What I thought was legit when it started...

I received an email at work about a week ago from a customer who was looking to purchase some shutters from our company, gave details such as measurements, style, etc., looked legit so I responded with pricing. As the email trail grew, I started to become suspicious...they want the shutters shipped to Ghana...started googling and I now believe it is a scam. Has anyone heard of this one? I think they make their money on the shipping (which they ask you to prepay by WU), then they give you bad or stolen credit card numbers...How can we make them stop? They are actually calling the office now...



From: Wills Rodney [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 2:16 PM
To:
Subject: Re: Exterior Shutters Inquiry..


Hello

Thanks you very much for the time and support in regards to the pricing.I will like to proceed on with the payment of the order and i will like you to first of all get the freight charges for the order.I will be making the full payment with my credit card as soon as i can..I am sending the order to Presbyterian Church Orphanage home overseas.I want to recommend a shipping company which i want you to contact with the order information and get the freight charges..As soon as you get that information from them,Kindly email me back with the total cost of the order with the shipping charges so that i can make the full payment for both the order with the shipping to you.Below is the contact details for the shipping company and the delivery address.They require the delivery and pickup address for them to be able to provide a quote.

Contact Details for the Recommended Shipping Company
1.Carrier Name : Sky Way Express Shipping Company
2.Contact Name : Mr Emmanuel Tetteh
3. Email Address: [email protected]

Information Needed to Provide Freight Charges
1. Full pick up location address
2.Size and quantity/weight of the order to be picked up
3. Shipping Or Delivery address

Below is the delivery or shipping address to were the order will be shipped.

Bishop Anthony,
c/o Presbyterian Church Orphanage Home,
23 River Island ,
Accra Ghana 00233,


I will like you to kindly go a heard and contact the shipping company with the needed information and get me the freight charges and as soon as that is received get back to me with the totals for us to proceed with the payment as soon as possible best regards.


Thank You.
Rev.Wills Rodney



On 9/9/09, wrote:

Rev. Rodney: Since the Bahama shutters are $850.00 each, 10 shutters will cost you $8,500.00. Delivery time would be approximately two to three weeks from the time we receive your 50% deposit.



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From: Wills Rodney [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 11:39 AM
To:
Subject: Re: Exterior Shutters Inquiry..



Hello

Thank you very much for your time and concern with me regarding this order and i do much appreciate doing business with you.Due to this i will like you to re quote me 10 shutters not 40 shutters and let me know when i can have them ready for picked up so that we will proceed on with the order.Your soonest responds will be appreciated...Please Advised.

Thank You.
Rev.Wills Rodney




On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 5:42 AM, wrote:

Rev. Rodney: The Bahama shutters in the size you have indicated would cost $850.00 each; 40 shutters would be $34,000.00. These would be metal, hurricane-rated shutters built to South Florida building code standard. As I indicated below, we do not carry or manufacture any type of decorative shutters; we work only with hurricane rated shutters. Are you in the South Florida area? We have a showroom on the premises where you could view what the shutters look like.



We would need a 50% deposit to begin manufacturing and accept checks and credit cards (MasterCard or Visa). Let me know if you would like to proceed.



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From: Wills Rodney [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 4:23 PM
To:
Subject: Re: Exterior Shutters Inquiry..



Hello

Thank you very much for your email responds back,I want you to email me back with the total Pick up Price Excluding shipping on Bahama shutter, 40" wide x 76" long, with Quality constructed of 3/4" thick louvers dovetailed into a 1 inch thick frame 2 inches wide.I need 40 pairs,And also let me know the type of payment you accept so that we can proceed on with the order.Hope to see your responds soon

Best Regards
Rev.Wills Rodney




On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 12:14 PM, wrote:

Rev. Rodney: We do not carry any type of wooden shutters, only metal ones. My production manager suggested you contact Home Depot. Sorry we cannot be of assistance.



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From: Wills Rodney [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 11:45 AM
To:
Subject: Re: Exterior Shutters Inquiry..



Hello

Thank you very much for your email responds back,Yes i need the decorative wood exterior colonial-style shutters,So go ahead and email me with the type and sizes you have instock so that we can proceed on with the order.Hope to see your responds soon

Best Regards
Rev.Wills Rodney



On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 6:28 AM, wrote:

Rev. Rodney: We are somewhat confused about your inquiry. Are you looking for hurricane shutters, or decorative wood exterior colonial-style shutters?



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From: Wills Rodney [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 7:03 PM
To:
Subject: Exterior Shutters Inquiry..



Good day,

My name is Rev.Wills Rodney,i want to make a Special inquiry of some exterior shutters,I want you to email me back with the total Pick up Price Excluding shipping on 12" Wide Cedar Cottage Design Exterior Shutter Pair and i need 60 pieces..kindly email me with a total the picked up price for this sizes and if you don't have this size or type available kindly email me with the sizes you have available. I will like to know the terms or forms of payment you accept Kindly respond to me as soon as possible for us to proceed further with the order. Please Advise.

Thank You.
Rev.Wills Rodney

Welcome to Scamwarners Hurricane.

A definite scam.

Please note this site;

http://glassmagazine.blogspot.com/2009/01/warning-fake-shipping-company-scam.html

This scammer will soon give up if you cease contact.

Also see this guide here http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6

If you have any questions or concerns please post and a support team member will be happy to help you.

Thanks for the websites, Enchantress. I had no idea this was going on, at least not in the volume it appears to be. Glad I checked it out before going further. (I kept wondering why in the world an orphanage in Africa would want to buy hurricane shutters...)

Of course, if you're providing custom built items, then scams like this can put a small company into liquidation.

I recall a company speaking to me, before I retired from working in a bank, and when the owner realised that the order he had received was a scam, he was devastated to think that it would have shut down his company and put everyone out of a job.

On Monday, I set up a block against their incoming emails, and they haven't called by phone again until today. According to AT&T, they know of no way to block incoming international calls. Can anyone out there help?

I would ask him to hold on while you go and fetch the file.

Then go and make a coffee and put the radio on and whistle along to the tune so that he can hear.

To a scammer, the credit in his phone is very valuable and he won't spend it on someone who enjoys making him waste it. The less phone credit he has, the fewer people he can scam.

He'll go away and make a note never to call you.