This is a story about a web design scam.
So today we received an email from a potential client (Jeff Brown) enquiring about a new web build –
Hello,
I would like to know if you can handle website design for a new
company and also if you accept Visa credit card as mode of payment.
Please advice so i can send the job details.With Regards
To which I replied –
Hi Jeff,
Yes, we can take credit card as payment!
How can we help you? If you would like to chat about it you can also reach me on 01959 447456
Kind regards
A few hours later…
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your swift response, Here is the job details.I have small scale business which i want to turn into large scale business and the company is based on importing and exporting of Agriculture products such as Kola Nut, Gacillia Nut and Cocoa so i need a best of the best layout design for it. Can you handle that for me ?. so i need you to check out this site but i need something more perfect than this if its possible .http://www.agroamerica.com…. the site would only be informational, so i need you to give me an estimate based on the site i gave you to check out, the estimate should include hosting and i want the same page as the site i gave you to check out and i have a private project consultant, he has the text content and the logos for the site.
Note:
1. I want the same number of pages with the example site i gave you to check excluding videos and blogs.
2. I want only English language
3. I don’t have a domain yet but i want the domain name as iCertifiedfarmproduct.com
4. you will be updating the site for me.
5. i will be proving the images, logos and content for the site.
6. i want the site up and running before ending of next month.
7. My budget is $4000 to $8000Kindly get back to me with:
(1) an estimate
(2) your cell phone number
(3) And will like to know if you are the owner ??Thanks, Jeff.
Jeff Brown
This is where the alarm bells started going off, Dollors ($), surely he can see we are a British company and so would deal in Pounds (£) ? Okay, so with benefit of doubt given I went on to checking the domain he wanted ‘iCertifiedfarmproduct.com’ which surprisingly had already been registered in 2016.
So, time to start looking up ‘Jeff Brown’ (mdx01968@gmail.com) as his gmail account even had a photo so he must be real! Nope, couldn’t find him, even searched images on Google and proifiles on LinkedIn etc.! Hmm…Is he real? He looks so nice and trustworthy in his picture. :I’m sad:
Time to use the old Google “” test and searched for the first line of his response “I have small scale business which i want to turn into large scale business“, the results of which you can see by clicking here. Low and behold he’s been contacting other web designers for work that is rightfully ours, the git!!
So it was time to respond to his last reply and secure this awesome potential job –
Hi Jeff,
Looking at the site you have sent me we could only take on the job if the budget started at $24,756 (&24p) due to the amount of work involved. I have a nut allergy and will have to get some very special and costly protection software to ensure I do not go into toxic shock when working on your site as it has now been proven that images can trigger such deadly allergy’s.
I am really excited to start working with you and am over confident that I can do an award winning job on your site and will be well worth your investment.
To get started I would need a small ‘good will’ donation deposited into my off-shore Nigerian account which I hope will not be a problem. If okay I will send you the details.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hail Satan, our lord and master.*
Kind regards.
I am yet to get a response but will be sure to update this post if I do.
So lesson to be learned – If it looks to good to be true, and the grammar and structure is iffy, don’t touch it with a barge-pole!
Thanks for sharing, I pretty much went down the same correspondence route as you, although the second email was slightly more restrained (wish I hadn’t now) with thanks not for us at this time £15k starting point etc…. I’ve just got a Phishing one back with
Hello.
How are you doing today ?
Needless to say I will be blocking & reporting to Google straight away.
Thanks for posting this! I have just recieved the same email enquiry! Used his email to search.
March 15th I got almost the exact same correspondence from the same guy.
His initial email seemed odd, but I didn’t want to not respond, some people just aren’t great communicators. Something about his second email though just seemed off. So I Googled his gmail and found this post.
Not sure what the end game would have been… I’m curious to respond and see how far down the rabbit hole to take this…
I recommend taking it as far as you can go, wind them up, build their hopes and lead them on a merry old chase!
Got the exact same correspondence. I was suspicious of the original email which sounded scammy, especially asking for credit card payment.
Organised a skype chat, alarm bells started ringing when I was looking at the photo of a white guy, but with an African sounding voice 🙂
The domain name they wanted registered, was also already taken.
http://saliummfarm.comI just got an email from the same scammers today. They are both using Gmail as well as iphones for carrying out this Scam. Also they text their info and do not carry further communications on email. Seems they have got a lot of stolen credit cards too. Web designer/developer Guys Beware of any such emails. They are crooks who can loot you of your hard earned money.
This is what they have sent :
From: Jeff Brown
Sent: 22 March 2017 19:00
Subject: Project Details / Estimate Needed
Hi,
Here is the job details
I have small scale business which i want to turn into large scale business now and my company is based on importing and exporting of Agriculture products such as Kola Nut, Gacillia Nut and Cocoa so i need a best of the best layout design for it. Can you
handle that for me ?. so i need you to check out this site but i need something more perfect than this if its possible.http://www.agroamerica.com…. the site would only be informational, so i need you to give me an estimate based on the site i
Agroamérica
http://www.agroamerica.com.
Note:
1. I want the same number of pages with the example site i gave you to check excluding videos and blogs.
2. I want only English language
3. I don’t have a domain yet but i want the domain name as
abiscofarm.com
4. you will be updating the site for me.
5. i will be proving the images, logos and content for the site.
6. i want the site up and running before ending of next month.
7. My budget is $4000 to $8000
Kindly get back to me with:
(1) an estimate
(2) your cell phone number
(3) And will like to know if you are the owner ??
Regards
Jeff Brown
Sent from my iPhone
Thanks for confirming what I already deduced. I did a whois search on the saliummfarm.com site and it is registered to Rick Cano in Washington I think.
Many red flags in the email. The biggest one being his volunteering payment of up to $8000 for a fairly simple web site.
Sometimes I feel like playing the game for a while to see exactly what the “punchline” is. I bet he will switch to wanting to send a check for more than what I quoted and then asking for a refund or some such nonsense.
I am trying not to hate people. I really am.
I believe at the end-game, they ask the web designer to pay their representative on behalf of them due to (their) funds not clearing in time. So far I haven’t heard of anyone falling for the scam so I guess us designers are a savvy bunch so lets just keep spreading the word!
Thanks for the above post. It’s worth for all the beginners in Web Design & Development to go through it so that the AWARENESS regarding FAKE CUSTOMERS & SPAMS can be increased.
Thanks for sharing. We just got an email from the guy lol
Subject: educate my costumer
Phone: 213-375-4826
Message Body:
I’m Jeff Brown from Abisco Farm Inc and i would like to know if you are available for new web projects at this time and also if you accept visa / master card mode of payment. Kindly get back to me ASAP so i can send you the job details.
Just got the email and found this article – well done on publishing. I feel like stringing them along but my life is too short to spend in this negative spiral of cat and mouse and I think the less they know that people are on to them, the more likely they are to keep using this email address and the easier it will be for good people to sniff them out.
Thanks again for posting.
I had the exact same email this morning. Something didn’t seem right with it so I googled the company name then ‘Ibisco Farm’ which didn’t show any results, then I found this post. Glad I checked. Never trust Jeff!
Phewww – thanks guys – for one moment i thought i got a deal and there you go another scammer 🙂 Thanks for sharing – below is what i had got
Hi,
Here is the job details
I have small scale business which i want to turn into large scale business now and my company is based on importing and exporting of Agriculture products such as Kola Nut, Gacillia Nut and Cocoa so i need a best of the best layout design for it. Can you
handle that for me ?. so i need you to check out this site but i need something more perfect than this if its possible.http://www.agroamerica.com…. the site would only be informational, so i need you to give me an estimate based on the site i
Note:
1. I want the same number of pages with the example site i gave you to check excluding videos and blogs.
2. I want only English language
3. I don’t have a domain yet but i want the domain name as
abiscofarm1.com.au
4. you will be updating the site for me.
5. i will be proving the images, logos and content for the site.
6. i want the site up and running before ending of next month.
7. My budget is $4000 to $8000
Kindly get back to me with:
(1) an estimate
(2) your cell phone number
(3) And will like to know if you are the owner ??
Regards
Jeff Brown
I also got the same email and it seemed that it may be some scam.
But I got an email from dr.thomasdesk@gmail.com and the person being referred as Barry Thomas.
I am just wondering what the f*** he is upto.
I request all you to also list the email address, you got the reply from.
I have just received the same email from Jeff this week in Australia…thanks for your post
Today i received this crap . Was feeling bored so i had to start playing with this monk. I copied and pasted the above conversation.. Could not imagine his position. Anyways mate the email was awesome.
3rd time we’ve gotten this scammer contacting us in 3 years. The Domain he wants is now in Redemption, oddly registered for just 3 months. Probably hot credit card for it. Think he’s trying to get the designer to buy the domain name in His name or another, with him or his friend selling it. Basically the Designer’s money for garbage domain. Then he likely disappears with money. Very similar to a scam about 20 years ago. This was “Jeff Brown” with email “Jeff Masters Repair” , the 213-375-4826 phone is LA California.
This guy just emailed my company today with this same crap, I googled his name and company straight away and saw all these scam alerts, thank God for the internet. Here is what he sent out today. I googled Abisco Inc, there is a company called Abisco Solutions Inc in Rutherford NJ.
Hi,
I’m Jeff Brown from Abisco Inc and i would like to know if you are available for new web projects at this time and also if you accept visa / master card mode of payment. Kindly get back to me ASAP so i can send you the job details.
Regards, Jeff Brown
jeffffff1010@gmail.com
213-375-4826
I am not a web designer, but same guy contacted us to buy expensive parts with a credit card.
it is a know scam to try and purchase these parts with stolen cards.
below is the email chain…
Jeff
I am not finding any listing for that business
or that address as a business
is the card you are going to use to pay for the parts listed as the same
name and address?
Thank You
Chris Ver Burg
http://www.teamcharlestonmarine.com
843-225-2628
—–Original Message—–
From: Marathon Services
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2017 10:58 AM
To: charlestonmarine@comcast.net
Subject: Re: Yamaha Part
Name – Marathon Service
Address – 14 East 5th North Street Summerville, SC 29483
Ph – 213-375-4826
On Wed, Nov 29, 2017 at 9:45 AM, charlestonmarine@comcast.net
wrote:
>
> Jeff, thanks for your interest in Charleston Marine. Will be glad to help.
> Just need the name address and phone number of the business purchasing
> these parts. Thanks Chris
>
> Sent from my Verizon LG Smartphone
>
> —— Original message——
> From: Marathon Services
> Date: Wed, Nov 29, 2017 10:30 AM
> To: undisclosed-recipients:;
> Cc:
> Subject:Yamaha Part
>
> Hi Sales,
> I need you to check with prices and stock availability on yamaha part
> listed below
>
> Part # 6N7-11411-01-00 YAMAHA CRANKSHAFT
> Part # 703-48207-21-00 REMOTE
> Part # 688-11411-01-00 YAMAHA CRANKSHAFT
>
> follow up with the request also payment will be done via visa credit card.
>
> With Regards
> Jeff Brown
> lokoofficefile@gmail.com
Thanks for posting Chris. Let’s hope this Guy never catches anyone out.
We recieved the following message from Jeff Brown regarding detailing vehicles:
Thanks for your response, Please i want the following service to be done on the Vehicles
Interiors and Exteriors Detailing
Hand Wash of Entire Vehicle
Professional Wax and Polish
These are the (5) Vehicles:
2016 chevrolet express passenger van
2015 Range Rover, Evoque
2008 Land Rover, LR4 V8
2007 Ford E-250
2014 Mazda, CX-5
2010 Ford E-150 Van
Once I received and confirmed the estimate, I will instruct my towing driver to drop off the vehicles at your location.
Many Thanks.
Dear Jeff
—–Original Message—–
From: Jeff Brown
Sent: Wed, Jan 24, 2018 11:37 am
NAME: Jeff Brown
EMAIL: jeff@jeffmasterrepair.com
MESSAGE: “Hello, i’m Jeff, i would like to know if you available for auto Detailing also if you accept Visa card as mode of payment ? I’m hoping on your quick response.”
We didn’t verify his request by googling him but went back and forth with emails. We use our cells and I was contacted on my cell number.
When it took a weird turn in conversation, we googled and found this site! Needless to say the scammer is now blocked.
Thank you all for sharing your stories.
Wow! Even over a year since this post went up and these scammers are still trying to scam us with the same email!. It is so annoying and disheartening that these buggers do this. I loved the last part of your email reply to him, the only part that made me laugh. I wonder if he replied to it? I got the same email like 2 other people posted in comments, only difference was his name is CodyLens@gmail.com. I copy and pasted your end reply and waiting to see if he’ll reply, but I doubt it too. Thanks so much for posting this 🙂