I got this email this morning. They sure put alot of emphasis on billing/deposits/credit issues. Seems pretty fishy, I was wondering if any of ya'll had ever gotten anything like this?
Couple red flags after looking around: 1) The webpage is completely static. None of the links work. The date at the top/right is "February 3 2005"
2) Nether of the phone/fax numbers are found in Google.
3) The Bellsouth Yellow Pages doesn't list anything for that business name in that city.
4) Nothing by that name in that city according to AnyWho.com
5)The spelling errors
Here's the email
quote: We have a proposal for you… (Clear Edges)…
We have a commercial fleet of vehicles (over 100) GMC trucks and vans. We need some magnetic signs for these vehicles. We are currently using a company now that makes new signs each year for our vehicles; each time our display text or service specials change. They will be going out of business soon and we need a new company. We want to setup a billing or net 30 account with a new company, like yours. We would be ordering new signs each year for our vehicles each year. How long does it take you to create signs; turnaround time?
We are looking a company that is willing to establish an account without lengthy processes or criteria. We can fill out an application for credit, but we would rather bypass those to speed things up. We have several local references to provide instead.
To get things started, we want to create signs for one GMC truck and one GMC van. We need 2 door signs and one rear sign that display our logo and phone number for the van and the truck. We also need several signs to place one the van and the truck that display our service specials.
We also need 5-10 metal/aluminum ground stake signs to display our services and phone number (like real estate signs). Can you handle this order? We are not interested in pre-payment or deposit terms since we cannot issue payments form THIS office locally. It takes to long to arrange this, so we favor those who are able to bill/invoice us and deliver product. This allows us to forward the invoice to our accounting for them to handle. Checks are issued every 21-28 days.
Can you assemble this order and bill our accounting offices? If so, please call me to set things up. (Our office sets up billing accounts and Bank of America pays our accounts through payables)
We like you company and would love to do business.
Please call me if you can handle this request so we can get started. 1-803-242-2383
"We can fill out an application for credit, but we would rather bypass those to speed things up."
"We are not interested in pre-payment or deposit terms since we cannot issue payments form THIS office locally"
Giant red flags. Walk away. No wait, Run.
Posted by Barry Branscum (Member # 445) on :
NO WAY UH_UH NO SIR!!!
That stinks so bad I can smell it here in Arkansas!
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
or ask him to pay you up-front for the first 50 trucks, and you'll do him a good deal on the 51st, maybe even for free...... that's just as good a deal for him isn't it Posted by Robert Cole (Member # 477) on :
Kevin: "We are looking a company that is willing to establish an account without lengthy processes or criteria. We can fill out an application for credit, but we would rather bypass those to speed things up. We have several local references to provide instead." Perhaps this would help this new client choose your company to do business with. "GREAT SEND ME THE CASH, and call me after I deposit it in my bank account. We can then schedule your work into our regular client rotation."
If they start out trying to circumvent your regular payment program, they WILL NOT get any easier to work with.
RRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNN to the nearest exit and point the way OUT for them.
Bob C. "Vinylman®"
Posted by Ray Rheaume (Member # 3794) on :
Translation...
"The last company we dealt with is going out of business (actually, they finally figured out that they were losing money on us and told us to get lost) and we're looking for another sign guy to screw. We've decided to send you an email in the hopes that bulls*tting you about 100 trucks is going to make you jump through hoops to work on the initial order. We'd also like this small job at bulk pricing, without any deposit or verifiable credit references. We also want to skip altoghether signing anything like a credit....so we can't be prosecuted later for non payment."
"We also are telling you we like you in the hopes that you get the impression that we're nice people...but we really aren't."
I have a remedy for people like this....stick 'em on a flagpole and let's see how many people salute them! Rapid
Posted by Kevin McEvoy (Member # 4578) on :
LOL. I replied with a respectful decline, really wanted to mess with them a bit though.
Posted by Gene Golden (Member # 3934) on :
Sure Kevin... and then all they'll need is your bank account number so they can direct deposit into your account!!! So many red flags. Interesting how they singled your business out as a "new business" too. They figure you're hungry and need the work. They also figure that you're "green" enough to fall for this ploy.
Steer clear!
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Gee this sounds like a great deal...
"We're not gonna pay you for this initial order but don't worry, we have 100 other trucks that need to get done for which we expect you to front all material costs out of pocket, then we'll take our sweet time paying you."
Now, I never claim to be the best business person in the world but wouldn't logic tell you that the "New" company they're looking for probably wouldn't even have the capital to front the costs of such a job?
Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
Post title: "Sound like a scam?"
Yes.
. . .If you had the doubting feeling that provoked such a serious question, you prolly already 'know' it is....trust your insticts . . . Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
DID YOU CALL THE NUMBER? id do this 1st....then you can listen to the person...and make your determination from there. 21-28 billing is not unusual for big companies. as for them not being listed anywhere it might be someone new....it could be a good thing..but i would call the number and listen real good.........if nothin else you can tell them to go bother someone else!!!
Posted by Bruce Williams (Member # 691) on :
I would report it as spam. As for the content, it's Giant red flags, as Kissy said.
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Hmm, I'd sure be spooked. I looked up that domain at www.whois.com and it is indeed registered to an Arthur Gallagher at Clear Edges Corporation with a New York City address. His contact email is to a generic heading @gallagherexectutivesgroup.com which also seems to be a defunct site. Perhaps if they just moved or opened a new branch in SC they might not be listed in local databases yet, but that's a lot of flags for sure.
I might have considered calling the guy and sitting down with him AT HIS PLACE to see if he was for real. But probably not.
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