DoneDeal Help » Safety Guide » Shipping Company Scam

Shipping Company Scam

How to Recognize This Scam

  1. Seller is often located abroad.
  2. Seller claims to use a reliable shipping company, which has a professional looking web site.
  3. Seller wants you to pay by Western Union® or other money transfer company.

How Does it Work?

  1. The scammer places an ad on DoneDeal.ie, with an item for sale for a bargain price.
  2. When you contact the seller he suggests using a 'safe' shipping company. Often the goods is located abroad.
  3. He suggests that you pay using Western Union® or some other money transfer company.
  4. He sends you a tracking number to show that he has shipped the goods. There is also a genuine looking web site where you can look up the tracking number. This web site is run by the scammer with the sole purpose to make you believe that he has actually shipped something.
  5. You pay the money through Western Union®, and send the information to the shipping company (which is in fact the scammer).
  6. The scammer takes out your money, and you never see the money again.

>> Read more on the Western Union ® Consumer Fraud Information page

Example

One of our users, Hans, spotted a great bargain, a motorbike for a great price. He actually lost €3.500 in this fraud, but has kindly sent us all the information so that we can help others avoid this scam.

It started with Hans contacting the seller by email through our web site. He then got a reply from the seller/scammer:

From: Deko Forneti <dekoforneti7@yahoo.com>

the best price that I can give the bike is 3400 Euro no less then this. For payment and delivery we can use a secure way for both .We can do the deal safe using Air Express Transport Company .( www.airexpress-trans.com ).I will explain you step by step who this service work They are 5 easy steps :

  1. I will deposit the bike to our custody .
  2. Once the bike will be deposited i will send you the tracking number to verify the shipment and to see if everthing are ok ( The bike deposited in your name and address).
  3. Once the bike Is deposited to the Air Express Transport Company you must send the payment to the Air Express Transport Company agent name and address using western union .
  4. Once the payment has been has been send to the Air Express Transport Company agent the bike will be delivered to your shipping address.
  5. We have make the deal sure , easy and fast.

So if you agree with my way to make the deal email me with your full name and address and tommorow morning i can deposit the bike on the Air Express Transport Company custody. Thank you ,

Hans thought that it sounded genuine enough, and agreed to the steps. The seller then claimed to have shipped the motorbike, and Hans received the following email from the shipping company:

From: payment@airexpress-trans.com

Dear Customer,

We have your package in our custody. (2003 HONDA CBR 954 RR - HELMET - JACKET)

The package has been verified by our Technical Team and we have sent you a description of the item, with the complete specifications for it.

Tracking number : P1113031020

Ship To:
Name: HANS XXXXX
Address: 155 XXXXX ROAD
City: DUBLIN
Country: IRELAND

Hans looked up the shipping company's web site:

Screenshot from fake shipping company's web site

Searching on the tracking number assured Hans that the bike was underway. Next he received instructions for payment:

From: payment@airexpress-trans.com

Dear Customer ,

The next step to complete the transaction is to send the selller ("DEKO FORNETI") western union payment informations to our custody for verification :

This is the seller payment address :

Name: DEKO FORNETI
Address: VIA CASELINA #11
City: ROMA
Country: ITALY
Zip Number: 00133

The payment informations that you need to send to us in max 24 houres are:

- MTCN - Money Transfer Control Number
- Sender's Name and Sender's Address
- Receiver's Name and Receiver's Address
- Amount Transferred

Once we will recive the payment information and verify it we will shipp the package to your shipping address .

Thank you for using AirExpress-Trans, Inc
www.airexpress-trans.com
payment@airexpress-trans.com

Hans paid the money, and sent on the requested information, thinking that the shipping company would hold the money until the bike was delivered, not realising that the so called shipping company and the scammer was the same person. Also, he did not know that as soon as the scammer has the MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number) he can take out the money from any Western Union office. As soon as he had sent the MTCN the money was taken out without any way for Hans to get his money back.

Hans reported the fraud to the Gardai, but they do not have the resources to follow up on this type of crimes, as it would require co-ordinating with the Police in other countries.

So please, avoid buying from abroad, avoid unknown shipping companies, and avoid Western Union and similar money transfer companies. That way we hope no-one else will have to part with their money to these criminals.