need to contact some sort of lawyer and figure out what steps to take. I'm sure they can figure out how to get your money back, at the very least.. and hopefully get the scumbag(s) responsible for this. If anything the lawyer could go after the credit card companies that should be legally covering you and the original card holders. Link to comment
vegasgundog Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 If you haven't already, it wouldn't hurt to contact the local PD, if it's a good sized department they will have a property crimes/financial baeuro and if they can't help maybe they can point you in the right direction. Good luck. FBD your post, hopefully it gets around. Bast Ards. People shouldn't have to worry about this. I got a call once from the other side of things, they wanted to know if I was in Versailles France in a video arcade. This is a great community that I'm sure will come together to help as best possible. Link to comment
SaltCritters Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 Thanks for all the suggestions. Link to comment
Oracus Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I see your in Reelsville, I'm in Terre Haute. Is there an option for local pickup? Link to comment
SaltCritters Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 I see your in Reelsville, I'm in Terre Haute. Is there an option for local pickup? We can meet you at the Greencastle Walmart if you would like to pickup your order. Link to comment
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