badger
11-14-2008, 12:53 AM
Got an e-mail today from a person calling himself a Rev. wanting 50 vinyl lettered banners. I informed him I make only wood products and referred him to another sign maker. Then he wanted a price for 50 wood signs plus tax excluding shipping saying " Glory to God almighty Amen.
Thought maybe this person was local so he was going to pick up the signs. Wow a $4000.00 order! Nope a scam and this is how he worked it.
He wasn't local he wanted to use a shipping company he has used for 4 years so he told me. He asked me to e-mail this company with all the shipping info including where it was to be picked up. I only offered my city and state, the funny thing to make a long story short this guy told me he was from Minnesota and wanted the signs shipped to London. Then later said he needed to hurry the order because his wife in Canada was having a baby!
The shipping price was going to be $2320.03 and he kept asking for me to total the price with shipping. For 50 signs it would be over $6000.00 hmmm? I asked him about his many location and his reply was 3 wifes!! Well I had already contacted the FBI and being after hours I was told to call back tomorrow and file an internet fraud report, which I did.
The reply from the shipping company the shipper must pay the shipping fee. So the good Rev. would pay me the whole amount and in turn I pay the shipping company. He was very concerned about me paying since the shipping company stated I must pay the fee. He needed the tracking numbers before he left to Canada.
I told him this size order would take 3-4 weeks and when I was ready to ship the signs I would then pay the shipper with a money order or something. Of course that would be fine and he would send his credit card number to me for the whole amount including the shipping. I kept asking for contact info and the only thing he gave me was his name
I grew tired of the game so I told him I did not believe this to be a real order. If it was a real shipping company they would not care who paid them. Especially if this is a company he has used for 4 years. I told him if he really wanted to order the signs then he can pay the shipping company and to send me a money order for the signs.
The scam is this the crook pays with a credit card which later calls the credit card company to complain about a charge they did not make. Since I do not have proof of a signature, the credit card company will withdraw the money until I prove the transaction was legitimate. The meantime you have already sent payment to the shipping company. So the crook will wait until the payment for the shipping is in their account and then report the charge to the credit card. While you wait for a shipping company to pick up 50 signs that does not exist! My guess they are out of the country and there is no way to track them.
Very common. Another one specially since people hear sell items is to watch out for anyone sending you a money order to purchase a project and sent way more than what you asked for....ie Total is $100.00 and they sent money order for $450.00. They will tell ya thats ok just take out what you are owed and send me back the rest in another money order or cashiers check. Well by the time the money order goes through it turns out to be fake and you are not only stuck for $100.00 but the 350 you just mailed back in a real money order. They never care about getting the actually order.
This money order scam is just one but based off the same priniciple if it looks like the customer is gonna be out money they say its ok they trust you watch out.
Thought maybe this person was local so he was going to pick up the signs. Wow a $4000.00 order! Nope a scam and this is how he worked it.
He wasn't local he wanted to use a shipping company he has used for 4 years so he told me. He asked me to e-mail this company with all the shipping info including where it was to be picked up. I only offered my city and state, the funny thing to make a long story short this guy told me he was from Minnesota and wanted the signs shipped to London. Then later said he needed to hurry the order because his wife in Canada was having a baby!
The shipping price was going to be $2320.03 and he kept asking for me to total the price with shipping. For 50 signs it would be over $6000.00 hmmm? I asked him about his many location and his reply was 3 wifes!! Well I had already contacted the FBI and being after hours I was told to call back tomorrow and file an internet fraud report, which I did.
The reply from the shipping company the shipper must pay the shipping fee. So the good Rev. would pay me the whole amount and in turn I pay the shipping company. He was very concerned about me paying since the shipping company stated I must pay the fee. He needed the tracking numbers before he left to Canada.
I told him this size order would take 3-4 weeks and when I was ready to ship the signs I would then pay the shipper with a money order or something. Of course that would be fine and he would send his credit card number to me for the whole amount including the shipping. I kept asking for contact info and the only thing he gave me was his name
I grew tired of the game so I told him I did not believe this to be a real order. If it was a real shipping company they would not care who paid them. Especially if this is a company he has used for 4 years. I told him if he really wanted to order the signs then he can pay the shipping company and to send me a money order for the signs.
The scam is this the crook pays with a credit card which later calls the credit card company to complain about a charge they did not make. Since I do not have proof of a signature, the credit card company will withdraw the money until I prove the transaction was legitimate. The meantime you have already sent payment to the shipping company. So the crook will wait until the payment for the shipping is in their account and then report the charge to the credit card. While you wait for a shipping company to pick up 50 signs that does not exist! My guess they are out of the country and there is no way to track them.
Very common. Another one specially since people hear sell items is to watch out for anyone sending you a money order to purchase a project and sent way more than what you asked for....ie Total is $100.00 and they sent money order for $450.00. They will tell ya thats ok just take out what you are owed and send me back the rest in another money order or cashiers check. Well by the time the money order goes through it turns out to be fake and you are not only stuck for $100.00 but the 350 you just mailed back in a real money order. They never care about getting the actually order.
This money order scam is just one but based off the same priniciple if it looks like the customer is gonna be out money they say its ok they trust you watch out.