Warning: Faux UK ebay-dealers...or GET BREXIT DONE!

[southernbelle]

I have just been caught unaware - and ordered a plant on ebay from a seller called 'plant_laboratory-eu', when I received my paypal receipt, guess what name figured on it: "Kai Najda". I'm really curious as to, whether I will recive a plant at all, and if, what state it will be in?!

The good news is, paypal will refund your money if you challenge it.

 

[Steve G]

You will receive a plant but whether it is the plant you thought you had bought .......well that’s a different matter.

 

[eds]

Isn't this a seller from Germany rather than the UK? Shouldn't we change the title of the thread???

 

[Guldal]

Isn't this a seller from Germany rather than the UK? Shouldn't we change the title of the thread???

Well, at the moment mr. Najda seems to be operating from Germany too, but if you check this thread earlier on, you will see, that this individual under other guises has prolifically been operating from UK ebay also! So what can one say, but: beware!

 

[Guldal]

Isn't this a seller from Germany rather than the UK? Shouldn't we change the title of the thread???

Oh, after I have now delt further with him, he certainly deserves his own, specific thread (read: warning)

 

[Geraldine]

Hi there, I'm sorry, that I first saw your question a month+ after you posted it. I have dealt with the Hampels (father and daughter) from Orchideenhausasien many times - once in person at the orchid show in Dresden (Dresdner Ostern) and many times via ebay. They have delivered really good plants and at a very fair price. Once they made an error sending me a Vanda plantlet, instead of the mature plant advertised. I wrote to them, and within a split second they wrote me back and apologized about the mistake and a few days later, I received the original plant without further ado. So I can only give them my most heartfelt recommendation!

Kind regards, Jens

Good evening Jens,
Many thanks for your reply. In fact, I bought 3 paphs from Orchideenhausasien via Ebay during the covid period: very nice people, quick answers
The parcel has been sent via DHL. Unfortunately, the DHL tracking number did not show any move during a while. I sent an email to Orchideenhausasien and I have been fully reimbursed without any question. They are great in communication and very correct Taking into consideration your recommendation, I will definitively try to get paphs from them

Best regards,
Géraldine

 

[Percival]

I also think they are scammers: falconer1211, blakessbotanicals1, airplanefran

As written in a forum https://ato.forumfree.it/?t=73605395, I think the three persons are the same.

Under the three names (falconer1211, blakessbotanicals1, airplanefran) between 2017-2020 I unfortunately bought about 38 Cattleya. To date, not a single one has been proven to be what it was sold for. They bloom one after the other and become worthless hybrids. Strictly one-leafed Cattleyas (such as dowiana, trianae) eventually become two-leafed as they grow. So even without flowers, you can tell it's a scam.

The damage could be calculated exactly, but it might reach 2,100 EURO!

Probably none of the plants are what they are labeled as!

If someone looks, you can see - currently, under the names of the three sellers, 370 plants are available on eBay!

 

[Percival]

 

[Percival]

Plants coming under all three names (falconer1211, blakessbotanicals1, airplanefran):
- the same photo, slightly modified
- two of the three are marked as based in London (airplanefran and falconer1211– London;
- blakessbotanicals1 – Sandbach)
- supply of very expensive and rare plants
- the same medium
- the name plates of the received plants are of different colors, but the handwriting is the same
- very poor condition, weak plants (almost always no living roots, often the plant can hardly be saved!)
- always separated stems (2-4 bulbs!)

At first I had no experience and trusted the seller. I haven't bought from them in two years and of course I won't.
What can be done to prevent this from continuing?
How to stop this scammer! I am asking you to do something!
I'm still new to the forum, please help, post this post so more people can see it, Thanks a lot.

Percival

 

[monocotman]

Good luck. I’m sure that Guldal will add his commments. He managed to get another scammer removed but it was very difficult.
David

 

[Guldal]

The modus operandi of this scammer points more in the direction of the notorious German fraud, Kai Najda. Please, notice, that being of German nationality doesn't prevent him from operating under different guises from Ebay-sites in other countries.

I can't boast of having succeeded in getting him removed (thank you for the confidence though, David! ), but I have not yet encountered any other of his victims, who succeeded in getting their money back, down to the last cent! If interested you can read my tale of how that came to pass in this thread: WARNING: German fraud on ebay 'plant_laboratory--eu'

Lastly, always keep in mind: if something sounds or seems too good to be true, it most often is!

 

[Percival]

Dear Guldal!
Thanks. I read it, rough adventure . I understand what you're saying, I wouldn't have thought that the threads would run so far.
Then it's a network, with several aliases, thousands of fake plants, and lots and lots of damaged people.

I notified eBay about what happened yesterday.

After all, this scam also works on their marketplace.
I hope something happens...

I don't want my money back - it was the student money.

I want others not to be victims.

Greetings Percival

 

[Percival]

Link:/https://www.facebook.com/search/posts/?q=blakessbotanicals1/

 

[LourdesCruz]

Hi there, this is Lourdes from Netherlands ( and Cuba) here.
This is my first time to participate in this forum. So sad it will be to second you on your opinion about all three ebay sellers. All of them: blakesbotanicals airplainfran and falconer1211 sell plants in very poor condition and they are not what they advertise. I have bought plants from all of them and most are dead. They arrived in such poor shape, almost without roots etc. One plant from falconer1211 managed to survive and bloom. It should have been a magnificent Cattleya Jenmanii Coerulea " Pedra Azul " and it turned out to be a Guarianthe Aurantiaca ( i think) If I can, I will post pictures here as proof of what I am telling you. I have written to him, but I have not received any answer. They are a total fraud. Thanks so much for starting this post, it is a good thing to warn other people out there. Kind greetings and many blessings to you all!

 

[abax]

Why buy plants on eBay at all? There are many reputable orchid sellers. Newbies do your research and ask
an ST member BEFORE you buy.

 

[monocotman]

Sorry to hear of your problems.
Angela, there are many reputable vendors on eBay. You just have to know who they are in your particular neck of the woods.

 

[Percival]

Sorry to hear of your problems.
Angela, there are many reputable vendors on eBay. You just have to know who they are in your particular neck of the woods.

Dear monocotman! I agree with you, but eBay allowing fraudulent sellers is a very big problem! I think a marketplace is responsible for its sellers. I also reported it to eBay, which I also write here on the forum. They haven't even responded yet.

 

[Percival]

Check out the list. I bought these plants under the names of the 3 sellers mentioned, none of which are the plants they were sold to! The listed plants (almost without exception) are still sold today.

 

[Guldal]

Hi there, this is Lourdes from Netherlands ( and Cuba) here.
This is my first time to participate in this forum. So sad it will be to second you on your opinion about all three ebay sellers. All of them: blakesbotanicals airplainfran and falconer1211 sell plants in very poor condition and they are not what they advertise. I have bought plants from all of them and most are dead. They arrived in such poor shape, almost without roots etc. One plant from falconer1211 managed to survive and bloom. It should have been a magnificent Cattleya Jenmanii Coerulea " Pedra Azul " and it turned out to be a Guarianthe Aurantiaca ( i think) If I can, I will post pictures here as proof of what I am telling you. I have written to him, but I have not received any answer. They are a total fraud. Thanks so much for starting this post, it is a good thing to warn other people out there. Kind greetings and many blessings to you all!

So sad to hear about your bad experiences, Lourdes - but, on a more happy note, welcome on board! It's very nice to have a community, where we can share our experiences, be they bad, sad or happy!

Angela, there are many reputable vendors on eBay. You just have to know who they are in your particular neck of the woods.

I can only second you on that, David!
From our neck of the woods (Europe), I can recommend the following dealers on Ebay:

Orchideengier - the Ebay nom de guerre for Hilmar Bauch from Asendorfer Orchideenzucht.
If you are a newbie, though, it might be adviceable to seek out some of the larger (young) plants, he has on offer once in a while (said the man, who has killed off loads of Hilmar's plantlets in 7-cm-pots ).

Orchideenhaus Asien - a German-Phililipine family business, run by the Hempel family. Vety reasonable prices and friendly communication.

Popow - whenever they get back in business?

From the UK - that is before the population was deceitful tricked into the small majority vote for leaving (It's still a riddle to me, how people could buy into Boris' "Take back control" from a man, who so clearly had lost control of himself?) - I have fond memories of dealing with Mark from Elite Orchids.

I have also over the years with success bought quite a few nice plants from private, fellow enthusiasts on EBay - but also here you have to thread carefully and keep a vigilant eye.
It's almost always a good idea to stick to the maxime: if it sounds too good to be true, it most often is!

 

[annica.jarvela]

Hi everyone,
I'm new on this Forum. I live in Finland, Skandinavia.
Buying orchids I try to be carefull where from I buy. Tried two new places this year and the plants were beautiful!
I've not really looked orchids on ebay but sometimes from Amazon and recently from etsy, when I was searching for clear orchid pots. Both places they offer plants and more often seeds, both orchid and other plants e.g seeds from a blue rose. I mean really!!!
I rather pay little more and get hopefully good plants and they usually are what you have ordered. Of cause labels can sometimes be switched or something. Of cause you can get also not so good plants even from a trustworthy garden.
About Popow. They sold all the plants and left everything. I don't know why the son didn't continue, but I don't think they'll start again.
I have not bought plants from North America or Asia. It's so expencive and difficult with Customs and Cites papers. And most nurseries in USA don't even want to sell outside US.
Have a nice day everyone!