Victim Location 01523
Type of a scam Credit Cards
My business was targeted/contacted by Marcus Ashley ([email protected]) requesting a quote for our product. His original email said "Hello Sales Manager/Owner, I would like to know if you have Epoxy in stock for sale and also what are the types as well as sizes and prices on the Epoxy´s you have for sale? Do you sale them in gallons? If not, kingly go ahead and let me know the one´s you have or more over, you can direct me to your web page where i can view and choose from. Immediate responds is require and advise on payment method."
In follow up emails he wanted to arrange to ship our product to Brazil using Cross Arctic Shipping, an international forwarder. The first red flag was that he had contacted us through the website but asked for our web page. The Cross Arctic Shipping website looked legit but his insistence about contacting a specific person at the company via email and the fact he provided very little Bill-To/Ship-To information raised flags. I found another listing for this exact customer and shipping company on BBB Scam Tracker which said they had successfully scammed another business out of money when Marcus Ashley paid with a (fake) credit card and then had the selling company wire money to the shipper, Cross Arctic Shipping. This is an old scam we were already aware of: the customer claims the shipping company has to be paid directly by the pick-up location so the company wires money to the shipper and the credit card turns out to be fake. Cross Arctic Shipping appears to be involved in the scam. Marcus Ashley specifically named "Gregory" from Cross Arctic Shipping at "[email protected]".
Victim Location 60126
Total money lost $7,370
Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order
Person by the name of Marcus Ashley placed 2 orders shipping to Brazil and pre-paid with credit card. Wanted us to pre-pay the freight to this shipping company via wire. My company paid the freight, $7370 via 2 wire transfers and customer wont return my e-mails or calls. Cross Arctic shipping is definitely part of the scam. No one ever answers the phone. One of the charges was disputed and after some research I found out this is a common scam. In the beginning the website was "under construction" so I assume they just remake the website over and over. I spoke to this "Marcus Ashley" numerous times and was suspicious from the beginning but thought we were ok as long as the orders were pre-paid.