To all buyers of Russian Oil Products:

Do not pay any upfront Transneft fee to Russian Sellers under no circumstances.

There is a well organized Russian crime network made of many so-called Russian independent sellers or seller's mandates,all of them advertising on Alibaba.com but their leader is posing as the Presient of Transneft, the Russian State Pipeline monopoly, issuing fake Transneft documents including Invoice with Transneft bank accounts (which really belong to the scammers), Affidavit and contracts. He uses the following email addresses: simonbainshtock@mail.ru and bainshtocksm@mail.ru. All deceptive email addresses from a Russian free mail server using the name of a legitimate Russian official to fool foreigners who think that they are dealing with the head of Transneft. We learned that he also uses the alias: Sergey Dmitriev.

Buyers from many countries have been victimized by these scammers and they are still in business.

These people are not selling oil. Their business is to scam foreign oil buyers for upfront Transneft fees.

DO NOT SEND THEM MONEY, YOU WILL NEVER SEE THE OIL AND WILL LOSE ANY MONEY THAT YOU SEND THEM.

We have paid Transneft fees for over 8 contracts and have lost all that money

Their contracts usually include Cell phone as seller's phone, fake ****, fake SWIFT code, fake email addresses, fake bank officer who is usually an individual who is part of a scam.

All phone and email messages that the buyer sends to the seller's bank go to people working for the scam not to the bank.

Some of these companies are fictitious and do not even legally exist.

When they provide Transneft invoice and other documents, if you ask for verification, they will put you in contact with fake Transneft officials including someone who claimed that he is the President of Transneft and a close friend of President Putin. All of These people are also part of the scam and no really who they claim to be.

They used to provide an invoice for payment to be wired to Alfa Bank or Russian Standard Bank in behalf of Transneft pipeline or Transneft Trustees; Not True. They have people inside Alfa Bank, Russian Standard bank and other Russian banks to divert the money to them.

Nowadays, they use Russian Standard Bank and other banks with the money going to an individual who supposes to be a Transneft Trustee but is part of the gang. Their fee went from $28,000.00 last year to $30,000.00 now per 500k contract.

They will make you believe that you are getting a god deal because you suppose to pay both the internal and external fees upfront but because of their special relationship with the President of Transneft, they will arrrange an exemption for you to only pay the Internal fee. All scam talk. The following companies are part of the scam: Alduke Holdings-Sibneftprom, Soyuz Corporation, Igion Oil, Icon oil & Gas, Rusneftprom, Golden Oil, Zorin Energy Resources.

If you pay them once, they will ask you to submit more contract before they can perform on your first contract because they must meet internal Transneft quota before they can deliver any PB or POP to you. If you insist, they will put you in touch with the fake President of Transneft who claims to be Mr. Boishtoc himself, to tell you that the Russian seller is in good standing with Transneft but you must deliver more contract to them so that they can meet their Transneft quota.

Avoid individuals like Nikolai Gubin from Alduke Holdings, Andrei Shaika from Soyuz Corp and Rusneftprom. In the case of Alduke, after you pay, they will then tell you that they have back tax problems with the government and cannot perform until this problem is resolved and will try to have the tax problem confirmed by the fake Transneft President who is really the ring master. This Master Scammer will not only confirm that Alduke or any of scammers is a good seller but will ask you to advance Million dollars in cash (to be wired to a bank that they will provide) to him so that he can get Russian officials to help Alduke so that you can get your oil. Right but not in this lifetime !!!! Just tell this guy to send you a certified copy of his passport as Mr. Boishtoc, the head of Transneft, so that you can verify it with the Russian Embassy before you send him the Million in cash that he is asking for. He will tell you that he is very offended by that request and will hang up the phone quickly.

These scammers will object to you visiting Moscow to personally make payment to Transneft Bank then move to LC in exchange for PB/POP documents there.

No matter what you do, do not pay them upfront fees and do not accept any procedure where you have to pay large upfront sum to get the deal started. Once you pay and pay, there is no way to get your money back and recover the lost time. The fake Mr. Boishtoc from Transneft will tell you that Transneft has met their obligations and that you are now liable for the additional external fee of $150,000.00 per contract and that you should address your concerns with the Russian seller.

Things to do to avoid these scams:

1.- Always contact your country's embassy in Moscow for help on screening Russian sellers.

2.- Ask your embassy to recommend a local lawyer to screen and verify any document that you receive from Moscow.

3.- Get your lawyer to invite you to Moscow to verify all documents issued by your seller and to visit your seller.

4.- Get the seller to move first by issuing PB from reputable Russian Bank with a major Foreign corresponding bank and Vessel Charter Party Agreement verifiable through your lawyer in Moscow.

There is no scam without a Bank. Check the seller's bank listed on the contract. Bank uses their own mail server so if given bank email address shows a different mail server then be concerned. Call the bank. Bank officer should use a land line for their phone number not cell phone

Serious and sucessful sellers should not have any need to collect Transneft fees upfront from you once you show then preliminary proof of fund via BCL or soft probe. Only scammers want to see your money first, because their business is to collect these fees,not to sell oil. Furthermore, once you send them one payment, they tell you that they have a quota and that you need to send them more deals before they can accept your Pre-advice LC or issue PB.

Even if you ask them to sign a promisory note to return the money in case of non-performance, they will do it because you have no way of collecting that money back from them.

Do not accept any document from these people unless you have a way of verifying it independently. They are master forgeurs for all sort of refinery and government documents.

They use a lot of Seller's mandate all of over the world to bring them business. The Russian mandates are part of the scam but foreign mandates are usually innocent victims who think that they are representing a legitimate Russian seller.

Happy Trading !!!br/>
Please don't be afraid to share your scam stories !!! Scammers use the same scheme over and over because their victims do not speak out

Your story will help weeding out scammers from the business. It is not just about the money, it is about detecting these scams soon enough to avoid wasting time.


NOTE: Since this article was initially posted here, there have been some new company listings on Alibaba.com (Lukhoilsandgas, Golden Oil,....)presenting themselves as mandates for Russian companies like RUSNEFTPROM.

My personal recommendation is not to do business with any mandate or company that lists relationship with Alduke Holdings-Sibneftprom, RUSNEFPROM or any of the companies listed above in this article.

The real test is for you to get a copy of their procedure, they all require upfront fee from the buyer for Transneft fee before they issue PB, POP, or show any oil or SGS report or proof of previous deals where that have actually ship any oil to anybody.

                       FOB AG/PG               Freight    Premium to MOPAG

95R Gasoline     +2.85   40.90/41.10   +2.85     WS210.0          ---

Naphtha LR1     +35.00  292.00/293.00  +32.00    WS210.0      +7.00/+9.00

Naphtha LR2     +36.00  299.05/300.05  +33.00    WS175.0          ---

Kerosine         -0.70   66.60/66.80   -0.70     WS225.0      +3.80/+4.00

Gasoil 0.5%      +0.40   61.55/61.75   +0.40     WS225.0      +2.00/+2.20

Gasoil 0.2%      +0.40   61.85/62.05   +0.40     WS225.0      +2.30/+2.50

Gasoil 0.05%     +0.40   65.85/66.05   +0.40     WS225.0      +6.30/+6.50

HSFO 180 cst    +12.00  223.75/224.75  +12.00    WS160.0          ---

HSFO 380 cst    +11.75  213.25/214.25  +11.75    WS160.0      -3.00/-2.00


                       FOB South China

                      barge STS (Yuan/t)             C+F South China

HSFO 180 cst    +20.00 2300.00/2350.00 +30.00               ---

Dec                                           +12.00  259.00/261.00  +12.00

Jan                                           +12.00  263.00/265.00  +12.00

Feb                                           +12.00  269.00/271.00  +12.00

                   Premium to MOPS HSFO 180cst

M-100 C+F south China   +61.00/+65.00

M-100 C+F east China    +61.00/+65.00


                      FOB South Korea                India Reference

89R Gasoline                 ---              +3.53   38.95/39.10   +3.50 

Jet/Kerosine     -0.45   69.70/69.90   -0.45               ---

Gasoil 0.5%      +0.65   64.85/65.05   +0.65               ---

HSFO 180 cst    +12.00  251.00/252.00  +12.00              ---

Quoting from [Verify08]:

Dear Vivaldo SA,

I have been reading your post and you are extremely helpful to the people soliciting your expertise in the industry.  I also have been dealing with OAO-NK RUSSNEFT.  I get to them through an middle company .  The person I deal with says he is a papered representative and he has been great so far.  I have been reading about the upfront fees on this thread and got concerned because in the offers given to me on the official RUSSNEFT letter head with the Coporate seal and signed with a time stamp by SVAYKIN VLADIMIR ANATOLIEVICH, VICE PRESIDENT/CEO PRODUCTION OAO RUSSNEFT, it states that IT IS MANDATORY THAT THE NOTARIZATION AND STAMP DUTIES THAT WILL BE DONE AT MOSCOW HIGH COURT, REGISTRATION OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE APPROPIATE AUTHORITIES WHICH AMOUNTS TO 65,700 EUROS, THESE EXPENSES WILL BE BORNE BY THE BUYER AND IT IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.  Is this a valid and customary procedure and practice?

 

Sincerely

Verify08

Dear Sir,


We have two examples of fake proposals which have been made "on behalf" of Russneft.

Russneft makes any proposals approved clients only. No any "fees" included. Or LC or 100% upfront payment.

If You have any person between You and Russneft. this person has to take payment of these "fees" on own side OR You can pay any fees AFTER the deal.

No any other variants.

But we are sure that You have absolutely fake papers.


Sincerely,

Vivaldo SA

I am interested to know about the company HNK-Energos NOR

Is there any one who know about this company

Khan

Quoting from [Aussie John]:


Anyone here heard of or dealt with a company called Global Phoenix Energy In Russia LTD? 

So far I know , Global Phoenix Energy Ltd is NOT in Russia but in Seychelles and has an office in Kuala Lumpour , Malaysia . I dealt with them ,that means I received their documents with coordinates : banking , address,telephon , e-mail and so ; but not concluded the transaction because the buyer failed after getting the contract .

Quoting from [integraloil]:


Dear buyers,why all of you keep complaining about Russian seller, what about some fake buyer who obtain series of document from sller at the end end of the day they end the transaction with one or two exscuses after obtaining the necessary document. after that they started spoiling the image of the real sellers by using there company's name to fraud people. it is when u get to there bank details that you will fully know that they were not the real seller by using bank of another country entirely not even within russian federation. so you stupid and useless buyers should stop damaging the image of our country[Russia] and make sure you use you available senses in dealing with scammers.

I am not Seller nor Seller mandate . I am an Intermediary and I AM FULLY AGREE WITH INTEGRALOIL . There is also fake buyers such as PETRA Company  , INTER ACTA TRADING from Roumania and many others . I submitted all necessary documents with fully commitment from my company and after too much work and loose of time they failed . Indeed there are too much fake buyers also.

Quoting from [Dambi]:

Quoting from [madarutil]:





Here we have more information about ZAO Transnafta .


http://english.pravda.ru/russia/economics/8590-4/







JC


madarutil@hotmail.com

===================================================

Sir,                                                                                     Re : Russian swindlers

ZAO Transnafta is one of fake sellers in Russia.       They are joined with Nigerian guyes.                             Do not consider Escrow/insurance 1-2%. It is trap. Anyway if seller ask buyer's "BCL/Soft probe,upfront fee,etc and it is 100% fake or they do not  have offer in their hands. Serious seller do not ask them to buyer. Will you/buyer send BCL to swindlers first ? Do you know what's the meaning "BCL" ?

Regards,                                                                          Yang Soo Choi                                   choiys29@kornet.net                                                   Korea

Dear Yang Soo Choi

I am agree with you concerning the Escrow/insurance and the upfront fee. The BCL (Bank Comfort Letter) can be asked by seller . It is a bank statement certifying that this possible Buyer has the necessary Funds to perform . It is a simple certificate assuring the seller and telling the Seller that he has in front of him a real buyer ? but still not a real proave that this buyer will perform . The seller can ask for a Soft Probe , bank to bank otherwise why should he give his documentation : FCO , CONTRACT ... ??? The buyer must show the minimum if he is a real one and unfortunately we have Many fake Buyers and Many fake Sellers in this business. Habib

 

 

 

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:



Anyone here heard of or dealt with a company called Global Phoenix Energy In Russia LTD? 

 

 

 

So far I know , Global Phoenix Energy Ltd is NOT in Russia but in Seychelles and has an office in Kuala Lumpour , Malaysia . I dealt with them ,that means I received their documents with coordinates : banking , address,telephon , e-mail and so ; but not concluded the transaction because the buyer failed after getting the contract .

 

 

Have you seem GPE previous BL ? Did they show you any proof they've performed  before?  Do you know who heads the Malaysian office, Have you been had a meeting in Jahor Baru with Madame Jxxxxxx ? or General AbXXXXXX?

 

Quoting from [Verify08]:

Dear Vivaldo SA,

I have been reading your post and you are extremely helpful to the people soliciting your expertise in the industry.  I also have been dealing with OAO-NK RUSSNEFT.  I get to them through an middle company .  The person I deal with says he is a papered representative and he has been great so far.  I have been reading about the upfront fees on this thread and got concerned because in the offers given to me on the official RUSSNEFT letter head with the Coporate seal and signed with a time stamp by SVAYKIN VLADIMIR ANATOLIEVICH, VICE PRESIDENT/CEO PRODUCTION OAO RUSSNEFT, it states that IT IS MANDATORY THAT THE NOTARIZATION AND STAMP DUTIES THAT WILL BE DONE AT MOSCOW HIGH COURT, REGISTRATION OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE APPROPIATE AUTHORITIES WHICH AMOUNTS TO 65,700 EUROS, THESE EXPENSES WILL BE BORNE BY THE BUYER AND IT IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.  Is this a valid and customary procedure and practice?

 

Sincerely

Verify08

DONT PAY!!!!!!!!!!!  NEVER PAY UPFRONT FEES. IT IS NOT TRUE THAT THE BUYER HAS TO PAY REGISTRATION FEES!!!!!  EVENTUALLY IF THESE HAVE TO BE PAID IS THE COMPANY WHO LIVES IN RUSSIA AND HAS TO ACCOMPLISH WITH RUSSIAN LAW  SO MUST BE RUSSIAN COMPANY TO PAY FOR REGISTRATION FEES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quoting from [Agashkova Tatyana]:

The list of some FAKEs companies in "Russia":

       

 

         Company                       Represented by        Tel No.

• SibirTranzitNeft               by Vasily Vlasov       tel 791698691...
• ZAO Sorcont Oils
• SibirNeft
• Icon Oil                            by Mr. Shateav         tel 749550690...
• OOO Integral                                                   tel 749597114...
• OOO Rucas Oil&Gas        by Mr. M. Petrovich
• OAO AchinskNeft             by Yury Kosyuk         tel 790300630...
• OAO Ruslaneft Co LTD                                     tel 792673259...
• NikitOil                             by Nikita Ivanovich
• TatNeft                                                              tel 749551834...
• Intercont Oil
• NovostiNeft Oil
• Interlot-Oil

 

If you want I can send you other 17/18 company' name