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what's the scam here?

A

Art M

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So i receive an email from an unknown customer requesting price and availability on a couple products that I sell. Mind you a very specific request. I quote them out, nothing unusual yet. I ask for a contact number, company name, and physical location. I get most of it back in a reply but "i am on travel right now so my phone is inoperable?" Red flag. Later that day I receive more communication from this prospect requesting a large quantity of said material be shipped to his address in PR on a farm. I check out his US address which happens to be a vacant lot 20 minutes from my shop and his PR address is an old building. "Please contact ***** shipping carriers for a freight charge so we can proceed." Google does not list ****** shipping carrier. Of course no order would ever go without a payment first. So beside asking me to do a little "hoop jumping" here, what the heck is the "customers" angle? How is he going to screw me in this scheme? i do not get it
 
Art M said:
So i receive an email from an unknown customer requesting price and availability on a couple products that I sell. Mind you a very specific request. I quote them out, nothing unusual yet. I ask for a contact number, company name, and physical location. I get most of it back in a reply but "i am on travel right now so my phone is inoperable?" Red flag. Later that day I receive more communication from this prospect requesting a large quantity of said material be shipped to his address in PR on a farm. I check out his US address which happens to be a vacant lot 20 minutes from my shop and his PR address is an old building. "Please contact ***** shipping carriers for a freight charge so we can proceed." Google does not list ****** shipping carrier. Of course no order would ever go without a payment first. So beside asking me to do a little "hoop jumping" here, what the heck is the "customers" angle? How is he going to screw me in this scheme? i do not get it
Click to expand...

Stolen credit card. You get paid, they get product. Merchant account calls and wants to take money back.
 
This or phony certified check. Same deal, they pay, you ship, bank takes back money.

I would avoid this like the plague, and yes, I ran my own business, so I know it is hard to pass on opportunity.
 
Run away! Run away!

Way too many red flags from this buyer...this is nothing more than a scam.
 
I bet this guy knows that Prince in Zimbabwe that sends those emails asking for help getting his fortune out of the bank.

JM
 
Johnny mojo said:
I bet this guy knows that Prince in Zimbabwe that sends those emails asking for help getting his fortune out of the bank.

JM
Click to expand...

Or the old chap in England who occasionally sends me a fax reminding me to he still wants to five me 50% of his late great aunts 9 million dollar fortune.
 
oh ya, as soon as i saw what he wanted and how much of it, i contacted the manufacturer to see if he had inquired with them and they gave him my info to buy it. could not have happened any other legit way....
 
Get these all the time and just delete them, no one buys large amounts or big ticket items like that. In my case most deals take 4-6 months to close, now it has happened where one will close in days but that is only when the Contractor (South American or Caribbean) has waited to the last possible second to order trying to hold his money as long as possible and realizes he is not going to make his start date.
 
What type of business are you in Art?

I work in safety apparel.
 
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