Thursday, February 16, 2012

Scam Email: Gretta White

Although the artist didn't forward me the original scam communication from "Mrs. Gretta White", here is the followup scam email (which is also sent by the scammer), made to look like there is a legitimate shipping company behind this, but there is not. Mrs Gretta White doesn't exist and neither does Bill Carter or Pack N Box Movers and Logistics  LTD, which we've reported on in many other scam emails.

From: Bill Carter [pack_moverslogistics@yahoo.com]
Date: February 16, 2012 4:02:14 AM CST
Subject: Shipping Arrangement For Mrs.Gretta White.

Hi,

I have received  communication from Mrs.Gretta White that we should work with you to ship some artworks with her other house decors to her new house in London , UK  when you two are through with the transaction,as she advise.

I will like you to get back with the kind and nature of the things she want to ship.I will like to have your studio address ,so i can make arrangement  with any nearby Agent  that will be coming for the pick up  once you and Mrs.White are through with the transactions. Thanks.

I will appreciate your earlier reply .

Regards,
Bill Carter.

Pack N Box Movers and Logistics  LTD
B12, THE BUSINESS CENTRE
504 Ridgeway Road,
London, SW9 7EX
UK.
T: 0870 863 9866
F: 0870 863 9867
E: Pack_moverslogistics@yahoo.com

Update: I've been hearing from all kinds of people about receiving this one. Another artist sent samples of the original emails he received from "Gretta White" and I've posted them below:

From: Gretta White. [smithwhite06@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:17 AM
Subject: Payment Sent.

Hope this message finds you well. Thanks so much for your patient regarding the transaction. It has been a very difficult time with a lot of things on the plate.

Anyway , i  will like to inform you that the payment was sent by my husband's assistant on Monday via Royalmail and he was advise that you will receive it before the week runs out so try and be on the look out for it.

I will also like you to have our address ,you can add it to your mailing list. I will like to hear about your future works and art shows. Our address in the states is...

107 West Passaic ave
Rutherford, NJ 07070

While our new address in UK is....

41 Queen's Gate Terrace
LONDON , SW7 5PN
UK

Meanwhile, i sent your contact info to the Moving agency that will be handling the shipment of all our house decors yesterday and he promise to get in touch with you.  Try and make shipping arrangement with them and keep me updated with details.

I will look forward to hearing from you soon as you receive this email so i can be sure we are on the same page. Thanks for your patient.

Best Regards,
Gretta.

 ________________________________
 From: Gretta White. [smithwhite06@gmail.com]
 Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 2:52 AM
 Subject: Payment / Shipment.

 Hi,
 Hope this message finds you well. I am very sorry that i couldn't get in touch immediately. I was hospitalized in Cancun immediately after my twin sister's wedding. I almost had miscarriage but thank God, i am now feeling better and can't wait to have my baby and settle down.

 I am not sure if my husband has been able to forward the payment to our address. I will check with him and get back to you later today OR tomorrow. Anyway, i have forwarded your contact info to the Moving agency that will be handling the shipment of all our house decors. They promise to get in touch with you today. Try and arrange the shipping details with them. I will like an update from you as soon as you hear from the movers.

 Try and get back as soon as you receive this email so i can be sure weare on the same page. Thanks for your patient.

 Best Regards,
 Gretta.
 ________________________________
  From: Gretta White. [smithwhite06@gmail.com]
 Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 8:10 AM
 Subject: Re: Artworks Inquiry...

 Hi,

 Good to hear back from you. Yes,i will like to proceed with the purchase of both works.  I think they are lovely works  and i hope to give them good home.

 I am presently away in Cancun for my twin sister's wedding even though it comes at a time when i was preparing for a big move and also expecting a baby  but it means so much to her. I should be back in few days.

 Meanwhile,i will like you to forward your mailing address and phone number so i can inform my husband still shutling between our home in New Jersey and London on where to forward the payment . He has just been transfer to head the IT section of their head Office in London.

 I can also forward your contact info to the local cartage company that will be moving all our house decors so they can get in touch with you to arrange shipping details. They can arrange  FedEx pick up of the artworks  from your studio.

 I will look forward to hearing from you so i can know how best to proceed. Cheers.

 Best Regards,
 Gretta.
 ________________________________
 From: Gretta White. [smithwhite06@gmail.com]
 Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 11:55 PM
 Subject: Re: Artworks Inquiry...

 Hi,

 Thanks so much for your response to my query about those creative works. I will like to  proceed with the purchase of both pieces . Can you pls confirm the  actual size and  price  of the two pieces so i can know how best to proceed.  I will also like to know what inspire you to make the pieces.

 I will look forward to hearing from you soon.

 Best Regards,
 Gretta.

 From: Gretta White. [smithwhite06@gmail.com]
 Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 12:45 PM
 Subject: Artworks Inquiry...

 --
 Hi,

 Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creatives works on your website and i will like you to get back with more details if they are still available for purchase.

 Algeria  and  Ode

 I will appreciate an urgent reply.

 Best Regards,
 Gretta White.
 
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24 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 16, 2012 at 8:25 AM

    I also have gotten the same kind of thing from Gretta White. What these folks do is to find a house that is for sale and then give that as the address from which they are moving. When I get these kind of requests, I begin the negotiations by telling them that I use my own shipping. That has made no difference for Gretta. I just got an email from the same shipping company. Supposedly, a check is on its way. How can we catch these guys?

    ReplyDelete
  2. KatieMoeFebruary 16, 2012 at 8:30 AM

    Unfortunately, there is no catching them and that is why their emails are so prevalent. They fly under the radar of the authorities who don't have the resources to pursue them and the amounts in the scam are small enough (large to individuals, though!) - usually from $800 to somewhere around $3000) that authorities don't bother.

    It's why I started this blog and the related facebook page. It was the only way I could think to strike back at them. Make their emails and their process so visible that if we can just educate people to google stuff BEFORE they lose any money, hopefully all this shows up in the search results. And this hopefully makes the scammers much less successful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousFebruary 19, 2012 at 12:46 PM

      This just happened to me. exactly the same. Unfortunately i went as far to deposit the check. I feel silly about that since i knew something was odd from the get go. I had googled "her" name just had yet to include the email with it... big THANKS for posting. I'm assuming that the check will merely bounce?. called my bank, guess we have to wait... I wouldn't have been able to send anything without the check clearing anyways. an incredible waste of time just to be a POS.. Any suggestions with how to best deal with this situation?

      Delete
    2. KatieMoeFebruary 19, 2012 at 1:16 PM

      No need to feel silly. At least you haven't lost any money yet. The scammers hope, because the banks often accept the check and it takes a long time for the check to actually "clear", that the victim will go ahead and forward the "difference" with their own good cash, via Western Union, which once picked up is untraceable.

      The check is fraudulent and eventually the bank will say so. At this point you can leave the bank to decide if they want to handle the fraudulent check (our "Gretta White" scammer has been writing a LOT of them lately!), but otherwise, feel reassured that you did not fall victim and let it drop now. There is no need to even let the scammer know. Remember, these guys have no conscience. They will quickly move on once they realize you have figured it out, because their focus are the victims who have NOT figured it out yet. But good for you for catching it in time.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 16, 2012 at 10:03 AM

    I, too, have received e-mails from Gretta White and Bill Carter. I suspected something was fishy when I tried to Google the shipping company and came up with a place in India. And, yes, the check is supposedly in the mail! She would not let me send my artwork directly to her, which made me suspicious. Be careful!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 17, 2012 at 2:11 PM

    My husband just had the same exact series of emails sent to him as the ones posted above. Funny thing is we actually got a check in the mail today. The whole thing seemed rather crazy to begin with, that someone randomly just found his work on the web and wanted to buy it (an artists dream but rarely a reality!). He asked her to pay through paypal and said he would ship when he got the payment. She said she would pay us-but I thought it was strange when the check arrived and although it came from London the check is issued from Vermont Federal Credit Union. I also thought it strange that she made the check for $3900.00 when the total of what she was purchasing was less than $1000.00. Again, wouldn't that be nice!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousFebruary 19, 2012 at 10:10 AM

    I am an artist and this "gretta white" found my paintings on my personal website...below is a sample:
    Her email address was: (smithwhite07@gmail.com) So far have not heard from this person after i gave them price which exceeded 10,000.


    Re: Artworks Inquiry...

    FROM: Gretta White.

    TO:
    [

    Saturday, February 11, 2012 7:15 AM

    Hi,

    Good to hear back from you. Yes,i will like to proceed with the
    purchase of both works. I think they are lovely works and i hope to
    give them good home.


    I am presently away in Cancun for my twin sister's wedding even
    though it comes at a time when i was preparing for a big move and also
    expecting a baby but it means so much to her. I should be back in few
    days.


    Meanwhile,i will like you to forward your mailing address and phone
    number so i can inform my husband still shutling between our home in
    New Jersey and London on where to forward the payment . He has just
    been transfer to head the IT section of their head Office in London.


    I can also forward your contact info to the local cartage company that
    will be moving all our house decors so they can get in touch with you
    to arrange shipping details. They can arrange FedEx pick up of the
    artworks from your studio.


    I will look forward to hearing from you so i can know how best to
    proceed. Cheers.


    Best Regards,
    Gretta.

    ReplyDelete
  6. KatieMoeFebruary 19, 2012 at 10:16 AM

    Good! I think your price was a little outside their scam parameters. They tend to like to stay under the radar and if the scam amount gets too high, they WILL attract the authorities trying to track them down. Their goal is to get as many victims as they can in the $500-$4000 range.

    My goal is to reduce their success by posting all their crap publicly. Smile.

    Thanks for writing in and sharing yours.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousFebruary 19, 2012 at 10:21 AM

    Here was the first of the emails I received from Gretta White: I found it suspicious from the beginning and she never gave me a phone number as I asked to speak with her on the phone. Never asked about price until after the fact
    but wanted to proceed with the purchase, which I found very odd.

    Artworks Inquiry...
    Hide Details

    FROM: Gretta White.

    Message flagged
    Wednesday, February 8, 2012 6:14 AM
    --
    Hi,


    Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creatives works on your
    website and i will like you to get back with more details if they are
    still available for purchase.


    Guanajuato and Untitled (Common Object)


    I will appreciate an urgent reply.


    Best Regards,
    Gretta White.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousFebruary 22, 2012 at 12:38 PM

      I'm in the middle of communications with "Gretta White". The emails are all the same scam. She (or he) also went by the name of Carmen. I was lucky that I decided to Google her name and discovered the SCAM before any money changed hands. BEWARE OF GRETTA WHITE!

      Delete
    2. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2012 at 12:05 PM

      I just received a check via FedEx, sent by Fred Stellato in Bethlehem, PA. I googled his name and discovered he is a convicted felon. The check is from OMICS Publishing Group in Westlake, L.A., Calif. The check has a $2,000. over-payment. Is sweet Gretta White really Fred Stellato?

      Delete
  8. KatieMoeFebruary 23, 2012 at 12:09 PM

    That would seem too obvious. I'm not saying that scammers are not the dumbest people you could come across, because for the most part they do appear to lack brain cells, but they don't like to be so easily traced down and they like to stay in the shadows. Perhaps this scammer is just using that person's name for their fake checks. But - you could be right... they could be that dumb.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2012 at 11:05 AM

    I also got the same email train and then Google her name and found this blog. I thought it was real until I read these.
    Thanks - Karen

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousMarch 3, 2012 at 12:01 PM

    My husband, an artist got the same emails in the past two weeks.

    Gretta White sent a check for a painting for $3900 which was approximately $2000 more. We questioned the overpayment; trying to clarify the over payment she said it was a mistake by her assistant, and to send the refund to her shipper, Bill Carter. Isn't there a way to catch these people?

    ReplyDelete
  11. KatieMoeMarch 3, 2012 at 12:17 PM

    Unfortunately, there is no easy way. We've learned from someone who has talked with the FBI that there really needs to be a financial loss of $50,000 before they would put their resources on it (and that's not saying still that they could do anything when most scammers come from foreign countries) and so the scammers are careful to stay under the radar and just try to make their money scamming large numbers of people out of relatively small amounts of money (but a couple thousand is a LOT to an individual).

    It's why I started this blog and the facebook page. I felt like one way I could strike back was to expose their emails and process in a very public way and provide a way for others to search online and NOT get caught in the scam. I know it has certainly reduced their success rate. But the emails keep going out and, well, I'll keep posting them as well as everyone else who comes here to post their emails and experiences and we'll just keep making their scammer scummy lives harder and harder to succeed at.

    Thanks for writing in!

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousMay 16, 2012 at 9:12 AM

    Gretta White is now going by the name of Angela Howard. davidhowadd10@gmail
    But he or she is keeping to the same story of
    Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creative works on your
    website and i will like you to get back with more details if they are
    still available for purchase. And of course that she or he is presently away in Cancun for her twin sister's wedding. And then she will e-mail you that she was hospitalized after the twin sisters wedding that she almost had a miscarriage. And supposedly they live in New Jersey and are moving to London and that a moving company with the name under.David Jones.Dav Movers and Logistics INC. which the company is fake of course.

    I was full for a minute but when I got the check. The amount that we have agreed was more. I became suspicious. So I looked up the name that the check was under "ANDY VILLALPANDO" and I found this site. http://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/alerts/2012/alert-2012-11.html And it says that Counterfeit Cashier's Checks of Citizens National Bank of Texas, Waxahachie, Texas. So fellow artist keep an eye out.

    ReplyDelete
  13. EliseMay 19, 2012 at 10:19 PM

    I just got this same series of emails, now under the name Joy Howard.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousJuly 1, 2012 at 2:45 AM

    I also just received the same series of emails using the name Doris Howard who is moving to
    London....Just received check with over payment....written on Chase Bank in NJ

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousJuly 1, 2012 at 2:51 AM

    Hi got the same series of emails now under the name of doris howard
    who moving to London.....over payment just arrived on Chase Bank NJ

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousDecember 28, 2012 at 9:29 AM

    Please not to trust these short of emails, They are just making people fool and get some money. They are fraud. Nobody give you money, job or any benefit while sitting at home or doing nothing. If you get this kind of stuff or emails, so just ignore them and please not to follow them.

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousMay 20, 2013 at 8:41 PM

    Just got an art work inquiry email from Benita Garcia, but using the eamil...smithwhite06@gmail.com. Same one as Gretta White. I knew it was a scam, but googled the email anyways and found this site. Thanks for the scam updates!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousMay 22, 2013 at 8:55 PM

      I also received an email from "Benita Garcia" from the same email address, smithwhite06@gmail.com. Thanks to this website, I knew it was scam. Keep up the good work!

      Delete
  18. AnonymousOctober 27, 2015 at 7:32 PM

    omg I have received that same check yesterday via email lol from a guy who wanted me to work with him as a personal assistant. it seemed legit, and it was on indeed. long story short. check comes in the mail on 10/26/15 via usps and I get a check for $3,800. I was like wow. and I was silly enough to go to an actual bank today and try to get it cashed. I was astound that they said it was counterfeit, I mean my goodness. This guy was named "ROBERT JONES".


    Robert Jones
    Oct 16 at 7:13 AM

    Congratulations Brandi

    Hello and thanks for your response , After the review and consideration of your answers to the questionnaire your application is successful and you have been accepted to work as my personal assistant, I would have love to meet you before we start but I'm currently out of town for an important business in Canada and i will be back in 3 weeks,but i currently have work for you to take care of so i want you to start immediately and when I'm back, We will setup a meeting.

    I will provide you with the list of equipment you will be working with and it will come with internet facilities, You will be given a sign on bonus (supplies e.t.c) for this job which will be included in the funds you will receive for the equipment.

    Every instructions will be given to you on what to do with the equipment immediately you receive them, Here are the list of the equipment that will be ship to you to be working with.

    EQUIPMENT :
    The Following would be ship to you by my shipping agent in other to start working with me.

    * HP business machine Notebook Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPUT2330 @1.60GHz 1.60GHz
    * Printer, Scanner& Fax machine(ALL IN ONE) and does not take space
    * Microsoft Office and Microsoft Operating Systems (Service Pack 2)
    * Laptop hard-case
    * Kaspersky Internet Security application installed on the Laptop
    * A cell phone on which you would conduct only my business

    I will also provide you with the funds to handle the shipping/cost of the above equipment to you so you don't have to use your personal funds. Working for me with the provided equipment is very necessary because there is a wide range of software installed on the system to protect data, ease duty, also enhance speed and accuracy of any work you're doing on it.

    The special features also calculate the number of hours you work daily so that i can ascertain the bonuses that will be given to you at the end of every month.

    Please provide answers to the following schedule.

    1. How many hours are you willing to Work per day?
    2. What time range? If you wish to work more than 5 Hours per Day, then let me know.
    3. Payroll Interval? ( Weekly or Bi-Monthly )
    4. Payroll Method ? ( Check)
    5. Name Of Your Bank?

    IMPORTANT : Kindly provide your Name, Address & Phone number the funds should be issued to in other to handle the shipping/cost of the equipment's and your sign on bonus.

    Name...
    Address/ Apt No...
    City
    State...
    Zip Code....
    Home Phone #....
    Cell #....
    Email.....

    I will be waiting for your prompt response, I look forward to a great working relationship with you.

    Sincerely,
    Robert Jones

    ReplyDelete
  19. KatieMoeOctober 27, 2015 at 7:33 PM

    Classic example! Thanks for sending the whole email so others can see what this looks like. Do not fall for this scam, people!!!

    ReplyDelete