FollowNow that business is starting to pick up, the scammers are back in full force! Lately, I’ve been getting suspicious requests like the email below more and more frequently. I’m betting you are too!
This email request was easy to spot as a scam, but many times the scammers are more sophisticated! Be wary of any unsolicited emails that come your way from people you’ve never done business with, or have not been referred to your company. In my case, I delete these obvious scam emails.
This email was easy to spot as a scam.
“I wish to request your company to supply a quote
for the under listed promotional items
(A) 3000pcs 16gb usb flash drive
(B) 4000pcs 4gb micro sd card
(C) 2000pcs blue tooth speaker.
Regards
DAVID MAXWELL
dmaxglobal inc.
dmaxglobal13@gmail.com”
Some emails requests aren’t as easy to spot as the one above, here my must-know tips for spotting a scam:
- Look for poor grammar or unusual wording in the email.
- Scammers frequently use an email address that is not a business email address, such as a Gmail or AOL email address.
- They frequently request large amounts of unimprinted items. (Tech items such as USBs, or clothing such as unimprinted T-Shirts are popular.)
- They frequently use a business location that doesn’t exist or is a warehouse. (Google the business address.)
- Be wary of email requests from someone you’ve never done business with and you have no idea how they found your company.
- There may be a telephone number missing from their email.
- They may request to only pay with a credit card. Many times, the credit card is a personal credit card, and usually it is stolen card that has not been reported yet.
- An email request claiming to come from an Ivy League school such as Harvard or Yale. Frequently, an identity is stolen from someone who works there, who may be on vacation or on temporary leave.
How to verify if the company and the order is legitimate:
- Call the company or school and ask to speak with the person who sent the email. Make sure that you are actually speaking to that person. Do not trust voicemail.
- Check out the person’s profile online and contact them to verify their identity. Ask if they placed an order with your company.
- Request references from the person to other companies they have worked with and contact the references.
- Request a certificate of incorporation or business license.
- Check the company address on Google Maps to make sure it actually exists.
- Check the company profile on online business sites such as Manta and Dun and Bradstreet.
For all suspicious orders, require full payment up front in with a certified check, and do not place the order until the payment clears.
What would you add to my list? How do you spot scams?
Finally, I’m sure you’ve heard the adage, buyer beware! These days it’s just as important for the seller to beware!
