Update on Rua

[albaby]

This is part of an email I recieved from someone who contacted the local newspaper in Rua's area. It confirms that a lot of kind people were scammed and badly mislead. And while Larry was most likely the most scammed it seems he has had knowledge of the scam at least for a while now.

Hello, my name is Glenn Conway and I am a reporter with the Otago Daily Times newspaper in Balclutha, South Otago, NZ.
I received your recent email about concerns over alleged scamming involving a woman from this town.
I have conducted a thorough investigation, approached the woman in question and had email communication with an American bird website manager to try and get to the bottom of this.
To cut a long story short, I can tell you Mrs Karetai is alive and well and she claims her name was incorrectly posted on the website posting announcing the two deaths in Sydney.
It turns out claims of the double fatality were untrue as well.
I have asceratined from some sources Mrs Karetai has some mental health issues.
I approached her personally to challenge her about your claims and others I have heard about and she denied them all.
After seeking some legal advice through the newspaper, we feel we either need more evidence or a formal police complaint to be laid before we can take this potential story any further.
Thought I would do you the courtesy of this update as it was your email that started this off for me in the first place.
Again, thanks for your interest and help and please keep in touch if you hear of anything unusual or more compelling in the future.

Kind regards

Glenn Conway

[Uncle]

I will open my comments to say - unfortunately I have to be with a client all day and I don't have the time right now to compile an in depth response that the above post requires. But - when I return this evening I will have for all who are interested everything laid out in detail.

First - the person who posted calls herself albaby. She is actually...

Cathy in Auz cathyok@optusnet.com.au (cathyok@optusnet.com.au)

She is from Birds-N-Ways ToozTalk board.

She registered last night on HappyBirdy as - albaby, with an email address as - albaby44@yahoo.com

I traced her IP address to - 210.49.133.73 which resolved back to -
c210-49-133-73.fitzg2.qld.optusnet.com.au

So - Cathy came here in disguise from ToozTalk - not to be helpful or kind - but to cause harm. You can contact her at her real email address - cathyok@optusnet.com.au

You who I have contacted by phone over the past days do know the true story about Tony Evans - Jillian Karetai - Rua Katerai - Kora Karetai - because I privately shared it with you by phone. I have not posted the information on Happy Birdy because it would have confused our new members and the informaion is so sensitive that I did not want to broadcast publicly that the person in New Zealand that we have helped for the past year does have mental disorders. Publicly announcing this would have only caused her and her family embarrasement - and that would not be a kind thing to do.

There was no scam as this Cathy from Australia has claimed. There is a mentally ill person in New Zealand that some of us have been very kind to for the past year. We have not been harmed in any way by the person in New Zealand. We have only gained - and we gained a lot by being kind.

I will lay out this in detail for all to see when I get back this evening.

If any one of you must contact me today regarding this matter - you know my cell number.

Larry

[Uncle]

Oh by the way... here is the first email I received from Glenn Conway - a reporter from the Otago Daily Times on the south island of New Zealand. Not only does Cathy from Australia lie in her email to the reporter - Please take close note of how this Cathy in Aus feels about Americans...

Also - I was the one that initiated the contact with him. Notice the subject in the email - Subject: Re: Talk to me -- That was his response to me contacting his news paper.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Glenn Conway" <glenn.conway@alliedpress.co.nz (glenn.conway@alliedpress.co.nz)>
To: "Larry Houston" <larry@vikinghost.net (larry@vikinghost.net)>
Sent: February 03, 2008 9:58 PM
Subject: Re: Talk to me

hello, my name is Glenn Conway from the Otago Daily Times newspaper.
I am trying to piece togteher an allegation made against a HappyBirdy
co-founder, Rua Karetai and claims she and possibly others are involved
in an internet scamming operation. The following (edited) email was sent to me and i forward it to you for your response.

---------------
This is Cathy's email to Glenn Conway...

Not really a newstip. Just trying to ascertain if there has been a death
of a Jillian ‘Rua’ Karetai who lives or lived at Rua Karetai
Flat 6C 98 Charlotte Street
Balclutha, New Zealand
Supposedly killed in the last few days in a car crash in Sydney with her
granddaughter Oceana. This person is causing an amazing amount of angst among gullible Americans on various pet bird websites. She first posed as a man called Tony Evans, who when discovered to be a woman, suddenly got very sick and had all the yanks sending presents, flowers and money to try and save her life. She got loads of sympathy from sites like Tooz Talk and Macaw Talk until a few people started to get suspicious. When suspicions were voiced she went from having days to live, to having a year to live, to suddenly karking it within and hour of questioning posts on the website. Which then led the yanks to start sending flowers and presents all over again and denigrating anyone who disbelieved the nutter. Her name has been banned on Tooz Talk but the death notice has been posted on Macaw Talk.

Now she has again suddenly met with a catastrophe and more sympathy and flowers, presents etc are again being sent.

History
Started out life on Tooz Talk and Macaw Talk as Tony Evans.
Tony Evans developed a respiratory disease from his beloved pet birds
and the yanks took up a collection and sent air purifiers etc.
Tony Evans outed as a woman called Jillian Karetai who is a maori with
respiratory disease and the ‘king’ took her under his wing and flew
her/him across the country for life-saving surgery. Yanks again in
wonder at this miracle and sending more presents.

Jillian has a niece coincidentally also named Jill and known as Rua (and
using same email address) who is pleading for presents to be sent as
Jillian’s’ relatives will not buy presents as they are saving for the
funeral (!!). So again yanks send presents.

Just as an aside I received an email from Rua who was so poor she
couldn’t afford to feed the birds she’d been left (so yanks sent money
and food for birds) asking if I wanted her to visit as she would be
touring Australia for a few months. No thanks.

Now Rua’s unfortunate death has been announced on the bird board that
was set up by those yanks who were disgusted with the people who thought this was all a crock of shit. Funnily enough using the same old email address and doing the begging tactics.
http://www.happybirdy.com/mainforum_happybirdy_com/showthread.php?t=500 (http://www.happybirdy.com/mainforum_happybirdy_com/showthread.php?t=500)
And of course, more presents and flowers are being sent.
So you have someone over there doing scams on the gullible yanks.

---------------
Larry, can you please help explain what is going on.
There is a lot of confusion here and our newspaper is kene to do a story
on this so we really need some balancing comment..
MJy inquiries reveal no such fatal crash insydney happened
mrs karetai lives in the flat mentioned and i spoke to her
she denies all involvement and claims it may be an internet fraudster at
work it is all very strange and i really need to hear from you to please explain

look forward to your response

Glenn Conway

[Chrissy and Flock]

Well I am no scholar but for a reporter Glenn Conway's spelling leave a lot to be desired, makes me a little suspicious of his true occupation. As for the lady in Australia she needs to get a life. I am one of the newbies here I did not know much of the people in question here, but I do feel that if this person has a mental health problem we do not need to condemn her, we need to pray for her and her family. Pray that she gets the help she needs. However if she is a scammer well all I can say there is learn from the experience and know that what goes around comes around, she will get her punishment in due time.:)

[Chrissy and Flock]

albaby, You are the one I feel sorry for, you have this need to crush peoples faith in humanity and that is such a sad way to live.

[too&me]

Maybe Cathy does not understand the entire story it is a sad one & none of us gave much more than flowers and advice. We should not condemn but do our best to educate & uplift. It is a shame that others feel the need to share the negative instead of the positives gained from the entire experience. As will be explained later by Larry we have all gained a lot from the entire experience.

[albaby]

Firstly, I post on a number of boards and Tooz Talk is the one I post on the least, so if you want to get paranoid about that so be it. Secondly, If you consier being called a yank an insult I find that rather strage. You shouldn't visit New Zealand, Australia or many other countries because you'll be grossly offended by what is a common term with no malice watsoever intended. Unlike the email sent to another person (not myself) by Larry.

[Evelyn]

Firstly, I post on a number of boards and Tooz Talk is the one I post on the least, so if you want to get paranoid about that so be it. Secondly, If you consier being called a yank an insult I find that rather strage. You shouldn't visit New Zealand, Australia or many other countries because you'll be grossly offended by what is a common term with no malice watsoever intended. Unlike the email sent to another person (not myself) by Larry.


Albaby -

I deleted the sentence in your post which contained a profanity. If you have any questions, PM me or Larry.

Thanks.

Evelyn

[FoxersArtist]

Hey everyone.
I'm not a sentinel on this board, but I it think it would be appropriate if this matter was taken off board. This is not a place for libel in any way. Please respect the other members of this board by discontinuing this thread. If anyone has issues or questions, please contact Larry and I am sure he would be happy to discuss them with you. Thanks.
-Anna

[Chrissy and Flock]

Hey albaby I am from one of those other countries you speak of and yes Americans are refered to as yanks, just as brits are refered to as limmies but not every other word as you seen fit to do.

[Bambam]

Why don't you bury your head in the dirt like an ostrich..we have a great board here..what gives you the nerve to be allowed as a member...then try to cause harm..:confused: Larry has been nice to you & any ^^%$$#@he sends you..you earned..if you are this bored..why don't you go elsewhere:mad:I speak for myself..that I will NOT reply to your posts..except the ones that cause ill-will to my Happybirdy friends.Go away BAD DREAM:angr::mdgrr:

[Chrissy and Flock]

Well said Bambam I agree with you. :)

[Uncle]

Wow - Thanks Happy Birdy ladies.

Julie called me and I came back to the office to take care of this... but I see you family members can take care of things quite well.

Thanks Evelyn for stepping in during my absence.

I permanatly banned albaby and her Australian IP address - she will no longer be posting here.

As a side note - a few days ago I permanatly banned the IP address that is being served out of the Balclutha, NZ residence. Albiet there was never any intent of malace from Jillian Karetai - but I thought it best that she not post any more on Happy Birdy with any of the personalities she might assume.

I am leaving for home and get something to eat. I will post later the story of Tony Evans - Jillian Karetai.

Thanks again HappyBirdy family. Adversity sometimes does make us stronger and closer - doesn't it?

Larry

[Evelyn]

Why don't you bury your head in the dirt like an ostrich..we have a great board here..what gives you the nerve to be allowed as a member...then try to cause harm..:confused: Larry has been nice to you & any ^^%$$#@he sends you..you earned..if you are this bored..why don't you go elsewhere:mad:I speak for myself..that I will NOT reply to your posts..except the ones that cause ill-will to my Happybirdy friends.Go away BAD DREAM:angr::mdgrr:



BamBam -

Larry didn't say that (what albaby said--now deleted.) That's not our Larry. (Loved your icons!)

Evelyn

[Chrissy and Flock]

I kinda thought he was better than that, plus the terminolgy used was not that of most American people I have met that uses that kind of language. Led me to believe she made it up. Oh even is she didn't she deserved it anyway :smiles:

[Wanda and Flock]

:saythat:Ummmm...kick her off?!?!?!?!?!!!

The problem is that she did not come here to "enlighten" anyone. She came here to try to hurt people and throw Larry under the bus. She's just as bad as the people she is tattling on.

Not all of us bought the whole Rua thing there missy. But we sure didn't go around judging or making fun of those that did nor did we disown them and kick them off the board for having a different thought.

What makes people gullible? Ask yourself that question. It's people that could never concoct such a story for their own personal gain. They aren't capable of it, so it's hard to accept when someone else is. They want to believe in other people!

The solution was HB. And whatever the true story is- I don't care. I know what the people on this board did for me to help me through a crisis with my birds. B I R D S...that is what this is all about. Not your damn all knowing wisdom and authority.

I thank God you kicked them out and Uncle started HB...I have Don, Larry, Anna, Evelyn...all to myself! (Only to share with other HB people)
Nahnahnahnah-nah!!!! You better go hurry up and kick me off too before I copy your post and paste it on TT. You are so busy over here when there are a number of unanswered questions over there that mods have not responded to about B I R D S.

Get the point??? How are you a mod on a bird forum princess??

[Wanda and Flock]

Ooops. I was soooo busy typing my ranting response- by the time I got it there, I saw the last three...oh well.

[Chrissy and Flock]

LOL Wanda, I hope your gonna share these good people with me and others like me that really do need to learn about their babies. Oh and by the way I hope to be tapping into your expertise at some time too. ;) I came here cause that other place just seemed to either ignore my questions or question my motifs, least thats what it seemed like to me. Anyway I now have a HappyBirdy home and family for as long as you will all have me.

[Evelyn]

Ooops. I was soooo busy typing my ranting response- by the time I got it there, I saw the last three...oh well.


Wanda -

It was a good rant!

Evelyn

[Don]

Dang Wanda, when you gonna tell us how you really feel !!! :)

And don't it feel good to put it into words !!! Good for you !

I feel we are here to learn, to share and to help, sometimes guide and protect - not destroy.

Don

[Evelyn]

[quote=Wanda and Flock;6927]:saythat:Ummmm...kick her off?!?!?!?!?!!!



What makes people gullible? Ask yourself that question. It's people that could never concoct such a story for their own personal gain. They aren't capable of it, so it's hard to accept when someone else is. They want to believe in other people!



Wanda -

I'm a lawyer and consider myself a cautious, doubting, suspicious person; and I fell for it lock, stock and barrell. The posts just sounded so genuine, and I got caught up in the good feelings of the people who wanted to help.

As Larry says, though, nobody got seriously hurt, and some good things have come out of the whole incident, not the least of whch is HB and the friendships that have developed among members.

I hope I never need it, but I feel that if I ever have a serious problem with a bird, help is but a HB post away. (And if I outlive Anna--not likely since she is young and I'm not), I get Loretta.

Evelyn

[Larry, Baby and Me]

This is not the story of Tony Evans - Jillian Karetai that I had earlier promised - that is coming later tonight.

But I think this puts a lot of things into prespective...

http://www.happybirdy.com/get-along.htm

[Chrissy and Flock]

Good one Larry. I had seen it before but its one of those that people need to see over and over just as a reminder.

[too&me]

We are truly flocking together Sentennials are protecting the flock & flock members are sending warning calls & beginning the defensive maneuvers. We are living up to our own dreams of how a forum should run. Birds & people cared for & sharing.

[bonnie]

Wow... Looks like I'm a little late.... LOL
There's really not much left that hasn't been said...

[Birdlover]

Not as late as me :eek: All I can say is it is a relief that she is still alive. My prayers are with her - living with a mental problem cant be easy :(

[birdscomefirst]

Apparently, I missed the whole thing....A day late and fifty cents short... That's me all over. Is this thing resolved yet?

[Chrissy and Flock]

Least you weren't a dollar short LOL

[bonnie]

Apparently, I missed the whole thing....A day late and fifty cents short... That's me all over. Is this thing resolved yet?
I think it's very much resolved. Everyone has the answers they needed and we can count it as a blessing, look what we have gained from it!:yeah::dancered:

[birdie]

I'm late too, I'll go for 75 cents, I don't want to be a dollar short. hehehe

[birdscomefirst]

Ok, Thanks ! I am happy to hear that it is all straight!

Bill

[lcarle]

Wow!!! I didn't get to this message since I was up too late last night. Glad everything is resolved. WoW!!! I am also glad that no one died. There are just too many people with mental problems out there feeling so left out and lonely. I feel sorry for them.