GHANA NEEDS HOT TUBS!

[PPOL]

Not really related to hot tubs, but thought this was funny today.

I got this email this morning....

Hello Sir/Madam,
               LETTER OF PURCHASE
                Am Mrs Stephanie Thomas from california and i would like to know if u carry spa in stock.I would need the spa for a hotel been newly opened by my partners and we need this spa as soon as possible.I would like u to email me the types that u have in stock and the spa hydrotherapy action including the pumps and everything that comes with it.I would like u to email me this info asapso that i would know their prices and when u are going to get them ready and packed for the shipping.Actually the price would determine the quantity to be
bought and morever i would like to know the major credit cards that u accept.
                Thank u very much and hope to hear from u.

stephanie...........................


Im bored, I bite and reply describing what hot tubs we carry and where to pick out the one she wanted... and was followed up with this email...

Hello,

       Thank u vemuch.I would like to inform u that i would need this spa to be shipped to my partners in ghana west africa and i would like u to get me this spa asap.I would like to u to get me the price of the spa and i would be very glad to give u my credit card and driver license to run out allthe charges and i would like u to get me this spa asap.I would also like u to know that the spa would be shipped to ghana west africa.That is where the hotel is situated and i would like u to give u my partners info in ghana so that u can call them to do some verificaion and also his name is william or kobe.

WILLIAM GALVIN

(MAYOR HOTEL)

213 MAYOR ST

CANTONMENT,ACCRA

GHANA,WEST AFRICA

00233.

PHONE :233 244 569343

U CAN CALL THE FIRST THING TMR AND THEY WOULD TALK TO U MORE BUT I AM HANDLING ALL THE PAYMENT AND SHIPPING PROCESS NOW SO U CAN EMAIL ME THE PRICE OF THE Palomar SPAS AND I WOULD EMAIL U MY CREDIT CARDS TO RUN OUT ALL THE CHARGES ASAP.

                                                THX.

Stephanie...............................


WEST AFRICA?   Don't they have dealerships in Ghana??  So I am enjoying myself a little more and tell her I dont have a Palomar in stock, but I would be happy to sell her a Geneva paradise.  Which follows....

HELLO,

        Thank u very much.I would need the 1 Geneva Paradise – White Sand – Redwood Cabinet but i would like u to help me with the shipping b cos at the moment am in a flight to south africa for a conference where i would pass through ghana on my way back so all u need to do is to get me this spa.I would pay for them,then later u get any cargo shipping to ghana so that u package them then send them to the airport or u can use the sea for of shipping too.I would need this spa and and 2 for now.Pls email me the total cost then i would email u my drivers lisence and credit cards to run out all the charges and also pls try your best to email me asap.Because the shipping shuold not be a plm.Just get them ready then find any form of shipping but am going to see to the payment and that with my credit cards

stephanie...............


Now I am rolling on the floor.  This goes far and beyond our "Free Delivery".  So I respond that there is no way to ship that via sea or air and damned if Im "helping" with the delivery... especially since you cant freaking spell.  

Haven't gotten a response in a few hours so I will keep ya'll posted.


Neil O'Donovan
"Brining Spatopia to West Africa"

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

AFRICA I'd be suspicious of......... BUT, I gotta tell you........ about 2 years ago I got a similar email from a guy saying he had a hotel in Mexico and another in some Central American country. "Yeah right! You want hot tub's on the equator"?

It was somewhat similar sounding to yours (VERY broken English). A few emails went back and forth (of which I derived a fair amount of entertainment). Bout 3 weeks later the guy flew up to San Francisco................. he paid cash for 10 tubs ....... and has since bought 15 or 20 more.......

We've done a small amount of business in parts of Africa. Insist on a direct wire transfer only. As far as I know, there's no way to pull a fast one working this way. It's about the only way we'll do any kind of international business

(OK! Do I get a certificate or something?)

[ZzTop]

Sounds like you are being scammed.

Just wait until Nigieria gets your email address, its the scam capital of Africa.

I would never do business without receiving Cash.

Regards, Zz

[Spatech_tuo]

You can bet the internet spa scammer will be calling that number. I think Kenny is in charge of service for the African continent (along with his Boone county responsibilities).

[ndabunka]

PPOL - Many foriegner's(Sp?) have international shipping accounts. Have them pick up the spa from your warehouse (i.e. Your storefront) and they can worry about the shipping method. Tell them that you need 10-14 days to "clear" international accounts (even Visa or Mastercard). This should allow you enough time to get verification from MC/Visa to allow them to pick it up. Another alternative is to allow them to wire the monies to you. No bank checks (They can be forged) and becareful with any wires as well (Need 3 business days to verify those).

[huh?]

That sounds just like the Nigerian Scam Letter.   Rush  rush rush....can you help pay for this.....

You are verry smart for being leary.

[spaguyohio]

Buddy of mine runs a billiards place. They got a TDD call yesterday from Ghana. Someone wanted 15 sets of billiard balls. After going back and forth with the TDD operator, all the information was taken. Told the customer on the other end to call back in 30 mins. as they had to get shipping charges, etc.

In mean time, they called MC, and was told the name didnt match the billing address and the customer who owned the card would be contacted immediately.

So TDD operator calls back, he tells the interested party that the credit card didnt match billing address, could she do a wire transfer?  Dead silence .... Never heard from them again.

[wmccall]

Buddy of mine runs a billiards place. They got a TDD call yesterday from Ghana. Someone wanted 15 sets of billiard balls. After going back and forth with the TDD operator, all the information was taken. Told the customer on the other end to call back in 30 mins. as they had to get shipping charges, etc.

In mean time, they called MC, and was told the name didnt match the billing address and the customer who owned the card would be contacted immediately.

So TDD operator calls back, he tells the interested party that the credit card didnt match billing address, could she do a wire transfer?  Dead silence .... Never heard from them again.

This is just what I thought was happening to PPOL. I have a friend who runs http://www.av-cables.net and  he frequently gets large orders from stolen credit cards. In one case the credit card agency worked with him and the FBI and had him ship some dummy packages weighing about the right amount so they could catch the guy taking delivery.  His order was from Canada, but they worked with the authorities there to catch the guy.