Is The Frag Plug just Black Label Corals in Disguise?

Cell

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If he didn’t have anything to do with the scam I kinda feel bad for him. He’s getting trashed.
It's hard to feel bad for him. He knew exactly what he was stepping into because he stated Jase tried to rip him off too, but he was fortunate enough to know him personally to get it resolved.

Let's not forget, Jase was still stealing from people as recently as last month! Less than 4 weeks later, this guy supposedly partners with him under a new business name and claims everything is good now.


I will say it again, there are way too many wonderful, trustworthy and upstanding vendors here on R2R and beyond to be wasting time and risking money on this mess of a situation.
 

billyocean

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I've reread the thread. Unless I'm missing something, I haven't seen an explanation of how this came about. You get ripped off by blc and then drive up to get your corals and decide...hey...I can buy this business and turn it around? All of this on a whim and happenstance? As previously stated it was just Jase....so that's why orders couldn't be kept up with? I know several small and or one person sellers that have zero problem keeping up with a high level of demand. I hate it for you if you're trying to do right and it just looks suss. But...there's one common denominator here on several failed and unfulfilled businesses, Jase....and you're in business with him. It would do you better to answer the questions you've been asked directly, honestly, and forthcoming. Everyone needs information that is EXTRA open, honest and transparent here if you wish to move forward.
 

fangelillo01

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Has the mole been flushed? I love this community!! You guys sniff out a hot load of bs like a pack of dogs on a 3 legged cat
It’s been going on for awhile. Search Black Label Corals here. There was a recent post about scams. I did get my order so can’t complain there. I can complain though about the pieces being half dead and put in zip lock type bags.
 

Peterbonin4

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Ya the .net is totally unrelated. I kinda feel like a broken record at this point all I am trying to do is help you guys how and the amount of backlash I am getting for trying to clean up someone else's mess is astonishing. Like I have said many different times I am a complete different entity from BLC 2GC and any of those other companies in the past. I am not trying to dance around your guys questions and concerns but I simply can not answer all of them because I don't know all of the answer to them. I really hope you guys can work with me so I can help.
It seems like every time I log on to this thread there is a different person with a different opinion and it all reverts back and we have been going back and forward for a little more than a week and still only 3 people have reached out from R2R and gotten their issue resolved. I am trying to resolve everyones issue but it is hard to do so when everyone just wants to talk about the problem and not the solution.
If you guys have any more questions please let me know so I can answer them to the best of my knowledge and help you guys out!
 

19Mateo83

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Sisterlimonpot

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Ya the .net is totally unrelated. I kinda feel like a broken record at this point all I am trying to do is help you guys how and the amount of backlash I am getting for trying to clean up someone else's mess is astonishing. Like I have said many different times I am a complete different entity from BLC 2GC and any of those other companies in the past. I am not trying to dance around your guys questions and concerns but I simply can not answer all of them because I don't know all of the answer to them. I really hope you guys can work with me so I can help.
It seems like every time I log on to this thread there is a different person with a different opinion and it all reverts back and we have been going back and forward for a little more than a week and still only 3 people have reached out from R2R and gotten their issue resolved. I am trying to resolve everyones issue but it is hard to do so when everyone just wants to talk about the problem and not the solution.
If you guys have any more questions please let me know so I can answer them to the best of my knowledge and help you guys out!
I think you showed your cards early on and yet you're playing like you have a royal flush when we've already seen that you don't even have a pair.

You've eluded to knowing more and now you don't seem to know anything.

Secrecy isn't doing you any good and it's in your best interest to lay it all out... But let's not beat around the bush, I think if you did that it would be incriminating.
 

DanielAleman

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Ya the .net is totally unrelated. I kinda feel like a broken record at this point all I am trying to do is help you guys how and the amount of backlash I am getting for trying to clean up someone else's mess is astonishing. Like I have said many different times I am a complete different entity from BLC 2GC and any of those other companies in the past. I am not trying to dance around your guys questions and concerns but I simply can not answer all of them because I don't know all of the answer to them. I really hope you guys can work with me so I can help.
It seems like every time I log on to this thread there is a different person with a different opinion and it all reverts back and we have been going back and forward for a little more than a week and still only 3 people have reached out from R2R and gotten their issue resolved. I am trying to resolve everyones issue but it is hard to do so when everyone just wants to talk about the problem and not the solution.
If you guys have any more questions please let me know so I can answer them to the best of my knowledge and help you guys out!
Hopefully you are not a scam . I really liked some of the hammers on the page and made a small purchase of two hammers. I guess if it’s a scam we’ll know soon and I’ll share my experience with everyone here
 

KevinC

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Let’s bring up a dead thread anyway, thanks r2r for not closing down this thread! :D


And wow, look at that response from BLC!

Peter, nothing personal against you or your business, just your partner.

Just the way he treated me, his other clients, and maybe his past owners.
 
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Cell

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I kinda feel like a broken record at this point all I am trying to do is help you guys how and the amount of backlash I am getting for trying to clean up someone else's mess is astonishing...I am trying to resolve everyones issue but it is hard to do so when everyone just wants to talk about the problem and not the solution.

But you are not the victim here. Is it really astonishing that you are taking heat for partnering with a guy who was ripping people off just 4 weeks ago?

You have had plenty of time since you first visited this thread to get the full story from your business partner and clarify things openly but still insist on doing it via pm. The only public solution you have offered up is initiating a charge back. You may not have all the answers but your business partner surely does so claiming ignorance seems rather disingenuous.

If you feel like a broken record, then perhaps a more transparent approach than "just pm me" would be recommended.
 

Cell

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Hopefully you are not a scam . I really liked some of the hammers on the page and made a small purchase of two hammers. I guess if it’s a scam we’ll know soon and I’ll share my experience with everyone here
The previous MO was them filling some orders and looking legit, then ghosting the rest. Even if you receive this order, I would not be confident in this vendor until there is a long history of good transactions with this new iteration.
 

BeanAnimal

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I have asked "Peter" a series of very simple questions via PM. He has read them (evidenced by the fact that I can no longer edit the PM).

He has yet to respond.

Her is what was asked.
Your posts look just like those of prior people involved in 2GC and BLC - no real names, just aliases, no real answers to questions, etc.
1 - WHAT IS YOUR ACTUAL NAME???
2 - Is "reef_jase" still involved in the business?
3 - Was "reef_jase" or "jase" the OWNER of BLC?
4 - What is "reef_jase's" real name?
5 - If not - WHO WAS?
6 - You mentioned "Jason", who is Jason?
7 - Who did YOU buy the business from?
8 - What did your purchase (Stock, equipment, customer lists, web hosting, etc.)

While none of these answers would provide definitive reason for trust, they would help with understanding. I really don't like internet dog-piles or doxing, especially when it is based on assumption or misunderstanding. Therefore, I am not going to post anything that I have found and would instead ask that the business owner simply be transparent.

I am unable to find the filing with the state of CA for this "new" entity. Maybe it takes time to appear. I do see the old entities.

That said, every one of the people involved in these businesses have used various aliases and obfuscation to hide who they really are. While that in and of itself is not shady, I know the real names of the principles of just about every vendor that I trust, and if I don't know them I can look them up, or ask the vendor and be told, be it Avast, GHL, ARC, Unique Corals, Dr. Reef, TSM, New Wave Aquatics, etc.

So while I can't tell any of you what to do, and just knowing somebodies real name does little to solve actual problems, in cases like this it helps to paint a bigger picture. I prefer to patronize vendors that are transparent and customer oriented. Maybe "Peter" will be that guy, maybe not. So far, there is not a lot of transparency in any of this and I don't blame many of you for being skeptical.
 

BeanAnimal

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FWIW - Again I am not into doxing or dog-piles and as such will not openly share any information that I have dug up. I will say that I did get answers from Peter. I already knew the answers to each of the questions that I asked him and wanted to see if his responses matched.

I am not going to share the actual answers, it is not my place, but his answers did match my research.

Therefore I will say this:

I don't think Reef_Jase is the guy that ripped you off. He may be the face of it, and for all I know it could be his fault, but from my research he does not appear to be the one who owes people money for either 2GC, TGC or BLC or able to do anything to resolve the issues with BLC and certainly not with TGC.

Likewise if you can get resolution from the responsible party at BLC, that won't help you with TGC, it was a different company and different owner. The common thread may be Reef_Jase, but again that may just be his bad fortune and he may be bad at shipping or tank husbandry or just bad at luck, but I don't think he is walking around with grift in his pocket.

At this juncture, I don't think Peter is being dishonest. He has a mess on his hands, but does appear to have purchased what was left from a failed business and is trying to make the best of it. I will take that at face value and time will tell if it was the proper assessment. He is more than likely using a past employee to help (good idea or not).

Legitimate business (failed or not) are typically registered in the state that they operate from. It is not hard to do a bit of research. That said, please be careful about doxing or trashing people, because if you are not 100% sure, it is a terrible thing to do to somebody.

At this point, if Peter has been honest, I don't think he owes anybody anything and I am not sure Jase does either. If he (they) try to make things right with past BLC customers, that is a good thing even if he/they are not required to do so. Let's hope that he has more business sense than those that he inherited the business from.

There are several well regarded vendors in this space that purchased a shipwreck from a prior owner. Let's hope that this is the case.
 
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Peterbonin4

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FWIW - Again I am not into doxing or dog-piles and as such will not openly share any information that I have dug up. I will say that I did get answers from Peter. I already knew the answers to each of the questions that I asked him and wanted to see if his responses matched.

I am not going to share the actual answers, it is not my place, but his answers did match my research.

Therefore I will say this:

I don't think Reef_Jase is the guy that ripped you off. He may be the face of it, and for all I know it could be his fault, but from my research he does not appear to be the one who owes people money for either 2GC, TGC or BLC or able to do anything to resolve the issues with BLL and certainly not with TGC.

Likewise if you can get resolution from the responsible party at BLC, that won't help you with TGC, it was a different company and different owner. The common thread may be Reef_Jase, but again that may just be his bad fortune and he may be bad at shipping or tank husbandry or just bad at luck, but I don't think he is walking around with grift in his pocket.

At this juncture, I don't think Peter is being dishonest. He has a mess on his hands, but does appear to have purchased what was left from a failed business and is trying to make the best of it. I will take that at face value and time will tell if it was the proper assessment. He is more than likely using a past employee to help (good idea or not).

Legitimate business (failed or not) are typically registered in the state that they operate from. It is not hard to do a bit of research. That said, please be careful about doxing or trashing people, because if you are not 100% sure, it is a terrible thing to do to somebody.

At this point, if Peter has been honest, I don't think he owes anybody anything and I am not sure Jase does either. If he (they) try to make things right with past BLC customers, that is a good thing even if he/they are not required to do so. Let's hope that he has more business sense than those that he inherited the business from.

There are several well regarded vendors in this space that purchased a shipwreck from a prior owner. Let's hope that this is the case.
Thank you for this post.
I really appreciate it and yes I did step into a mess but I have the best of intentions with thefragplug going forward. So feel free to reach out if you are a past customer of BLC I would like to make things right with you!
Thanks
 
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Today, I got an email from The Frag Plug about their grand opening. I have a feeling it is the same dude that was running Black Label Corals. Any thoughts?

As a lot of you know Black Label Corals recently shut down. I personally had a few orders through their holiday sales that they cancelled and stated they refunded but have not yet received a refund. I am going to give them a few more days and do a credit card dispute if I am not refunded.

I will say, I did receive one order from them some time ago and was not disappointed with what I bought. I just now wish they would have shipped what I bought previously.
As you have read previously @Peterbonin4 asked that anyone that had issues the Black Label Corals should reach out to him personally and I did just that. I mentioned to him the issues I had and that Black Label Corals owed me a good amount of money as I bought fish from them during their sale in December that never arrived nor was my refund given. He stated that he would send the amount of money I spent in corals to me for free. I made a chart and send it to him. A few days later the corals showed up at my door. I am happy with the quality of what was sent.

I can say that @Peterbonin4 did what he said he would do for me.

I will post pictures of them in the next few days once they are opened up and looking good. In the meantime, here is the package/corals and Larry my munchkin cat.
 

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Jaag

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Hello,

We believe this is a very important discussion going on here and while we normally don’t allow threads of this nature to continue, we feel that it’s in the best interest of our members to be left open for now.

But please follow the TOS when responding in this thread. Keep to the facts, avoid speculation, name calling or bullying etc.

Thank you.
@revhtree is there a way to make an addendum to my original post in this thread? I think it would be fair to @Peterbonin4 for how he treated me.
 

Reefering1

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As you have read previously @Peterbonin4 asked that anyone that had issues the Black Label Corals should reach out to him personally and I did just that. I mentioned to him the issues I had and that Black Label Corals owed me a good amount of money as I bought fish from them during their sale in December that never arrived nor was my refund given. He stated that he would send the amount of money I spent in corals to me for free. I made a chart and send it to him. A few days later the corals showed up at my door. I am happy with the quality of what was sent.

I can say that @Peterbonin4 did what he said he would do for me.

I will post pictures of them in the next few days once they are opened up and looking good. In the meantime, here is the package/corals and Larry my munchkin cat.
He refunded your money like he said he would and still sent the corals?
 

jtone_philthy_aquatics

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I said the same thing but it was true the electrical took a dump and the tanks temp dropped I guess and it all died.
At the end of the day I am trying to make things right with a group of people, me personally did no harm to. I would really like to make every single one of you a happy customer and make sure going forward you guys can put trust in this company but no matter what I say to convince you my words mean nothing with no action. I will also have people who have reached out to me and accepted my offer post on this thread!!

 
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