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Hi guys!
I know I've been absent a couple of days.... too many things to do!
But I got this "order" from Bearpile a couple of weeks ago and he finally responded. Something didn't seem right so I did some quick research and I was right... the guy is from Haiti and I really don't think it's a real order. I think if I continued on with him... he would have had me buy extra stuff and ship it with the bears.
Let me tell you WHY my alarm bells started ringing... and how I did a quick search....
His first email seemed perfectly legit:
Hello,
I saw this wonderful item on Bear Pile and I am interested in adoption. Please let me know if this item is available and send me information on ordering.Advice me if you accept Credit Card such as (Master Card and Visa Card). I look forward to read from you Asap.
I responded that I could make a similar one... but not exact... and I would email him photos when he was done.
About 10-14 days later I received this email which started the alarm bells ringing.....
HELLO LAURA,
THANKS FOR THE REPLY,WELL I AM STILL INTERESTED IN YOUR SPROUT AND I WILL LIKE WANT YOU TO GET LIKE 20 PICS AND GET BACK TO ME WITH THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE 20 PICS WITH THE SHIPING.
WAITING YOUR REPLY.
JAMES.
Well, my first reaction was "20 pieces... oh crud!" I didn't want to make 20 of the same one right after the other! And I certainly didn't tell hubby who would have been really happy... not realizing how hard it can be to create THAT many similar bears in a row LOL!
Then I looked at the email again. He said "20 pieces" (20 pics) and doesnt talk about the bears at all really.
My first thought was that maybe he's a shop.... but then he would write something about that in his email, don't you think? Also... the email address he's using is a yahoo address. If it was a shop he'd be using an address that was NOT free.
I remembered he inquired about if I took credit cards... normal question for anyone... but I did remember... and combined with the fact that he asked for 20 "pieces".....
So... I took a look at my "full headers" in the email... and found the originating IP address: 206.113.98.116
THen I went to this site just to check that IP address out: http://www.geobytes.com/IpLocator.htm?GetLocation (I found that site doing a google search for "IP address location".
I entered in the senders IP address and found it located in Haiti. BIG RED FLAGS!!!!!!!!
I haven't taken this any further yet.... may just do that to confirm my suspicions...
But I wanted to show you how I came to the conclusion that it was fake and I believe I was about to be taken for a lot of money....
HOW??? Well, the way I've heard it works... is that they are using stolen credit cards. They start out asking to purchase items that you have available... and then... ask you to purchase other items for them and ship those items with your items (in my casse bears) and they pay for it with that stolen credit card.
So they get all those items... especially the ones you bought for him.... and then your merchant account gets the money taken out of it once the credit card company realizes that the # is stolen.
Oh... this particular yahoo email address is: adam_james05 But I'm sure he has many of them...
Newcastle, OntarioWow! Thanks for the tips Laura. I've never had an email like the ones that seem to go around to people, but it's nice to know what to look for. Poor bugger wouldn't get far with me, cuz I won't do orders LOL! It's buy it when you see it or "too bad". I wanted to ask where you go on your email to get the "full headers" on your email - I've never known how to do that. Thanks again for all the great information.
hugs,
Brenda
Not a problem!! We just need to educate ourselves to keep ourselves safe, that's all!
As for "full headers"... I also use Yahoo email (so not all yahoo email addresses are bad LOL!) In my emails I have a link I can click on for "Show full headers". In my Comcast email... it says "view source". I'm sure the other email providers have something similar to that.
And yep... I was going to tell him "sorry, not doing 20 of the same" when I realized it was probably a scam and did some quick research to confirm it.
I originally learned about this type of scamming from the candle making boards... (yes, another one of my many hobbies... 
)
Posts: 8,574
Cleathero CreationsOh I thought reading that he wanted 20 pictures because I use pics to say pictures.
and then wanted a total price on sending the bear. When you sent the pictures. Am I a dill or what?
BrisbaneNo Bron you are not a dill, I thought the exact same thing (it must be the aussie in us 
)
LOL "Sherlock" LOL!!
At first I thought 'pics' meant pictures too... I was thinking... wow.. that's a lot of photos of one tiny bear :crackup: Then I realized he meant to say 'pieces'.......
Ruby Mountain BearsWow you really have to be on your toes, I do know from experience that I am always asking for half up front on orders. After that last deal I am not wasting my time only to get stiffed in the end.
kathy
Well yes, but you have to keep on your toes in any business. My last office job was doing Accounts receivables for a small telephone equipment & service company... and that also entailed calling on delinquent accounts - boy did I learn quickly :doh:
Oooh nasty! Glad to hear you donned your Sherlock Holmes hat and unravelled the whole thing Laura!!
Posts: 3,540Well, not to be mean to those who don't have english as a first language, and may easily make a mistake or two, but when the whole email begins to sound 'illiterate'...that's a huge red flag for me.
Yup, I'm another one who thought pics meant :photo:
Thanks for the warning and the cool link for the locator 
I have had a few of these orders through email from Nigeria. like you say they don't refer to a bear by name it is your "product" and I want 20 of each product, and they say do you take credit cards.
It’s very nasty.
Hugs Kerren
