Do you think this is real?

[Argranade]

Some person is giving there african grey away for free ... but it has to be shipped from Cameroon and I geuss all the way to Toronto .. if they say free they should pay for the shipping lol cause I'm not going to .. could be a scam --_-- ''

Here is what they said.

Hi
the parrot is still available and i am giving him for free because the missionary who owns him asked me to do so.He told me he hadn't enough time to give to the bird.And such birds need alot of care and attention.
Also it should be a good family or person to get the bird.The bird will have to be shipped and that will be from Cameroon.Below are his most recent pics.

Here are the photos of the bird, so what do you think?

[jackmilliesmom]

Sounds to me like you will have to pay the shipping and by doing that they will probably ask you for your bank details to organise for a direct payment from the bank and then its goodbye bank balance - heard of something like this around this time last year - would not be too quick to take it up see if you can find out more about it before even considering it.

[areias]

Ask them to ship the bird and then you will Western Union them the amount owed when you get it.

[luckies4me]

Actually this is quite common for exotics unfortunately. Since the pet is free they ask the new owners to pay for shipping, which to me seems reasonable. If you go to www.altpet.net you will find many ads like these. However, as mentioned, some of them are scams.

[Husky_mom]

all this in general, not just birds, makes me wonder is there some shipping method in where the receiver pays the shipping on arrival, so the free anything to be shipped can be shipped without giving any account number etc and paid among arrival to the "customer"........sort of like C.O.D.......

[areias]

I went to that page that you posted, Luckies. At the very top of the classifieds:

ALL POSTS FROM CAMEROON WILL BE REMOVED AS THEY ARE SCAMS! PLEASE AVOID BUYING ANIMALS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES! IMPORTATION OF MOST EXOTIC SPECIES IS NOT SO EASY THAT ANYONE CAN JUST HAVE AN ANIMAL SHIPPED TO THEM WITHOUT GOING THROUGH QUARANTINE OR EVEN GETTING PERMITS!!!

So, I would safely discount getting that bird. If you are willing to work with difficult birds, there may be some rescues around your area that adopt them out. Yes, their adoption fees are generally more but not $1500 like when you buy from a store.

Here are some:
http://www.wingsofhopeparrotrescue.ca/birds_home.htm
http://www.freedomflights.ca/
http://www.parrotadoptontario.com/in...sting&pageid=1

[luckies4me]

all this in general, not just birds, makes me wonder is there some shipping method in where the receiver pays the shipping on arrival, so the free anything to be shipped can be shipped without giving any account number etc and paid among arrival to the "customer"........sort of like C.O.D.......

That can be done. I used to ship my ratties to other breeders that way, just for the sake of not having to deal with their accounts etc. It made things much easier!

[TamanduaGirl]

oh also COD is illegal with animals. At least with mammals it is due to the AWA.