This is a Scam Warning to all Website Developers and Marketers out there.
I have been trailing the effect of free advertising methods. It was through Gumtree.com.au that I received a response from my Ad. I have nothing against Gumtree it has been great usually. It went like this;
The fellow used a gmail address
Email response from the Ad.
Hello,
Thanks for getting back to me Here is the job details,
I work with Royal Australia Navy and right now I'm on sea. I will be back home by next month so this is the best way we can communicate and i want the work done before i will be back onshore.
I have small scale business which i want to turn into large scale business now it located in.... and the company is based on importing and exporting of Red Wine products such as Kola Nut, Gacillia Nut and Cocoa so i need a best of the best layout design for it. Can you handle that for me ?. so i need you to check out this site but i need something more perfect than this if its possible . http://www.agroamerica.com..
Note:
1. I want the same number of pages with the example site i gave you to check excluding videos and blogs.
2. I want only English language
3. I don't have a domain yet but i want the domain name as TNtopfarmproduce.com.au
4. you will be updating the site for me.
5. i will be proving the images, logos and content for the site.
6. i want the site up and running before ending of next month.
Kindly get back to me with:
(1) an estimate
(2) And will like to know if you are the owner ??
Regards.
I thought great. Even though the English was not that great and he said he was from the NAVY I thought I would pursue it. So I sent back a figure regarding a package I am promoting with the exception that I always request an ABN (Australian Business Number). I require a deposit and this info before I start. This was his response,
Thanks for your response,
I am okay with the estimate everything sound good and do let me know if you are ready to take payment now with my credit card, I understand the content for this site would be needed so work can start asap but i will need a Little favor from you, there is this barrier bordering me that I will want you help me about. I am finding it difficult to pay the project consultant because they don't have credit card facilities for payment and due to my present status beyond my reasonable control, It wont be convenient for me to pay via other method that is why i want you to assist me.
I have intended paying you an upfront payment of which you can add to $4550.00,so that you can have all the sum charged on my credit card and you will have the $4550.00 transfer to the project consultant that has the text content and the logo for my website so once he receive the $4550.00 he would send the text content and logo needed for my website to you so work can start asap,You will be charging my card for remaining balance upon completion of work.
I will await now your positive response about this and I hope you well understand me by putting my condition into consideration.i am sorry however it cause you inconvenience.
Regards
Ok. Now I was a little confused. So I went down the road of telling him to open his own PayPal account where he can accept Credit Card Payments. I told him I felt uncomfortable and this is not the way I do business. I also pressed him for an ABN.
His Response,
Hello,
Thanks for your swift response,
My project consultant did not have a PayPal account and also I owe him the sum of $4550, about the ABN it's a small scale business I wanted to enlarge to a large scale as I have stated earlier so I'm just working towards to the ABN because I really wanted to give my business a rapid development by internet advertisement that's why I need a website...I will like to know if I can forward through my credit card details to process the amount you require for deposit and for the consultant in order to start the web development and to secure booking.
Regards
I spoke to my business partner about it and he sad it sounded really dodgy.
I responded by making him wait 24hrs and to provide details of the other fellow that needed the funds. His response,
Hi,
I could have paid him directly Buh he has a little problem surfacing is account which is yet to be rectified moreover about the ABN am just processing it, I want a rapid development about my business that's why I want everything to be done asap.
I await your positive response about these.
Best Regards
I pressed him for an acknowledgement from the Australian Business Register for an email he could show me in regards to his ABN.
His response,
Thanks for your response,
Am yet to see the invoice.
Regards
I told him the invoice has been cancelled.
So he did not send me an acknowledgement for the ABN and he did not send me any details for his 'project manager'. I researched some of the products he was promoting and sure enough on the second one a 'Scam Alert' came up showing me exactly what he had sent me.
Apparently the scammer deposits too much money into your account and then asks for you to return the money. They ask you to deposit it into another bank account and are able to access your bank details through this process. My partner tells me this is money laundering.
So be careful out there. Stick to your policies and stay safe.
You are welcome to leave a comment. Share any other experiences so we can all keep these people at bay.
