Scammer has our location

[fireflyiniowa]

We originally received an email from a scammer who wanted to place a large order from us, saying he was from Minnesota, (next state over) and needed some advertising for an orphanage in Africa. He wanted a quote and wanted us to use his shipper for arrangements to get the product to the orphange. After several suspicious comments we started asking some questions, and found your site. We researched the original email information and do believe now that the entire thing is a scam. We received the email below today in response to our request for his shipper to send us costs. Yesterday, we sent the scammer (we didn't know they were a scammer at the time) an approval for him to sign and fax back, and so they now have our address. We were suppose to send him an invoice for the costs and the include shipping from his shipping contact. Now that they have our address, what course of action would you recommend?




Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:01:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: solomam mensa <geologistics_shippers@yahoo.com>
Subject: shipping costs
To:
X-Modus-Audit: FALSE;0;0;0
X-Modus-BlackList: 98.136.44.46=OK;geologistics_shippers@yahoo.com=OK
X-Modus-RBL: 98.136.44.46=OK
X-Modus-ReverseDNS: OK
X-Modus-SURBL: <multi.surbl.org;black.uribl.com;>=OK
X-Modus-Trusted: 98.136.44.46=NO
X-Yahoo-Newman-Id: 886592.98321.bm@omp407.mail.sp1.yahoo.com
X-Yahoo-Newman-Property: ymail-5
X-YMail-OSG: Ciz9otAVM1lRc0.Om1AcLK6BLg1xjSspCTj.7IWCS5.GLJ7zDzyNqDpyqCtk c7V3S.bFyxHp6UcMjEKWL022gV8UXw--

Dear Customer,

Welcome to Geo Logistics Shipping Service


Thank you for your interest in using Geo Logistics Shipping Service for your shipping needs.We Recognise Them as a Customer,We have worked with them for about 3-4 Years now.

We checked on shipping 2 boxes approximately 36 inches x 12 x 12 inches at 50 pounds each from XXXXXXXXXX to West Africa-Ghana 00233 and the shipping costs is going to be $1,522.00 That includes international airway taxes(I.A.T) , Tarrifs and custom's clearance duties,and This does Not include an Insurance,It takes approximately 7 days for delivery from the day of pick-up.


We specialize in shipping barrels, crates, boxes filled with all kinds of products to the Geo Logistics. It is our pleasure to help you safely ship personal as well as commercial products to the Geo Logistics.

And the shipping company will only schedule the pick up with you but will come to your location to pick up the Order from your location as soon as it is ready instock to be picked up and so the payment has to be prepaid so you need to get payment from the Customer and make the payment to us.


We will also like you to know that for you being the shipper, you are the one supposed to make the payment to us. The only method of payment we accept is via Western Union Money Transfer to our financial manager in the delivery location.


If you wish to proceed with this shipment, we would require that you make the Western Union ( <http://www.westernunion.com/>www.westernunion.com ) payment to our financial manager in your delivery location at the address below:


FINANCIAL MANAGER
Name: Mariam Ali
Address: 38 Shipping Ave.
City: Accra
Country: Ghana
Zipcode: 00233


As soon as funds have been transfered, we will also require that you provide us with the following information below:
1. Sender's Name
2. Total Amount Sent
3. MTCN #
4. Test Question
5.. Test Question Answer


As soon as payment is confirmed by our financial manager in the delivery location we would then contact you to give us a specific date and time for us to come for the pick-up. You can contact us back anytime you need an Insurance or anything.


Note:Our Company Only Accept Payment from the Pick up location to Avoid any Inconvinience and the payment has to be prepayed..The customer will make the payment to you and you will also make the payment to us for the Shipment.Geo Logistics Shipping Service look forward to serving you to your fullest satistfaction.
Thank You
Solomam
Geo Logistics Shipping Service

[John Fairheart]

Now that they have our address, what course of action would you recommend?

Nothing other than stating you "cannot fullfill the order, please do not contact us again". This of course will mean he will immediately start emailing you again, but from that point you simply ignore him. Zero responses.

He's in Africa so there's not a great deal to worry about as these scum simply want money or goods for free. If you simply give him the "talk to the hand" treatment he will eventually leave your business alone.

He may attempt to try ordering again, but you know what to look for now, and of course we are at your disposal for questions.

[Aeval]

I would take exactly the course of action that John recommended.

One addition though - some scammers are really cheeky. You may get communications from them containing claims that they have engaged the services of an attorney, or that they have gotten Law Enforcement involved in the case. It's a safe bet to ignore those missives, as they are sent to you for the sole purpose of scaring you into paying the shipping money.

[MistyDawn]

:oI can not believe that people could be so nasty toward another person.

The advice you have been given is good. I wish for you the best.

Misty

[sagnitz]

HI all. As I am selling my Renault Fuego Turbo worldwide, I do get different mails about shipping, car's condition etc. One "interested buyer" sent a few mails checking about the car when finally agreed to buy, I even did a symbolic 300 euro discount, as the car needed one gearbox pad and had no locks. When this was the reply, our conversation ended:

I got your mail and the contents well understood
we have a certified check which is made out for
the order,but the amount on it is bigger than what you are supposed
to be paid.However,our client has instructed us to carry on with his
check, that means that payment will get to you in certified check of
5,000€ which is a refund payment of a cancelled order earlier
made by my client.So you are required to deduct cost of your car
1500€, when payment gets to you and refund balance 3500€, to
my customer via moneygram or western union international money transfer for him to be
able to offset shipping charges.The remainder 3500€ constitutes a
payment to the buyer agent for fees,charges and compensation relative
to consummating the transportation of the subject vechicle and the
like.After payment has reached you and balance sent back to him,our agent
will come for the pick up and drive to a prepaid shipper to be
shipped to my customer,while title papers and other necessary
documets will be handed over to my agent at the time of pick up.
Please Confirm this and provide Name, Address,Country and Phone Number for
check payment to be delivered to you via courie courier .
Thanks