Need Help with fake Plumeria listing on Etsy

8 years ago

About two weeks ago, my wife and I bought what we thought was a "rare" plumeria color listed on Etsy. Cutting arrived without issue but we have since learned that the color listed found here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/265388235/plumeria-cutting-rare-rainforest-green?ref=shop_home_active_7

This color is nothing more than a photo shopped picture with colors added and not possible in nature.
I have filed a dispute with the shop owner, "Allan Shunto" via etsy and explained that this listing and all of his listings are a fraud and not possible in nature.
I've asked etsy to refund my money and banish this shop/owner from the site.
As part of the process etsy gives the owner and seller time to settle the dispute prior to their intervention.
So far I've asked for video verification of what he has said is a "cross bred" to make this cutting. So far all he has stated is how I have not provided any evidence to prove my case??
So, I'm calling on anyone on here who is an expert on plumeria and breeding/DNA.
Can someone help me or point me in the right direction of showing that this guy is a fraud and is stealing peoples money with his photo shopped, not real colors?

Featured Answer

bossyvossy

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

This absolutely turns my stomach and I feel bad for you. Shame on the scoundrel. Here is your problem: You can contact a reputable nursery grower, but they have encountered this situation so many, many times, even having been fleeced themselves, that I doubt they will give you the time of day in serving as an "expert witness" to help your case. I suspect the scoundrel seller must have a bit of a legal background and is deflecting the issue by trying to invalidate your argument and just plain wasting your time.

I had a similar experience on Ebay and the guy (from Thailand) would say, "oh, so sorry, we are here to please you, here is another cutting". Well it takes a whole year or longer to see a true color, so if seller sends you the wrong thing, what recourse do you really have a year or two later, may be out of biz or changed his name becoming difficult/impossible to trac. These THIEVES, know that and bank on it to the detriment of unsuspecting buyers.

I only buy from FL Colors. they have good international connections and will stand behind what they sell. Short of it is: The seller has taken your money and gotten away with it. If Etsy doesnt stand by any sort of customer protection policy, you're out of luck.

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Comments (12)

daogirl - SoCal Zone 9
8 years ago
Try sending this to Etsy:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrygpics/448799120/in/faves-78613053@N04/

It's the original photo, credited as a "creative interpretation" of plumeria flowers. I'm betting this photographer is not the person you bought from, either.
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robrit00 thanked daogirl - SoCal Zone 9
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You are very welcome NHB and thank you too. The ad did very well. I always make my ads extra special and have never had anything take longer than a day to sell. I did mention in the typed part of the ad that the photos shown were taken at the specialty shop we'd purchased them from. I also mentioned I was doing this for my daughter and that she'd take new photos and close ups for anyone interested. We got four emails with in a couple hours. One of them I'd gotten an auto reply email that said she'd be away for two weeks vacation that arrived almost the same time I hit send on reply to her first email. The second lady was so excited about it we just knew the sofa was meant to be hers. We even have plans to meet up for lunch the next time I visit our daughter in California. Oh and she sent me photos of the sofa in "her" new home too. Wasn't that sweet? I love doing this type of ad and only wish I could do it for a living it's so much fun. I could play with Windows Paint program all day long. And actually....I have!
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daogirl - SoCal Zone 9
8 years ago
Also, you could try contacting the photographer directly (you may need a Flickr account to do this) - he might care that someone has stolen his Photoshopped image to sell flowers. His profile page says:

"WARNING: All of my photographs are copyright protected. You do NOT have my permission to use any of my profile or photographs in any form or forum both current and future. If you have or do, it will be considered a serious violation of my privacy and will be subject to legal ramifications."
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bossyvossy
8 years ago
Yes yes yes but how many people have the energy time money and patience to go the legal route re: imaging fraud at the consumer level??? The thieves/abusers know this so it's a never-ending problem.
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daogirl - SoCal Zone 9
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I'm just saying for this person's case with Etsy, if the photographer makes a statement about the image (and/or contacts Etsy to take it down), that might also help. (In addition to robrit00 sending the Flickr link to Etsy to prove that the photo doesn't belong to the seller.)
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robrit00
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you all for the responses.

I have sent the flickr image to etsy and have also sent a message to the owner. My case remains open with this issue and at this point, I Just want to shut this guy down. I've learned a lot from this all be it the hard way but I've not give up yet.

I've heard that these people are like wack a mole and just turn up with a different name or listing. I guess we will see. Etsy has the case opened until the 8th of May.

I'll post what the end result is for everyone. Here's to hoping that it ends in my favor. Once again, thanks for the info!
bossyvossy
8 years ago
Pls do and I sincerely hope you make more headway than the rest of us. Whack-a-mole, ha. That says it all
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mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
8 years ago
there are tons of these fake colors on amazon too. Best thing we can do is to post reviews warning of the fake colors.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=blue+plumeria&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=94794214163&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=839570070688213651&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_1i15xe9yh_b
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Kimo
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Robrit00 the pictures he posted on his profile on Etsy where Allan states "This is the first farm that I started getting cuttings from in Thailand" and the other picture

"One of the coolest plumerias ive seen and a prime example that they can be shaped."

Allan's Profile page:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HeavenlyCuttings#about

Are both bogus/fake. The 2nd pic of the "shaped" tree is from Dennis Schmidt on WWW.Plumeria.care Dennis is legit, but as the picture was from an article Dennis wrote I doubt Allan Shunto took the pic or asked permission to use it.

Here is the link to Dennis's article and the pics of the shaped tree.

http://www.plumeria.care/stumping-plumeria-tree/

You may want to contact Dennis to confirm that Allan had been authorized to use Desnnis's pic of the tree this maybe enough info to get Etsy to shut down Allan. Good Luck.

dennis@thefrangipaniman.com
Stan T
4 years ago
I’m glad I came across this feed. I almost purchased from

him... I knew those colors look too good to be true.
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robrit00
Original Author
4 years ago
Can you send a link to where you found these?
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Stan T
4 years ago
He sent me to this website... http://PlumeriaPlus.com
.

I came across him on offer up.

https://offerup.co/a/key_live_abhW7l0Pl1pImIor42pUWfeovxdMsSn6?$identity_id=523503777115229183&tags=Share Source - ItemDetail&tags=Share Type - ItemShare&channel=More&feature=Share&source=ios&data=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Need Help with fake Plumeria listing on Etsy

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