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Scam alert

Red flags and examples of fraudulent orders

 

 

 Red flags for fraud

  • Orders through relay operator for the hearing impaired 
  • Email orders with numerous typos and grammatical problems
  • Orders for large quantities of standard glass sizes 
  • Orders that require long-distance shipping
  • Orders that request use of a shipping company chosen only by the customer 
  • Orders paid for with a check written out for more than the cost of the product 
  • Orders paid for with a credit card that has a different billing address than the shipping address
  • Orders from a Gmail, Yahoo or other free email account

Scammers continue to target the glass industry with fraudulent orders that could cost companies thousands of dollars, if not caught in time. The best protection for glass shops is education and being able to identify the red flags for fraud.

Names to watch

The following names of companies and foundations have appeared in fraudulent orders sent to Glass Magazine by business owners hit by scammers. Watch for these names to protect your company.

Delivery companies: Agc Delivery International, CARGO TRUST Shipping Freight Co., Imesh Express Shipping Company, Mamara Shipping Company, Merchant Line Freight Services, Mobo Shipping Company, OX DIRECT SHIPPERS.

Foundations: Fun Lin Foundation, Joy Lin Foundation

Report scams

Report ordering scams to your local Federal Bureau of Investigation field office or to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a partnership between the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Scam emails

Read examples of fraudulent glass orders below to help you identify scammers. E-mail kdevlin@glass.org if you have been contacted by scammers and would like to share your story.

Example one: Clear glass for a church in Ghana through Agc Delivery International.

Example two: Table-top glass for a ministry in Hawaii.

Example three: Shipping to Ghana through CARGO TRUST Shipping Freight Co.

Example four: Urgent order with many typos.

Example five: 1/8-inch glass to Ghana through OX DIRECT SHIPPERS.

Example six: In the printing industry, flyers to a church in Ghana.

Example seven: Ice cream carts for Ghana, through AGC Delivery.


Example one (five seperate e-mails)
HELLO SIR/MADAM,
AM JAMES SIZEMORE AND WILL LIKE TO PURCHASE SOME CLEAR GLASS FROM YOUR SHOP AND I NEED CLEAR GLASS WITH SIZE 40 X 40 1/8 FOR THE THICKNESS AND WILL LIKE YOU TO EMAIL ME WITH THE PRICE FOR IT AND ALSO WANT TO KNOW IF YOU ACCEPT CREDIT CARD AS A METHOD OF PAYMENT.
BEST REGARDS.
JAMES SIZEMORE

HELLO XXXX,
I NEED A TEMPERED GLASS AND I NEED IT RO BE CLEAR AND WILL LIKE YOU TO EMAIL ME WITH THE PRICE FOR IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

I WILL LIKE TO PURCHASE 50 PCS OF THE GLASS AND WILL LIKE YOU TO GET BACK TO ME WITH THE TOTAL PRICE FOR IT.

Hello XXXX,
Thank you for your email, I will like to recommend you to Agc Delivery International for the shipping of the glass to my church branch in Ghana and i will like you to email them with the total weight of the glass together with the pick up and delivery address , so that they can get you the shipping cost. below is my branch address:
101 Goodwill St
Accra,Ghana,00233
The contact email to agc delivery international is agcdelivery@live.com and i will like you to go ahead and contact them now, so that i can provide you with my credit card for you to bill it for the total amount of the glass together with the shipping cost.
Best Regards.
James Sizemore

AM FROM CONNECTTICUT AND THE ONLY METHOD OF PAYMENT I CAN PROVIDE YOU AS AT NOW IS MY CREDIT CARD FOR YOU TO BILL IT FOR THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE GLASS.

Example two
Good day,i just spoke with on the phone right now,I urgently want to order Table Top glasses.The glasses is going to a church ministry in Hawaii,I will handle the shipping aspect so i want you to email me with the total cost plus tax for them.Below is the size and weight.
Name of product:Table top Glass
Size :30 x 30
Thickness : 1/4" with polished edges
Quantity :100
Also i want to know the Method of Payment that you accept?I can email you with my credit card information to complete the full payment of the order. Please i want you to let me know if you are ready for my Payment information so that i can get back to you?I will like you to find out and please let me know the total cost of it inluding taxes to Hawaii. so that i will get back to you,because thats where the church ministry is,I will arrange with a shipping company to pick up when is ready is for Shipping.I will be looking forward for your email ASAP.
Thank you very much and talk to you soon.
Best Regards
Shirley

Example three
Hello,
Thanks for the Estimated Pricing On The Glass and Am Much
Interested In Purchasing the Glass.However, I Would Like Us to Proceed
to Order Pick Up and Shipment Arrangement with Cargo Trust Shipping
Freight Co .I Will Like You to Send an E-amil Via
cargotrustshippingco68@gmail.com to CARGO TRUST Shipping Freight Co
with the quatity of the Glass, Size, Dimension and As wel As the Pick Up
Location of the Glass.Then Ask then The Shipping Cost Via This
Delivering Address Below .

xxx SpareWay Ave
Accra - Ghana
00233 .
West - Africa .

I have Already Talked to them concernintg this Arrangment and Do e-mail
me back with the Shipping Cost Plux the Glass Cost when you receive a
Reply from them for me to give you My Credit Card for the Payment for
shipping. Best Regards and Hope to Hear from You Soonest.Thank You
Thank You
Mr. Mike Taylor

Example four
I want to know if you cut or can Order Glass for me To Pick Up from your Store?Let me know if this my Urgent Order can be taken care of to proceed from there now.I need 60 pcs of π" glass, 30" X 30" with polished edges.Go ahead and get back to me with the total cost with sales tax.What major forms of payment do you accept ?.When do you think you can have this ready after payment today ?.Thank you very much and hope to hear from you soon.

Thank You.

Example five
From: john billing
Subject: Glass
Hello,
My Name Is John And I Emailed You Regarding An Order Of Glass And I Will Like You To Get Me With The The Size 30 by 30 1/8 Thickness Clear Glass.And i need 100 Quantities of them so i want you to mail me With The Total Price Plus Tax On That And Also The Method Of Payment You Accept...Thanks ones again and hope to hearing from you soon?
Best Regards,
John
Creative Innovation Company
__________________________________
John,
To ensure i have this correct, you need.
Clear Plate glass. 30" x 30" 1/8" thick?
Quantity of 100?

Do you need the glass tempered or safety?
Do you need a polish on the edges?
Do you need any etching done on the glass?
If I may ask, what will you be using the glass for?
Sincerely
XXXXX
________________________________________
Hello XXXXX ,
Thank You Very Much And Am Glad You Have Reply Back To This Email.Well I Need The Glass To Be Safety And The Edges Should Be Polished And No Etching Should Be Done On The Glass.Also I Will Like You To Know That I Will Be Coming For The Picked Up.So Advise And Get Back To Me With The Quote.Waiting To Here Back From You Soon..
Regards
John
________________________________________
Hi John,
For this quote,
The glass will be 1/8" thick
Each glass will be 30" x 30"
Edges will be flat polished
Glass will be tempered
Quantity of 100.
Total cost of the job is $3188.49 plus tax
Due to the size of the job, we will require $2500 up front before glass is ordered. Lead time will be 5-7 business days.

Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
XXXXX
________________________________________
Hello XXXXX,
It was nice speaking to u and once again i do appreciate your business.I just had a call From my doctor and he said that my wife is in labour so i have to be with her at the moment .Due to that i will not be able to schedule the pick up at my end. I want you to do me a favor by contacting a shipping company which i recommended and find out the cost for shipment.The merchandise will be shipped to my new company under construction and as soon as u heard back from them with the cost for shipping, you can email me back asap so that i will make the payment altogether.
Here is the Shipping address below.
Mr.Joe Freeman
32 Trasaco Valley
City Accra
Country Ghana
Kindly go ahead and contact OX DIRECT SHIPPERS with the pick up location and delivery address as well as the dimensions of the merchandise and find out the cost for shipment.It is a good broker and they ship worldwide.I have been using them for sometime because their service is very good and they always give a good satisfaction to their customers.After you schedule the pick up with the shipping company, i will email you my credit card information for you to run for the cost of the shipping and total payment of the order as well .
Here is their email address oxdirect_Worldwide@yahoo.com Or oxdirect.Worldwide@gmail.com Kindly email them Momentarily and get the cost for shipment.

Thanks for your Patience.
John
________________________________________
Hi John,
Thank you for your email. The glass you are asking for is not unique and should be no problem to find at a local source. As a rule, we only do business with companies in the state of Arizona. I would recommend you find a local source or a source closer to the home country you are in and purchase the glass there.
I wish you the best of luck with your new born and your new company.
Sincerely

Example six
From: Chris White [mailto:c_white90@yahoo.com]
Subject: Re: Print quote
Hello Sir,
Thank you for your email, I will like to recommend you to Agc
Delivery International for the shipping of the flyers to my church branch
in Ghana and i will like you to email them with the total weight of the
flyers together with the pick up and delivery address , so that they can
get you the shipping cost. below is my branch address:

Pentecoastal Church Gh.
101 Goodwill St
Accra,Ghana,00233

The contact email to agc delivery international is agcdelivery@live.com and
i will like you to go ahead and contact them now, so that i can provide you
with my credit card for you to bill it for the total amount of the flyers
together with the shipping cost.


Best Regards.
Chris

Example seven
From: Brian Moore [mailto:brian61k@yahoo.com]
Dear Sir/Madam,
Am mr.Brian Moore and i will like to make a purchase of your Ice Cream Cart and if it happens you have it instock,then get back to me with the types and sizes and price list for them and if it happen you don't have it you can get back to me in what you deal in and maybe i can be of interest also advise the major credit cards you accept so we can proceed...Thanks and Kind Regards.
Mr.Brian Moore
________________________________________
Hi Brian,
Thank you for your interest in XXXXX!
We do have several of the push carts available and they come in a few color combinations, so it may be better if you call me back so I am able to tell you exactly what is available and in what color - if this is important to you.

You can call me at 801 266 9199 - MST
Thanks
XXXXXX
________________________________
Thank you for your email and all information,i would like you to get back to me with the total cost of 3pcs for 4 cubic foot cart which holds about 400 ice cream bars include tax without a freight cost and also major credit cards you accept so we can proceed...Thanks and Kind Regards.
Mr.Brian Moore.
________________________________

Hi Brian,
The total cost for three (3) push carts with a capacity of 4 cu ft will cost you (after allowing you a 10% discount on the purchase of 3 carts) $1080 x 3 = $3240. The shipping would of course be added to this figure. We take Master Card, Visa and Discover and I can take that card over the phone - not over emails! My phone is 801 266 9199.
Thank you and I look forward to assisting you in the purchase of your three push carts. If you have a color preference, let me know of this as well.
XXXXX
________________________________
Hello XXXXX,
Thank you for your email, I will like to recommend you to Agc Delivery International for the shipping of the unit to my branch in Ghana and i will like you to email them with the total weight of the Flyers together with the pick up and delivery address , So that they can get you the shipping cost. below is my branch address:
Fun Lin Foundation
101 Goodwill St
Accra,Ghana,00233
The contact email to agc delivery international is agcdelivery@live.com and i will like you to go ahead and contact them now, so that i can provide you with my credit card for you to bill it for the total amount of the unit together with the shipping cost.
Best Regards.
Mr.Brian Moore