Have you gotten an inquiry that looks like this:
Hello I am James Tobby and i am hearing impaired i need to know if you can handle website design for a new company and i also need to know if you accept credit cards as form of payment ?
I have been getting these with increasing frequency. The name always changes, but the content in the first message is always the same. First, they make sure you know they are hearing-impaired and then want to know if you accept credit cards.
When I got the first one of these, I responded with my typical questions and then the next email from them looks something like this:
Here is the job details
I have small scale business which i want to turn into large scale business now 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. 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 rootsnherbs.com
4. you will be updating the site for me.
5. i will be providing 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 an estimate asap
This almost seems legit, right. There’s information on what they want, a budget, etc. But not so fast. If you continue to do exchanges with this person, and even go so far as to send a proposal, they will request something odd. Wouldn’t you know that their “project consultant” doesn’t take credit cards? And since you do, they’d like you to charge the full amount to the credit card, then send a payment to their project manager.
Now it’s starting to sound fishy.
There are a lot of people who may not have heard about it, and may think that a great website project just fell into their lap. The reason they claim to be hearing-impaired is so they don’t have to talk to you on the phone, because either they are not good enough actors or else they have thick accents they don’t want you to hear.
What happens if you agree? Well, you charge the card. It goes through, no problem. You send the payment and they cash it. Then you never hear from them again. Who you DO hear from is the credit card company about the fraudulent charge.
And if you take credit cards but haven’t experienced this, if someone calls their credit card company and claims your charge is fraudulent, they take the money right out of your bank account, with very little notice, I might add.
And if you actually sent a check to that person, not only do you lose the original deposit, but you lose the money you sent to their “project consultant” as well.
That’s when you are really in trouble.
I keep getting these messages, almost weekly now, and I can only assume that it’s working and that’s why they keep sending them. This is my warning. Never agree to send money to another contractor on your client’s behalf. This will never end well.
And to these scammers, please STOP.
Amy Masson
Amy is the co-owner, developer, and website strategist for Sumy Designs. She's been making websites with WordPress since 2006 and is passionate about making sure websites are as functional as they are beautiful.
I just got the EXACT same message too.
I just got the exact email from “Jeff Tweedy”. Thank you for posting!
The “nut importer” email is IDENTICAL to what I received from an “Edward Palunbinkas,” with the email edwardpalunbinkas@gmail.com and the phone number 251-230-3710. I was only able to find this page by searching for the phone number, so thank you so much for posting this! I’m going to share this post with my local WordPress Meetup group.
That’s the exact email I received also.
WOW!! I am so glad I always Google “new” companies looking for logo and branding design. First I found a company by the same name already in operation on Facebook, then I found your article. I’m not sure why but I feel a bit honored to be included in such a wide scale scam. I sent a screen shot back to him and said, “And be sure to reevaluate your life choices.” LOL Cheers everyone and may the new year bring us all amazing clients and no scammers!
Wow – thanks for sharing this – we just got one as well – almost SAME email – see below. —-
—-
On Nov 12, 2019, 2:36 PM -0500, Williams Smith , wrote:
Here’s what I’m looking to have done.
it’s a newly established company. Do drop your cell number so we can discuss better.
The company is really based on sales of furniture such as Ottomans, Desk lamps, Sectional, Buffets & Sideboards, Counter & Bar Stools, Kitchen Cabinet, Sofa, Office Chair, Accent tables, King bench bed, etc.
The company name is “Adornium”
My Website Is Under Construction Which Would Be Registered Soon.
The Full-Text Content And All Images For The Catalog Will Be Submitted To You By The Project Consultant You’ll Just Handle The Layout.
The Brochure Should Be 44 Pages (Including Front And Back Cover) Because I Have Lot Information, Approved And Crosscheck Text And Images.
The Size Of Brochure Should Be 8.5 x 11.
I’ll want you to add to my mission, value, vision, etc to the catalog, I’ll have it sent to you.
Just got this same inquiry from “Jeff Tweedy”! SO glad I did a little noseying around before wasting any time on this. Thanks so much for posting that this is a scam.
Yup, got a similar request from
Moore James (strange name sequence). Said his company name is VEEHAUS FURNITURE
OMG thanks so much for posting! My agency just got this:
it’s a newly established company. Do drop your cell number so we can discuss better.
The company is really based on sales of furniture such as Ottomans, Desk lamps, Sectional, Buffets & Sideboards, Counter & Bar Stools, Kitchen Cabinet, Sofa, Office Chair, Accent tables, King bench bed, etc.
The company name is “Adornium”
My Website Is Under Fabrication Which Would Be Registered Soon.
The Full-Text Content And All Images For The Catalog Will Be Submitted To You By The Project Consultant You’ll Just Handle The Layout.
The Brochure Should Be 44 Pages (Including Front And Back Cover) Because I Have Lot Information, Approved And Crosscheck Text And Images.
The Size Of Brochure Should Be 8.5 x 11.
I’ll want you to add to my mission, value, vision, etc to the catalog, I’ll have it sent to you.
He also told me he had lung cancer! Now that is some bad karma!!!!
I just got the same one:
Name: Willson David
Email: WillsonDavid2020@gmail.com
Number: 213-559-3032
The story:
Here’s what I’m looking to have done.
it’s a newly established company. The company is really based on sales of furniture such as Ottomans, Desk lamps, Sectional,
Buffets & Sideboards, Counter & Bar Stools, Kitchen Cabinet, Sofa, Office Chair, Accent tables, King bench bed, etc. The company name is “Adornium” My Website Is Under Fabrication Which Would Be Registered Soon. The Full-Text Content And All Images For The Catalog Will Be Submitted To You By The Project Consultant You’ll Just Handle The Layout. The Brochure Should Be 44 Pages (Including Front And Back Cover) Because I Have Lot Information, Approved And Crosscheck Text And Images. The Size Of Brochure Should Be 8.5 x 11.
I’ll want you to add to my mission, value, vision, etc to the catalog, I’ll have it sent to you.
This goon Jeffrey Tweedy contact me as well regarding “Adornium”… thanks for posting here… truly annoying…
I am located in Canada and initially received a generic work request text from Texas. I asked to communicate by email to which I got a response from, you guest it, SFISHER FURNITURE with the same design requirements as Sarah’s but with a budget of $5000.00 and coming from edwardjackson276@gmail.com.
I knew this was a scam from the first question I asked “how did you hear about me and why are you not looking for a designer in Texas”. He ignored answering the part about using a more local designer.
So far, no request for funds but waiting on the “project designer”. Perhaps he is currently fishing for someone to be the “project designer” or perhaps my server has already blocked this “project designer”. Not sure how long this email game will go on as my lunch break is almost over.
Thanks to everyone for confirming my suspicions about this individual. It seems this scam has been going on for years.
I just got this one too.
Augusta Green – gusgrn1@gmail.com got to me as well – I was just about to send a contract
I’m getting these almost weekly now…
Mark Jones
markjones4011@yahoo.com
“Hello, I’m Mark and I’ll like to know if you can handle Brochure and Logo Design for my company.”
I didn’t even get to discussing the details because it sounded weird (all the info is already on my website, why are they emailing me to ask a basic question?). Thank you for this article, I was curious to know what they’re trying to pull off. Good thing I don’t take credit cards either!
Just happened to me.
Morgan Whitney – morwhitney92@gmail.com
Initial Inquiry:
“Hello, how are you?
I’m Morgan , I’m sure you offer design service. Please do let me know.
Thanks.”
“I’m currently hospitalized right now recuperating from lung cancer, hope that won’t halt our business?
Leave you number for a text?”
Company name: WILLOWEY or WILLOW ?
I didn’t get as far as discussing payment, just send them a link to here and said unfortunately we couldn’t help.
I got one today:
Scott Brown is a fraud. scottbrown2289@gmail.com
Second email
Third email
SAME MESSAGE!!!…. and then a text
Jeff Tweed
jefftweed88@gmail.com
832-779-0243
On Wed, Oct 9, 2019 at 11:42 AM Jeff Tweed wrote:
Here’s what I’m looking to have done.
it’s a newly established company.
The company is really based on sales of furniture such as Ottomans, Desk lamps, Sectional,
Buffets & Sideboards, Counter & Bar Stools, Kitchen Cabinet, Sofa, Office Chair, Accent tables, King bench bed, etc.
The company name is “Adornium”
My Website Is Under Fabrication Which Would Be Registered Soon.
The Full-Text Content And All Images For The Catalog Will Be Submitted To You By The Project Consultant You’ll Just Handle The Layout.
The Brochure Should Be 44 Pages (Including Front And Back Cover) Because I Have Lot Information, Approved And Crosscheck Text And Images.
The Size Of Brochure Should Be 8.5 x 11.
I’ll want you to add to my mission, value, vision, etc to the catalog, I’ll have it sent to you.
Do drop your cell number so we can discuss better.
Mr. Tweed strikes again!
On Oct 8, 2019, at 2:31 PM, Jeff Tweed wrote:
Greetings. How’s it going? I would like to know if you offer design service. Kindly let me know, thanks.
Best regards – Jeff Tweed
Thanks for posting this. I was getting some scam vibes from a very similar client request. Stephen Fisher, owner of SFISHER FURNITURE, no website yet, wanted a logo and 10/15 page brochure. His budget was $2000. We exchanged emails a few times, but when he mentioned he needed a ‘favour’ from me, that set my alarm bells off. He hasn’t specified what that favour is, but it will likely be explained as some convoluted payment system as described in the posts above. Thanks for the heads up. I can stop wasting my time with this guy. Here’s the info on him I received, although he seems to update the names and emails regularly as soon as they are burned.
Stephen Fisher
stephenfisher98877@gmail.com
Company name is SFISHER FURNITURE INC and is based on importing and exporting of furnitures
Budget $2000
Logo black and gold with ‘ancient’ chair design
10/15 page brochure
Photos and references are all with his ‘project consultant’
I got the same e-mail from this person and googled it just in case, I’ve been exchanging emails with him as well but got suspicious when I received contradicting specifications for the brochure.
Nope. Just got an email from him!
stephenfisher198777@gmail.com
My name is Stephen Fisher, how you doing today and hope you doing great? I would like to know if you can do Web Design for my new company? If “YES” are you the owner also what major type of credit card do you accept?
Thanks & God Bless!
SOOO GLAD I FOUND THIS WEB PAGE VIA GOOGLE SEARCH!!! Kudos to the author of this article! I thought the following email I received screamed red flags! I’ll throw in the contact name and business to add on this extensive list:
Augusta Green IV, Green Sportswear
Here is the email…
Marcus,
Thanks for your responds, below is my project details,
Here is the job details I have small scale business which i want to turn into large scale business now it located in Minnesota and the company is based on importing and exporting of Sport wears such as running jacket, jersey,dance wear,socks, boots etc for both adult youth ladies and girls so i need a best of the best layout design for it. Can you handle that for me ? The site would only be informational, so i need you to give me an estimate based on my want below, the estimate should include hosting and i have a private project consultant, he has the text content and the logos for the site.
WHAT I WANT-
I need a very simple informational website that shows the products that I sell.
(4 main pages)
HOME PAGE
ABOUT US
OUR PRODUCTS (gallery) – about 25 products for now and adding 5-10 new products every month. I want the product to be classified into 4 pages , which are
Male : Adult and children , Female : Adult and children. so that the customers can get full details.
CONTACT US – with a form to fill out so that they can get in contact with me.
Domain Name i want- “agsportwears.com” or anything along that line.
TIMELINE- this should go “live” in 3 months.
Note:
1. I want only English language
2. You will be updating the site for me.
3. I will be proving the images, logos and content for the site.
4. I want the site up and running before ending of next two month.
5. My budget is $1000 to $6000
6. No shopping ability
7. The site will be mobile friendly
8. I don’t want sitemap
9. I have 25 product to be on it.
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 ??
(4) Do you accept credit cards as payment ?
Regards,
*** END OF EMAIL ***
The nerve of these scammers…
I got the same email and same person Augusta Green
Just got it again from Dunlop Michael, phone number 251-230-3710. Dunlopmicheal25@gmail.co
He’s sending it all via text, so I’m messing with him. He told me his budget was $4,500 so I told him my fee was $9,000. He said, “Okay that’s fine we can proceed with $9,000.”
“My name is Micheal Dunlop I have small scale business which i want to turn into large scale business i want you to understand that I’m presently out of the state on a business trip 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?
I need you to check out this site but i need something more perfect than this if its possible. https://attra.ncat.org 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.
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 have a domain the domain name is thefarmproduction.com
4. you will be updating the site for me.
5. i will be proving the images, logos and content for thesite.
6. i want the site up and running before I return”
I noticed the last comment on here about this was almost a year ago but wanted to add that I searched this in google for a suspicious email I had received and found this article and wanted to post that this is still circulating. Had a design request from a John Bay JO=FISH=FURNITURE. Thank you for posting to allow others to know not when a scam is going on.
Oops I meant the first comment on here was almost a year ago.
Thank you for this article. Richard Smith from Dream Home Furniture is the scammer that I’ve been dealing with. I’m glad I figured it out before any real damage was done. He wanted a logo and 24-page catalog design. If this person reaches out to you, don’t respond.
Here’s his contact info:
Richard Smith
DREAM HOME FURNITURE
smithric250@gmail.com
1 (412) 219-2562
The number appears to be connected to Google Voice, so he can likely change it anytime.
Hi All,
I got an email tonight asking about me designing a logo & brochure by John Fisher of Jo Fish Furniture. Thats how I got here to this article.
I can usually smell a scam a mile away & I was right!
Be vigilant other Graphic Designers/developers!
I have been in Business almost 20 yrs. and have seen/heard it ALL! Working with the public is No joke and im kind of mad that We as legitimate Entrepreneurs have to be subject to this “mess” by evil people who think people are “stupid” and who obviously don Want to Work at anything but evilness!
I’m a Christian in business almost 20 yrs. so it really shouldnt surprise me because the Bible says “Mens hearts are basically wicked and evil & our Good Works are as filthy Rags before a Righteous & Holy God! (Im preaching the truth).
Heres my life mantra – and I think yall better adopt it too – (even if you’re Not a Christian). Its from the Bible – “Be as wise as serpents but as harmless as Doves.”
I hope this helped someone.
God bless.
Donna
Hi Winston, Thanks for posting this! Richard just contacted me, and has changed his email to richardpaul460@gmail.com but has kept the same phone number. I luckily did a Google search for “web design scam” and his phone number since I sensed a scam and found your comment. I am so happy the design community finds ways to keep each other alerted to possible scammers.
Just got an email from richard paul as well! Thanks for the heads up.
Well, Jeff Tweed is still at it. Just received a text from him, company name VEEHOUS, needed a logo and 44 pag3 brochure.
Jeff Tweed Told me to suck his D!¢|<!! The nerve of that scummy low life POS