Smoke Detector Scam

ABLE1

This is a FYI to all dealers please be aware.

Today I received a phone call that was set up thru a Relay Service as in a TTY from Hearing Impaired. The best I could figure out was that the individual "Angela" was looking for a price for a particular model of smoke detector from both Firex and BRK. I was asked to send prices to an email address.

Since the Relay is difficult to get good info I decided to send an email requesting more info. The info I got back was very unusual. The email wanted to know what the cost would be for the Smokes UPS'd to my location and they would have them picked up by FEDEX.

Say WHAT???

And oh, what credit card do you take???

And oh, this is for 620 units.

HELLO????????????

Any how this is a SCAM. I have talked to my distributor and they have been and are aware of the SCAM. It seems that they give you a stolen Credit Card and by the time you figure it out the shipment has been picked up or something like that.

If you are aware of this SCAM hope you did not find out the hard way.

I have made a complaint to the FBI and will ignore all future email.

Just wanted to make all aware so that you can be prepared.

Have a better day.

Les

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ABLE1

Dustball

It's sad that people are abusing the relay services this way. I'm not defending the scammers though. Deafness runs in my family and the relay service and e-mails are used very frequently to communicate with businesses. Don't reject relay calls and e-mails because of this one situation because you may be losing good business. I will tell you this, the deaf community is very tight knitted and word gets around about who they trust to do work for them.

Dustin

ABLE1

Good point and I agree. The relay part of this did make me want to help but there were too many things that did not feel right. It just goes to show that these scumbags will use any thing to get there money.

I do not want anyone to think that the relay service was involved with the scam. They were scamed as well. Sad, very sad.

Les

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ABLE1

mdshunk

They got a dozen or so generators and pressure washers from a local engine dealer with pretty much the identical tactic about a year or two back.

GregS

This was a common scam in the computer retail industry.

Back when I had a store in the late 90s, faxes would come in from various parts of Eastern Europe and Russia looking to purchase large quantities of computer components and wanting to pay by credit card.

I kept telling them "No credit card, wire transfer" and they insist they cannot do this because their banks are not trustworthy..