Well this is a new one, and I can't figure out if it is a scam or not. If it is, it's very well executed. I'd like your thoughts, because if legit this is a big job for us - but I want to get everyone's opinion on this before going further.
I've ommitted any personal information, but the following was the first email I received:
Quote:
Hello,
Am Reverend [name omitted]. I contact you to know if you carry Bumper Stickers ,If yes below is a bumper stickers with specifications that i will like you to get back to me with the quote of 15000 pieces of 3-1/2" X 15" decals with artwork saying "AIDS IS REAL ".I will like them to have yellow backgrounds with black lettering.I will also like to hear from you methods of payments you do accept in your establishment.Visa Card,Master Card,Amex,so that we can proceed..
Thank you ones again and i will be looking forward to hearing back from you with all the necessary requirement..
Have An Awesome Day..
Best Regards
[name omitted]
Now the grammar reminds me of the nigerian scams, but the email contains specific details about the product that he is requesting, so I assume it is not a scam and make some calls and reply with a quote. Here is the response to the quote:
Quote:
Excellent Reply !!
Thank you for the Patent you had for me so far, i really do Appreciate about your work and Regarding the full Payment that i want to make,.So i have just Contacted my Bankers and they Provided me with Credit Card Detail"s which i want to make the full Payment with it,Perhaps i want you to know that i don"t want to make half payment to you but i Rather want to make the full payment Together,
And on the other hand i will like you to Contact Primary Shippers Limited.and get the Shipping Charges.This Items are going to be Delivered to Rev [name omitted].
So that as soon as you get the Shipping Charges you can Add it on any Additional Charges that Occurs"s and then email me back so that i can make the full payment together and so Below is the Contact Details for the Shipping Company.
Contact Information for Freight Company
Name :Primary Shippers Limited
Contact Name ave Smith
Contact Email :
And the information that the shipping company will need to provide the Shipping charges is
Full Pick up Location Address.
The Full Size or Quantity - / of the order to be Picked up and Shipped.
The Shipping / Delivery Address
Email them with the above information and below is the Delivery/Shipping address
Ship To
( Global Bible Center 4/0)
[street address omitted]
Minsk,BY-220807.Belarus
And so contact them now and get back to me with the Totals Plus Shipping Charges Asap.Also email me back with a Copy of what you sent to them.
[name omitted]
[street address omitted]
Torrance, CA 90502
Now, he says that the stickers will be delivered to him, but the california address in his signature is obviously not the address that he wants them shipped to. Again, maybe not a scam - maybe this is for a rally in Belarus. The enthusiastic willingness to pay up front is strange, especially since this is job will be in the thousands. Then again, he is paying with a credit card and not a check or money order, so I assume that the payment will clear on my end.
I searched for "Primary Shippers Limited", "primaryshippers.com" and "Global Bible Center", and found absolutely nothing online for any of them. Again, not necesarily a scam, but fishy nonetheless.
So now I ask you, the all-knowing t-shirtforums.com community: What are your thoughts?
I would be running for the door...this is definitely a scam...you omitted the street address but if you do a reverse look up online you find more information.This is not a nigerian scam but russian...and yes the credit card will clear...and a few days after you deliver, you will learn that the card has been either forged or stolen and guess who is gonna have to pay???
And just how did a dude in Calif get to you in New York...you mean there are no bumper sticker vendors out here...
Total Scam That is my opinion. I agree with Charles in the fact they will pay with a stolen credit card. What they are really trying to get out of you is the charge to the shipping company, and of course your goods for free. But the cash is made by the supposed shipping company, who you put the charge to once they give you the shippers information, the shippers are usually not real shipping companies.
Any time you see a large order for out of the country, for a reverend or some other church association, and for some type of charity for aids or hunger, something to that effect, are almost 100% always scams.Those are the triggers to make you trust them, and they are false. Please do not even consider this deal, it is a scam.
__________________
Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest. ~~~Mark Twain BobbieLee
I've gotten emails just like that. I usually delete them after I get my hopes up seeing the Subject header in my inbox. These are my favorite ones -
I will like to order some of your products and i will want it shipped to our store in South Korea:
Shipping Address:
Level One, 179 Tuam Street
PO Box 13300, Christchurch 8011 New Zealand
So i hope to hear from you in time regarding my inquiry and to know where i can view the products you have presently in stock and if there is any special pricing i need to know about. Lastly regarding payment i will be sending you my credit card to charge for my order thus do let me know if you accept all major credit card(or get back with the type you accept)I hope to hear from you as soon as possible so we can proceed with the Order request.
Regards.
Deleted
NOTE : IN TERMS OF SHIPPING, THAT CAN BE ADEQUATELY ARRANGED WITH MY SHIPPER AS HE WILL BE PICKING FROM YOUR LOCATION.
or
Good day,
My name is Mr. Smith and with regards to your company i would like to know if you do carry(Blanket).I am Donating the(Blanket) to a Continental Orphanage Home,I will like you to kindly respond to me with the types and sizes of (Blankets)that you have.Hope to hear from you soon and may the Good Lord richly bless you in abundant for your support.
Run for the hills, it's getting tough to tell the difference from real and scammer e-mails. BTW I just won the UK lottery and my unknown uncle in Nigeria just left me 2 billion dollars! Man lucky day, here's my credit card info and personal info...get me that money!!!
__________________
Choose a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life.
-Confucius
I have received emails like this before asking for t-shirts. I just email them back with an over inflated price for my shirts and tell them to send the money first. Funny so far no takers yet.
Just google the guys name and you will probably find it in a list of scams allready.This guy is scamming people all over , Sanmar even sent out warnings about this.
Got an email today, is this a scam? 
ave Smith
That is my opinion. I agree with Charles in the fact they will pay with a stolen credit card. What they are really trying to get out of you is the charge to the shipping company, and of course your goods for free. But the cash is made by the supposed shipping company, who you put the charge to once they give you the shippers information, the shippers are usually not real shipping companies. 
