E-mail/Internet Business Scam

A week ago I received the following e-mail: “I am interested in purchasing some of your products. I will like to know if you can ship directly to Australia, I also want you to know my mode of payment for this order is via credit card. Get back to me if you can ship to that destination and also if you accept the payment type I indicated.” There was an e-mail signature with a name, an address in Australia, and phone number.

While the language reminded me of the Nigerian scams we all have received, the signature did give a modicum of legitimacy to the request.

As we have several products spread across more than one web site, I wrote back inquiring as to what product he wanted to purchase. He responded with the stock numbers of two lamps and asked for a price quote including shipping charges. My quote was for a total of $300 plus a UPS shipping charge of$250 – so I thought that would be the end of it. Not so. He was just beginning to pay out the fishing line, as his next e-mail asked for a quote for 10 lamps plus shipping. Total quote: $2,000. I knew in my heart this was a scam but just did not know where it was going so I continued to play along.

The baited hook was dropped in his next e-mail. In a lengthy paragraph he explained he would use his own shipping agent, so he proposed paying $1500 for the lamps, paying us $650 for shipping charges, and paying us $100 for handling payment to his shipping agent. Upon agreement he would provide credit card information, I would immediately charge the entire amount on the credit card (even though he knew that completing the order would take four weeks), and send $650 via Western Union to the not-yet-named shipping agent. Aha!

Realizing it was a scam, it took a bit of thought to understand how the scam works and how the “Australian” would benefit. Then it dawned on me that he would be using a stolen credit card and if I went along with the scam he would be richer by $650 from money laundered from the stolen card. I wonder how many other company waters he trolled and how many fish he caught!

The Internet is a marvelous tool for commerce – and fraud.

Will Limkemann
www.siqualtd.com