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How The Scam Works

 

 

 

Print Quotation Scam - How the printing scam works

1. You receive an e-mail job quotation request.

2. You respond with a quotation or seek more information - contact is established - some artwork is supplied (see sample below).

3. Your quote will be accepted. Notice in our case, no quote was provided, but the job was awarded without any costs being provided.

4. Contact details including a US city, local address, phone numbers and credit card details for your use when the order is completed will be provided.

5. Having established a "relationship" with you, a request follows for you to transfer freight costs for job delivery in Africa via a currency transfer service and to include this cost with your invoice on completion. The request may be justified in many innovative ways designed to convince you that it is warranted. The freight costs will be quoted around $10,000.

6. (If) you pay - the scam is complete.

Still don't get how it works?

The scammer is going to forward you a check (or credit card details) to pay for the product they order. The check will be for more than the cost of the product to cover "shipping costs". If they use a credit card for payment, they will tell you to charge additional monies to cover the "shipping costs".

The check will often be from a legitimate company, account, etc., as this is often where some of that stolen identity ends up. The credit card number will be valid as well. However, the credit card company will charge credit card charges back to the vendor when the owner disputes the item, finding out then that his credit card number has been stolen. The credit card company insurance may ultimately pay, but don't count on it.

Once you receive "payment" from the scammer, you are to immediately send via Western Union, money to "their" shipper for the shipping charges, since they need to arrange to get the product, and will want to use their shipping company. (They are not going to pick up your items - so don't wait around for them)

You will be heavily pressured not to wait for the funds to clear if it's a check. You can read the following Craigslist example, as a computer guy plays with a scammer, leading the scammer to become very insistent and angry. Craigslist Computer Services Scam. It's the same scam in a different form.

Of course, if they paid by check the check will bounce, credit card charges will be disputed and charged back, and you will get hit with bank fees or worse, meanwhile, the real money you sent via Western Union to their "very trusted shipper" for shipping charges is now gone from your account.

You are now out the Western Union money because sending it is the same as cash, as well as whatever you spent in producing what they ordered.

The scam is complete. You have a pile of merchandise setting on your dock that will not be picked up, and the scammer has pocketed whatever you sent for shipping costs.

Sample E-mail Below:

Actual Artwork & E-mail Received From Scammer - A scammer filled out our online contact form with the following information. Through some Google Analytics research, we've determined that our scammer originated from Accra, Ghana. Further, a search of Dave Weliam shows this name used in multiple scams from the construction to printing industry. Click on the image to the left to see full size pdf.

name = Dave Weliam phone = 2062020374 e-mail = dave.weliam@yahoo.com comments = Good Day Can you please quote me on printing 60,000 copies of Flyers with the following specs. 1. measures 8.5' x 11' 2. 80# Gloss Text 3. Full color Please provide quote on 60,000 copies. I hope to hear from you Dave Weliam Below is the follow up e-mail from the scammer. (Notice the broken English) "Well am glad to see your reply, attached is the file for printing let me know how soon can it be ready for pick-up at your location so that i can proceed? Thanks and hope to read from you soon"

Other copy of typical first contact correspondence

Dear Sir/Madam, My name is Eric Lemert and am interested in purchasing Flyers which i want to donate to a Church .I am lookong for 40,000 pieces of the Flyers with the size 8.5"x11 in full paper and i want you to do the art work in the atachment with a Red ink and with a doubles sided on the Flyers and the colour should be white paper .I want you to print them on both side ..I want you to send me an e-mail and let me know if you can get them for me and also get me the total cost including Tax and i am going to handle the Shipping myself .Also let me know how you accept your payment before we proceed with the order .I also need your full name and phone number so that i can give you a call when necessary .

Do not hesitate to contact me back regarding this order .I will be wating for your soonest response .Thank you .. Best regards,Eric Lemert

Fax 510-373-6010*Unit 2, 154- 164 Renwick St Marrickville NSW 2204

Copy of typical freight pre-payment excuse

It was nice doing business with u and i do appreciate it.I just had an e-mail from UK that my wife was about to give birth to my baby , So i should be there. .Due to that i will not be able to schedule the pick up at my end. . I want you to do me a favour by contacting a shipping company which i recommended and find out the cost for shipment.The mechandise will be shipped to my church in Ghana and as soon as u heard back from them with the cost for shipping, you can e-mail me back asap so that i will make the payment altogether.

Here is the Shipping address below.

Mr.Johnson Cooperation.
32 Trasaco Valley
City Accra
Country Ghana

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