Strange customer

[LynnS]

As some have talked about in the past I just got a note from a man interested in my candles.Of course wants to know type of jars, sizes etc.Then that old question"What type CC do you accept".That is where we candlemakers get leery".

Even if we go CASH there can be cheaters too.My son sent money Western Union for a car and lucky he got his money back. The guy had conned other people.

I am sure all of you say TRASH it.

Should I just send a note back saying we don't accept CC but then my website is set up for that?????:confused:Or delete.This is a American name and some are foreigners.

Also anyone else get a similar e-mail???

Thank You,

LynnS

[rebeccajo99]

could you tell him the information and give him your website and say all credit card purchases must go through your website? I don't have a website, so I don't know how that all works with credit cards and I don't accept credit cards yet, but wouldn't the card have to be approved when they check out on a website?

[LynnS]

I also guess the CC would be approved and my online customers either pay CC or Pay Pal.I do have one who sends a check. Always get my money.

I thought about that.Tell him what I have and place your order online.I am sure if it is a invalid CC it wouldn't go through or we all could be in trouble. I get payments through PAY PAL.

LynnS

[doglover]

I get these emails ALL of the time, sometimes several per day. I just use my handy Delete button. They could answer most of their questions if they actually looked at my website. The killer first question most of them ask is "Do you sell candles?" DUH!! Talk about stupid scammer!!!

[Kitn]

I would point him to your website, tell him all he needs to know is right there.

[NaturallyTru]

I wouldn't just blow him off. You don't know that he isn't legit. He may have purchased candles before and is knowledgeable that they come in different styles and sizes. How did the note come? Has he seen your website, or is he just following a lead and isn't sure what type you carry? And I don't think it is inappropriate to ask a person who makes handmade candles if they accept credit cards...many do not. These are questions I have been asked by my wholesale accounts in first contact. Turned out to be good accounts.

Trudi

[Dana]

Ya, spammers/ scammers EVERYWHERE these days. I just about lost $520 on a craigslist deal. It was from another state (Vegas, of all places) and he wanted me to send him the $520 by wiring it to him. I knew nothing about wiring money, so I thought ya, I can do that. So I go to Walmart, like he told me and they want $35.50 to send it. I thought, no way, I'll just send it through Paypal for free. Well, he insists he had a bad experience with Paypal not letting him get his money out. Never heard of such a thing. A few clicks and it is transferred into your checking. So I didn't understand him....well he then made me feel all guilty and acting like wiring money was no big deal. So I was really going to do it. I talked to him on the phone, he was a CEO of a company, he gave me a link to his website, (which I thought was a strange website because there was no way to purchase any of his products and I STILL did not catch on. For some reason (the good Lord was watching out for me) I googled his ad, and up comes his listing with a warning NOT TO SEND MONEY BY WESTERN UNION OR ANY OTHER WIRE. 98% of the people that ask you to do this are SCAMMERS! I couldn't believe what I read. So I emailed him right away and said I am sorry, but I work to hard for my money and I smell something fishy. God Bless! and that was that. So ya, I almost lost all that money...makes me sick thinking about it. He SEEMED so honest, and maybe he was. But the deal was to good to be true.....

[barncat]

I get them here and there. I get ones that ask how much are my candles. I eel all my information is on my website. I just ifnore them, especially if its from a generic email account like yahoo or gmail.

[Candybee]

Like another poster suggested point him to your website. If hes legit he can order from there.

[Noodle]

I wouldn't ignore him either. Like already has been said, politely lead him to your website.

[momtohaley2004]

check out this site to see if he's listed:

http://www.printnet.com.au/scammers_identified.html

[maxie114]

Trust your instincts! If he is legit, he won't mind going through paypal or your website. I think we all don't give ourselves enough credit when it comes to these things. Even when we are at a show, a person who strikes us as acting funny might be having a weird day or they may be trying to scam us. But we all have that six-sense. You may just be picking up on his bad-day, but I wouldn't go outside of what your comfortable with.

[Dana]

I got a little off subject in my previous post, but it had just happened so I was all reved up. But yep, trust your instincts...no matter how bad you want to sell or buy...in my case. But I have gotten weird emails too and I think maybe it's a competitor of mine, but I too just directed him to my website. That pretty much says it all on there.

[LuminousBoutique]

Always trust your instincts, always. But dont immediately assume all curious buyers are scammers. I had a *multi* thousand dollar order that went flawlessly to Asia.. I was immediately suspicious when she initially contacted me... you know, HUGE order, international order... it raised flags. I was just honest with her. I said I wouldnt send the products until the payment cleared.. I also refused to do the transaction without feedback from other sellers (I talked to other people who sold to her regularly, she owns a store that sells "American goods" lol), I also insisted the payment went through my bank, and through Visa. I spoke with the bank before hand to ensure that I would be safe if she tried to reverse payment. They told me it wasnt 100%.. it was 99% safe... but I have a good lawyer in case something did go awry.

I think I took all the steps I could to keep myself safe... and I made a huge sale!! Shes ordered (smaller) orders 6 times since then as well.

Some other things that made me more comfortable with her initially was that she was willing (and did) pay full price to order small samples of everything. I also searched her to see if she was a scam. Luckily nothing came up but glowing reviews about her business.. and after talking to other sellers she had bought from, I was sure it was worth the risk.

[LynnS]

I went to my webiste to make sure things were working.The candle page was not working in the shopping cart. You clicked add to cart but never showed.

I then e-mailed the guy and told him I have all sizes and styles in stock(but also have suppliers nearby if I run out). Since he mentioned CC's I told him if he would like e-mail me the order(till I get my site straightened out) and I would invoice him through PAY PAL. Then

he can pay with any of the 4 CC's. I have heard nothing.

I guess a scam.I might e-mail back and tell him the candle page is now working but I believe a waste of time.

The few wholesale orders I get the buyers send a order than going through the website.Then I e-mail them a invoice.I like doing that.

Lots of good points here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LynnS

[Candybee]

You know if I got an email explaining problems with the website and I could email you back with CC and order I would run the other way myself.

I still think it was probably a scammer but telling potential customers you are having problems with your website can be a turnoff. JMO

[LynnS]

I did mention problems with the site but if he e-mailed me his order I would send him a invoice through Pay Pal.That would be his receipt and he can then pay through PAY PAL.I didn't want ANY CC information.That is done through Pay Pal. I NEVER ask for any CC information.

I just invoiced(through Pay Pal) the other day with a customer.She e-mails me what she wants and I make up a invoice on line through Pay Pal.Then she sends me payment. So simple and easy.

My wholelsale customers don't mind that at all.

There was some wording about his e-mail I picked up on but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. He was just up front asking what CC's we accept. If he did go on my site seems he would be up front and tell me there were some problems with the shopping cart.How can I order??? He just wanted to know what CC's we accept.

Bottom line he didn't want to order and get sent a professional invoice. Then pay for the order with a CC through Pay Pal. He wasn't on the scam list but doesn't mean he hasn't tried to scam.

LynnS