Scammed by a buyer; what to do?

[Rammy]

I'm sorry if this is in the wrong sub-forum; could not decide what the right place was to post this.

I need some moral guidance.

I have sold Indian runners. I work with a waiting list. They are high quality. I came in contact with a woman with 3 children that lived really nearby, that requested ducklings. We were talking so much I did something I would normally never do; I wanted to give her the ducklings before ringing because it is so much more fun and good for the bond with the ducks when raised from young at home. Since she lives nearby I can come ring them later on; she could lend duckling-stuff..she would keep me up to date, etc. She was really enthousiatic. I gave her an reduced price (70 euro's instead of 140; the ones she selected were 3 from 20 euro range and 2 from 40 euro range; due to cosmetic faults) because the children were so enthousiastic for them and she kept messaging me they counted the day when they came etc.
She came to pick them up; it was weird. Not like the japping online she did; fast; and she had forgotten her wallet. Since she lives so close; brought her children, I have her phone number, and she told so much personal stuff; I agreed on her offer she would pay this money when I would come ring the ducklings.

A day later I messaged her; How are the ducklings setteling? No response.
A week later; Hey; how do you guys manage with the ducklings? No response.
And again.
And again.
And calling and whatsapp.
The day of ringing has gone by; the could not even be ringed anymore.
So I messaged; I feel scammed. You did not hold yourself on the agreements we made. I really want this 70 euro on this bank-account, if I don't see this in a week I will take further steps.
She suddenly replied; Sorry. I have cancer.

I truely feel that this is an awfull excuse. My partners mom is at that moment dieing of cancer; and really; replying with "I have cancer" take the same amount of time then an finger-exercise of making over 70 euro's. I don't know. I have had myself an deathly disease and the first thing after not being able to reply suddenly in sales due to being admitted in the hospital was saying Sorry; pay inmedeatly; or when low energy pay it without even contacting them and apolagies.. I want for myself my contious cleared and don't leave people hanging or thinking I'm a scammer.

Anyway;
I know where she lives. Maybe she does have cancer. But it sounds like an excuse. Ask someone else to set it right and pay for the ducks if your energy levels are so low. Something. I can also see she weekly still does her voluntairy work at the local scouts. Maybe she is sick and hence does not have money.. but she also activaly breed rabbits, pigs, dogs, peacocks and horses; surely you can get 70 euro's somewhere? If your so poor because you are sick and can't work; how on earth can you clean all these animals and pay for their feed?
Some friends say; you need to get over, ring the bell, and politely ask for your money OR the ducks. This is clearly a scam; and she will scam more if you let her get away.
I am more soft-hearted; maybe she does have cancer, I don't want to disturb her anymore then neccesairy; and what is 70 euro's?

I really want to make a choice; but I need other people opinions on what to do to make one.
Would you help please?

Go get your ducks and put her on a do mot sell to list. Id be as mad as a wet hen if someone did that to me. No way!

 

[Cryss]

Video the encounter so no one can say anything negative about it .

 

[Charlenesmom]

Ducks or money....

 

[Loopeend]

Okay. Thanks for all of your good advice.

Update.

I do not actually have her adress, name, e-mail or phonenumber. The conversation went through an online marketplace; and she deleted it evenutally; after last conversation; and then every coresponadance is deleted. I did make screenshots; but my lovely laptop died; was too dumb to put them on a loose harddrive. So there is no proof we ever had contact. I know where she lives though; because it's a teeny tiny town, next to my teeny tiny town; and allthough I only know her nickname of her real name (suus, from Suzanne) and the tiny village she lived in; and the age of her children; with some long awfully angrily google-spy work; going after all leads; I learned she indeeds lives in that tiny village and is the leader of the local scouts. I recognizes her from the picture of the scouts wesbite. I do not not here actual name or her adress; but that village is so tiny; someone with all those animals, look, and children, should stand out and just be a matter of asking around. So driving over there I will end up there.

Involving police, lawyers, animal-police; was never an option (just is not a thing over here, unfortunately). And even if it was; I lost my evidence. So.. Guess we are going over there tommorow. I want this out my system. Will not bring flowers, but kind words. They time to ring them had been waaaaay passed. We'll see how it goes. The least I want atm that I can even see them to see what colours they turned out so I know more about their parents. If she even still has them. And otherwise that I can tell her; not cool. I told her; or you pay me 70 euro's in a week; or I am going to take the ducks back. It says enough if they are gone. I offered to take them back. If you really have cancer; just let the original owner pick them up; not re-sell them. Urgh she is just shaaaady. The more I type about it; the more I keep running into; it's all just bogus!

Wish me luck.

 

[Sequel]

Okay. Thanks for all of your good advice.

Update.

I do not actually have her adress, name, e-mail or phonenumber. The conversation went through an online marketplace; and she deleted it evenutally; after last conversation; and then every coresponadance is deleted. I did make screenshots; but my lovely laptop died; was too dumb to put them on a loose harddrive. So there is no proof we ever had contact. I know where she lives though; because it's a teeny tiny town, next to my teeny tiny town; and allthough I only know her nickname of her real name (suus, from Suzanne) and the tiny village she lived in; and the age of her children; with some long awfully angrily google-spy work; going after all leads; I learned she indeeds lives in that tiny village and is the leader of the local scouts. I recognizes her from the picture of the scouts wesbite. I do not not here actual name or her adress; but that village is so tiny; someone with all those animals, look, and children, should stand out and just be a matter of asking around. So driving over there I will end up there.

Involving police, lawyers, animal-police; was never an option (just is not a thing over here, unfortunately). And even if it was; I lost my evidence. So.. Guess we are going over there tommorow. I want this out my system. Will not bring flowers, but kind words. They time to ring them had been waaaaay passed. We'll see how it goes. The least I want atm that I can even see them to see what colours they turned out so I know more about their parents. If she even still has them. And otherwise that I can tell her; not cool. I told her; or you pay me 70 euro's in a week; or I am going to take the ducks back. It says enough if they are gone. I offered to take them back. If you really have cancer; just let the original owner pick them up; not re-sell them. Urgh she is just shaaaady. The more I type about it; the more I keep running into; it's all just bogus!

Wish me luck.

I wish you all the best of luck! Keep calm and one way or another you will be able to put it behind you. Do you have someone to go with you?

 

[Acre4Me]

Okay. Thanks for all of your good advice.

Update.

I do not actually have her adress, name, e-mail or phonenumber. The conversation went through an online marketplace; and she deleted it evenutally; after last conversation; and then every coresponadance is deleted. I did make screenshots; but my lovely laptop died; was too dumb to put them on a loose harddrive. So there is no proof we ever had contact. I know where she lives though; because it's a teeny tiny town, next to my teeny tiny town; and allthough I only know her nickname of her real name (suus, from Suzanne) and the tiny village she lived in; and the age of her children; with some long awfully angrily google-spy work; going after all leads; I learned she indeeds lives in that tiny village and is the leader of the local scouts. I recognizes her from the picture of the scouts wesbite. I do not not here actual name or her adress; but that village is so tiny; someone with all those animals, look, and children, should stand out and just be a matter of asking around. So driving over there I will end up there.

Involving police, lawyers, animal-police; was never an option (just is not a thing over here, unfortunately). And even if it was; I lost my evidence. So.. Guess we are going over there tommorow. I want this out my system. Will not bring flowers, but kind words. They time to ring them had been waaaaay passed. We'll see how it goes. The least I want atm that I can even see them to see what colours they turned out so I know more about their parents. If she even still has them. And otherwise that I can tell her; not cool. I told her; or you pay me 70 euro's in a week; or I am going to take the ducks back. It says enough if they are gone. I offered to take them back. If you really have cancer; just let the original owner pick them up; not re-sell them. Urgh she is just shaaaady. The more I type about it; the more I keep running into; it's all just bogus!

Wish me luck.

Good luck. There are shady people everywhere, in all countries and even with the proper legal avenues, it doesn’t mean success all the time. At any given time it is possible to encounter an individual who feels just fine taking what one has put into their hands (at least figuratively). In this case, this woman may never have done anything so brazen as breaking into your home or yard to get the ducks, but you made it very easy for her to have the ducks to her way of thinking. Not saying this to be mean, because we all do these kinds of things and learn from them. And although we have avenues to assist that you don’t (police or similar that may help to get the animals back, or legal avenues such as small claims court), anyone in the US would still have to decide if the time and energy and cost (there are fees to file a case), were worth it to them.

Certainly I hope that you are able to resolve this for yourself and that you get some sort of closure.

 

[TillenaV]

This sounds like a scam. This lady is obviously using your and probably others willing to do good against you. If she can run her own farm and do activities, then she is not so sick as to just pay. I have heard of others doing the same scam with dogs and horses. If you went to the store and bought feed, you would have to pay for that feed no matter your health. Business is business, go with a local police to her house and reclaim your ducklings.

 

[TelfTheElf]

Good luck sorting this out!!!

 

[Rammy]

 

[BarredRockMom]

@Loopeend how's it going?

I am going to assume that you don't have any news to report. Unless it's more a case of being so dejected about your meeting with her.

Either way, I wanted to reach out and encourage you not to lose you faith in your fellow human beings. In a perfect world, we WILL all sit around the camp fire in peace & friendship. There will be music, singing, stories, jokes & laughter. Each will contribute according to his or her gifts. Perhaps you are not musical, but you can make a fabulous bonfire & help folks to feel welcome. Perhaps you cannot sing, but you can start the introductions. In the perfect world to come, no one would ever entertain a notion of cheating, lying or stealing. EVERYONE will have enough and everyone will help everyone else. As surely as I know this, I know a few other, very important things: 1) We're not there yet, 2) Not everyone is going to make it, 3) Not everyone deserves to make it, 4) Man has free will to choose right from wrong, 5) while I marvel that people do not CHOOSE to do good, I feel no sadness about where their path leads them, 6) Doing the right thing sometimes costs one (sometimes dearly), 7) Not getting the outcome we expect doesn't mean that we won't get the outcome we deserve...it just means that sometimes our reward comes later, 8) And that perfect world IS coming, friend.
Don't lose heart. Just learn from this that not everyone is as honest as you...& be better at business, is all.