I own a commercial sign shop and also manufacture & sell a PSV Tool Bib.
Here in Oregon we are getting bombarded by a credit card/email scam from Africa. Here is how it goes. Maybe you have already heard about it.
First you will get a call from an IP-Relay. Supposedly a party on the other end is communicating through a computer so the operator asks you questions and relays your answers to the other party thru computer.
The so called "Customer" wants to order 60 banners ( or whatever ) and wants your email address so they can email the details and get a proof.
If you fall for it ( which I did ) and email them a proof with estimate, they will quickly accept and email you their credit card number. The card will go thru because it is a valid card...its just a stolen credit card. Once you email them a receipt that the transaction went thru OK they inform you that the shipping company they use will not accept payment from them, and the shipping company requires a Western Union Money Transfer. No problem, just add another $1,700.00 to their credit card and go down to
the nearest Western Union ( which they will give you the address ) and
pay the Freight charges and Western Union Fees ( out of my own pocket because they already paid me with their credit card ) and mail the payment to a P.O. Box in West Africa-Ghana.
Yea---Right!
Well, Stupid me did get sucked in to a certain point. Luckily I didn't produce any banners so I didn't loose any money. But two months later,
I am still getting IP-Relay calls. I don't accept and hang up.
If you ever get an IP-Relay call, save yourself some trouble and just hang up. I checked with my Credit Card Processing Company and there is no way to ever catch these people.
-RL
Here in Oregon we are getting bombarded by a credit card/email scam from Africa. Here is how it goes. Maybe you have already heard about it.
First you will get a call from an IP-Relay. Supposedly a party on the other end is communicating through a computer so the operator asks you questions and relays your answers to the other party thru computer.
The so called "Customer" wants to order 60 banners ( or whatever ) and wants your email address so they can email the details and get a proof.
If you fall for it ( which I did ) and email them a proof with estimate, they will quickly accept and email you their credit card number. The card will go thru because it is a valid card...its just a stolen credit card. Once you email them a receipt that the transaction went thru OK they inform you that the shipping company they use will not accept payment from them, and the shipping company requires a Western Union Money Transfer. No problem, just add another $1,700.00 to their credit card and go down to
the nearest Western Union ( which they will give you the address ) and
pay the Freight charges and Western Union Fees ( out of my own pocket because they already paid me with their credit card ) and mail the payment to a P.O. Box in West Africa-Ghana.
Yea---Right!
Well, Stupid me did get sucked in to a certain point. Luckily I didn't produce any banners so I didn't loose any money. But two months later,
I am still getting IP-Relay calls. I don't accept and hang up.
If you ever get an IP-Relay call, save yourself some trouble and just hang up. I checked with my Credit Card Processing Company and there is no way to ever catch these people.
-RL
