Scam Email: FACCO GROUP LTD

This scammer is not letting on much in their first email, which they use to screen out people who do not reply. They don't even mention any product or item and have no idea what I "sell". Notice the Reply-To is a different email address. I'm confident their second email would provide more clues as to the next step of the scam, which would be mentioning the shipping company. They would overpay for their order with a counterfeit check or stolen credit card number and ask you to pay the shipping company for them out of the total amount - via wire transfer of course, because then once the scammer has your money, they and your money are gone and untraceable.

Usually these scams use a fake personal name as well. This scammer seems to have stuck with just using the company name. Sometimes they make up the name and sometimes they just grab the name of some existing company. No matter. Their scam works because victims accept overpayments and they are willing to wire money to someplace else. Don't do either one of these things and you'll be fine.

Return-path: [facco_groupltd@yahoo.com]

Received: from User [202.93.236.210] by mail.baillios.com with ESMTP
Reply-To: [faccogroupsal@yahoo.com.au]

From: "FACCO GROUP LTD"[facco_groupltd@yahoo.com]

Subject: Product Inquiry><<<

 

Dear Seller,

We are interested in your products,Would you please provide us with the

following information:

1. Prices FOB

2. Payment Terms

3. Handling Time

4. Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)

5. Specified delivery date from the Date of Order

We would appreciate a quick reply.

Best Wishes,

FACCO GROUP LTD

Scam Email: Anne Brown

This a fake name and email address making the rounds lately. I've been getting a number of reports on it so I assume this scammer has done a large mailing. The fake name is pretty common so look for those other clues - something about moving and having a moving company, sending a check for more than the amount owed and asking you to forward a portion of it elsewhere - via wire transfer... look out for these clues. There is no moving company, there is no sister's wedding - all of it is made up to get you to send your good money to them via wire transfer when their money is counterfeit.

From: Anne Brown [annebrownn@yahoo.com]

Good to hear back from you. Yes, I will like to proceed with the
purchase of the artworks. 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 shuttling 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.

Scam Email: Robert Hallins

I'm getting a rash of reports on scam emails from this fake name and disposable email:

Robert Hallins [sgtrobhallins@hotmail.com]

which, from the email address, might be the same scammer who loves to send out millions of scam emails under the name of Sgt Mike Walters.

These scammers pretend that they are not accessible or in a place where they can be contacted because they are in the military and out of the country. Just despicable to use the military as their cover story to trick people.

I've been getting a bunch of emails, from artists, so my guess is this scammer has found some site that has a bunch of artists that can be contacted. In any case, if you see an email from this name, or any name where they are trying to pay with a certified check, claiming to use their own shipping company, and (here's the for-sure red flag) they overpay and ask you to wire the difference to the shipping company (or back to them) - DON'T DO IT! Just delete everything, ignore all future emails, come share the emails with us and post them online, but then go back to making great art.

Kathleen,

Thanks for your post.

I received emails from a Robert Hallins (sgtrobhallins@hotmail.com), as well as from a Tom Woodruff.

Foolishly, I made the mistake of responding to the Hallins email.  He immediately wrote back.  But, I was suspicious, so I did some Googling and found your post. 

The reply email states that he's out of the country on business, but will send a bank certified check and would like me to work with his shipper. I have a background in corporate law, and it is my understanding that there's no such thing as a bank certified check.  There are checks certified by banks, which are called certified checks, and there are checks drawn on a bank's own account (as opposed to a client's account), which are called bank checks.  Banks don't certify their own checks.

I will now just ignore his emails, and if I get any calls I'll record them and refer them to the authorities.

Too bad there are people like this out there.  The Internet can be a dangerous place.

Thanks again for confirming my suspicions.

Ken

Scam Email: Judy Delmonico-Roll

I've been noticing this trend as well. I'm not clear yet how it is happening but I'm sure as scammers use this approach more, it will become clear. In my own case, lately I've been receiving scam emails where the FROM is someone I know, two different people, but I know them well and the SUBJECT was "FOR KATHLEEN" - so they knew the names of two of my art friends and they knew my name but the FROM email address was the usual scammer email address - not the email address of my friends. For both friends, they have yahoo accounts and the usual scammer email address used were also yahoo emails so I had both friends change their password and that didn't stop it so I changed the password on my hotmail account and THAT didn't stop it. So I'm not sure how they are getting these names....yet.

On the below email, the scammer was stupid, once again, and switched names and email addresses midstream, not remembering which fake identity they had used, and got called on it, but just kept going with the scam, never addressing why the change when asked.

You can tell the person their name is being used in scam emails but there is actually not much they can do to stop it so I'm not sure if its helpful to do or not. But we know, in this case, Judy Delmonico-Roll is NOT the actual scammer but the name this scammer stole to use.

Hi Kathleen,

I came to your blog tonight after finding too many 'red flags' in a recent email exchange with an interested buyer.  It seems I'm being baited, too! I'll forward the exchange below.  What was additionally puzzling about this one is that the author of the email was the name of an Arizona artist with a very unique name, Judy Delmonico-Roll. As I always do, I googled-searched the name when I got the first email and was thinking a fellow artist was just buying a piece she liked.  But then the emails got extremely strange and red flags went off.  But I wonder if Ms. Delmonico-Roll knows her name is being used?  I wonder if my name will be used next?  But my biggest question is, how do these scammers get our names?

I should also add that I likely received another email scam attempt like this just two or three weeks ago.  I didn't answer that one until much later and was surprised to find the email address had been deactivated. Once again, a google-search on the name of the sender turned up the identity of another fellow artist.

-Bev

Judy-Roll Delmonico judymoz@blumail.org
Aug 29 (3 days ago)
to bev

Hello,

These  particular artwork of yours that you have for sale, is it still available,if yes let me have the detailed price and more information about
it.
Regards,

Judy-Roll
---------
Judy Delmonico-Roll judymoz@yahoo.com
Aug 30 (2 days ago)
to me

Hello,

Thanks for your prompt reply.

Unfortunately, Im on my way to France on an official trip(I'm a marketing Executive) and wont be back for another two weeks, I would have come to inspect the piece personally. Im taking your word for true on It though.

I'm okay with the price $500, I think it worth it anyway. If you'd like to know, Im relocating to the South Africa soon and I'm trying to gather some good stuff for my new abode. Im buying yours amongst others,quickly! before someone else grabs it.So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP.

However, I'll have to notify my shipper who's helping me move my stuff to get set for the pickup of the piece from your place as I MIGHT be delayed depending on how things goes.

Thanks,

PS: In the mean time, kindly get back to me with your Full Name,contact address and also your phone# so I can get a check prepared and have it sent out to you ASAP.

Webb
------
Bev
7:20 PM (4 hours ago)
to Judy

Hi Judy (or is it Webb?  I see you signed this last email with that),

I'll add my contact info below.  I'm also curious to know, how did you come to find my work?

Let's be in touch about the matter of shipping.  I will be out of town briefly next week but will be reachable by phone.

Thanks again!

- Bev
---------
Judy Delmonico-Roll judymoz@yahoo.com
10:46 PM (1 hour ago)
to me

Hello,

I'm just reading your email now as I have been so busy all day preparing for the conference in the office,it starts this week. Thanks for the details which Ive noted down and have also forwarded to my shipper.

My shipper should be in town sometime next week and will definitely be getting in touch with you for the pickup and also to inspect it for me.

Truth is, I would have handled this much differently if i would be at home but Im a bit pressed for time myself. Im moving to South Africa this month as Im being transferred and Promoted.

As it is, I'm sending you check which will include my shippers fees as well.He has asked for an upfront before coming and since I have no access to a lot of cash, Im trying to kill two birds with a stone.

So, once you have received and cashed the check, deduct your funds and PLEASE help me send the remaining funds to him(shipper). I will forward his contact details to you once you have received the payment.

Now I'm concluding you are a responsible person and I can therefore entrust you with this arrangement.I'll let you know Immediately the check is sent out to you so you should be looking out for it.

I'll surely give you a call later when Im free.

Many thanks and talk to you soon,

Judy-Roll