About Us
The Raashida Shelton and Michelle LimTom Walk of Shame.
So honestly we are all a pretty chill team and we don't like to dwell on the negative. However we would have really appreciated a heads up when we unknowingly took out two scam artists to our enjoy a horseback ride at our expense. This is our heads up to you as we hope that no one else falls victim to the same. It's not a nice feeling when you've been played, but it's a slap in the face when they continue to toy with you.
We've had to up our security as a result and we now have an unwanted realisation that guests can come with ill intentions. Raashida Shelton and Michelle LimTom planned this before they arrived at our doorstep and seem far too comfortable lying and toying with us. Getting away with it must be a good laugh for them and unfortunately reason to make it habit.
Timeline of Events
March 21st, 2022.
March 30th, 2022.
June 3rd, 2022.
June 4th, 2022.
June 5th, 2022.
June 6th, 2022.
June 17th, 2022.
June 25th, 2022.
September 2nd, 2022
September 8th, 2022
September 13th, 2022
September 29th, 2022
A Michelle "Ladberg" (we learnt later not her real last name) and Ra Shelton booked a tour through Viator for 9 am March 30th 2022.
When you purchase something online using a fake name then you've already decided that you are going to scam the company.
Two ladies arrived an hour late for their tour and presented themselves as Michelle "Ladberg" and Raashida Shelton. We checked tickets and ID's, It was a quiet day and they were our only tour.
Two months later, we receive an email from Viator stating that:
"The credit card holder has disputed the charge for the booking below through their bank claiming it was fraudulent."
Then Viator deducted the funds from our account.
We submitted what information we had and attempted to contact the number that was listed on the booking. Of course the number didn't work, surprise, surprise.
I asked the team if any connections were made along the tour and found that the Instagram social media account for Ms. Raashida Shelton had been shared with a local at the beach which they then shared with us: @miss_realestate_
We checked her instagram and saw that it was a mix of both personal and business posts. All business posts were specifically for her real estate services through a company called Keller Williams Realty Integrity Lakes in Minneapolis.
We called the number and asked for Raashida Shelton and the lady on the phone did not respond and hung up. Our first attempt at contact and already she's trying to ignore us, only slightly suspicious right?
Tried calling again and no answer....
We called again and no answer.... we just wanted to say "hey, those services you enjoyed, maybe we could get paid for it?"
We called again. Didn't have much options to roll with at this point.
The lady that answered said I had the wrong number. LOL, yea just the number you have plastered all over your social media. Come on Raashida Shelton, you weren't shy with the guys on the beach or online. You're a big girl you can own your mistakes too. Apparantly not....
Anywho, I figured I'd call the office. maybe her phone just got stolen ya know (shit happens).
Well the office call went from "Sure I'll transfer you to her" to "she doesn't work here". I mean it just gets stranger and stranger right? What you hiding from? Paying for a horseback ride?? yikes
So next up was an email. To the work email address listed on her Insta and on the company page.
And then boom, we get a response...I'm guessing those work emails are monitored? I can only guess that's why one would ignore the calls but respond to the email right?
Raashida Shelton acted all surprised and said she'd reach out to her friend Michelle LimTom and get it sorted. (yea right)
So almost 3 months after the tour, it was brought to our attention that an Instgram Story was posted on @__chiingyyy showing the elusive Michelle LimTom / Chin (the one with the fake name "Ladberg") at a view stop along our ride (conveniently with no horse in sight). She was pretty careful in all her St. Lucia posts to not show that she had participated in any horseback ride. Hats off to you Michelle LimTom, you seem to be a pro at scamming businesses I guess. We reached out to her and of course got blocked from her account.
Again, all these posts about living it large and then you can't pay for stuff....I guess that's how you living it large...illegally. Ya'll giving independent woman a bad image, not gonna lie.
Three months after the ride and after the charge for the ride has been deducted from our account, Raashida Shelton decides it's a good time to post about her horseback ride in St. Lucia. No tag or mention for us though... or payment even! I wonder why.
This was the day when Viator informed us that:
"the cardholder's financial institution has settled this chargeback in favour of the buyer. Although we have disputed this chargeback with very complete documentation, it is ultimately the financial institution's decision and we cannot be held liable for any loss of funds".
Well that was a slap to the face.... and honestly Viator you haven't been any help. It's because we are a small company I guess.
So this could be one of two things:
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The card used was stolen.
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They lied to their financial institution pretending they hadn't made the booking (that could explain the fake "Ladberg" name on the booking, maybe?)
Despite it seeming more likely that we were played, I still approached the situation as professionally as possible because you know, I don't like to just assume that people are scam artists.
Did a little searching to see if there was any way to contact Michelle LimTom / Chin and found out that she was also a real estate agent. She was working at De Costa Realty in Tampa, Florida. She didn't answer our call. So strange these real estate agents just blocking our calls.....doesn't seem very real estatey.
So sent Raashida Shelton and Michelle LimTom an email letting them know that we would not be receiving money for the tour that they enjoyed and a payment link for them to do so.
Alas no response.
Reached out to Raashida Shelton and Michelle LimTom again but still ignored and no response.
Reached out to Michelle LimTom's workplace De Costa Realty and left a message for Michelle to return our call.
So still no correspondence or payment and reached out again to De Costa Realty but they could offer no assistance. Michelle LimTom is no longer listed as a team member on their website. But she is enjoying the life as a flight attendant for JetBlue. Can you just imagine the free fun she's getting away with regularly.
Out of the blue Raashida Shelton emailed us. Had she finally come to her senses and going to actually pay us.
But no, she was claiming that my staff were harassing her and posting about her. I asked her to send me screenshots of said harassment but she never did. She said that she would pay if no one harassed her anymore, (forget just paying since they used our services, but that I guess would have been too decent).
I was straight with her, we weren't messaging or posting about her but she should still pay for what she used.
She gave me story after story, I started to lose track:
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It was Michelle who paid for it.
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It was Michelle's partner who paid for it.
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It was a gift.
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It was booked by her travel agent.
Raashida Shelton even had the audacity to say she'd leave us a bad review. Wow.
Out of the blue we also received some random email, no contact information, no company name, from Raashida Shelton's supposed "travel agent" who booked the tour asking for the evidence of the chargeback, then promising to make the payment, which "they" never did (we know it was just a fake email from Raashida Shelton ). She actually took the time to make up a name and email to send a message just to continue to avoid paying for a horseback ride. It takes less time and effort to send a PayPal payment.
To date no payment has been made and no correspondence received.