Has anyone heard of Gigam Birds Farm?

[CPT4Wheel]

We are in the process of looking for a breeder for a Macaw and came across this website Home. The issue I have with this site is the EXTREMELY low prices on their birds.

Has anyone had any dealings with, or know anything about Gigam Birds Farm?

Thanks,

Shane

 

[SilverSage]

That is only one of two things:

Best case scenario? That's a bird mill.

Much more likely? Complete scam. $350 isn't enough to charge for the CAGE the hyacinth would come in, much less the bird.

Run away fast.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CPT4Wheel]

That is only one of two things:

Best case scenario? That's a bird mill.

Much more likely? Complete scam. $350 isn't enough to charge for the CAGE the hyacinth would come in, much less the bird.

Run away fast.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Kind of what I was thinking. Thanks

 

[Flboy]

There are also some translation type errors that are a real red flag!

 

[gavagai]

It doesn't look like the birds actually come with cages, but $350 is not only an order of magnitude below what you'd expect for some of the birds he's selling would sell for; it's the same price for all of them. Why would a red factor CAG sell for the same price as a wild coloration one; why would a hyacinth sell for the same price as a blue-and-gold?

He also provides free shipping and claims he can deliver to both the US and Australia. Not only would shipping across the Pacific and importation procedures be quite expensive, but Australia isn't allowing new bird imports, and if he's in Australia his prices become even more unbelievable. Either way, he says nothing about what country he's in.

The testimonials are written in the same style as the rest of the website (for instance, compare "vet doctor" and "macaw parrot"), and one of them says her doctor prescribed a parrot for her depression. Not a pet, which I'd be skeptical enough of, but specifically a parrot. I bet if I used TinEye or reverse Google Image Search I could find where most of the pictures on his website come from.

This website is almost a piece of art; it's as if someone decided to make a site with as many red flags as possible in order to see if anyone would fall for it.

 

[sonja]

100% scam.
The testimonial from "Susan Kaye", the Hy owner is a photo of the woman who owns M&D Bird World in Maryland (also scammers, IMO).

 

[CPT4Wheel]

100% scam.
The testimonial from "Susan Kaye", the Hy owner is a photo of the woman who owns M&D Bird World in Maryland (also scammers, IMO).

It's funny you say that because I got an email today in response to a question I had and it mentions that they are from Maryland.

Is it ok if I put the reply to the email in this thread so you guys can see it?

 

[SilverSage]

Please do; I find scammers amusing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[EllenD]

I'm familiar with this scam, I work with people who have been scammed online over pets, and there are several red flags all over this page. This format looks exactly like an English Bulldog scamming website that operates out of Cameroon. Run.away.now.

"Dance like nobody's watching..."

 

[CPT4Wheel]

Please do; I find scammers amusing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is the email they sent me:


Thanks for the contact to my advert. I am Christopher Guzman. I am a
parrot breeder by profession. You can take a look at website at:

Home

I currently have two Hyancinth macaw parrots available.

The girl is Linda by name while the boy is Brandon.

Linda and Brandon can learn new tricks. They can copy tunes from
the television, they can talk and make a lot of different sounds. They
can also sit on your shoulder while you take a walk. They are
extremely very intelligent birds.

*Perhaps you do not know much about Hyancinth macaw birds and I will
like to educate you a little about the Hyacinth macaw bird.

- Hyacinth macaws, Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, are the largest of the
large macaws. Their brilliant cobalt blue feathers and massive beaks
are unique in the parrot kingdom. They have intensely dark eyes and
black beaks with vivid orange skin around their eyes and lower
mandible. Hyacinth macaws have a length of approximately 40" and a
wingspan of 46-50"

Hyacinth macaws weigh between 1200 and 1600 grams.

Hyacinth macaws are called the gentle giant for good reason. They are
affectionate and lovable. I have found them to be extremely
intelligent birds that are reasonable to deal with. They are
empathetic to your moods when you are sad.

Hyacinth macaws can even be quite friendly to strangers if they are
introduced in neutral territory. They love to play and require toys
that are larger and stronger than most other birds because of the
strength of their beaks. They can generate 1200 pounds of pressure per
square inch and can crack a macadamia nut with ease. Hyacinth macaws
love attention and they are intelligent, so tricks are quickly and
easily learned.

Hyacinth macaws have special dietary requirements. They need more fat
and carbohydrates and less protein in their diet than the other
macaws.

-We are offering / selling this macaws at a price of just $350 for one
and $700 for the pair.

*WHY IS THE PRICE SO CHEAP?

The answer is simple. I am currently offering a promotional 50%
discount price in all my macaws. This is due to the fact that I want
to close down my parrot farm because I have been offered a new and
better well paid job in London, England. So I will be relocating to
London, England together with my family to start work so there will be
no one left home to take care of the birds. So that is why I am
offering the birds at a 50% discount price as I urgently have to give
them out and relocate to England.

In fact I consider this to be an offer because macaws are expensive
birds. Let no one convince you that they are cheap.

I am currently located in Baltimore, Maryland, MD and I will be
sending the birds to you from here while you pay the cost of
transportation which
will cost you $250 for one and $500 for two.

*Regarding payment, you will have to pay for the birds 100% full
payment after receiving the birds. I do not require advance payment.
You pay for the bird 100% full amount after receiving the birds.

* Transportation: Like I mentioned earlier above, it will cost you
$250 to transport one of the birds to your location. All the pair (2
parrots) will cost you $500 to transport the birds to your location.
The money for transportation is not paid to me. You will pay the money
directly to the shipping company here in Baltimore, Maryland, MD
that will be delivering the birds to your location.

So if you want just one of the birds, all you will have to spend to
own one of the birds is $600. This means that $350 comes to me as the
offering / selling price of the birds while $250 is paid to the
shipping company as the shipping fee of transporting the birds.

If you want the pair (2 birds), you will have to spend $1,200, this
means that $700 comes to me as the offering / selling price of the
birds while $500 is paid to the shipping company as the shipping fee
of transporting the birds. It is a very easy process.

These birds have taken all their vaccines and are 100% healthy and up
to date. They will be delivered to you with their cage, health papers,
little parrot food and a hand written manual / booklet that will
provide you information on how to care for the birds, what they eat
etc.

Attach in these e-mail are photos of the birds. These are exactly
the parrots in question that you will be receiving. Hope you like
them?

I will like to know a little information about you just know how the
new home where the birds will live will look like. Please answer the
following questions:

-Have you ever had a parrot before?

-Can you usually make out enough time to spend with the parrots?

-Do you have children? Do your children love birds?

-What do you do for a living?

-Will you love to come over here in Baltimore, Maryland, MD, USA
and spend some time with the parrots before choosing or should we send
the parrots to
you through a pet courier service and you pay the transportation fee?

-Where exactly are you located?

-You want a male or a female or you will like to adopt all the two parrots?

-What is your direct mobile phone contact number?

I am very sorry for sounding like intruding into your privacy. It is
just that we love these parrots so much and we just want to make sure
that they get the best in their new home. So you just get back to us
so that we can conclude about the transportation arrangement of the
parrots.


I will be waiting your feedback

Greetings
Christopher Guzman

GIGAM BIRDS FARM
Address:3731 Lyndale Ave
City: Baltimore
State: Maryland, MD
Postal Code: 21213
Home

 

[sonja]

Even more evidence that they are scammers. That email is ridiculous. Do they know where you live? Are you anywhere near Baltimore?
Tell them you have a friend who lives near Baltimore and you want them to come and meet the parrots first. I bet you never hear from them again.

By the way, M&D Bird World, where the Hy pic comes from, is in MD, but about 2-3 hours from Baltimore.

 

[CPT4Wheel]

Funny there must be a ton of scammers out there... Last night I found a couple of Blue and Golds at a great price in Atlanta (45 minutes from me) so I sent the people an email. They got back to me this morning and we traded a couple of emails. When I said I would like to come see them today, I never heard from them again... I have emailed them repeatedly since them and I get nothing but crickets...

 

[sonja]

There are definitely a ton of scammers out there.
Have you tried looking at legitimate rescues near you? They will help you make a good match as their interest is in finding their birds good homes, not stealing your money.

 

[CPT4Wheel]

I thought you would like this... I asked for a picture of the cage the bird came with and this is what they sent.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[gavagai]

According to Google Maps that address is a rowhouse. I'm sure one could totally fit at least five breeding pairs of parrots in such a facility, and I'm sure the neighbors must be totally fine with someone keeping at least six macaws in his apartment.

If he's going to use a fake address, why not use one out in the countryside with lots of outbuildings, so it can't be disproven by anyone who knows how to use Google Maps? If I lived in the DC area, I'd be tempted to contact him and ask to pick up the bird in person. I wonder whether the actual occupant of that address has faced down any irate customers of this fellow in person.

 

[sonja]

Here is where that photo is from: Manoa Mansion Housetop Small BIrd Cage - Conure Bird Cages and Cockatiel Bird Cages at Bird Cages 4 Less

Ask them if both Hys share this or do they each have their own?

 

[CPT4Wheel]

Ask them if both Hys share this or do they each have their own?

Now that's funny lol