Last year before I knew about all these scammers, I bought a fig from one. it was supposed to be Red Lebanese. It was not identified as the Bass one, or the Bekaa one. I decided to chalk up the experience as lesson learned. It's a first leaf fig but did produce some fruit. it appears to be some type of red fig though. I don't think it is the bass version or the bekaa version (I have both now). It was good too, so at least it's a decent fig. The Bekaa fig is outstanding by the way. On the bass fig I need to sample more, it's good too, but need a more mature tree to really give a good opinion. Now to see which can make it through my winter in the garage! My garage usually stays above freezing and i will heat if needed. Last year went very smooth, it was cold too!

Thanks for the feedback on bekaa, I was considering it this year. On topic: I bought some de la reina mp cuttings from dausername1. They basically took a 2 year old tree and cut it back to a 4" stump and sold cuttings as a lump auction. The cuttings were freshly taken and obviously from the same small tree. I lost a few off the bat because they left leaves on one of the cuttings...so it arrived dessicated. The cuttings were random sized, some 3" others 11". Not at all the nice 8-10" we prefer. I knew the cuttings were a bit random, I just didn't know they would be recut after the picture was taken and before shipping. I didn't pay a lot for them, so if any taken ill hang on to it to see what comes of it.

It's not so surprising these scammers have not been reigned in by SleezeBay. I have been to them repeatedly and they never follow up.

As long as they make a buck they could care less.

I think the same about our Department of Agriculture and foreign sellers on Ebay. If they were so interested about imports, they would make Ebay confirm proper paperwork before allowing them to sell on the site.

With the number of complaints and the time table involved, I think at this point they are all coconspirators and should be sued through a class action lawsuit.

The AG allowing the sale and profit, the seller and Ebay, then showing up at unsuspecting purchasers for confiscation defines entrapment.

If I had the money I would try myself.

Buyer Beware! If your cuttings come in and look black, send them back. I have seen some of these cuttings and they look like they were in a freezer.

If you can get cuttings like this to grow you are probably Jesus.

Mike

I might have been the most recent victim! I usually know who I'm getting from but jumped on something to soon. We will see

I think this solution to this on going problem is pretty simple just add your forum name in your ebay auction, no forum name don't bid most 99% of people who sell cuttings and trees belong to the one of the forums 

Dave, this is good advice! The bad sellers will get weeded out, eventually. I think most people who are trying to do business honestly will be known by others in a forum. I bought many cuttings on Ebay before coming here. Sadly, I it was money wasted. When I came here and read how passionate people here are about figs & got good advice & learned more & more, i then knew that I had been scammed by fraudulant Ebay sellers. I never rooted any from Ebay. I learned the hard way!

I feel everybody here should support members. Good for the forum and safe for the buyer .

I agree, Mario! Forum members first and foremost!

I'm also one of the victim, I received pencil size cuttings wrapped in floral tape and dried.
Lesson learned, no more purchase from unknown seller in ebay.

There are many good UNK sellers on eBay, really. It's just a bad egg occasionally.

That being said I usually buy from forum members first, even from our figs members.

I will readily agree, most are very honest, and reliable.

I have met great friends and people from the forum there. And have made friends/conversations, with several others.

A good heads up is when if you politely ask someone a question, they get defensive instead of informative.

Mike

I too am a victim of dausername1 and he's rude...

And eBay doesn't seem to care about him or any of the other apparently related scammers. They continue to ignore everybody's comments about him and other scammers because as long as they collect their fees, they are happy and blocking them, even temporarily, flies in the face of their business model....

It's that time of year again, and wanted the post up front for new people visiting.

I am quite busy, basically always, but am going to post the responses they have,  to all the info I have sent them in the past.

I do, and have, used them for years, so I have paid into the system enough for a little guy.

.......as the urinal winds of corporate appreciation moisten my day!

Yes, I realize my expectations, and like to amuse myself here and there.

Take care and be safe, unpredictable season.

                                                                      Mike

Peony77, Radyslava, Sergei Snitkowski (close, check your PayPal addresses),  I have to find my actual reference to EBay.

I do know peony77 is Katerina, and has had around seven user names since @ 2011.

The scammers have some rare Figs listed: Dall'Osso and Ponte Tresa. The buyers are thinking this is what they're getting.

I was wondering are these sellers legit ? sempercolo, carltaok, houstonantique anyone knows?

Also, always check to see if they change their username often!

eBay
Rare Fig tree Ischia Black Fig - 5 cuttings   dausername1

dausername1   Ugh... he / she has so many items listed right now... along with the rest pf that scamming crew... so... how are you pofigist?  The Ischia Black listing sounds new... didn't see it last night... likely trying to suck people in that are watching the harvey auction going on right now as well as those that bid and failed at getting some of Herman's Ischia Black cuttings before the Xmas holiday.... Buyers beware!!!!!

polfigist = Katerina  Korina-2007

77Peomy - Korina Paypal

Fraud on Ebay is obviously encouraged

It's really sickening that it is tolerated. How can these scammers sleep at night? Evil people that thrive off of ripping innocent people off.