I am approached by couple of African customers who demanded free samples and they were ready to pay for courier charges by providing us their account details with FedEx / DHL etc.

When I called up FedEx & DHL to know the authenticity of the **** I was surprised that the accounts were registered by different names and in different country. (Canada & Taiwan)

Since third party billing is possible with FedEx / DHL we could have easily sent the samples to the African party where in the actual account holder had to pay the charges towards the freight.

Since we never wanted the actual account holder to pay for the freight charges towards the services which he or his sister concern never demanded.

We asked the african party to provide us letter on the account holders letterhead alongwith the company seal and name of the authorized signatory with his designation and his sign mentioning the "Request for Samples" and Physical Address where the delivery will take place.

The buyer immediately stop responding...

When we checked up with the original account holder about their sister concern in Africa...Not a single company had their sister concern or buying office in Africa..

Is there any other way to stop such fraudsters and save the original account holders by such fradulent practice?

Replying to [Smir]: I do agree with you . Sometimes "customer" offered DHL/UPS/Fedex account .But they are not the exact owner of the account . Means paid by third party . but we donot know whether that's really their sisiter company . if freight being collect that should marked with our Account . if they are not the owner of the account .and the 3rd party will refuse to pay the money . so finally will charged us by our sender's account .

So we really should think out a solve method .

Replying to [Smir]: Actually what you have done is to expose yet another phising scam that many a supplier is not aware of. But more than this, many times the account numbers you are given are only sending accounts and not acutally international receiving accounts. If this is not caught by the express service prior to leaving your country you would in fact be billed for the transportation of the samples.

This is exactly the same thing I have talked about on yet another board with a supplier from China that was charged when FedEx found that that the reciever had no billing account for international importing.

I applaude the fact that you check out every aspect of your buyer as well. This yet another presentation of how buyers and sellers must complete Due Diligence.

Ranger

Replying to [Smir]:A very good expose of a scam Smir and thanks for posting it,

The way to stop this scam is to ask kindly the receiver to do the booking with FedEx, DHL Etc on his account by him self,
Then you have not ordered any thing with FedEx Etc and can not be hold responsible for any mistake or reject of the parcel,

If you make the booking you will be responsible for the payment if the receiver, or in this case the scammer, if they don’t pay

Replying to [Smir]:Hi Smir,
Thanks for the post as I am also sending the goods everytime, from unknown international customers without knowing that this kind of scam is also possible.

Quoting from [Smir]:

Also,The receiver should send an e mail to the courier company to tell them that ....( name and company) is going to send a parcel and that he is responsible for paying for it.

Replying to [Smir]:

Banyak hebat pak. (How's my Indonesian?)

I always check with UPS/TNT/DHL or what ever courier service they buyers provide me. It is always a problem with Ghana. I have received loads of enquiries from Ghana and it's a bloody pain in the neck. They always provide me with accounts that are either stolen or hijacked.

I just don't know what these people are up to. Don't they have anything fu%$#@g better things to do? Any greenhorns could have easily fallen prey to them.

kapala sakit pak.

Mak dia punya bapak punya mak punya nenek punya anak dia. Semua betul betul puya anak sundal.

macam mana pak, bahasa Indonesia saya? Boleh ya pak?

Replying to [Smir]:

Yes, i also met the situation before,and at that moment , every time when i use the DHL with our company as receiver, DHL also check at first then agree to arrange the goods for us,sometime take one day for that..so that affect the shipping time,,Anyway as you talked mabye they avoid the risk to use the third party stranger company,,,, !!!!!!! but i see recently DHL cancel the check and pick up good urgently as long as u tell a DHL NO to them..



PS
Our company Fortune Keen Ltd with ISO/TS16949 approval can provide the PCB and PCBA Smoke Detector..etc.. with completive price and good quality from China, including the transportation issue also I can provide to you with final goods in your factory. My E-Mail: sherryzhan@fortunekeen.com