Same scam, different name/email. "William Russel"

Yay! I received another credit card/Money Transfer scam, just like the John Hood scam. So, let's get him to reveal the credit card number so I can attempt to cancel it on him, just like last time.

from William Russel < veegodad@yahoo.com >
to roy@hideouttheatre.com
bcc (me)
date Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 3:19 AM
subject food needed

Hello this is william i will like to order for grilled chicken salad for 150 people and it will be picked up between 4pm on 15of April for my b-day party it will be pickup by private carrier and so can i have the total cost and i will give you my credit card to charge for the payment and it will be picked up by 4pm so can i have the grand total cost so that we can proceed

Thanks
Williasm

My reply, jumping right to the nuts:

from (me)
to William Russel < veegodad@yahoo.com >
date Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 10:46 AM
subject Re: food needed

Great!

The cost will be $493 dollars. Send me the card number, exp date, and name on the card.

The last scammer had an IP address that resolved to Guatemala. Turns out this one does, too. His reply:

from William Russel < veegodad@yahoo.com >
to (me)
date Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 4:32 PM
subject Re: food needed
Received: from [41.155.98.163] by web44711.mail.sp1.yahoo.com via HTTP; Sun, 03 Apr 2011 14:32:40 PDT

Thanks you for your email and am ok whit the total cost of $493.
for the payment and the shipper info and i will be looking forward to hear back from ASPA
and i will like you to include extra $950 plus the total price of the order so that you can have all that charged on my credit card now and you will have the $950 sent to the private shipper to be able to come for the pick up with their cool truck so can you add it all and let me have the total price inclusive of the tax fee all together so that I can get you my credit card for you to have the total cost charged on it and also I would like to let you know that you will have to send the $950 in cash to the shipper agent via Western Union Money Transfer after you might have charged my credit card through and you add all the tax fee that you will need to add inclusive of the the food money.. I will also like to know maybe you accept master credit card as payment, and try and email me your phone cell # so that i can text you my card info for the full payment now so can i have the grand total so that we can proceed

Thank
William

Yes, that was all pretty much one sentence. Much poorer grammar than the first scam. I made up some numbers and replied back:

from (me)
to William Russel < veegodad@yahoo.com >
date Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 9:39 PM
subject Re: food needed

The total will be $1376 for everything. I do not have a cell phone. Please email me the credit card info and I will reply promptly.

I finally got a response back. Here is his reply.

from William Russel < veegodad@yahoo.com >
to (me)
date Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 10:58 PM
subject WHERE MY CARD INFO AND THE SHIPPER INFO WHERE TO FUND TO
Received: from [41.155.9.192] by web44709.mail.sp1.yahoo.com via HTTP; Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:58:27 PDT

William Russel wrote:

Below is the credit card information and also the carrier's address to send the funds to via western union money transfer and also i was informed that the funds will be sent to the book keeper of the shipping company and she is currently in CA and you will have the funds sent down to her and below is the credit card information below....

Name on Card: Williams Russel
Card Type: Mastercard
Card Exp Date:xx/xx
CVV : xxx
Card # xxxxxxxxxxx

And Below is the carrier's info to send the funds....
Shipper name helen Vu ...172 East Dominguez Street, Carson, CA 90746

So asap you are done the transactions, you are to get back to me with info below so that i can forward it to the shipper :
-
Sender Name:
Sender Address:
Money Transfer Control Number(MTCN):
Amount Sent after charges

I will be waiting for the reply

Regards,

I immediately filed a complaint with the FTC and the Internet Crime Complaint Center. I also called my merchant provider and reported it as a Code 10 Authorization. They put me on hold and called Kathryn at Citibank, the issuer of the card number provided to me. She was very nice, but informed me that the name did not match the account, nor did the expiration date. She did tell me they would put a note on the account and inform the cardholder of the issue, which is excellent. Poor guy/gal needs to know.

I'm not sure what is up with the address they provided. They may be involved in the scam; I'm not sure. I reported it to the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers and the Los Angeles County Carson Sheriff's Station none-the-less.

My reply to this scammer was pretty much the same as my reply to the previous scammer, also from Guatemala:

Thanks. Ive reported this to MasterCard so they can close that account for fraud. The FBI and other federal government agencies of the United States and the POLITUR and police in Guatemala are on their way now to your location. You may want to hang tight as running away from the computer will only cause them to release their dogs. Actually, they may already be there, just watching you from the corner, waiting for you to make a run for it. They will be watching you.

Cafe scam: "John Hood" aka "Mack Andrew"

I received this email today. Same as previous scams. I'm posting this so other cafes can compare their version with this one.

from mack andrew <mack.andrew0050@gmail.com>
to cafeonthesquare@gmail.com
bcc (me)
date Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 5:23 PM
subject ATTN RESTAURANT OWNER/ MANAGER TO GO FOOD ORDER‏

Hi,
Am John Hood and am organizing a little surprise birthday party for my sweet mum. on the 24th of March ,and Every of her kids, grandchildren, family and friends from the States and Canada will be traveling down to celebrate with her.so your catering service will be of great help and value. So if you don't mind, am gonna need your service and help to make it a success.

Please reply me with the total cost estimate of GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH that can suit for 160 guest and let me know if you can charge through my credit card for payment.

Regard
John Hood

Knowing full well this was a scam, I figured I would both toy with the guy and get the card number he is trying to use and turn it over to Visa or Mastercard so they can cancel it, knowing full well two things could happen: 1) He would actually provide me a card number, most likely stolen or 2) He would attempt to get me to wire Western Union some money. If he sends me the card number, Ill call the issuer immediately to report it stolen and send them a link to this post.

My reply:

from (me)
to mack andrew
date Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 9:07 PM
subject Re: ATTN RESTAURANT OWNER/ MANAGER TO GO FOOD ORDER‏

Forward me the credit card number and expiration date and I will send you a price.

His reply, this time using a Yahoo address.

from Mack Andrew <mack0050@yahoo.com>
to (me)
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 6:43 AM
subject Re: ATTN RESTAURANT OWNER/ MANAGER TO GO FOOD ORDER‏

Thank for your kindly reply.Please reply me with the total cost estimate of GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH that can suit for 160 guest..so that i can give you my payment info.Waiting for your reply.Thanks

My reply:

The cost will be $493 dollars. Send me the card number, exp date, and name on the card.

And of course the scam turned toward Western Union.

from Mack Andrew <mack0050@yahoo.com>
to (me)
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 11:22 AM
subject Re: ATTN RESTAURANT OWNER/ MANAGER TO GO FOOD ORDER‏

Hello,
Thanks for your swift response,Am okay with the total cost.I will need a little favor from you because i haven't pay the FOOD carrier that will be coming for the pick up
I want you to add extra $950 to the total cost of the food and you will help me send the $950 to the food carrier via western union, so they can come over for the pick up also add $50 as a tip for the errand you doing for me , am asking for this favor due to my disability and i am at the hospital will undergo surgery in 4 days time..that why am asking for the favor so can you add it all and let me know the total cost plus the food carrier fee. Am Sorry for what ever inconvenience .

Thanks and stay blessed

John Hood

So, in order to stop this idiot, we need to identify where the money is going. Since they want me to Western Union the money, let's try to get an account number.

from (me)
to Mack Andrew
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 11:32 AM
subject Re: ATTN RESTAURANT OWNER/ MANAGER TO GO FOOD ORDER‏

The total cost will be 1200. Send me the Western Union account information and who will pick it up.

This dude is dragging this on!

from Mack Andrew <mack0050@yahoo.com>
to (me)
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 11:46 AM
subject Re: ATTN RESTAURANT OWNER/ MANAGER TO GO FOOD ORDER‏

hi
kindly get back to me with the break down of the cost of the food carrier and the food.

At this point I am just making up numbers.

from (me)
to Mack Andrew <mack0050@yahoo.com>
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 12:03 PM
subject Re: ATTN RESTAURANT OWNER/ MANAGER TO GO FOOD ORDER‏

I cannot proceed without the Western Union information.

Total cost: 1200.
Food: 493
Tip: 50
Carrier: 657

This dude is probably sitting at his computer, salivating. But THIS suprised me. He gave me a card number!

from Mack Andrew <mack0050@yahoo.com>
to (me)
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 12:22 PM
subject Re: ATTN RESTAURANT OWNER/ MANAGER TO GO FOOD ORDER‏

hi
Thanks for the understanding here is my card details bellow

Name on Card......John Hood
Card number.......(removed)
Exp date..............(removed)
Card type.............Visa card

go head and run my card for the total cost plus the food carrier fee and get back to me as soon as you have run my card through so i can email you the food carrier details you will send the money to via western union MONEY TRANSFER

waiting for your response

Regard

John Hood

Time to call Visa! I called VISA and Ruby answered. She tells me that the card is a Platinum Visa card issued by Chase. She wasnt able to close the account since I was not the cardholder but gave me the number for Chase.

I called Chase and talked to Alex. Told him the situation. (He probably thinks I am crazy.) We got the fraud department on the line. Cheryl answered. She refused to do anything since the name on the card (provided to me by the scammer) did not match the account number (provided to me by the scammer). Cheryl kept asking me for my account number. After the second time, I stopped her and asked her for her supervisor.

Ethan at Chase came on the line. He sounded like he was 12 but then again I was growing more and more frustrated with their unwillingness to help whoever's card this is. I told him the whole bit... scammer trying to get me to charge his card, no intention of actually charging it, probably stolen, just trying to do the right thing and pass along the card info so it can be flagged. He seemed to reluctantly take down the account number and name on the card, and asked me for my name and business. (I thought... Great, now Im going to be flagged somehow!) He did thank me for reporting it. I also told him I have a personal and business relationship with Chase so I trusted he would know what to do.

I was not made confident at all that Chase would help whoever's card this really is. Then I wondered what would happen if someone was trying to use my card info in a scam like this. Would someone else help me? Would the issuer of my card do something to stop any charges and inform me? Or is the situation not in the training manuals so nothing can be done until a fraud charge appeared and I called myself long after the fact?

There are two victims here. One, the card holder. The charge would appear on his card and he would spend countless hours trying to get it reversed and get his identity back. Second, my business. Had I actually thought this was real and run the card, I would have provided service and goods, only to have a chargeback on my merchant account when the real cardholder claimed fraud. I hope Chase does something since VISA would not.

To whomever actually owns that card, Sorry -- I tried to report it.

My last email:

from (me)
to Mack Andrew <mack0050@yahoo.com>
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 1:10 PM
subject Re: ATTN RESTAURANT OWNER/ MANAGER TO GO FOOD ORDER‏

Thanks. Ive reported this to Visa so they can close that account for fraud. The FBI and other federal government agencies of the United States and Guatemala are on their way now to your location. You may want to hang tight. They may already be there. They will be watching you.

Idiot wants to Boycott my Bakery Because of NPR

Today I received an e-mail from "Trey Hensley" at trey_hensley@hotmail.com who threatens he will boycott my bakery because of a contribution I made to our local public radio station a year ago. Get a load of this gem:

from Trey Hensley <trey_hensley@hotmail.com>
date Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 2:37 PM
subject Protest & Boycott of Your business

Dear Sir or Madam,

We are planning a protest and a boycott of your business. The reason for this is because you are a sponsor of KUT 90.5 the local "National Public Radio" (NPR) station. It is our belief that Juan Williams was fired without cause over comments that are protected under the First Amendment and was singled out because he is African American by NPR management. He was the only African American journalist employed by NPR. We will keep our protest in front of your business legal and abide by all laws but we will choose the days and times that will affect you and your business the most. We have started a website and added you to the list of businesses that we are encouraging all people of the Austin area to boycott until you consider removing your sponsorship and stop supporting a station who's management is racist.

Feel free to reply to this email or if you want to call Hawk Mendehall (Asst GM for KUT) at 512-471-1631 the local NPR station and let him know you are being boycotted because of your support for them. If you want to postpone or cancel our demonstration in front of your business please let us know you will no longer be supporting KUT 90.5. This is in no way intended to be a threat we are just giving your company the benefit of the doubt that you may no longer want to support an organization that is prejudiced against African Americans unless you want to see Americans exercising their rights to free speech on your door step.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration

Respectfully
Trey Hensley

My reply:

Mr Hensley:

First, boycotting small independent businesses because of a decision made by a radio corporation in Washington DC is incompetent and idiotic.

Second, suggesting Mr Williams was fired because of his race and somehow linking that to my bakery, a minority owned business, and where or where we do not seek to gain marketing exposure is asinine, ignorant, and misdirected.

Third, our decision to support (or not to support) a local, commercial-free radio station because of its local content and non-commercial drive to grow and support its community is ours and ours alone. You do not make that decision for us.

Good luck in your attempt to draw light upon your ignorance. We only wish you directed your anger toward the officials in Washington DC rather than send form letters to businesses you clearly do not frequent.

Timothy Lux

Feeling Ignored: How Not to Provide Customer Service

Like many people, I work a lot of hours. Most of those hours are spent not in front of a computer or phone. Most of my online purchasing, researching, etc is done at home, at night, when most businesses are closed.

It amazes me how businesses and their customer service departments just drop the ball for no apparent reason.

How not to get my business - Part 1

I received a cold call email from Sheryl Langley, an Austin sales rep at a group buying/coupon site LivingSocial.com. There are a LOT of these sites out there -- we hear from new ones several times a month. Wed, Oct 6, she sent me a generic email asking if we wanted to participate in the great offer that is a featured deal on LivingSocial.com. I responded that night asking the simple question of how the money would be split between us and them. She responded from her Blackberry that night, three times, with three short messages:

message 1: 60% to you, 40% to us, Groupon is 50/50.

message 2: And... you get your full check for the 60% within about 20 business days from close of your deal which is much better than Groupon.

message 3: Would you be available for me to stop by tomorrow or Friday to discuss?

Um, this isnt high school. I dont need to be spoon fed text message-like e-mails. But none-the-less, I set up an appointment on Friday Oct 8 at 1pm at my business. She confirmed a few minutes later.

Not only did Sheryl Langley never show up for the appointment, but she never emailed, called, or showed up later to apologize for missing the appointment. I havent heard from her since then. I guess my business is not important for her or LivingSocial.com.

How not to get my business - Part 2

Restockit.com bills itself as the place to shop for business supplies. Ive used them in the past because of their 110% price match guarantee. I went to their site October 10, added items to my cart, got the total, and then compared that price with another site and with a local business supply company. I found the items almost $100 cheaper at another site, so I used the contact form on their site to ask them to match the price. Several days went by and I realized they never contacted me back. So I went online again, chatted with one of their sales reps, who told me she would get back to me by the end of the afternoon. That was October 13. A day went by, with no response. So I sent one final email to their customer service email address, asking for an immediate callback first thing in the morning. No call. No email. Sorry, restockit.com -- no business from me.

Update 10/18/2010: Transcript of a webchat with Restockit.com:
[Jacob] Thank you for contacting ReStockIt.com. Please give me one moment to look into that for you.
[Jacob] I am looking at your email right now, Tim. I do apologize for this delay.
[Jacob] Please give me one moment to verify the costs at our competition...
[Jacob] In this scenario, you should place your roder with competitor; they have a great price on these that we can't match I am sorry to say

How not to get my business - Part 3

October 10. I emailed the business email address for a particular drink supply company asking if an item we purchase from time to time was off the website because it was discontinued, out of stock temporarily, or what. No response. I emailed again three days later, asking the question again and why I didnt get a response. No response.

They take phone calls between 9am and 5pm, which doesnt work for me. So I incorrectly assumed their website would allow me to reach someone 24 hours a day (getting a response from them the next business day is acceptable). No response? No business.

It just boggles my mind. Never ignore your customers.

More on scam of A1AccessDirectory.com and A1 Access Directory

Here's a followup on a previous post about the business directory scam of A1AccessDirectory.com aka A1 Access Directory.

In early April, a lawyer representing us sent the company a Demand Letter via certified mail that contained these closing paragraphs:

Moreover, under the provisions of state and federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and related consumer statutes, we are hereby instructing you that you are to cease communicating with via mail and through telephone. Any further communication with my clients means my law office will seek legal remedies against A1 Access Directory. Further, I demand that you immediately discontinue collecting on the erroneous debt and that any reporting of such debt to a credit reporting agency be immediately withdrawn.

Lastly, if I do not receive a reprieve from A1 Access Directory within 15 days of the date of this letter, I will consider this matter fully resolved and close the case.

We also heard from the BBB of Upstate New York that "We regret to inform you that the company has not responded to your complaint." and they have closed the case. The non-response will be recorded on their BBB Review which as of this writing has a F rating and 22 documented complaints.

Then out of the blue, we received an email from the company:

Date: Tue, 04 May 2010 14:20:55 -0500
From: cs@a1accessdirectory.com
To: ******************
Subject: BBB Complaint ID: *********

Attention ***********,

A few weeks ago, we received your complaint that you filed against our company with the Better Business Bureau, Inc, on 4/1/2010.

After reviewing your complaint, it is clear that you misunderstood the whole situation as ******** did authorize the two-year online advertisement for ************* on 1/27/2010. The verbal authorization was already provided to you on 4/1/2010. Should you wish to hear it again, it will be made available to you upon request.

We would like to resolve this matter with you as soon as possible in order to close our books. A payment arrangement or a settlement offer can be reached with our customer service department or with our accounts receivable department.
You can reach us between 9:00 am EST - 6:00 pm EST, Monday to Friday.

We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Respectfully,

Nicole Sanders
Customer Service Manager
A1 Access Directory, Inc.
(866) 678-5522 ext. 24

The email has already been forwarded to said lawyer. The scam never ends!