Email Scam for printing quotes and other fakes

computer screen showing email template - send email buttonIf you have received a scammer email, or ‘sold’ an item to a scammer, please enter the senders email in a comment below. Others who receive the email can search the email address and find this thread and be forewarned.
The post for August blog entry was suppose to be Pinterest – Pinning for Profit: How to Maximize Traffic and Sales through Pinterest. However, in the last few days we have been reminded of the proliferation of scams in today’s digital world and we decided to pose a few words of caution.
We are a marketing and graphic design firm in Lansing Michigan area specializing in Brand Marketing. We also provide print estimates for businesses print marketing. We have an email on our website for visitor inquiries and we also have an online estimate form. The online estimate form is protected from spammers by a captcha which helps filter the real from the fake inquires. However, it is not fail proof, nor is the email link on the website.
In the last week we received these second email this year from a Rick Barry seeking a printing estimate. Now, we provide printing quotes and print services but we are primarily a marketing and design firm. Customers do not usually just call on us for a printing quote. Our existing customers may request print estimates for the graphic design projects we have developed for them but seldom do we have someone contact us just for printing. That was my first red flag. The next caution was there was no contact information other than the email they sent form (scammers usually use a free email service like g-mail, hotmail, yahoo, etc., and lastly there was no company name given anywhere in the message.
My initial thought was this was another print service company phishing for prices (yes, it happens in every industry). Upon further research we discovered this is a wide spread scam. Had we provided a quote the scam would be for them to accept it and send us a pdf to print from. They then provide us credit card billing information. As the project moves forward some emergency will come that requires a shipment out of the country and they insist on using a specific shipping company that, of course that comes up with an exorbitant shipping cost, that then is added to the bill and they have you charge it all to one credit card. Within a few days the card is charged back to you and you are stuck with shipping fees, taxes, paper and employee time to prepare the project.
Some of the other names associated with this particular scam are: joshuaandsonsinc1@yahoo.com, jsperling45@yahoo.com, rickbarry55@gmail.com, david.may55@gmail.com, baron.davis89@gmail.com, zimlinefreightco@rediffmail.com, atlanticgoose@usa.com, david.may55@gmail.com,

Other cautions to avoid online scams:

  1. Look at the-mails you receive – especially those that say the purchaser has paid you. Look to see where those have come from. If it says “You have received money from ___@___.com via Paypal. Make sure the actual email is from Paypal an email address. Even if it has a Paypal or recognized logo – the scammer can get that off any website and recreate an email with the stolen logo.
  2. If there is no artwork provided and they place the order for a printing project.
  3. They don’t ask questions or negotiate. Everyone trys to negotiate price these days or asks about payment structure, etc. when they are ready to place an order.
  4. Be wary of any excuses or emergencies that come up during the process.
  5. If you receive unsolicited inquiries about services you typically don’t provide at random.

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So friends, be careful. Not just with online print estimates but with selling products online, even if it is just an occasional item on CraigsList or Facebook. If you are selling to someone you do not know, don’t ship anything, don’t accept any form of payment other than cold hard cash or a cashier’s check. If you accept a credit card payment, look at the processing time the merchant takes to confirm the payment before shipping the product. Just this week a family member was taken for $900.00 through CraigsList for a MacPro she was trying to sell. She received an email noting that the recipient had deposited the payment in her Paypal account so she shipped the laptop. Unfortunately the payment never ended up in the account. The scammer gave a ton of reasons why the payment wasn’t showing up, blaming Paypal, saying she would ship the MacPro back… now there is no computer and no $900.00. I have advised her to contact authorities here and where she shipped it… we’ll see…

Be Proactive Against Scams for Printing Quotes and others:

  1. If they change the delivery from pick up to shipping. Check the address in Google maps or Mapquest, etc.
  2. Search their name, email and other information online
  3. Be wary of those who have honorable or religious designations; Reverend, Honorable, etc. Scammers try to play on the sympathies of their targets.
  4. Check with snoops.com and other online sites to see if there have been other reports.

When you hear of these scammers, post their emails, phone numbers, names online – everywhere! Add them in comments below! It doesn’t have to just be the printers scam. The more we publicize specific scams and the scammers names, emails and tactics the more others can be protected.
Stay connected

18 Comments
  1. We received one today from Thomasshore68@gmail.com also.

  2. We got one this morning at 3am from blakejones509@gmail.com
    Good Day.
    This is Rev. Blake Jones and i am with Mallons Inc, I am sending this email to your company requesting for a printing quote.Please provide a quote on 100,000 copies of flyers with the following specification.
    1. Measures 8.5 x 11
    2. 80lb. Gloss Text
    3. Full color one side
    4. Provide quote on 100,000 copies flyers
    Please provide quote on 100,000 copies.It will be pick up at your location so i want you to send me an email back with the total pick up cost Plus tax so that we can proceed with this order Asap .Thanks and hope my request will be given it’s favorable attention.awaiting for your soonest response
    Rev. Blake Jones.
    Mallons Inc
    Best Regards.
    Cel:559-295-9575

    • I am with Wichita Press in Wichita, KS. and got this exact same email today.
      Hello,
      I will like to place an order for 100,000 copies of flyers with the following specs.
      1. measures 8.5′ x 11′
      2. 80# Gloss Text
      3.one sided
      4.Full color
      5.Flat
      Please provide quote on 100,000 copies.It will be pick up at your location so i want you to send me an email back with the total pick up cost Plus tax so that we can proceed with this order Asap .Thanks and hope my request will be given it’s favorable attention.awaiting for your soonest response
      Thank You.
      Tel: 970-823-3413

    • I have received same email this morning

  3. The scammers are still at it. Here it is, October 1, 2018 and this printing scam is still making the rounds. Here is the email I received this morning from a Manuel Brooks manuelexpress933@gmail.com:
    Hello,
    I will like to place an order for 150,000 copies of flyers with the following specs.
    1. measures 8.5′ x 11′
    2. 80# Gloss Text
    3.one sided
    4.Full color
    5.Flat
    Please provide quote on 150,000 copies.
    It will be pick up at your location so i want you to send me an email back with the total pick up cost Plus tax so that we can proceed with this order Asap .Thanks and hope my request will be given it’s favorable attention.awaiting for your soonest response
    Regards.
    I didn’t even bother to reply–it smelled of a scam as soon as I read it, and a quick Google search confirmed that.

  4. They are still at it.
    Just received this today from blakejones509@gmail.com
    I have received these before. I always just delete them. But decided to google it today and found this website.
    Hello,
    I will like to place an order for 100,000 copies of flyers with the following specs.
    1. measures 8.5′ x 11′
    2. 80# Gloss Text
    3.one sided
    4.Full color
    5.Flat
    Please provide quote on 100,000 copies.It will be pick up at your location so i want you to send me an email back with the total pick up cost Plus tax so that we can proceed with this order Asap .Thanks and hope my request will be given it’s favorable attention.awaiting for your soonest response
    Thank You.
    Tel: 970-823-3413

    • I just got the same one this morning. They also inquired through my website a couple weeks ago.

  5. Received this one today. No doubt a scam for all the reasons listed in the article:
    Good Morning
    I’ll like to place an order for the labels, below is my requirements with reference:
    *DANGER*
    Keep away very corrosive.
    Label Size: 4″ wide x 3” high, Material: – (White High Gloss) Adhesive: Permanent acrylic. , Quantity: 500,000 in rolls of : 2,500 which will be hand applied on plastic surface (drums) for indoor use.
    Please advise if you will be able to meet my demand ? Let me know the price quote for the purchase and the payment terms for the order .
    Thank you
    Richard
    4×3 DANGER Keep away very corrosive.pdf

  6. Printing company in Dallas, TX
    Just got one today from Blake Jones
    blakejones509@gmail.com
    Hello,
    I will like to place an order for 80,000 copies of flyers with the following specs.
    1. measures 8.5′ x 11′
    2. 80# Gloss Text
    3.one sided
    4.Full color
    5.Flat
    Please provide quote on 80,000 copies.It will be pick up at your location so i want you to send me an email back with the total pick up cost Plus tax so that we can proceed with this order Asap .Thanks and hope my request will be given it’s favorable attention.awaiting for your soonest response
    Thank You.
    Blake Jones
    Tel: 970-823-3413

  7. Received one today with this address… blakejones509@gmail.com

  8. Here’s what we received
    From: Garry Lawson [mailto:garry.lawson0@gmail.com]
    Sent: Monday, October 21, 2019 9:47 AM
    To:
    Subject: Request for Price Quote
    Dear Customer Service,
    I am writing to inform you that I am interested in your goods that you are offering and would like to ask for a price quote for a 4″ wide x 3” high Label with the specs as Material: – (White High Gloss) Adhesive: Permanent acrylic. I will need 500,000 in rolls of : 2,500 which will be hand applied and be indoor use. I have attach the artwork for your review.
    Yours Truly,
    Garry

  9. Received one today with this address
    sales.briangoodman@gmail.com
    To whom it may concern –
    Am sending you this Inquiry to know if you do print flyers and if you do I will like you to please quote me on Flyer printing with the following specs :
    1. Measures 8.5′ x 11′.
    2. Full Color.
    3. 0.25 – White border.
    4. 80# Gloss Text.
    5. Quantity : 85,000 Copies .
    6. One-sided Printing.
    7. I want it to be flat not Folded.
    8. Method of payment: Credit Card Payment ( Please Advise ).
    9. Lead Time for printing: Express ( 7- 10 business days ).
    The quotation must not include shipping because it will be picked up from your location as soon as payment is been made and ready, Also I will be providing a file for printing in PDF format as soon as I get the quotation.
    Best Regards
    Dr Carl Bates

  10. This is the email that was trying to scam me from billjohns153@gmail.com. Name Harlan Hales.

  11. JFC. Blake Jones at 970-823-3413 is still running this scam in March 2022!!!!!!!!!

  12. Bobby Hollingsworth
    rukayab50@gmail.com

    We would like to order signs & banners and below is the types, including the spec of what I want to purchase :

    Single Sided 4 ft 0 in high x 8 ft 0 in wide Vinyl Matte
    Grand Format
    4 Grommet in the corners
    Qty: 50 pcs
    ArtWork: TREASURE ISLAND RESORT (OPENING SOON)

    SIGNS
    ArtWork: TREASURE ISLAND RESORT (OPENING SOON)
    SIZE: 4X8
    ACRYLIC SIGNS

    Please get back to me with the total pick up price plus sales tax.Do you accept credit card?

    Thanks. I have got the quote of my request. I am local and interested in purchasing these to my Colleagues. I have got the total quote of the units I am buying.I want to proceed with full payment on my credit card(s). But as stated initially, the order is to be picked up from your location and the shipper to handle the shipment is Skyline Shipping & Logistics Private Limited. After my credit card payment has been processed, and the order is ready for collection from your premises.

    Therefore I need you to contact the Shipping Company with the quantities, dimensions and the pick up & delivery location’s address, so they can quote the shipping charges for the order to be delivered to the address listed below. Go ahead and contact the freight company now.

    Freight Company’s Name : Skyline Shipping & Logistics Private Limited
    Email Address : skylinelogt@net-shopping.com
    Contact Person : Danny Noggle

    Please contact them with the information below.

    1. The pick-up address.
    2. The delivery address.
    3. Dimensions, Weights or quantities on order.
    4. Type of Service: Express Delivery.

    Shipping Address :
    1305 FD Roosevelt Ave. San Juan PR, 00920

    Please contact them right away and get back to me as soon as they respond with the quote so we can proceed. E-mail me with the grand total quote invoice including transport charges from Skyline Shipping & Logistics Private Limited so i can proceed with the payment of my order then you can get the ball rolling…

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