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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.

JVallario
11-14-2008, 08:15 AM
Since the subject of scams came up I thought I'd mention one I'm just hearing about. I work at UPS and have gotten several phone calls in the past week or so from people who are getting bogus emails saying they are from UPS support. The emails say you have a package which was shipped to a PO Box which could not be delivered and that UPS will charge you $... (amounts vary) per day that you don't pick it up. It gives tracking numbers which are not UPS numbers.

UPS does not charge storage fees. Or send emails on PO Box addressed or addresses which they cannot find labels. Clerks will try to contact a customer or shipper by phone first if a number is listed on the package for a correct adderss. If that is unsuccessful they will send a postcard to the PO Box and hold the package 5 business days. COD packages are not held however but are returned to the shipper. They may also look in the system for a name match in the area. If no response is received the package will be returned to the shipper. If a customer does respond with an alternate address the package is sent there without charge if still in the general area. Destinations outside of the general area may require additional charges. Say a pkg comes from NY to NJ but now the address is going to be Florida.

I'm not sure if this is a money scam or a virus carrying email since I haven't seen a hard copy yet. If you get one of these do not open it - click on any link or reply. I suggest you report it.

FYI if you have a shipment sent to a bad address contact your shipper for a delivery intercept. A fee of about $10 is charged to the shipper for this service. If the shipper will not do this or you cannot get hold of them you can request the package be put on will call for pick up. Some packages are not allowed to be address corrected either because of a shippers request that they not be or if it is considered a high value (over $1000) or a high risk pkg (medications etc.)

Anyway I just thought I'd pass that on.

Amonaug
11-14-2008, 09:29 AM
Yep seen the UPS one many times.

Tom75
11-14-2008, 09:42 AM
i get the same scam about fedex packeages and about money and that some one is there waiting to pick it up they just need all your info. it allways sounds like a scam to me when it is a bank in africa or some other compiny . all have a good day

Ike
11-14-2008, 12:30 PM
I am so glad my thread was read. I figured it to be a scam after a few e-mails in. I know someone who had a similar situation with a customer. The customer did not recognized the his company they purchased the product. The customer looked up the company name and it took them to a business they know they didn't buy anything.

Well the credit card company protecting the customer withdrew the amount without warning from the seller's account. The seller had to prove the transaction was legitimate with the signed receipt. This took weeks to complete and the fortunate thing was it was only a $50.00 purchase.

This scam if I went through with it I would be out over $8000.00! First off my charge plus tax was going to be $4021.88 and the shipping was $2320.03. =$6341.91 Now I would pay the shipper (who I google the name and found nothing!) $2320.03 after making 50 signs that never will be picked up. Then I suspect the Rev. would call the credit card company and say he never ordered 50 signs. My only proof would be the e-mail and not a signed credit card slip. Still the credit card company will attempt to take $6341.91 from my account and if they can't they will take legal action. In the meantime the crook has the original money sent plus the $2320.03 for a total of $8661.94!

Ike

badger
11-14-2008, 08:37 PM
Two good links to follow up on for those that use the CW for any kind of business type. Use the information to protect yourself against those out to get you.


http://www.onguardonline.gov/topics/overview.aspx


and


http://www.ftc.gov/

leesheridan
11-17-2008, 03:26 PM
I just saw this thread today for the first time. A couple of weeks ago I got some guy from Aust. emailing me wanting me to make and ship goods to him. I figured it to be another scam and never did answer him. My wife works at a bank and deals with the fraud problems the customers have and she stays busy each day just taking care of that. It seams as if it's comeing out of the wood work. Ha.

Digitalwoodshop
11-17-2008, 08:56 PM
Not too many here are in this as a business but for the few......

Found a post over on the Engraving Etc. Laser and Rotary Engraver Forum about a scam.

$7000.00 in Engraved Acrylic awards paid with an American Express card and shipped to an address in North Carolina. It was a RUSH order and the shipping address was not the same as the billing address. They refused the charge and since they did not sign for the order and was not to the billing address American Express will not be paying.....

There are 2 sides to this story and the Laser Guy wrote his side so I don't know all the details.

The moral of the story is be VERY Careful with Credit Card purchases especially if it is a RUSH....

Another scam is they OVER paying with a Credit Card and ask you to transfer the remainder to another address....

AL