So I got an email at work yesterday that looked like a genuine quote request. I’m pretty good at spotting spam emails but at first glance, this one had me beat. It read:
beckerlogisticsservices@gmail.com
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 20 x sheets of Silver Brushed aluminium Composite sheets @2440 x 1220 x 3mm We require this quote as soon as possible.
We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office
address.
Yours faithfully.
Harvey Connor
BECKER LOGISTICS SERVICES.
Unit 4, Ashburton Park,
Wheel Forge Way,
Trafford Park,
Manchester,
M17 1EH.
Looks pretty legit? Well, in a busy office I certainly thought so. I got a price from our supplier and sent it on to Harvey Becker. To be honest, we are not usually raw material suppliers in this fashion, so I wasn’t expecting to get the job. An hour or so later I had the following reply:
Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards
Harvey
The email does not mention the product, and it was not a reply to my email, but a new one. At this point the alarm bells started to ring so I did a bit of investigative work. Firstly, the company Becker Logistics Services does not exist in the UK, and when you think about it, isn’t the name a bit odd? Shouldn’t it be Becker Logistic Services (no ‘s’ on Logistics)?
The address is basically the middle of the road somewhere in Trafford Park, and there is no mention of the company anywhere. I also googled the email address and the name of the guy, but nothing could be found.
I sent him an email asking for his phone number and got no reply. Looks like I was right! And why wasn’t his phone number on the email to start with?
I can only assume that after I raised a proforma he would have paid the money into the account, overpaid by a massive amount and then got us to refund the difference straight away to rectify his ‘mistake’. After a week or so, the original bank transfer is marked up as fraud and the bank takes the full amount back. Thus, we are minus the refund, and the spammer gets to keep it. The original payment was never there at all.
That’s how it works, folks. Please share your experiences in the comments below and add any extra email text there so that others may find them. Wanna do me a favour? Why not head over to my bespoke, handmade furniture website – see if there’s anything you like! 🙂
Just need to say a huge thank you for posting this!
We’ve received the exact same email apart from the product has changed, thankfully since there was no phone number left my colleague started to dig around the internet to find a contact number to confirm the order verbally and this is when she stumbled across this blog post!
So once again from the Dortech Direct team we can’t thank you enough.
-Jack
LikeLiked by 1 person
No problem jack – glad to help! And wouldn’t you know it, I work in Huddersfield just up the road from you! 🙂
LikeLike
Hi – had a similar email but from a company called Amarillo Biosciences asking for quote for some LED lights name and address below :
Gilbert Hobbs
Amarilli Biosciences Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW
Thankfully no money had been deposited before I saw the other emails. Well done for posting it.
LikeLike
Me too, today they wanted 65 sheets of plywood. Sounded a bit too good to be true, so googled them before sending a pro-forma and came across these posts.
Gilbert Hobbs
Amarilli Biosciences Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW
Thanks, Ali
LikeLike
Just had exactly the same problem with Mr Gilbert Hobbs. Refunded 2k and fucker doesn’t exist. Now arguing with the bank – great..
Try an help people out and they just screw you over. Hope I oneday get the opportunity to throat punch dear Gilbert.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for posting, this guy is still at it. His current details are;
Gilbert Hobbs
Vitol Group Limited
Unit 2, Broughton Lane
Salford
M7 1UH
I became suspicious when there was no contact number, i called Vitol Group Ltd and they said they had no record of this guy or the address. I searched the address on Google and found 2 companies registered there that had been dissolved or liquidated. I then found this thread after more digging. I too had the same response as you;
“Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards.
Gilbert Hobb”
email from vitolgrouplitd@gmail.com
I thought it a little strange that the email address is ‘litd’ not ‘ltd’ and its a gmail account.
I’ve emailed him and told him we will not be sending him any product as we are aware this is fraud.
thanks again
Emma
LikeLike
He is still at it. Also just got an email regarding some banner stands. I re-iterate, surely the banks should be onto this
LikeLike
Thanks for the post. We got similar emails – all seemed quite legit. A proforma was raised and money was paid into our account. Then received an email saying an over payment of £2k had been made and could we please refund the difference. Luckily I spotted the proforma payment wasn’t made by BACS but by cheque, so we did not refund. Sure enough we the cheque bounced. What I never get is how these guys cannot easily be found. They ask us to refund into a Barclays account – surely that must have been set up with identification and all in the name of Amarilli Biosciences or whoever? They have been issued with cheques by someone, even though they bounced: surely someone must have a name and a face with that?
Next thing you know I presume the bank will charge me for the unpaid cheque; that would not go down well with me either. We did not pay it in and we did not bounce it. Why would we have to pay for that
LikeLike
It’s a fraudulent act so the bank should be informed so they can take action, you are not responsible for other peoples actions on your account.
LikeLike
I echo Jack Horner’s message thanking you for posting this. We have also received an order from Becker Logistics in April 2016 for a product in our range and the payment received was way in excess of what it should have been. The email we received notifying us of overpayment & requesting a refund raised red flags with us – so we did an internet search & found your post, same company, same trafford park address – because it was a bank transfer in we weren’t sure how the scam worked, but your post set us straight – THANKS!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Company I work for, were almost scammed in exactly the same manner, by Becker Logistics, at the end of last year. When we supplied a quotation for equipment, we were given the opportunity to provide a pro-forma invoice for the goods, and we advised that we needed payment up front for the goods. We eventually received an email advising that Becker’s ‘Accounts Department’ had made a substantial overpayment – this mistake was in the form of a cheque from a ‘closed account’, subsequently returned to us by our Bank. Fortunately, we didn’t make any reimbursements for the ‘oversight’, and we flagged the Company’s details as fraudulent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have received a similar email but from Amarilli Biosciences. No phone number, but before printing 10 Pullup Stands, I sent a proof for approval. No response for approval, no response for Payment. Now after finding this, I am glad we didnt start printing. Thank you everyone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
yep, we just got the same one as stevens about the pop up banners – many thanks to this posting that helped me spot its a scam. cheers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, Damn i was just about to fall into this also. Good job i never bought in the extra stands.
Thanks for posting this as you just saved my time and pocket. Correspondence pasted below.
.
(((((Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 10 Nos of Budget Roller Banner (with mechanism single sided, Visual area – 850mm x 2000mm ) and of good quality. One design for the 10 banners.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Harvey Connor
Amarilli Biosciences
44, Milton Road,
East Kilbride,
G74 5BU
Glasgow))))))
——————————————————————————————————————————–
(((((Hi,
Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible. Please find attached our artwork for the banners.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards.
Harvey.))))))
LikeLiked by 1 person
I got the same email through today prepred the estimate and wanted confirm the distance to the place to work out carriage as well as speak to Harvey directly, but when I looked deeper the whole thing seemed to be off.
I found this blog and confirmed that this was a spam!
——————————————-
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 10 Nos of Budget Roller Banner (with mechanism single sided, Visual area – 850mm x 2000mm ) and of good quality. One design for the 10 banners.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Harvey Connor
Amarilli Biosciences
44, Milton Road,
East Kilbride,
G74 5BU
Glasgow
——————————————-
Should have recognised it straight away and I’m lucky caught on quick.
Posting here so other people don’t fall into same trap.
Thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have just received an email for exactly the same order
I have sent pro forma , but after reading this i have since emailed saying ignore it
I know this is a scam
I have informed my bank not to receive any payment.
Gilbert Hobbs
Vital Tradings Ltd
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.
Thanks Jon
LikeLike
Hi There
We’ve also just received the same enquiry from Amarilli Biosciences – Harvey Connor, except for items that we sell. Thanks for blogging about these scammers.
Trevor
Suresafe
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you to those who started this thread.
I replied to the below email, with a question so am awaiting there answer, but as it did not feel quite right, as the email did not have the company name in it. I thought no harm in googleing first.
So I came across your post, thank you again for starting this thread. Sad that there are too many nasty people out there.
Sarah Curtis
Hello Sales,
This is sarah Curtis from Amarilli Biosciences, we will like to order for the below items from you.
kindly make a quote for :
12 quality Wheelie Bins 1100 litres green colours
Waiting for your prompt reply.
Regards.
Sarah Curtis
Amarilli Biosciences
44, Milton Road,
East Kilbride,
G74 5BU
Glasgow
LikeLiked by 1 person
We just got the Same email today, thanks for keeping us up to date on these sites….
Hello Sales,
This is sarah Curtis from Amarilli Biosciences, we will like to order for the below items from you.
kindly make a quote for :
12 quality Wheelie Bins 1100 litres green colours
Waiting for your prompt reply.
Regards.
Sarah Curtis
Amarilli Biosciences
44, Milton Road,
East Kilbride,
G74 5BU
Glasgow
……..
From: Sarah Curtis [mailto:sarahadgoods@outlook.com]
Sent: 12 July 2016 12:58
To:
Subject: Re: Quote – Bins
Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price quote. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards
Sarah
Stay Vigilant Guys….Don’t let the Spammers win.
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes we have had the very same inquiry today with no phone contact so googled their homepage! and found all your comments (let them know that good always overcomes evil)keep up the good work
LikeLiked by 1 person
I got almost hacked by them. We sent them proforma invoice and no reply. Guys avoiding them!
Its spam
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, nearly got me.
I goggled the address first and looked like an empty unit, no contact number sounded dodgy
They said they’ve made an overpayment on our account and want a refund. Looked at the possible order and flagged it up
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi,
I received the same email yesterday, i quoted, then as you said, there was no phone number etc, so i emailed back saying the price had increased (4 times more than original price quoted) he was ok with that too ! if its to good to be true then it probably is 🙂
LikeLike
Harvey Connor is at it again, overpaid by £1500 on a proforma invoice today. Just waiting for the email or phone call to ask for a refund of the difference. Lucky we are wise to this scam and having read your blog which confirms what we already know. How many other companies are getting caught by this? The banks should have better checks to prevent some unlucky customer falling for this and I bet they do or otherwise it would not be worth the effort.
LikeLike
Still at it, just received this email:
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 1500x Blank Keyrings 35mm x 24mm (Clear acrylic keyrings with an insert size of 35mm x 24mm).
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Harvey Connor
Amarilli Biosciences
Unit 4, Ashburton Park,
Wheel Forge Way,
Trafford Park,
Manchester,M17 1EH
I became suspicious as 1) senders email was from amarillo and the address said amarilli, 2) The email was plain with no other company information on and
3) The product is one that we don’t keep in stock or advertise although we can order them.
Did a google check on the company and found this site. Many thanks for confirming my suspicions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I received the same exact email as John! When I looked up the company, it said it was based in USA and the Unit in Manchester looked like an empty lot! I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a drop location and he later resold the keyrings to someone else.
LikeLike
I received exactly the same email as John on Friday, did the whole quote thing and sent a pro-forma invoice this morning. Then had a look at Amarilli Biosciences online because something didn`t feel quite right, and found this blog. Thank goodness I looked online! Thank you for reporting this nasty creature.
LikeLike
We received the following email from:
amarillobiosciencesresources@gmail.com
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 1500x Blank Keyrings 35mm x 24mm (Clear acrylic keyrings with an insert size of 35mm x 24mm).
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Harvey Connor
Amarilli Biosciences
Unit 4, Ashburton Park,
Wheel Forge Way,
Trafford Park,
Manchester,
M17 1EH
LikeLike
I got the same today
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 1500x Blank Keyrings 35mm x 24mm (Clear acrylic keyrings with an insert size of 35mm x 24mm).
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Harvey Connor
Amarilli Biosciences
Unit 4, Ashburton Park,
Wheel Forge Way,
Trafford Park,
Manchester,
M17 1EH
Relied with quote and then almost instantly they wanted to order – but no telephone number or company email address so did search and found this site.
I have just requested their email address so we will see whether this ‘Harvey’ comes back.
LikeLike
Thanks for this blog,
A&A Business Supplies were sent a similar email today 24/10/16 asking for badge clips. I knew it was dodgy right away but this confirmed my opinion.
How do I report this and who too? We wouldn’t want anyone falling for this easily trappable scam.
thanks
James- A&A
LikeLike
Hiya james – thanks for your comment!
I wouldn’t know who to report this to. I think with it being in international scam it’s very hard to do anything apart from spread the word!
Regards,
Jim
LikeLike
Hi Jim,
Hopefully people google this page before it’s too late.
thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
You can report this to Action Fraud if you can be bothered.. although they’ve never really done anything will all the reports we’ve made.
On another note the address provided to us, when I googled it, was a unit to let, not an occupied building.
LikeLike
Hi All, Thank you so much for posting. we received the exact same email requesting 300 lanyards for an event and requesting bank details. The exact same reply came back as shown above all from Harvey Connor. From Armarilli Biosciences. When we couldnt find them for a credit check alarm bells began to ring so I did some digging on theingternet and found these blog postings!
This is our email:
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 300 Lanyards with brake away.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Harvey Connor
Amarilli Biosciences
Unit 4, Ashburton Park,
Wheel Forge Way,
Trafford Park,
Manchester,
M17 1EH
LikeLike
We received exact same email, thanks to this post we didn’t reply as it is obviously a scam!
Hi Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 13 pieces of Cheap Non-Dimmable 30W LED Floodlight (Warm White colour)
We will be glad if you could state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office address below.
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Amarilli Biosciences Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW
LikeLike
Got the exact same email here this morning:
From: Amarilli Biosciences [mailto:amarillibiosciencesresources@gmail.com]
Sent: 28 November 2016 06:42
To:
Subject: Quote
Hi Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 13 pieces of Cheap Non-Dimmable 30W LED Floodlight (Warm White colour)
We will be glad if you could state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office address below.
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Amarilli Biosciences Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW
Well done this blog for sharing……
LikeLike
Had the same email off Gilbert today, exactly the same enquiry.
I emailed back respectfully declining to supply and sending him a copy of a link to this page.
LikeLike
Now he might change his details so people wont find this page when they Google it! 😦
LikeLike
Just got the same today!
Hi Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 13 pieces of Cheap Non-Dimmable 30W LED Floodlight (Warm White colour)
We will be glad if you could state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office address below.
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Amarilli Biosciences Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW
With a response of
Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price of the 30w LED Flood Light (warm white) @£31.20. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards
Gilbert Hobbs.
LikeLike
I can echo the thanks, got one from Amarilli Biosciences Ltd wanting a price for our cheapest 30w flood lights. Fortunately we don’t sell cheap stuff, if they’d checked our website first they would never have worded the intro in that manner so it sparked alarms from the off.
Keep these threads alive, they save the innocent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gilbert Hobbs still alive and kicking as we had the exact same email this morning asking for cheap 30w floods.
Thank you very much Jim as a quick search brought me straight here – well done for your efforts – much appreciated.
LikeLike
Yep got mine this morning, went straight on google with his name and fake emails and this page popped up!, I always aske for a phone number and when they dont reply that always give it away!
new address here in this one to keep it up to date…
“Hi Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 11 Nos of budget Roller Banner – Flat base single sided print.
850mm x 2000mm, one artwork for the 11 banners.
We will be glad if you could state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office address below.
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Forsyth Tradings Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW”
LikeLike
Really glad i googled this address….was about to invoice them! Instead, I’ve re-quoted on some roller banners…PS we are usually better value than this (and please feel free to check out our website – http://www.theexpopeople.co.uk) Frightening that these people get away with this.
Hi Gilbert
Due to a supply chain issue – the cost of these will actually be £35,642 + VAT per banner
Please advise if you would like to proceed
Thanks
The Expo People
LikeLike
We received the following email on the 23/11/2016
Hi Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 11 Nos of budget Roller Banner – Flat base single sided print.
850mm x 2000mm, one artwork for the 11 banners.
We will be glad if you could state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office address below.
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Forsyth Tradings Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW
And order confirmation plus artwork on 24/11/2016
Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price quote. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible.
Please find attached with this email our artwork.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards
Gilbert Hobbs.
……………………
No telephone number!
Fortunately I have now discovered these posts. Thank you
LikeLike
We’ve just got hit by this same scam – We’ve received a payment from Gilbert but fortunately, I found this thread before processing any refund. Huge thanks!
LikeLike
Its my pleasure! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just had this
Hi Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 10 pieces of Standard Mirror
Dimensions – 450mm/600mm 6mm Silver
Finish – Chrome Plated
Style – Rectangular
Material – Chrome plated brass
Foil backing
screws and holes
We will be glad if you could state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office address below.
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Amarilli Biosciences Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW
So glad I googled the address and you popped up. Thank you.
LikeLike
My pleasure Dave! 🙂
LikeLike
Difficult to believe that any company would refund money that had not been CLEARED into their account! Good laugh, ‘though. Thanks.
Peter Rose
LikeLike
Hi all – and another one – an enquiry for 65 sheets of plywood delivered to the same address.
Quoted before I found this thread, so will ignore any future requests from the scammers if they come on – though as I offered four options, they probably won’t. Thanks for the heads up on this one!
LikeLike
As a follow-up, I received an order – for the second cheapest of the four options I offered!
E-mailed back and told them I needed a landline phone number to process a pro-forma, but I’m still waiting…
LikeLike
Hi all,
We almost fell for the Amarilli Biosciences one last year, and then today had this:
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 6 pieces of Economy Sack Trucks.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vital Tradings Ltd
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.
LikeLike
he/she is still at it!
Email received today through out eCommerce website email address on the 3/2/2017:
Gilbert Hobbs vitaltradingltd@gmail.com
to sales
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 6 pieces of Economy Sack Trucks.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vital Tradings Ltd
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.
it seems that Vital Trading Ltd (no ‘s) were a company that dissolved back in 2012
Address is legit although I’m unsure if it’s currently occupied
Reading through all of your experiences I have a question for the businesses who were overpaid by this scumbag who didn’t refund the money and then reported it –
A) Did the money transferred clear?
B) Did you keep it afterwards?
C) If so, is it worth following this through and giving them a taste of their own medicine?
I know that this may not be the ‘correct’ or ‘professional’ way to approach this, but I’m thinking that if enough of us follow this through, (maybe) it will stop…?
LikeLike
The money never clears unfortunately 😉
LikeLike
I may be wrong, feel free to correct me, but they pay via a cheque, this appears on your statement but not as cleared funds. It takes the bank 3 to 7 days to clear the funds or realise that it’s bounced and represent for payment before it bounces again, then they’ll contact you. It’s this time delay from the bank that they use to call you and inform you of the overpayment they have made and request a refund, so the money “appears” in your account but never clears. I may be a little out but I think that’s the gist of it.
LikeLike
Gilbert Hobbs is certainly active, had the same request for sack trucks, no telephone contact number provided.
LikeLike
Watch out for this one also – we received an email for a quote 3/2/17 & then this email today 6/2/17 – it flagged up to me as there was not contact details for this company and also they were not a company know on creditsafe:
Gilbert Hobbs
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 6 pieces of Economy Sack Trucks.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vital Tradings Ltd
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.
also received:
Gilbert Hobbs
Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards.
Gibert Hobbs.
LikeLike
Hi all,
Amarilli/Amarillo is back.
“Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 5 pieces of 200 Litre Grit Bins, Yellow colour.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Amarilli Biosciences Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW”
I started googling the company when I didn’t have a phone number; plus: “gmail” as company email address, Amarillo-Amarilli, non existing address etc.
Thank you for the site and for all the info!
LikeLike
These guys are still going strong! How are you meant to report the gmail account to google? – vitolgrouplitd@gmail.com. I asked for a telephone number and he came back with one! However it rang and rang and there was no answer.
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 56 pieces of Budget Rat Bait Boxes / Stations,.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vitol Group Limited
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester
.Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards.
Gilbert Hobbs.
LikeLike
This is the exact same Email that we got as a company. Please see below Email thread:
All of which came through Post January 2017 so they are still going strong.
1st Email:
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 56 pieces of Budget Rat Bait Boxes / Stations,.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vitol Group Limited
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.
1st Reply:
Dear Gilbert Hobbs,
Thank you for your enquiry.
The only rat bait boxes which we sell are Ramboxes and these are sold in boxes of 10, so you would need 6 boxes. Due to you requiring 6 boxes this would put you in the second pricing tier reducing the cost per 10 units from £61.25 to £56.87.
The total for 6 boxes of 10 Ramboxes would be 341.22 exc VAT
The delivery for this order would be £32.71 exc VAT, this would be via DHL and should arrive the following day (if the order was to be placed before 2pm).
We can also offer a 20% discount for a first time purchase on our products (this would not apply to the delivery)
This would bring the total cost down to:
60 x Ramboxes = £272.98 exc VAT
DHL delivery = 32.71 exc VAT
Total = 305.69 exc VAT
2nd Email: (Which didn;t continue on the thread and came through as a new Email)
Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price of 60 x Ramboxes @ £272.98 exc VAT. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards.
Gilbert Hobbs.
The following day:
Good morning sales,
This is to confirm to you that your account has been credited for the payment of our order. For any update, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards.
Gilbert.
These Emails were an hour apart.
Hi Sales,
I have just been told by our account Dept. that a surplus has been paid into your account, This was an error from our account Dept. We have paid £2,366.82 instead of £366.82. Please confirm the receipt and get back to me as a matter of urgency.
Regards.
Gilbert.
Then the day after:
Good Morning,
This is a follow up email to remind you of the surplus paid into your account, this is yet to be refunded back into our Company’s account. We request that this is done this morning. Sarah who made the error has been in a serious problem. Please give this email an urgent attention.
Waiting for your quick reply.
Regards.
Gilbert.
Firstlt, flagged up was the lack of information provided on a companies ‘Email signature’. Secondly who would provide a refund when the money can not be seen in your account in the first place?
Lastly, how would you send back the 2K he is asking for when they never provided bank details haha.
Seeing this post and replies helped.
LikeLike
They are still at it – see email below I received today. How can they be stopped?
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 5 pieces of 200 Litre Grit Bins, Yellow colour.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Amarilli Biosciences Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW
LikeLike
Received this email today, best to keep posting and let people know what this scammer doing! If it wasn’t for this post i may have quoted for these thinking it was a nice little order for us!
From: Amarillo Biosciences [mailto:amarillobiosciencesresources@gmail.com]
Sent: 11 February 2017 14:54
To: Sales
Subject: Quote
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 5 pieces of 200 Litre Grit Bins, Yellow colour.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Amarilli Biosciences Ltd
Unit 5, Kiwi Park Commerce Way
Off Westinghouse Road,
Manchester,
M17 1HW
LikeLike
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 2 budget Outdoor Table Tennis Tables. We require this quote as soon as possible.
We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office
address.
Yours faithfully.
Harvey Connor
BECKER LOGISTICS SERVICES.
Units A6 Springfield Industrial Estate,
Cottenham Lane,
Salford,
Greater Manchester
M7 1TW
LikeLike
Got the below, nearly got me until I googled this page, many thanks:
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 11 Nos of budget Roller Banner – Flat base single sided print.
850mm x 2000mm, one artwork for the 11 banners.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vital Tradings Ltd
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.
LikeLike
We received the exact same message as SpammedPrinter this evening. We use Google for all new enquiries, especially those that appear to be dodgy, and luckily we found this page. Many thanks.
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 11 Nos of budget Roller Banner – Flat base single sided print.
850mm x 2000mm, one artwork for the 11 banners.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vital Tradings Ltd
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.
LikeLike
Thanks for your posts everyone – we also looked into this further to find the same results and thankfully this page
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 11 Nos of budget Roller Banner – Flat base single sided print.
850mm x 2000mm, one artwork for the 11 banners.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vital Tradings Ltd
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.
LikeLike
“After a week or so, the original bank transfer is marked up as fraud and the bank takes the full amount back. Thus, we are minus the refund,”
————-
How bank have take any transferred money back. Even if they transfer (the bank) something by mistake – they will ask you to voluntarily return it, or they will have to have a court order. They cant revoke any payments already credited to your account
LikeLike
Exactly the same enquiry received overnight.
“Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 11 Nos of budget Roller Banner – Flat base single sided print.
850mm x 2000mm, one artwork for the 11 banners.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vital Tradings Ltd
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.”
After offering a price we received:
“Many thanks for your email reply, we are okay with price quote. We will like to go ahead with the order. Please raise a proforma invoice for our order.
When we receive the proforma invoice with your sort code and account number we shall remit our payment into your account as soon as possible.
Please find attached with this email our artwork.
Waiting for your quick response.
Kind regards
Gilbert Hobbs.”
Once again it was a new email, rather than a reply, but it was accompanied by some quite convincing artwork for the order: “Member of the Institute of Directors”.
I didn’t rind true though and a quick search led me to this page – thank you.
LikeLike
Ditto, surely the banks have to take some responsibility for this sort of con. When I set up a bank account they want every bit of information off me including mothers maiden name! These people are using the current banking platform to create this con and as such surely the banks should be culpable. If they checked the identities of the owners of these accounts as they should do then this type of scam would be greatly reduced.
Why do I get the feeling I am wasting my breath??
LikeLike
Dear Sales,
Will you please quote for the supply of 11 Nos of budget Roller Banner – Flat base single sided print.
850mm x 2000mm, one artwork for the 11 banners.
We require this quote as soon as possible. We shall be glad if you will state your prices, including delivery cost to our Office. Please find below our office address
Yours faithfully
Gilbert Hobbs
Vital Tradings Ltd
Unit 2 Broughton Lane,
Salford
M7 1UH.
Manchester.
Received this morning … along with the request for bank details which immediately (along with the poor English)…trashed it as it seemed dodgy.
Not worth the effort of getting into conversations/emails etc.
LikeLike
We had Gilbert try the exact same quote request approach on us.
We have reported it to the actionfraid.police.uk website.
I would recommend everyone does the same.
The reference number I have been told I can give out is NFRC170501864307
Kind regards
Paul
LikeLike