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.

Quoting from [int_aliaks]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

 

 

 

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?

 

Too many questions dear friend !!! If you have some real information I will be glad to know and I will thank you very much . In their head paper the address in Malaysia is not in Jahor Baru but Jalan Pudina , Bukit Bandaraya . But I wonder why you didn't give all the complete name of Madam Jxxxxxxxx or Gl. Abxxxxxxxx ? Maybe we we are not speaking about the same company ??!!. If you know more information then I please put these informations for the benefit of all .

I have asked too many of the right questions, I just want to know if you or anyone here have done a a deal with them? Most of the seller agents told me they haven't, just plently of paperwork execises.   

Yes , but did they told you why ? From my side because the two "buyers" : PETRA Company , and INTER ACTA failed . Petra company failed after getting the Draft Contract . Me too I really want to be fixed about Global Phoenix Energy Ltd.

Dear Sir, if you have a direct link to Global Phoenix, please, let us know. our email is int.aliaks@gmail.com. We have a buyer for spot FOB Rotterdam

Dear Aliaksandr GPE don't have spot deal , they only have contract deal and never asked me for upfrontfees or any thing to pay in advance . But I am not here to guarantee this company . I only want to try to help Aussie John who the first put a question concerning Global Phoenix Energy . That's all . As I said me too I want to be fixed about this company if any one in this forum know about it .

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [int_aliaks]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

 

 

 

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?

 

Too many questions dear friend !!! If you have some real information I will be glad to know and I will thank you very much . In their head paper the address in Malaysia is not in Jahor Baru but Jalan Pudina , Bukit Bandaraya . But I wonder why you didn't give all the complete name of Madam Jxxxxxxxx or Gl. Abxxxxxxxx ? Maybe we we are not speaking about the same company ??!!. If you know more information then I please put these informations for the benefit of all .

I have asked too many of the right questions, I just want to know if you or anyone here have done a a deal with them? Most of the seller agents told me they haven't, just plently of paperwork execises.   

Yes , but did they told you why ? From my side because the two "buyers" : PETRA Company , and INTER ACTA failed . Petra company failed after getting the Draft Contract . Me too I really want to be fixed about Global Phoenix Energy Ltd.

Dear Sir, if you have a direct link to Global Phoenix, please, let us know. our email is int.aliaks@gmail.com. We have a buyer for spot FOB Rotterdam

Dear Aliaksandr GPE don't have spot deal , they only have contract deal and never asked me for upfrontfees or any thing to pay in advance . But I am not here to guarantee this company . I only want to try to help Aussie John who the first put a question concerning Global Phoenix Energy . That's all . As I said me too I want to be fixed about this company if any one in this forum know about it .

Did you ever get any previous BL from GPE? or are you just pushing paperwork through Malaysian counterpart and hope for the best? 

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [int_aliaks]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

 

 

 

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?

 

Too many questions dear friend !!! If you have some real information I will be glad to know and I will thank you very much . In their head paper the address in Malaysia is not in Jahor Baru but Jalan Pudina , Bukit Bandaraya . But I wonder why you didn't give all the complete name of Madam Jxxxxxxxx or Gl. Abxxxxxxxx ? Maybe we we are not speaking about the same company ??!!. If you know more information then I please put these informations for the benefit of all .

I have asked too many of the right questions, I just want to know if you or anyone here have done a a deal with them? Most of the seller agents told me they haven't, just plently of paperwork execises.   

Yes , but did they told you why ? From my side because the two "buyers" : PETRA Company , and INTER ACTA failed . Petra company failed after getting the Draft Contract . Me too I really want to be fixed about Global Phoenix Energy Ltd.

Dear Sir, if you have a direct link to Global Phoenix, please, let us know. our email is int.aliaks@gmail.com. We have a buyer for spot FOB Rotterdam

Dear Aliaksandr GPE don't have spot deal , they only have contract deal and never asked me for upfrontfees or any thing to pay in advance . But I am not here to guarantee this company . I only want to try to help Aussie John who the first put a question concerning Global Phoenix Energy . That's all . As I said me too I want to be fixed about this company if any one in this forum know about it .

Did you ever get any previous BL from GPE? or are you just pushing paperwork through Malaysian counterpart and hope for the best? 

Did any real seller is ready to show you any previous documents that proave that he is real ? Because the BL (Bill of Lading) suppose that he already concluded transactions . Frankly I don't think he has or he wants to do so . We have to get this information from a third party who already concluded a transaction with them if we have any chance that any one wants and  is agree to help . 

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [int_aliaks]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

Quoting from [btt]:

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

 

 

 

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?

 

Too many questions dear friend !!! If you have some real information I will be glad to know and I will thank you very much . In their head paper the address in Malaysia is not in Jahor Baru but Jalan Pudina , Bukit Bandaraya . But I wonder why you didn't give all the complete name of Madam Jxxxxxxxx or Gl. Abxxxxxxxx ? Maybe we we are not speaking about the same company ??!!. If you know more information then I please put these informations for the benefit of all .

I have asked too many of the right questions, I just want to know if you or anyone here have done a a deal with them? Most of the seller agents told me they haven't, just plently of paperwork execises.   

Yes , but did they told you why ? From my side because the two "buyers" : PETRA Company , and INTER ACTA failed . Petra company failed after getting the Draft Contract . Me too I really want to be fixed about Global Phoenix Energy Ltd.

Dear Sir, if you have a direct link to Global Phoenix, please, let us know. our email is int.aliaks@gmail.com. We have a buyer for spot FOB Rotterdam

Dear Aliaksandr GPE don't have spot deal , they only have contract deal and never asked me for upfrontfees or any thing to pay in advance . But I am not here to guarantee this company . I only want to try to help Aussie John who the first put a question concerning Global Phoenix Energy . That's all . As I said me too I want to be fixed about this company if any one in this forum know about it .

Did you ever get any previous BL from GPE? or are you just pushing paperwork through Malaysian counterpart and hope for the best? 

Did any real seller is ready to show you any previous documents that proave that he is real ? Because the BL (Bill of Lading) suppose that he already concluded transactions . Frankly I don't think he has or he wants to do so . We have to get this information from a third party who already concluded a transaction with them if we have any chance that any one wants and  is agree to help . 

I don't mean the seller or his mandate sends you the BL in nice PDF via email, I mean the seller or his mandate shoot down to the buyer's office and show the docs in TTM. POP against POF, that is the only way of real business! Either party would want to meet face to face if they are going to do 300-400 mil of transaction a month!   If I am a real seller and done deals before, I have no problem showing some BL to show I've walked the talk.  No need to make up excuses it is all confidential and the rest, (It sounds like an old tune that's been played endlessly) .  Relying on a third party for confirmation is only diverting attention to the real issue (The illusive BL), no third party will stick neck out for business that has nothing to do with them in the first place. At the end of the day, you want it coming straight from the horse’s mouth.

 

oh people, people...




You are living in own virtual world. Really.



How real business works:



Real market has several major traders and these traders are making a rules. Most traders based on a-la "ARAMCO procedure", aka the buyer has to prove own capability to buy the product from the Seller



BUT



The buyer can provide (or seller can request) detailed profile of the company which could be checked through official agencies (like Platts, Argus, Infospectrum) and then the seller make decision to work or not.



Only in one case the seller has to prove anything (if the company is new player on the market and if the seller would like to sell the product immediately).



We call such rules like (who came with request/proposal has to prove itself) "simply prove Yourself". No need BCL and other things. Just detailed profile with registration number, with legal address with region of activity etc.

If the "buyer" writes that he works in all regions, it comes to bin.

If the buyer writes that he can buy "any volume", it comes to bin. Etc.



You are talking here about some 300-400 Mio deals. Did You ever make a deals on less amounts? 5-6 Mio? Do You ever loaded or sold 1000 MT? What do You know about the regions where are You "dealing"?



We have a lot of request where is "minimum is 100.000 mt" of a product. Do You can imagine how to supply this product?



What a * "CIF ASWP" conditions? No such conditions in real world. No ony real offers on such conditions. But most of you are still believe in this and discussing it.



If anyone comes with such "requests", such "requests" go to bin without any replies.



No one in real world will not be deal with unknown companies. No one in real world will not be deal with "mandates" because it`s senseless status and no one real trader hasn`t such "mandates".



On real market we have: sellers, re-sellers (aka traders) and customers (en-buyers). That`s all.



Time to time seller could work through representative but this representative has to work through main company only.



No other ways.



Refineries doesn`t work directly on export. All biggest refineries in Russia are property of majors and these majors trade through own sales departments or trading companies or major traders and all these companies are well-known on real market. That`s all.



If You so lazy and haven`t a money for Platts/Argus bulletins where You can find information about real deals and major traders it`s Your fault.



But most of you are still believe that some malasians/chineese/russian etc. small companies have "direct madate" to majors. It`s a pretty story for fools.



Don`t be a fools and live in real world.

Dear VivaldoSA,

                                I was referring to 300 to 400 milions US Dollars not metric tonnes, anyway I agreed with you even others may think it's all mandate bashing and the rest.

I haven't done < 5 million MT deal in a year (if you refering to me?), but I have withness a deal recently at TTM in Singapore of this amount. Anyway you have probably woken up most dreamers and chain agents that stared at this thread in front of their computers .

Anyway mate, it's their call, if they want to keep on dreaming and doing their punching keys exercise to keep the dream alive!!

Kind Regards, Aussiejohn

Quoting from [Aussie John]:

Dear VivaldoSA,

                                I was referring to 300 to 400 milions US Dollars not metric tonnes, anyway I agreed with you even others may think it's all mandate bashing and the rest.

I haven't done < 5 million MT deal in a year (if you refering to me?), but I have withness a deal recently at TTM in Singapore of this amount. Anyway you have probably woken up most dreamers and chain agents that stared at this thread in front of their computers .

Anyway mate, it's their call, if they want to keep on dreaming and doing their punching keys exercise to keep the dream alive!!

Kind Regards, Aussiejohn

Dear Aussiejohn,


Yes we told about 300-400 Mio USD.

5 Mio MT of the product??? No matter per annum or not.

It means that Your "seller" has to supply at least 400.000 MT monthly.

Do You really think that such volumes trade on open market?

Come on.

You were witness on some TTM and this TTM earned nothing. Isn`t it?

What does it mean? It means that "seller" found some serious "reason" refuse it or both ("buyer" and "seller") played in own games.

Do You know that such volumes possible between majors only.

For mentioned region it could be CNPC, Sinopec, NIOC, KNOC, Glencore, Totsa, Trafigura.

Other players have small cargos there or work there time to time with small cargos or spot deals which are not thousands metric tons for sure.

Most deals in that region make between majors because there is too tight market and everybody knows each other.

Any begnner has to understand and study market firstly.

Then he has to understand whole logistic of activity region (all underwater stones).

Beginner has to know everything about ports of the region; keep in mind all posssible logistic schemes; know all railway stations, capacity of ports and stations, demmurage and laycan rates, whole specific of the region.

After that PROBABLY this beginner will make necessary contacts and will be working as independent "switcher" (broker) IF real, capable, well-known buyer will agree to work with him and will be trusting him.


Sincerely,

Vivaldo SA.

Dear Aussiejohn,



We forgot to tell about Vitol which one of biggest traders.


For Your information as continue of conversation about huge deals:

---

GASOIL:

Gasoil prices gained ground on Friday, buoyed by firm cash buying support.

But slack regional demand and limited options to ship surplus supplies to Europe capped the price increase.

Afternoon Singapore trade saw Vitol buying a 0.5pc sulphur gasoil cargo from Hin Leong at mops -1.80/bl for 25-29 December. The price was up from deals done on 3 December in a mops -2.30-2.60/bl range. The strong cash deals helped to lift the 0.5pc sulphur gasoil physical differential by 0.65/bl to a narrower discount of 1.80/bl to spot Singapore quotes.

Gasoil stocks in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region rose to 1.83mn t in the week ending 4 December, up from 1.64mn t a week earlier. These increased stocks, combined with a narrower spread between European and Singapore gasoil that saw prices hovering at 52/t on 4 December against 55/t a day before, thwarted hopes of moving arbitrage cargoes from Asia.

Expectations of reduced demand in Indonesia, Asias biggest importer of gasoil, dented sentiment amid plans by state-owned refiner Pertamina to buy 3.6mn bl of gasoil for December. This was down from 5.4mn bl bought last month and the smallest purchases since February.

January gasoil paper swaps traded near 60.80/bl, down by about 0.60/bl from Thursday before values firmed in line with London gasoil futures. The intermonth December/January spread was mired in a 2/bl contango amid sluggish regional buying. February/March traded at -1.40/bl. Gasoils premium to Dubai crude for January rose to 20.80/bl from the previous days 20/bl.

---

This is quote from Argus Singapore and the Gulf markets review.