Just FYI, this just in my email:


Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Rev.Kennis Brown of Christ Baptist Church.I will like to know if you carry Window Glass 30 x 30 1/8 Thickness Tempered instock.I wanna order about 80 pieces and i wanna know the price for one and what will be the price for the total of the 80.
Also i wanna know the type of Credit Card you accept as a method of payments.Don`t hesitate to reply me as soon as possible counting on your Support and co-operation.
Yours Sincerely
Rev.Kennis Brown
kennis_brw@yahoo.com

We have gotten 3 from a richard moore from oklahoma but lives in republic of benin and owns a retail store in london and has a debtor in the us who owes him $3700 and wants me to collect from the debtor and once i collect ,i send the 3700 and glass via fed ex and then he will pay me 3700 + 50 once he receives the order.

Obviously using a Reverand's name to add credibility to scam.

Why do they care to use our industry as a rip off?

More than likely it's happening all over the world in many commodity-type businesses.

Yeah no doubt.. Or it could be a scam, set up on the side by lynx csr's who are secretly plotting to take over the world.... and AGRSS too....

I overheard my office person on the phone on Fri. She was getting frustrated and I decided to listen. When I heard the gist of the conversation, I remembered the website talk and told her I would handle the matter.
When I got on the phone an African accented. Said his name was Jason.He told me he wanted 75- 30X30X1/8 glass. My staff already quoted him $1900. I told him it would be more for crating and he said not to worry the shipping company would pickk it up and handle it.

He gave me his credit card number and wanted me to call a shipper for pick up.

I guess this is the same scam? I left the office to play golf and have not done any follow up. Hasn't anyone run the credit card to see if it works? I probably should follow up more on this, it is still open. Any suggestions?
al

Who would keep 30x30 TEMPERED PIECES IN stock ??????
NOPE DON'T THINK SO. They won't be calling me, it would take a couple weeks top get the glass and I would require 50% down, in cash, first... I don't take credit cards!

I told them in a e mail reply that we only do business face to face and and it would cost $345,000 for 25 of the top moving w/s they guy replied back with a big ok didnt even ask questions just told me his guy would be by Friday to pay and look at the parts before we sent them fed ex . I told him in another reply that he would have to pick them up that we dont ship Fed ex or UPS .He said he would rent a truck to deliver the parts to an airport for shipping.It just gets better. Why contact us instead of PPG or some one like that?

I got another e mail today from the sam eguy rick more.

al: the credit cards are stolen, you would never get paid.

i know it's bogus, but wheres the scam?

The credit card is stolen, number 1. (you won't get paid, it might run through now, but it won't "settle".) YOU will be asked to pay freight charges to a 3rd party (an imaginary business set up to only defraud), that's the scam. Plus if you pay for the glass do you think your vendor will credit your account when you find out you've been screwed?

Although it wasn't glass related, I played along with one of those email scammers once just for ****'s and giggles, here is what happened and what I did. After the series of emails I got a phone call from the guy who also (big surprise) had an African accent, but an American name. As he promised I received via regular mail (not even certified) two certified cashiers checks each for $4,500.00, drawn on a bank in Florida (Florida National) sent in an envelope with an African postmark, getting funny. So I researched the bank online and found out they had been having a rash of counterfeit certified cashiers checks with a link showing what to look for, (as though I didn't already know they weren't real, but they looked real). So the guy calls me and asks if I got the checks,(I'm supposed to cash them keep a percentage, then Western Union the rest to a guy in London) I told him yes, he asks if I have cashed them I told him no, I was going to run them through my account and let them clear, he falls all over himself with reasons why I shouldn't do this. I then inform him that all emails, the checks, and the address of the guy in London have all been forwarded to the FDIC, and the Secret Service...click. Which they were on the advice of the gentleman I spoke with at Florida National Bank. I never heard another word from anyone, I couldn't believe the FDIC or any law enforcement agency didn't want to try an arrange a "sting" by letting me go ahead and send the money, then them pick up the guys on the other end at Western Union in London. I know it wasn't a LARGE amount, but I bet the same guys had pulled it successfully many times before.

where do they benefit?

If your question is directed at me, they benefit when you cash the checks and wire them money, free money for counterfiet checks. Then who ever cashed the check for you, if you were indeed able to find someone to cash it(they did look real)comes after you for the 4500.00 x 2, not to mention your legal problems. They have cleared about 7 to 8 grand after you keep your percentage and pay the WU wire fees.
They've used false names and ID's, and made you responsible for their crimes. You'd be surprised how many desperate people have fallen for this scam.

The reason the scam is so common in our industry is because there are so many shops willing to fall for it. Lack of good business practices, logic, and just plain common sense make our industry a prime target for scams. Some of us get it; we know what a scam smells like and we know how to run a successful business in a competitive market. The glass industry is weakened by a lot of people who make very bad business decisions and who will do almost anything for a dollar. I communicate with a lot of glass companies and over the past year I talked with 2 glass company owners (one with 4 shops and the other with 3) and neither of them even knew what a P&L statement was (that is profit and loss for some of you). How can you run a business and not know where you money is going? These are the kind of guys that are sweet targets for scammers and these are the kind of guys that insurance companies and networks just love.

That's in the top ten stupidest things I ever saw posted on here. If you have time read numerous posts on here and you'll find 99.9% of posters aren't dumb enough to fall for this scam.

I agree that MOST people who post on this site would not fall for such a scam, unfortunately the people who post to or even read this site are a very small percentage of the total glass shops out there. People posting here can rant and rave about the networks and insurance companies all they want and you know what, it isn't going to change a thing. Why? Because only a small percentage of the glass shops are hearing the message.

Just because they aren't "getting the message" doesn't mean they aren't feeling the pain. If you feel pain, you usually know what the source of it is.

Wirehead, please provide evidence of any glass shop falling victim to this con. Otherwisw conject all you like and surmise, but until you prove it's happened I won't believe it. Thanks

GoLouise, Too bad we cant compile a list of email addresses for all the glass shops out there and send them a link to this forum. At least maybe they might be a little more informed.

I had a guy call today wanting 90 30 X 30 window glass. Had a Chinese accent. Could hardly understand him. I point blank told him he was scheemin on people. He hung up. I called back, he answered, then i hung up! what a goof.

Still happening, got the call today. He tried back five times after we hung up. lol lol

Calling from 773 598 8754.

Same guy answered when I called it back. The second time I called it, I got a NetZero voicemail box.

Little info on the simple reverse phone search:

"(773) 598-8754 is a land line based in Chicago, IL"
Too funny.

I had a call similar to this a few weeks ago. I knew it was a scam from the beginning but I played along. The guy (named Jason I believe)ordered about $700.00 worth of DS glass all the same size. He will have his shipper come pick it up and deliver to Kenya (or somewhere in Africa). He gave me credit card info. and says he'll call back to make sure the transaction went through. So I took down his info. and called my processing company. The card was stolen. But my question is where could he have benefited from this?? He never asked me to send him any money, I doubt he really wanted the glass or ever would have came and got it. So I could have lost money but where could he benefit??

ACG - I ask myself the same question about SPAM every day. Does anyone really buy pharmaceuticals or refinance their mortgage by responding to these ridiculous emails? Its obvious they aren't legit. So what do the spammers gain from sending all that junk?

It's in the #'s. If they spam millions of people and 1% respond they make Money.

They do it because there actually are people out there that are gullible enough to do this!! They wouldn't keep doing it if it didn't work. I will admit that MOST people are wise to things like that but some aren't. It's sad really. There was a person that called my mother right after my father passed, and told her that they were from her bank and there was a problem so they needed her s.s. #, account #, etc. It really does happen!!

Webmaster, if this scam wasn't working then the scammers would move onto another industry.

in glass bytes they say the call sounds like its coming from a call center in napiels florida .Anyone know of a call center in florida with ties to the glass industry .

We had this about three to four weeks ago. Coming from Jersey originally, I am normally skeptical about anything that "Sounds too good to be True" My first reaction was to call the credit card company, they VERIFIED that the account was good. I indicated that the entire transaction did not make sense, and I suspected fraud. They wanted ME to call THEIR fraud department to report it. I told I just gave them the info i had and they still insisted that I needed to make another call. I just dropped it. Needless to say, the credit card companies don't appear to be too concerned about our risk.

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CALLS AND E-MAILS ON THIS. I WAS DEALING WITH REV. WILLIAM GALVIN HE CONTACTED ME VIA THE RELAY LINE. I CALLED ON 3 DIFFERENT CREDIT CARDS AND THEY WERE ALL STOLEN CAPITAL ONE MASTERCARDS. I WAS TRYING TO DO A GOOD DEED, BUT THE TIME I SPENT WAITING FOR SOMEONE AT THE CREDIT CARD CO. TO ASSIST WAS CRAZY. THE SCAM PART COMES IN BECAUSE THEY ASK YOU TO WESTERN UNION PAYMENT FOR SHIPPING AND APPLY THE TOTAL TO THE STOLEN CREDIT CARD AND THEY KEEP THE MONEY SENT FOR THE SHIPPING WITH NO INTENTIONS OF EVER RECEIVING THE GLASS. PEOPLE ARE JUST CRAZY!!!

Okay I got a live one! He should be faxing back his cc info any time. So who should I report this to other than my processing company?? Any one know? I really would like to get this guy busted but I'd hate to waste my time turning the info. in to someone that is going to do that. Any help appreciated-- Thanks!!

I think the FBI should handle inter-state scams/fraud.

I cant believe the FBI has not got involved yet.

Just FYI, this is still going on.

FOUR tries the other day, despite us stating that we knew it was a scam. lol

Now, the last time, we tell the 'Relay Operator' that we KNOW it's a scam, and she tells us that THEY KNOW it's a SCAM too, but they can't do anything about it because they have to connect the call.

I asked if they had reported it as such, and they mumbled. lol

Ah well.

I just had a gentleman walk into my office and asked us if we exported glass to Africa. My receptionist, whom has heard of a similar scam, told him we did not. He got a business card and said he was going to call the owner to see if he would. He drove a taxi here. She wrote down all his information from the taxi. Can you imagine...now they are walking into our place of business.

Interesting article coming out in todays glassBYTEs about this.

Scam might be moving to Paint now. Just got a call from a Sprint relay operator asking if we supplied paint and if it was instock. We do not of course so the conversation was over fairly quickly. But it seemed very odd.

Called a few other glass shops in area, and they are having same thing this AM and yesterday with the paint.

It is almost the same as the flat glass scam. Other shops here are getting that one from a caller in South Carolina. Credit card is always stolen or denied. Thankfully, none of the shops in this area I talked to have shipped anything.

In case there is someone left reading the board that does not know about this scam, I thought I'd bring this up to the top again.

We had another two attempts from the relay operator Friday.

Both times, the first question out of our mouth was if the relay operator realized this was a scam, and the operator replied with a quick YES.

So they still know, yet they are still 'obligated' to complete the calls. One can only wonder if they are reporting it to the proper authorities. I mean, hey, they're the ones with the documentation of where it's coming from if there is any attempt to stop these people, not us.

We got a e mail from Norman & SOONS (That is how they spelled it) This place is in California and they even left a number but its a voice mail .
They are glass replacement company wanting cases of windshields for a trucking company because the local distributor ran out.
The funny thing is that 1. Norman & sons is my uncles old trucking company in wisconsin and they have been out of biz since the 80's.

2. they show the name as norman & soons and then as norman & sons then as Paty Smoth & Soons and then Paty Smith & Sons all in the same email.

3. We done a Google search on the name and they all pull up companies in PA, IL and Nevada but nothing in California and the area code was an Arizona area code with a Idaho zip code.

This is getting out of hand I have talked to Capital One (Our Bank) and The local Police and they all refer you to the other.

I got a call from an Avid Koresh about ordering 40 30x30 6mm Tempered glass, he paid half by credit card, and the other half was to be paid when the order was done. A shipping company (that i couldn't find anywhere in google) was to come and pick it up and he would give me the credit card # to pay for the shipping after we paid for the shipping,(like $4000). We communicated over the phone and emails, as well as the shipping company over emails. The shipping company gave me a phone # but the number was like 20 digits long, and I wasn't about to call it. Eventually I credited the card back the original amount taken off, and told him we didn't pay for anything and didn't take credit cards over the phone. I think he forgot that he'd called us and tried again a week later.... DUH!!!

Avid Koresh? Are you kidding? Dropped the 'D' from David Koresh (the late Branch Davidian leader in Waco). Thats sick.

Unfortuately I'm not up to date on late 80's US history. I was born in 82. I've now looked David Koresh up. Interesting choice for an alias.

So if someone says they were born the year you graduated from high school, does that make you officially old? Oy vay.

I was almost a victim. I recieved the replay calls last week and when getting a price from my supplier I was notified about the scam. The order was for 50 pieces of 1/4 polished glass - 30 x 30.. same story as the rest... shipped to Alaska.. I was almost ready to start cutting the glass until the person then told me that I would need to take care of the shipping, thats were I stopped.

BEWARE... these are some tricky SCAMMERS..

web master you got me, this whole time i though my house re-fi,my viagra, and my pet meds were flying under the radar :)

I would like to thanks glassbytes and AGRR magazine for keeping us up-to-date on this scam. I think you have helped keep a number of glass shops from getting taken and I want to applaud you for the valuable service. As somebody told me at NACE, glassbytes and AGRR magazine are the two most powerful business tools are industry has.

We were recently scammed. We were fortunately warned about this scam long before glass was ordered. 50 pcs 30 x30 polished edges from a Pastor Dacun Williams who wants this shipped to Singapore for under privileged children. We kept him going until he slipped and called our shop and that’s when we were able to get a telephone number in Twin cities, MN. It just sucks that people do this to hard working people. Makes me mad!

This is the latest I have recieved. It looks real but is a scam. Watch out...............


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