# Anybody have strange order requests?



## hbapparel (Jan 16, 2012)

I just started my online store through Deconetwork and I got a very strange (at least to me) order request yesterday.

I don't usually sell blanks, but the customer wanted 700 adult small grey shirts. I thought 700 of the same size is odd, especially blank. He gave me his credit card info, and his billing address is in Colorado, but I live near Toledo, OH and he was going to pick them up. I have only advertised locally, so he must have seen a local ad. 

When I ran the credit card, it was declined. He now emailed me again with a different credit card. Haven't tried it yet. 

Does this sound fishy to you? Has anyone had a request like this? Am I opening up myself to getting a charge back and a huge head ache?

Could really use the cash flow now, but seems odd.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

There are scams out there dealing with huge blank tee orders. Be very careful. 

Is the name the same on both cards? 

If I were you, I would insist on cash or wire transfer at this point since his first card was declined.


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## Fixico (Dec 3, 2011)

I get several of these requests a month, and I always treat them as a scam. They'll call and email.
I usually suggest that they google wholesale tshirts, if I respond at all.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using T-Shirt Forums


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## hbapparel (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks guys. He just emailed me back and gave me a card with the same name, but now the address is in California. Just going to ignore it and treat it like a scam. Just do not have a good feeling. Too bad too, I could really use the money! lol


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## missswissinc (Feb 21, 2012)

its a spoof job. Over the yrs our company has been hit with everything from shirts to memory sticks. I wouldn't get yourself involved with this since like you said your asking for problems. this is usually how the scam works. this guy or gal emails you and asks for shirts. he wants a high order of them and says I will have ups or fed ex show up to pick them up from your shop (SCAM). he will give you a credit card hoping that the other person on the other end (IE guy who lives in PA with that credit card) doesn't notice till his credit card statement comes or wants to purchase something that he has had his ID stolen. Like you said the credit card limit might have been reached since it was declined or in my case the card was shut down because they usually test the waters by charging oh less then a dollar to see if the card is active. happend to me and they even had an actual company they used to show it was a legit company to charge the card. Told MBNA that I have never seen a plumbing company charge anything under $1.00 and I worked at the time for Lowe's Home Improvement. My suggestion is that you should take the guys #'s down and all the other info and say yeah I will order the shirts once I run the card. Once you hang up with the guy give the credit card company a call and tell them the name you have been given and see if it matches with anything they have on file since you feel this is a scam. bet dollar to donut the credit card company will say its a scam and will take actions to stop it by contacting the card holder and say someone tried to use your card illegally and we will send them another one. My suggestion is if it sounds too good to be true then walk away.


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## GHEENEE1 (Jan 8, 2007)

I never reply to these, and they never recontact me.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

Realize that by the person paying by credit card they can receive the shirts, then dispute the charge with the bank. The bank will instantly return the money to the card holder while the dispute is under review. By the time the dispute is resolved the person is long gone.

100% scam.


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## hbapparel (Jan 16, 2012)

Riderz Ready said:


> Realize that by the person paying by credit card they can receive the shirts, then dispute the charge with the bank. The bank will instantly return the money to the card holder while the dispute is under review. By the time the dispute is resolved the person is long gone.
> 
> 100% scam.


That's what I was afraid of. Needless to say, I just ignored him and he quit bothering me.

Thanks to everyone for their help. First time I have seen this and figured something was up.


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## beanie357 (Mar 27, 2011)

We do weird stuff, but need bank wire transfer an 48 hour wait time before we act.

Stops the bull with card fraud. Bank wires are easy if you are legit.


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## Sesom (Jun 3, 2012)

I work for a relay company for the deaf and hard of hearing on the weekends and we get fraud calls on a regular basis calling all sorts of business. A lot of times they will want to overpay you and have you send the extra money to their "3rd party shipper" which is actually you sending someone else's money to them. Beware!


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## Fenrir (Mar 13, 2012)

Wire transfers are not always safe because depending on how much information is shared between you and the buyer, they may be able to fake a transfer in the opposite direction.

If you are unsure of a transaction, ask the buyer for the 800 number on the back of their credit card, then call the credit card company and verify. If they are unwilling to do this, call your merchant service provider with the card number and tell them you suspect the information is stolen and to see if they can notify the real owner of the card.


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## greyhorsewoman (Jul 19, 2007)

I don't usually sell blanks, but the


> customer wanted 700 adult small grey shirts


. I thought


> 700 of the same size is odd, especially blank


. He gave me his credit card info, and his


> billing address is in Colorado, but I live near Toledo, OH and he was going to pick them up. I have only advertised locally


, so he must have seen a local ad.

RED FLAG, RED FLAG, RED FLAG. As everybody else has said, these scams come periodically and it's best to hit delete and go on. Why would anybody have to purchase 700 blank shirts from a small online store in another state (that doesn't advertise selling wholesale blank shirts) when they could get them from any of a number of legitimate wholesalers?


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## suzamac (Mar 18, 2008)

Let it go!!! It's a scam. You need cash flow, not a cash outlay. Also do not, repeat do not take an order with an "operator" calling for a "deaf" person. It is also bogus.


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## Sesom (Jun 3, 2012)

suzamac said:


> Let it go!!! It's a scam. You need cash flow, not a cash outlay. Also do not, repeat do not take an order with an "operator" calling for a "deaf" person. It is also bogus.


This isn't entirely true, a deaf or hard of hearing person can call you through a relay service. Some of the deaf people I have come across are actually quite wealthy. If said deaf person reports that you will not accomadate them because they are disabled you could have some official people calling you down the road. With that said, most of them are scams and are totally easy to spot. You can tell it is a scam within the first minute or two so might as well play it safe. Plus they have new registration rules now that has greatly reduced the amount of fraud calls. I personally only get a fraud call a couple times a month as opposed to 20 calls a day like i use to.


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## Preston (Mar 21, 2006)

hbapparel said:


> I just started my online store through Deconetwork and I got a very strange (at least to me) order request yesterday.
> 
> I don't usually sell blanks, but the customer wanted 700 adult small grey shirts. I thought 700 of the same size is odd, especially blank. He gave me his credit card info, and his billing address is in Colorado, but I live near Toledo, OH and he was going to pick them up. I have only advertised locally, so he must have seen a local ad.
> 
> ...


It is a scam. The only cash flow you will see is when the credit card company charges back to your account and the cash flows out of your pocket. They will buy the shirts using a stolen credit card number, get someone to pick them up before the credit card company does a charge back. You end up holding the back for the loss. This scam is as old as the business.


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## STARFISHTSHIRTS (Aug 5, 2007)

A friend who owns a restaurant gets these calls at least once a week asking to cater a meal,trying to use multiple credit cards. Often out of state, the last one asked for 200 meals, she caught on early that it was the same scam and said they did not cater less than 500 meals. The person agreed no problem. Getting the police involved did little good. They often pose as deaf people using a operator service as a go between.

Major scam..... Prey on knowing we need the money...


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## threeplusme (May 5, 2012)

Yep, this is a scam. I have also received several of these emails and even a phone call.


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## jsf (Aug 4, 2009)

It's a SCAM!


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

*SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


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## simpex (Jun 26, 2008)

I got a request for 500 blanks I dont sell blanks and because I read this forum very frequently I know this is a fake . I will not reply. Sam


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Here is how the scam works. They order some bulk something that doesn't make any sense at all. Then they over pay you with a check or credit card and ask you to either send the balance back to them or to use the balance to pay a shipper they specify. That is the hook. The credit card is stolen or the check is a fake and the shipper they use is really them. So you pay them with your credit card (which they steal) and the check bounces or the credit card comes back in a week as stolen and you are stuck with a bunch of inventory that you can't sell plus a charge-back or NSF fees and you lost the shipping money and your credit card number is stolen. 

cute huh?


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