Warning

[dave r]

This is a warning to anyone thinking of dealing with Sirimal Abeydeera from, Sri Lanka who trades under the name of UVshells. This guy is a cheat and a swindler. He owes me and several other people money for shells that were not sent, one is owed $1000. He will maybe send the first order O.K. but then you get all kinds of fairy tales about how he sent them and is puzzled as to why they never arrived.
I have given this guy the benefit of the doubt on several occasions but now, owing me $100, he does not answer my emails or Facebook messages.
I had threatened to do this if he did not respond, he did not so I have.
It is such a shame as he had some great shells and could have made a good living from them but I guess greed just got the better of him.
Dave

[dave r]

I have heard from many other people who he has swindled out of money and I have been informed he also trades under the name of Umedh Vash.
Do not buy anything from this scammer!

[Bart]

Dear Dave,
I have been buying and exchanging shells for over 40 years already. The majority of the people is absolutely trustworthy, but the - bad - exceptions spoil it for the rest.
Sri-Lanka is an area with many interesting shells but it is extremely hard to find a reliable source overthere. I had one in the past - Brian Alexander - from Trincomalee but he died several years ago...
For the rest I have the same experiences; one dealer (probably the same guy???) sent me excellent shells: beautiful Murex palmarosea (pink fronded), Voluta cloveriana, etc.etc.
Than he sent me a really terrible lot... (described as gem-shells) which I would not even rate as fair. Excuses that he could not replace the shells because he had lost his permit....
Avoid, avoid, avoid!!!

[dave r]

Hi Bart,
I too have been exchanging and buying for over 40 years and I have sadly come across a few dodgy characters over the years.
I was actually shocked at the amount of people this guy has swindled, even after visiting and befriending them. He owes Jom Patamakanthin a LOT of money after visiting him in Phuket  and sharing his hospitality, he went home with a lot of shells he never paid for.
I got all the fairy stories too about not having permits, only being allowed to send one package per day, all packages had to be under a certain weight etc. etc.
I have posted here and on all the Facebook shell pages too. I also asked people to pass the word around so hopefully he wil never trade again.
BTW did he try to sell you beach front land in Sri Lanka, or Tiger claws? He did me and several others.
Cheers,
Dave

[Bart]

Hi, Dave,

It must be the same guy... A pity that a good friend like Jom is victim too...

[dave r]

It is, he is such a nice guy. But only one of many it seems.

[andre_m]

Hi Dave,

I had the same misfortune in dealing with this scammer - went under the name of Umedh Vishwajith Abedeera (<!-- e --><a href="mailto:umedh@ymail.com">umedh@ymail.com</a><!-- e -->). I paid US$110 for some Strombidae (my passion), which never arrived. He even supplied me with a tracking number, which, of course, is irrelevant, because Sri Lankan postal service does not offer tracking. He also "could not understand why they had not arrived yet", and also had the cheek of asking me for money to fund his supposed beachfront resort! Rediculous!

It is a real pity, because he had some real gems on offer (which I paid for) - in particular the black-mouth form of lambis chiragra, which is very difficult to obtain - but I will never deal with this scammer again. And neither should anyone else, of course.

Regards,
Andre

[dave r]

Hi Andre, so yet another person has been stung by this scumbag. Sorry too hear about your loss mate. I did get a few of the black mouthed Lambis myself, I sold some on but kept some. He said he had sent me some more last time he wrote but I am not holding my breath! I did get some nice shells from him in the beginning, the Lambis and some really great Lyria cloveriana. But then I paid for a lot of cones which never arrived. He sent a lot of common cowries which I did not want, he said he thought they would be acceptable as a substitute, no way! Then all the fairy tales started.
So yet another alias arises! I will post the latest one on the Facebook shell collector's pages (are you on there? It is great for exchanging specimens)
Did you get one of the black mouthed chiragra? If not I may have a spare one I could let you have for sale or exchange. I also specialise in Strombidae, amongst others!
Cheers,
Dave

[andre_m]

Hi Dave,

It is good that scammers are being exposed. These people need to be removed from the trading community to protect those of us who are in it for the joy it.

I am on Facebook, but which pages are you referring to?

As far as the black mouth Lambis chiragras are concerned: the entire shipment never arrived, and I have been a bit unsuccessful in finding another specimen of the quality Mr Scammer tried to sell me. The two specimens I was supposed to receive from him were true beauties. I collect only Strombidae, so naturally the disappointment was sorely felt... :'(

If you do have a prime specimen available, I will buy it from you. I think a pic or two to my email will do - or is there a way for me to see it in a PM on this forum? Otherwise use <!-- e --><a href="mailto:andrepm32@gmail.com">andrepm32@gmail.com</a><!-- e -->.

Thank you and Kind Regards,
Andre

[Bart]

Dear Dave and André,
I am convinced that we are talking about the same person. A real pity that he cannot conduct his business in a honest way. He has all the ingredients to do so: location, contacts and a real interest of shellcollectors abroad. But sadly, he chooses for another way.
For serious collectors (like we all are) is better to turn our business to people whom we can trust!