Buyers/Sellers Please Read and Beware!!!

[TAKUYA]

Hi guys, ive been in watch business for awhile and also been around watch groups/forums awhile too.... This is 2nd time ive seen this type of scams. The 1st time, i reached out to Moderator here, reported and stopped it right away since it happened here TRF, and it did not go too far.

this 2nd time, its not from our forum but still in watch community. The scammer impersonating a well-known watch dealer here and around to scam another watch dealer (may be new in watch community but i'm not sure. lets just call it as new watch dealer) on Facebook watch group. The scammer even made several fake things showing to the new watch dealer that he is legit and look good (but of course, he using fake contact numbers, not the same numbers of the legit well-known dealer). That new watch dealer posted reference check with the name only, without confirm the contact numbers... So new watch dealer got hooked by scammer after ref check was good. He agreed to sell and ship the watch out first before taking the payment... on the other side, the scammer using that new watch dealer's name and location in AZ (which i did not know until now) to sell that watch to me...


Anyways, me and the scammer got the deal. i gave him Fedex label to ship the watch out to me. The scammer forwarded that fedex label to new watch dealer to ship the watch to me. And today, i got the watch. i asked him how and where to make the payment to. The scammer gave me bank wire info with different recipient name and different location VA from where the watch was shipped from AZ (but he never gave me contact until i asked to confirm) . SO it sounds lil bit shady here. i told him to give me a call to confirm wire info and to make sure his email didn't got hacked... He called me and i picked up then he hung up. He emailed me and asked what happening with me. So i called him back, he just picked up the phone and said he in the zone with bad signal... He emailed and explained that is his wife's wire info in VA because he's in a business trip in AZ. So i told him that i just wanted to make sure who i'm dealing with and will do wire payment shortly. But with lacks in communication, mixed up shipping, and wire info etc... i'm still feeling that something is wrong and fishy here. So i did my best to do all researches here and there, and called around to make sure that i'm dealing with legit guy and not buying a stolen watch... after 2 hours, i could find the new watch dealer's name/info which scammer using to dealing with me. so i called his store, contacted to his cell phone, and found out he still waiting for the payment from scammer which is on tomorrow. while i told him how i got the watch, he told me his heart was beating very fast and his hands was shaking LOL. He told me that watch was shipped out by him to me and explained how he got hooked by the scammer using a well known dealer's name... So i told him that his watch is in good hands, no worries. but i'd need to make a few phone calls to verify because i'm confusing too. after i called and confirmed with that well-known dealer and one more gentleman, i got back to him and told him that his watch will go back to him on tomorrow.


So new watch dealer guy will have his watch back, scammer will get nothing, i just lost my time and could not get back to the inquires from my clients and another deals...

[wesdaniel]

Wow. That's quite the elaborate ruse! And, good for you for catching it and doing the right thing!!

It's nice to know there are good people around

[BNA/LION]

Crazy!

I hope you also repot this to the authorities? In any event, great detective work and intuition on your part!

[zaydans]

It’s good to hear that at least one scamming bastard didn’t get away with it!!

[42itus]

It’s a good thing you listened to your instincts. Thanks for sharing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HL65]

Wow what a crazy story and scam my friend! Good catch and good that is was you!

[afnios1]

Great job Thanh,congrats !!!!!!!!!!1

[Rick Deckard]

Thanh,

I don't know you, but let me assure you, that your actions and honesty will get you more goodwill and respect in this community than the time you have lost on this odyssey.

I will definitely give you a call next time I am looking for a watch.

Well done!

Chris

[illiguy]

Thanks for this, Thanh! Gosh, the scammers are getting good (unfortunately).

[214270Explorer]

Whew! Scary how much more complicated and cunning these scams are becoming!

Stay alert out there everyone!

[aknajera]

Happy it turned out ok. What a scam.

[zoenatenich]

Thank you for this information, Thanh.

I have not bought a watch from you yet, but your quick and kind replies to my inquiries and offers have always been pleasant.

I look forward to doing business with you in the future.

Thank you.

[Daryl]

wow! Dealer was lucky is was you Thanh.

[TAKUYA]

Thanks guys! And Yes please double check the contact numbers to make sure everything first before you make a deal.

The 1st time i saw this type of scams from a scammer in Roanoke Virginia with contact numbers 540-986-4906 But i reported to Mod and stopped it right away.

Not sure they are same group... but this 2nd scammer from Portsmouth VA with contact numbers 540-628-6454. And he using fake email [email protected] which he faked it from a new watch dealer's email [email protected]. And here is bank wire info scammer gave to me.

BB&T Bank
Account name: Mary Cardinale
Account number: 1470003717658
Routing number: 051404260
Home address: 3801 Sunset Pt Portsmouth, VA 23703

But scammer using different numbers 561-990-2199 to scam new watch dealer.

[TAKUYA]

One of my friends (another dealer) just told me that he just got scammed that way too after he saw my post... And he already did wire to the scammer . Sorry one seller lost the watch and scammer got money. not sure what my friend gonna do with the watch he got from scammer.

[2bigalow]

Wow! Thanks for the post and keeping an eye out for the good guys!
Honor and integrity never goes unnoticed.
Thank you Sir.

[Atr365]

Wow.

[2Redbulls]

wow that's pretty slick. good catch!

[Andad]

Originally Posted by TAKUYA

One of my friends (another dealer) just told me that he just got scammed that way too after he saw my post... And he already did wire to the scammer . Sorry one seller lost the watch and scammer got money. not sure what my friend gonna do with the watch he got from scammer.

Not sure what you mean?

The seller hasn't lost his watch because your friend has it and the scammer didn't send your friend the watch?

How did this one end up?

[TAKUYA]

Originally Posted by Andad

Not sure what you mean?

The seller hasn't lost his watch because your friend has it and the scammer didn't send your friend the watch?

How did this one end up?

To be honest i did not ask more details about their deals... So i don't know how my friend handled it... but i remember he said he doesn't even know who is the seller....

[trackingtime]

tons of drop shipping.

scammer using a seller to send to a buyer and getting buyer to pay the scammer instead of the seller.

i think it happened to another member here as well. the same method

[Andad]

Originally Posted by TAKUYA

To be honest i did not ask more details about their deals... So i don't know how my friend handled it... but i remember he said he doesn't even know who is the seller....

Your friend received a watch from a seller but doesn’t know who the seller was or where it came from?

That’s strange?

But I expect the seller knows where he sent it.

A very unfortunate situation for your friend and the seller.

[TAKUYA]

Originally Posted by Andad

Your friend received a watch from a seller but doesn’t know who the seller was or where it came from?

That’s strange?

But I expect the seller knows where he sent it.

A very unfortunate situation for your friend and the seller.

I think you misunderstood. my friend did not receive the watch from seller directly, it was from scammer...

[Dancingpriest]

Thank you for sharing this with us here on TRF, you are a good guy!

[ryansoulsit]

Originally Posted by TAKUYA

on the other side, the scammer using that new watch dealer's name and location in AZ (which i did not know until now) to sell that watch to me...

You saved them man. Thanks for sharing it . Was it still fishy if scammer using name and address (VA) that matches their wire info at the first time when they contacted you? Would you still send them money?

[orangeguy]

Thanh,
Thanks for the story. It seems like these guys get more and more creative. A few year's back I almost fell for a scam on a DJ. Part of the reference was a LinkedIn profile. Something just felt wrong, so I pinged the guy on LinkedIn and, it turns out, it wasn't him and he had no watch for sale. That was going to be my first ever purchase from a forum. I'm glad there are guys like you out there who continue to put efforts into making transactions solid and safe. I appreciated your extra efforts on everything, even though my transaction wasn't that large.

Anyone reading this who has questions about Thanh because you haven't dealt with him, deal in complete confidence. He's the real deal and a true gentleman.