So it was a scam...after all!

[Pilfo]

We have received an order for three of our products from a (alleged) Bathroom and Shower Accessory Store in Lagos, Nigeria, the address being in a well known business area.

After checking out their credit card details, the store owners name did not match the delivery address.

However, we then asked the store owner for the billing address (which turned out to be in London UK) We checked this with our bank, and they have declined the transaction.

We informed the store owner of our findings, and called their bluff, by suggesting that if they still wished to order the goods, they make payment either by cheque or bankers draft. They agreed to send us a cheque. We told them that until the the cheque had been received, processed and cleared by our bank, we would not deliver the goods.

They have agreed to this, but have also asked us to obtain three Toshiba P25-S670 laptops for them (which we don't have anything to do with)

They are now awaiting the total cost plus shipping charges for the three products and the three laptops...money appearing to be no problem.

Regards

Pilfo

[bhartzer]

To be safe, I would wait until the money clears at your bank before sending any merchandise. Cashiers checks and bank drafts can still have problems, I would wait until you have the money first.

[jestep]

I agree, wait tell you have the money, and the checks are cleared and they dont turn out to be counterfeit or anything. And yet, I would still be warry or just not risk it.

[madicomputers]

Scam artists have come a long way from the ubiquitous “$25 Million” scams of yore (if only it were “yore” as I receive these thrice daily).

Four months ago I was contacted from a buyer in Uganda requesting pricing on 90 hard drives and 30 monitors. I sent an informal list of prices and he thanked me with a DHL-sent check for $9800. This unexpected gift was generously delivered in lieu of formal documentation required for fulfilling orders (invoice, etc.). “Hey, wait a minute - this is less than the total cost of goods!” I suspiciously replied. “No problem”, my buyer confidently replied, “Just send us 60 hard drives and let’s call it a day.” I called the issuing bank - a large multinational you’ve heard of - and they confirmed the validity of the check. With a freshly minted $9800 in the bank I shipped the goods and waited for the next order...until the issuing bank decided that the check, after all, was not as pure as it first seemed, and had been stolen from a Utah (yes, Utah) ski resort’s payroll. Two months of fighting with the bank and I managed to squeeze out a profit. A few embarrassed phone calls to friendly competitors revealed similar experiences.

Moral: Don’t cash any check, don’t accept any credit card. Bank Wire or Letter of Credit is the only way to go with this dodgy fellow.

[vintagedge]

We have also had multiple requests from Lagos, Nigeria (what is it with that place anyway). The requests were the same sort of thing - dozens of t-shirts (which we do sell) and a few PC's and monitors (which we definitely do not sell). Credit card numbers were authorized, but I felt very uncomfortable and talked with my bank about our potential liability if the credit card turned out to be stolen, etc. My bank's advice: when doing business internationally you have very little recourse and will probably be out the money if, in fact, the credit card is stolen. Do not ship any product (especially to Lagos, Nigeria) without a wire transfer. That is the only way to make sure that you actually have the funds in your account.

We just received two more of these requests yesterday. Now we just respond to the e-mail that we require a wire transfer of funds prior to shipping and we never hear from them again.

Karen
www.vintagedge.com

[Pilfo]

After doing a lot of research on this subject, we concluded that it was indeed a scam! We decided to play along and have a bit of fun!

We emailed the store owner and informed them that our bankers were well aware of all Nigerian scams, and that they would not process any cheques or bankers drafts that originated from Nigeria.

We suggested that if they were still serious about the purchases that they send us cash in Sterling GBP.

Nothing was heard for two days, and so we emailed them back and informed them that their order was now ready for despatch. We asked for the full amount in cash to be sent by them, and received by us, before any of the goods would be despatched.

Lo and behold, they have now asked us for the address to send the cash to!!

[smakyyy]

It is a scam pure and simple - i have dealth with a few nigerians and they are called 419 scams - (419 being the penal code relating to cheating) dont touch them with a tem foot pole

[r1csm1th]

We had exactly the same problem. The cheques that they send are fraud. Please beware that if a fraudulent cheque is entered into your bank account for large amounts you bank account will be frozen pending investigation. Hence 5 business days downtime whilst police investigations continued. The cheque looks legitimate but never is.

Richard

[madicomputers]

Lo and behold, they have now asked us for the address to send the cash to!!

I’d love to hear the conclusion to this story - a proposed cash advance is unknown in these waters. By all means, have fun yanking their chain.

[Pilfo]

We have told the store owner, that the money should be sent to an address that will be given to them. (Unfortunately, they do have our Company name)

We also informed them that all the notes would be checked by customs officials and our bankers for authenticity.

They have since asked us for the address to forward the cash to!!

We have not replied back...and have not heard from them either!

Pilfo

[Pilfo]

Whoops! Help!! We have just this minute received this reply:-


ADDRESS OR BANK TO WIRE TRANSFER THE MONEY IMMEDIATELY???
THANKS,

THANKS FOR YOUR LAST MAIL AND I AM SORRY FOR THE SHORT DELAY IN SENDING THE MONEY I WILL JUST WANT YOU TO KINDLY SEND THE BACK THE ADDRESS TO DIRECT THE MONEY TO THE BANK I WILL WIRE THE MONEY TO IMMEDIATELY SO THAT I CAN SEND DOWN THE MONEY IMMEDIATELY PLEASE ASSIST ME WITH THE ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY.
AWAITING THE ADDRESS OR THE BANK TO WIRE TRANSFER THE MONEY TO IMMEDIATELY?

THANKS,
JANET STOMMY.

Kind regards

Pilfo

[patkhan]

Please note that Nigeria does not have credit card facilities yet.With the level of fraud our brothers in diaspora have involved themselves in,we are afraid of transacting genuine business with other nations.
I wish to inform you that there are millions of Nigerians out there that are very clean to transact business with but how do u identify them? The few crooks have spoiled the image of the Nigerian nation!!!
We call them -419

[Pilfo]

Not having transacted by wire before, if we were to call their bluff and give bank details as requested, would this give access to the account?

Pilfo

[patkhan]

Please note that those who get involved in scams dont have any account.Asking them to wire in their accounts will amount to getting other innocent souls accounts being sent without the owners knowledge.That is the height of the 419 scam business!!!!!!!!!!

[mushroom]

Not having transacted by wire before, if we were to call their bluff and give bank details as requested, would this give access to the account?

Pilfo

I would play it safe and set up an account to recieve wire transfers (only that). Minmize your expossure.

[madicomputers]

Again, I am 99.9% sure that this is a complete hoax. Patkhan raises an interesting theory - can thieves gain access to others’ bank accounts and make an unauthorized wire transfer to your account? As opposed to simply receiving a easy-to-spot fake check, this method of payment is harder to detect because the sender’s fingerprints are literally absent. This is quite worrisome!

When you send your bank information it should look something like this:

A/C 12345678
ABA: 123456789

This prevents access to your account by any third party.

I'd also like to throw in my two cents regarding Nigeria and West Africa in general. These scams, with good reason, taint the region as corrupt, and in many cases this is correct. However there are diamonds in the rough who will go the extra mile to insure sellers' interests are protected. We have worked with a distributor in Nigeria who arranges financing through the Export/Import Bank in the United States demonstrate his creditworthiness. Nigeria in particular is home to several American multinationals due to their rich oil reserves. Their government continues to be infected with favoritism and corruption but compared to years past it is relatively stable. Scams are an awful way to spend valuable time best spent pursuing other potential leads but occasionally your efforts will be rewarded with wider price margins and a large helping of gratitude.

[armco]

I would just like to vent and shed some light on these little scams. I was also was scammed by these crooks a little over a year ago.

On four occasions I had the delight of opening airmail letters containing actual checks ranging from 4,000.00 to 25,860.00. These checks, as I would find out later, were never intended for me or my business in the first place.

Have you ever gotten one of those airmail letters from a kid in Africa asking for help to feed his family or help with schooling? The letters appear to be written by a kid, but they are designed to really tug at your heart to get you to send them money.

These letters are the first part of the scam. They get innocent people to send money that they think is going to help these poor people of Africa.

Then when the check arrives in Africa, it is chemically washed to remove the pen ink, but not the printed ink on the paper. I have also found out that this "washing" can be done with average kitchen chemicals - so this is not a real hi-tech operation.

Then for the second part they send emails soliciting large orders of products needed "URGENTLY". They ask how soon can they be sent and they need it to be sent by air. Shipping cost is not important. Just send it. Then they bug you everyday asking if it has been sent, on and on. They are just hoping that you will send it right away and that they will get it before you or your bank figure out that the check is bogus.

The numbers have gone down in the last six to eight months, but I was getting at least three or four of these offers a week for a while.

I do have fun with them now and string them along for as far as I can trying to get them to send me a check again.

With the exception of the first check, which did make it through the system without being caught, all of the other checks have been returned to their rightful owners.

[Pilfo]

Having played along and had our bit of fun, we have informed them that we knew all along about the scam.

We also told them that they were known scammers, and were under investigation by the authorities.

Many thanks for everybodys input.

Pilfo

[Pilfo]

This appears to have done the trick, as we have not heard any more. For your info, this is what we wrote in our last email to Janet Stommy.

"The regulatory authorities and our bankers, who have been investigating your emails over time, have concluded that your requests for these orders are not genuine.

They have also looked at the alleged business name and address, along with the credit card details and the billing address that you gave, and have informed us that they are all false.

Consequently, they have advised us not to do any further business with you."

Best regards
Pilfo

[Pilfo]

Definitely the way to go!

This method of communication has, without a doubt, frightened those scammers off.

They have not been back in touch since.

Pilfo

[madicomputers]

"The regulatory authorities and our bankers, who have been investigating your emails over time, have concluded that your requests for these orders are not genuine.

They have also looked at the alleged business name and address, along with the credit card details and the billing address that you gave, and have informed us that they are all false.

Consequently, they have advised us not to do any further business with you."


Very well-written!

What are the chances that the perpetrators have found new potential victims? Very high, unfortunately.