Have you ever received an email like this one?? —
“Hello
This is Anthony Smith. I will like to order for 6 big Bouquets Flowers For My Son Wedding and i want the price range of $150 per Each. the colors should be in Red,Orange,Yellow in Roses Flower and Mixed with other Flower in Clear Glass Vases..The bouquets flowers will be Use in Wedding Receptions Table Center.I Give you information you need,So get back to me with the Total Cost
It will be pick up by a private shipper on the 24th of April by 10am or 12pm clock, so can i have the total cost now so that i can forward my Credit Card to you as Payment.Get back to me with the 6 Total cost so that i can forward my Credit to you as Payment,
Note: Am presently recuperating from the diagnosis of lung cancer am so we will have to communicate via email or text due to my health.I dont check my Email every time,So i want you to text me the Total Cost of the Order Text: 334 245 4115
Best Regard
Anthony Smith”
The above email is a scam!
I just received this one this past week and it was a reminder to me about this ongoing scam that so many florists receive in their email inboxes. I thought everyone knew this was a scam, but recently I’ve seen in various florist forums where people think this is a real request. I’m so thankful that for their sake they asked in a forum and so many other florists stepped up and told them it is a scam!
I’m not completely sure how it works. I’ve heard that they send you a check and you cash the check, then they ask for a partial refund and you send back the money before their check clears – of course, their check bounces. I’ve also heard they send a check for more than the amount due, so you send back a check for the overpaid funds and, again, their check bounces.
If anyone knows exactly how the money transfer scam works, please do share it with us in the comments section.
Signs it is a scam
- Poor Grammar and Spelling, extremely broken English
- Almost always a man ordering flowers for a son or nephew’s wedding. How many times in real life, in North America do you have a man ordering wedding flowers for a nephew’s wedding?! never.
- Almost always $150 or $250 per arrangement
- Usually includes the height measurements needed
- Typically wants either 5 or 6 arrangements
- Always going to pick up by a private shipper/courier. — really?!
- Recuperating from illness and cannot talk on the phone, email and text only
Have a scam you’ve been hit with? Please let us know..
I recently had a similar scam situation come through via text message to my cell phone! It was a little bit different as far as the scenario of what they were asking for, but definitely sounded very similar to this scam. I already deleted the message otherwise I’d post the content here as something else to watch out for. Thanks for the warning!
I have already received this kind of scam for about 3 times. All of them contain similar information – wedding flowers, fruit baskets to be shipped, and even sympathy flowers. One time, I decided to start a conversation with a scammer. To my surprise, not only someone answered the phone, which had been provided in the email, we started discussing his order for 50 fruit baskets, which he wanted to ship somewhere. Everything looked real, until we came to a payment process. I realize there is a scam. Be careful!!!
Here is a scam e-mail we recently received from alicewellington12@gmail.com:
Hello This is Mrs Alice Wellington,how are you doing today and your family? Well i will like to talk to the owner of the shop directly coz i will like to place an large order of 60 gift basket and i want Fresh fruit and gourmet Chocolate Food only for my lovely daughter that she getting wed to her husband on 29th of this month.and i will Like to place an large order for the Wed party,and do you accept credit card for payment pls kindly get back to me as soon as possible. Thanks
FLORISTS BEWARE!!!!! Pretty much got the same exact scam. It just pisses me off that these guys are going after small businesses. Like, it’s not hard enough. Here’s what I received from shawnmicheal411@gmail.com :
Hello,how you doing today,my name is Michael,i will like to know if i can make a new order for my son wedding that’s coming up soon and do you accept credit card for payment.
—Told him I was able to take credit card—-
Thanks for the respond,i will like to order for 7 big bouquets flowers for my son wedding and i want the price range of $250 per one Approximately 26″ W x 41″ H,artificial flower and the color should be in bright summer color, it will be pick up by a private courier on the 15th of next month and i want them arranged in vaces so can you email me back the total cost today,get back to me with your full name, shop Address so that the bus carrier can be able to locate you place when coming
Thanks
—–After taking time to get a proper quote, I really felt like this didn’t sit well with me. I quoted him much more than what he asked for and he agreed to it with no complaint. I tried to get him to call me, but avoided giving out his number. I read up on the email thread and found this blog site. Some florists take these quotes seriously and can’t recognize this as a scam. It gets me so angry. Shame on these people.——