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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 22, 2009 12:04:17 GMT -5
Yesterday there was a spam message about rock from Africa. I had what I think was an interesting experience about a year ago. I had an e-mail from a guy asking or a price on an Ameritool unit. I answered the prices are on my website. He answered back wanting a special price on three DP Titans. He gave his name as Reverend somebody and an address in the US. When I gave him a quote with shipping he said it needed to b shipped to his recently deceased brother's church school in an African country. He wanted me to contact a shipping company he gave me to have them quote me shipping. We went round and round with Africa needing 230 volt units so higher price and DP handling shipping throuh a freight company, etc. He gave me 3 credit card number and said "charge it now!". I e-mailed back to see if he meant 1/3 on each card? The next day he called to see why I had not charged those cards? Apparently he didn't get my e-mail. He then e-mailed two different numbers the first one was rejected so I didn't try the other. I e-mailed him about the rejection and e gave me 3 different card numbers. I may be slow but realized this whole thing was beginning to smell. I called my merchant service provider and they said don't even think about it. There is so much credit card fraud with various African countries they advised against ANY TRANSACTIONS UNLESS I PERSONALLY KNEW THE CUSTOMER. I reported the "Reverend" to the FBI Internet Fraud Division and was told fraud like I was reporting was very common. Sorry for the long story but the guy's spam yesterday made me very nervous. If you want to buy African products buy from a reputable American supplier (or a suppler in whatever country you live in). You may pay more but let him find the reputable source and worry about getting it to you. I have a friend that imports pallets of rock from all over the world. I'd much rather pick through the best of it, pay a fair price and avoid the stress.
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docharber
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2008
Posts: 693
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Post by docharber on Mar 22, 2009 18:50:20 GMT -5
Most l;ikely Nigerian. They're notorious for fraudulent practices. Wouldn't it nbe neat to have an ID number embedded in every computer message identifying the machine and the location from which it was networking? Good way to deny access to criminals.
Mark H.
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 22, 2009 19:49:53 GMT -5
Actually, it was Accra-Ghana, West Africa. I've become pretty good at spotting probable frauds since. They usually use obviously English not their first language but always an American address in first contact. They ask for a price on something but it is apparent they don't know what it is. One recently asked for my price on a lapidary blade (I assume they didn't know they come in many sizes). I answered I sell a variety of blades from 4" to 36". They answered they needed 200 6" blades. And, they said they have their own shipper that would pick up the order. That cinched it for me. That was supposed to appeal to my greed so I would be suckered in. I advised them to contact the manufacturer directly for an order that large. They never bother me again. I could be mistaken I guess but it smells to me. The Ethiopian government swamped all my manufacturers a year or two ago with equipment orders. I'm guessing they had a purchasing agent that solicited bids based on specifications. I usually ask for payment by bank transfer and ship when the funds are in my account if it is someone I don't know. I've heard too many horror stories of companies shipping orders internationally then the customer beats them out of their credit card charge. Most of the rock people we deal with are terrific. We have things stolen from the show table occasionally but by and large people are honest. These fraud attempts are very disturbing to me.
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Post by beefjello on Mar 22, 2009 20:05:53 GMT -5
Thanks for the info and heads up John.
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Post by Bikerrandy on Mar 22, 2009 20:14:08 GMT -5
So I shouldn't order 5 tons of botswanas? ;D
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 22, 2009 20:27:30 GMT -5
The Botswana guy may have been legit. What happens if you order a shipping container of rock from an unknown foreign company, send payment and never get your order? It's a long motorcycle ride to Africa.
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Post by Bikerrandy on Mar 22, 2009 20:32:27 GMT -5
Legit he may just be, but I can get just about anything imaginable from people that I actually know.
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pebblepup
has rocks in the head
Succor Creek Thunder Egg
Member since July 2008
Posts: 515
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Post by pebblepup on Mar 23, 2009 0:27:55 GMT -5
docharber,
" Wouldn't it be neat to have an ID number embedded in every computer message identifying the machine and the location from which it was networking?"
This already exists. In the header (end users rarely see this) of most computer messages there is an IP address that can be traced to the service provider if not the end user. There is also a MAC address that is assigned to the specific modem or network interface card of the computer that the message was sent from. However with a little know-how both of these can be faked (spoofing).
If the correct software is installed web sites can log that information. Even with this information available there is a slim chance of finding who the criminal is if they originates from a foreign country.
I worked with a company a few years ago that had tracking software on their laptops. If a laptop was stolen we could wait until the it was used on the internet and the tracking software would tell us the IP address where it was. Then we subpoenaed the the service provider to find out who owned the account that was used to access the internet with that IP address at the time it was reported. We recovered may laptops this way.
John
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Post by mohs on Mar 23, 2009 0:57:07 GMT -5
I got a job offer that came from Career Builders The offer was to make bank deposits & wire out money for a international organization that operates a housing project for underprivileged working adults I’d get paid 20% for doing this service Good gig So I signed up
The application didn’t want no social security number, credit card number ect… A day or two later after doing some research I figured it was scam. But a check made out to me in the amount of $4200 shows up in the mail Now that’s temptation!
My task was to deposit the money in a bank account then wire out $4100. The balance left over was my fee.
So I deposit it!
Then I wrote the company and told them they were crooks, that the bank manager was on their case and never to contact me again!!! :nono:
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 23, 2009 9:17:08 GMT -5
I believe that is called "money laundering".
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Post by mohs on Mar 23, 2009 10:56:45 GMT -5
I had rocks in my laundry the other morning also
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Post by texaswoodie on Mar 23, 2009 17:06:49 GMT -5
At one time, don't know if it's still there, there was a Nigerian University site that taught Nigerians how to fleece Americans on eBay.
Curt
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Mar 24, 2009 3:02:44 GMT -5
Hi John,
Having worked in Africa over 20 years I wouldnt Buy anthing from there unless I was physicaly there and took the goods out in my luggage
And ---- and I would still be worried if the seller had a brother in the departure Lounge checking outgoing luggage !!!!!!
Jack yorkshire UK
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Post by stonesthatrock on Mar 24, 2009 20:34:25 GMT -5
i had a similiar thing happen to me on craigs list. He was on the east coast and i was selling a flat lap in az. The price of the flat lap was $200. he sent me a check for $300, wanted me to go to wester union, keep out the money he owed me and send the differece to N. Carolina moving co. because he was moving west. Well Ralph immediatly if not sooner said "no your not gonna do that" Being the nice person i am couldn't understand why not. Well to make a long story short, the $3000 check bounced from here to the east. It was a good thing all people involved, ralph, western union and the back and told me they wouldn't let me do it. Whew .
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Post by NatureNut on Mar 24, 2009 20:46:47 GMT -5
Ugh! Anytime I list anything over $100 on Craigslist, never fails, someone with a gmail address asks me if the item is still available. As soon as I respond, I get some version of what Mary Ann got, usually in poor broken English, asking me for my name and address, telling me how they cannot show up but they will mail me a certified check and they will pay me extra for my trouble.... never bit. Now I just answer the initial availability inquiry with a link to the scams page on Craigslist letting them know that I'm on to them.
Read something where some guy always gives them a name and address because it costs them $30 to overnight the certified check out to them and he felt some justice in that.
Jo
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