Beware of Scam!!!
I received this email this weekend. I am not sure if this scam has been posted on this website or not, but I wanted everyone to be aware of it. I found it on several discussion forums on the internet with this same name and with 2 or 3 other names. Luckily, I decided to google the image of the cake this person was requesting, and the scam popped up on my search. I am not quite sure how it works. Somehow they get money from your bank account or paypal account. This person asked to send me a check for UPS shipping of the cakes, that I would then need to pay UPS at the time of pick up. Apparently, they pay with a bad check, stolen credit card, or ask for your account information to do a wire transfer, then ask for a refund (not sure how it all works). This scammer was referred to me through WeddingWire.com. They are aware of the scam, but must be unable to weed them out (...very dissapointing).
This is a copy of the 1st email I received:
Hello Sorry I would have call instead, to place this order, but am a hearing impaired person, and its more easier for me to communicate via email and sign, help me express myself more...Please, I will like you to bake me chocolate and Vanilla cake of 5 tier that can serve approximately 300 guest or more , and I want the cake to be decorated with pink roses and the cake should be covered in fondant or in butter cream, and there will be an inscription writing on the side of one of the tier as “HAPPY MARRIED LIFE” and i want you to pack them in different boxes to be ready for pick up at the said time and date.. 26th of Oct 2010, 3 O'clock PM. Reply me back and let me know if you can fill in the date for me....??? then i can forward all the details and the picture sample of what i will like you to bake for me.
Thanks and God bless.
Cathy Labella.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sherry Qualls on
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This one has been going on for a long time now....the tip off is "happy married life". It comes in several different versions...you can tell they used a translator for the form letter they send out.
It's is always good to be reminded.
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Permalink Reply by Pink Princess Cakes on
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i just got that email and it felt really fishy to me thankyou so much for posting this
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Permalink Reply by Karen Marie on
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I am missing something...obviously this was written by someone who english isnt their native language...but where does the scam part come in? We do get paid for the cakes up front...so ...I dont get it..sorry having a senior moment....
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Permalink Reply by Lisa Seidling on
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I just got another email from them. They want to pay me $980, plus the cost of the cake, and an extra $100 for the trouble of having to get cash to pay for a special shipping arrangement that they have set up. They are indicating that they will pay me with a credit card (probably stolen). A refrigerated van is supposed to pick the cakes up from me and I am supposed to give the driver $980 in cash. I think that is where the scam comes in...they pay me with a stolen credit card, I get the cash and give it to some "supposed" cake driver. Then when the credit card is reported stolen, I am out the $980 cash and the cost of the cake because my business has charged a stolen credit card and would have to debit the cost back. Yikes! I am glad that I don't have my address listed on my website.
Karen Marie said:I am missing something...obviously this was written by someone who english isnt their native language...but where does the scam part come in? We do get paid for the cakes up front...so ...I dont get it..sorry having a senior moment....
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Ohhhhh I get it..they are paying you to make the cake and then the extra money is for delivering the cake with this special arrangement...yep defintely is a scam.....this kind of scam has been around for a while...just like the money wire transfer scam...same thing just cake instead of money wire.....
Lisa Seidling said:I just got another email from them. They want to pay me $980, plus the cost of the cake, and an extra $100 for the trouble of having to get cash to pay for a special shipping arrangement that they have set up. They are indicating that they will pay me with a credit card (probably stolen). A refrigerated van is supposed to pick the cakes up from me and I am supposed to give the driver $980 in cash. I think that is where the scam comes in...they pay me with a stolen credit card, I get the cash and give it to some "supposed" cake driver. Then when the credit card is reported stolen, I am out the $980 cash and the cost of the cake because my business has charged a stolen credit card and would have to debit the cost back. Yikes! I am glad that I don't have my address listed on my website.
Karen Marie said:I am missing something...obviously this was written by someone who english isnt their native language...but where does the scam part come in? We do get paid for the cakes up front...so ...I dont get it..sorry having a senior moment....
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Permalink Reply by jeri c on
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The idea would be to take the order.... and have the police waiting for them when they arrive to pick up the cake. Would be worth it all to see them when they are trying to get out of that one!!!
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I was thinking the same thing. I tried to play along with the scam because I had gotten 4 or 5 emails (that I have reported to police and FBI). I requested a personal check instead of credit card. I figured at least I wouldn't have to deposit a check that I know would be bad if they really sent one to me. I haven't heard back since. The police told me that it is really hard to catch scammers like this....especially the ones that originate out of the country like this one, so unfortunately, they don't spend alot of time dealing with it. It really is sickening!
Just FYI, some of the emails had attachments on them. I was told not to open the attachments to protect my computer from being hacked into.
jeri c said:The idea would be to take the order.... and have the police waiting for them when they arrive to pick up the cake. Would be worth it all to see them when they are trying to get out of that one!!!
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Permalink Reply by Deah on
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I get phone calls at work through the Relay service similar to this. I always ask for the credit card up front so I can verify its authenticity. That's when they hang up. It's funny because the Relay operators know it's a scam and we talk about it after the other person has hung up.
One time I actually took about 30 minutes to go through the call, gather the information and then I called my credit card company to find out the issuing bank of the card number I was given, called that bank and they had no idea their customer's card had been stolen. They immediately suspended the card and contacted their customer. I wish I had time to do that everytime.
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