Some new scams (to me)

[dpd1]

People are getting creative out there... Lately I've been getting stuff where the people seem to be trying to appeal to your your soft side, by claiming that it's for kids, or some sort of educational thing. I've received numerous emails from people who claim to be school kids in Russia over the last couple months, asking if I could send them any promotional materials from my company. The site they're referring to is actually a separate hobby site I have, but apparently they think it's the actual corporation. I believed the first one and simply told them what the deal was, but I've gotten about 5 more since then. Apparently some sort of scam just looking for free stuff or something.

Then the other day I get this personalized email from a lady claiming to be a librarian, and she's thanking me for the info I have on another one of my sites... claiming that she used it to teach her kids. Then she says one of her younger kids found a good page about the subject, and asks me if I can add that to my links page, because that would make him happy. I looked at the page and it's a very basic page of info, but hosted by a sales site with a big banner on the top of the page. I looked up her email and the domain is defunct. Link scam apparently... Some people have no shame.

[Marshall]

Some people have no shame.

I hope you are not just now figuring that out.

But regarding your OP, my one client has recently received several emails similar to what you describe about requesting promotional sample, well actually samples, in quantity no less. I tell her to hit delete.

And last week she got an attempted purchase scam from, of all places, Nigeria. Again, delete.

Marshall

[Wlauzon]

I think that scam first was recorded around 1500 BC or so in ancient Greece. It is nothing more than a variation of a common one in ancient Rome to collect money "to feed the children of dead Roman soldiers".

[dpd1]

Also... For the last 6 months or more, have had some Chinese guy who appears to be operating under an obscure LLC out of Canada, trying to buy multiples of my most popular international item, to send to China. My Spidey senses started tingling when he told me it would be fine if he could "just have his associates come by and pick them up, and ship them back themselves". Oh, you mean like... ship them back in the container with all the other stuff you've collected from North America to send back there and copy? Yeah, I don't think so. I just told him we were out. So a couple months go by and he asks again. Then a couple more months and he asks again. I got the impression that I was just on some list he was going down. Obviously, if these were for an actual client, they would have found a different product to use a long time ago. They're not going to sit there waiting for 6 months. So my suspicions were most likely correct. The funny thing is, that the guy's email bounces. I had to find another email address for him by searching, and he seemed kind of surprised that I found that one. Then when he emailed me months later, he was still using the bad one that nobody can reply to. lol I guess this is why some people need to copy products... They aren't smart enough to make their own.

[Rugles]

"just have his associates come by and pick them up, and ship them back themselves".

That sounds more like the shipping charges scam.

They order the stuff with a stolen credit card. They tell you that they have their own special shipping company. Suddenly when it is time to have the goods picked up, they say that their shipping company wont accept a credit card for the shipment and can you do another charge on the credit card and Western Union the money to the shipping company for them.

They never come to get the goods and the CC charges are reversed. You lose the money you Western Union'd to their fantastic shipping company.

[Leosghost]

That's the one..

The 419s pre date the internet..

[dpd1]

The contact info for that one seemed pretty legit. But ironically, I did get one today that looks like the shipping scam...

-----

Hello,
I'm interested in purchasing some items I saw on your site and would
like to know if I could purchase via mail order. I would also like to
know if you accept credit card as payment because that is the only
form of payment I can make right now as I would not be able to make a
bank wire transfer due to some reasons.I am registered with a shipping
agency in Malaysia , which also has representatives across European
countries, so you won't be shipping the items for me but it will be
picked up at your location by this licensed shipping agency. They have
all the appropriate exportation documents and permits, therefore
regarding the shipping of the products,they will come for pick up once
I have made payment. All I need is your cooperation with the shipping
agent. Kindly get back to me so that I can place my orders.My email
address is
-----------

I did a search and these guys are so stupid that they posted the same exact thing in the feedback form of some other company's site. lol

[lucy24]

Autoresponder message #A-721:

"Dear User:

This is in answer to your query re: payment methods. At the present time, our firm can only accept payment in gold bullion delivered to our bank by a licensed courier.

Thank you for your interest."

[dpd1]

lol My favorite line is... "I would not be able to make a bank wire transfer due to some reasons."

Some reasons... lol

[Rugles]

"some reasons" :-)

Yep, they are already setting you up for the shipping scam on that one.

Turning those stolen credit cards numbers into cash without having fence any stolen goods.