Nicole Bustamante/Geurita135/Tortiebaby/Just for Fuzzies

* Owes 3 community members for deposits on joeys that were not delivered. NICOLE offered, on a public forum, to refund the deposits due to repeated health issues with her own gliders.
UPDATE MAY 2010
It appears that Nicole is making efforts to repay those owed for the joeys.

At least one person has been completely repaid.

* Has avoided attempts on multiple boards to enter into communication about these matters by refusing to open PMs despite being logged on to the board.

* Reported that she spent the deposit money for these 3 joeys on vet bills for her personal gliders.

* When the offer was made to repay one of the deposits in pouches, Nicole said that she could not afford fleece for pouches, but then sold pouches on ebay a short time later.

* Routinely takes orders and full payment while severely back-ordered and unable to produce products in a timely manner.

* using funds for orders to pay other bills rather than purchase items required to fill the order

* took custom order from a community member, took a lengthy time to complete the order, and then refused to send it after the issue was made public; money was refunded instead of the items (which were reportedly made and packed) being shipped as was repeatedly promised.

* Conducted a benefit raffle to raise money to neuter a rescue glider and promised any extra funds would be donated to a rescue home. The extra money was instead used to pay personal expenses. When asked about the money, Nicole made various excuses. She waited for a deposit on a joey she was selling to make the payment to the rescue home, and then the payment was less than promised. Nicole cited "paypal fees" as the reason for the discrepancy.

* Nicole's husband joined a board during the time of the above mentioned incident to defend Nicole. He berated community members and called the rescuer derogatory names. (this is added so that community members can be aware when dealing with Nicole)

* Reports of over $700 being received from community members (some outlined in above listings) with NOTHING delivered to community members in return.

Well...I'm the idiot now. I was warned (yes, Val, I know, I know), I even helped someone else in a large $$ issue where they paid a ton and never received what they were supposed to. And now it's me.

I got a message from Nicole on GC, saying that she'd heard that I was in need of some more of her puffy hammocks (round beds). I HAD said that to someone, so I told her yes, I would love three. It really was no hurry at the beginning, and I told her so, because they would be extras. November 5th, 2012, she said that they were done and that she needed my paypal address to send an email. I gave it to her. In her defense and because this wasn't a hurry AND because it wasn't something on my radar since I hadn't ordered it myself, I didn't pay the invoice until February 20th. But, either way, I paid it. On March 10th, she responded to my PM and said that she'd moved (I think I've heard this excuse before??) and that she would have to "dig through the boxes and figure out where I stuffed your roundbeds. They're in there somewhere! Lol." That's the last communication I've had with her. I don't have the beds, I can't dispute through Paypal because it's been longer than 45 days, so I'm out $50. I sent her a message on GC and on FB today and told her to either get me tracking information or refund me my money, but I don't expect to get either. I know I'm a moron and I can just hear Val saying "I told you so" in my ear.

I told you so.

In all seriousness, I had thought since she sold or gave or whatever most of her designs to Shelly, that Nicole would not be a problem with respect to sewn items any more. I was wrong on that, huh?

Well, I deserve that one and knew it was coming. LOL

Yes, I guess that was my hope, too. I know that she gave much of her stuff to Shelly, but since Nicole was the one that came to me and offered to make them, that I'd take a chance.

To update this - it certainly didn't take long. After my posts to her on GC and FB last night, AND making a public post (since she won't ever accept my friend requests) on FB that she should check her messages and send me my beds lol, I had a refund this morning in my Paypal account for the full amount paid. So, we're straight and I don't have to think about it again.

Do the two wrongs here make a right? Hahahaha! I crack me up. Okay, ignore the crazy girl in the corner.
Aimee, you may, eventually, with enough nagging and public notices, get your stuff.

So glad you got a refund, Aimee! I'm afraid to buy anything from anyone I don't know. There's so much lying and deceit out there!

Aimee got lucky

Actually, this is Nicole's pattern of behavior. If called out publicly enough, she will take care of it. I don't know if there are those that don't say anything and get stuck, because, well, they don't say anything. But, I've seen this pattern so many times it's boring.

DCMuffin wrote:

I had a refund this morning in my Paypal account for the full amount paid. So, we're straight and I don't have to think about it again.

I guess we're not getting the round beds!