The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Is this is a new scam? Business refund negative PR extortion.

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,083
169,526
Utah
I've been getting a few of these every few months and I'm starting to wonder, is this some type of new scam?

27504
Because all the information listed is complete BS.

First, we don't debit anything MONTHLY.
Second, we don't have any product or service that sells for $199.
Third, this user and his email address does not exist ANYWHERE in our systems, including PayPal.

What's the end game here? For me to refund some random amount to some stranger? I can't refund anything if I show no corresponding credit. It makes no sense.

Furthermore, when a response is provided, the user ignores the email only to email again weeks later threatening all kinds of bullshit, public shaming, threatening to label us a scam, etc.

I wrote this person a detailed email saying we aren't responsible for whatever was going on. He will ignore it and then later follow up with a a detailed threat of some sort involving negative reviews, public shaming, BBB, or some other BS.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Ocean Man

Life-long learner.
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
222%
Sep 26, 2018
902
1,998
United States
They could potentially be social engineering you to get that specific amount back. Even if they never paid that amount in the first place.
 

Tourmaline

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
120%
Jun 4, 2019
898
1,082
Texas
yeah I smell bot
 

lunga ngcobo

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
147%
Mar 29, 2019
144
212
I've been getting a few of these every few months and I'm starting to wonder, is this some type of new scam?

View attachment 27504
Because all the information listed is complete BS.

First, we don't debit anything MONTHLY.
Second, we don't have any product or service that sells for $199.
Third, this user and his email address does not exist ANYWHERE in our systems, including PayPal.

What's the end game here? For me to refund some random amount to some stranger? I can't refund anything if I show no corresponding credit. It makes no sense.

Furthermore, when a response is provided, the user ignores the email only to email again weeks later threatening all kinds of bullshit, public shaming, threatening to label us a scam, etc.

I wrote this person a detailed email saying we aren't responsible for whatever was going on. He will ignore it and then later follow up with a a detailed threat of some sort involving negative reviews, public shaming, BBB, or some other BS.
Mos def. its a scam... but also watch out for amazon giving away your books for free. I bought your first book on amazon and they charged me for it. the book appeared on my PC Kidle. Years later i went back to buy UNSCRIPTED but my bank details had changed and i forgot to update them on the amazon website. GUESS WHAT !! With that closed bank account amazon still sent the book to my kindle.

I got a message saying i should update my card details but the book had already been sent. check this with amazo bro. you might be losing alot of cash... ;) ;)
 

RazorCut

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
358%
May 3, 2014
2,032
7,269
Marbella, Spain
So many scams out there. We have one here where businesses are sent fake invoices with payment terms and banking details on and it is surprising how many companies actually pay them without checking. They obviously rely on businesses not having a solid payments procedure.

At the moment I keep getting automated calls 'from BT' telling me I have a virus then putting me through to an Indian call centre. They are able to fake the telephone number some how. I wouldn't fall for it but it's a numbers game and I bet it keeps that call centre busy. :rage:
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Walter Hay

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
401%
Sep 13, 2014
3,318
13,305
World citizen
So many scams out there. We have one here where businesses are sent fake invoices with payment terms and banking details on and it is surprising how many companies actually pay them without checking. They obviously rely on businesses not having a solid payments procedure.
This one has been running for over 30 years to my knowledge and it does rake in a lot of money from people who keep their accounts in a shoebox.

Walter
 

broswoodwork

Intermediate User of the Flying Guillotine
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
313%
Oct 16, 2015
890
2,790
I'm a little jealous... I just get hit with the same old lame "I will send you a cashiers check and you pay my man for delivery" scam periodically. I need to get to the next level to be targeted by more enterprising scammers. :(
 

ChrisV

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
225%
May 10, 2015
3,141
7,055
Islands of Calleja
I like to mess with those types of scammers. I would write back "I'm sorry, but we have no products for $199, maybe you're talking about our $2,099 package? I'm sorry you were unhappy with the services, and we can refund your money. All we'll need is a video of you wearing furry kitten earmuffs, while you jump up and down on one foot singing 'i'd like a refund to my card' to the tune of the Nationwide jingle."
 

G-Man

Cantankerous Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
544%
Jan 13, 2014
1,992
10,838
It's a bot that blasts enough people looking for weak links. If you've seen any interviews with Nigerian scammers that they intentionally make the claim look incredulous, because it weeds out anyone with common sense. The goal is to identify the low IQ, elderly, or otherwise easily duped, then keep coming back to the well.
 

MHP368

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
161%
Aug 17, 2016
794
1,277
37
Sahuarita AZ
This one has been running for over 30 years to my knowledge and it does rake in a lot of money from people who keep their accounts in a shoebox.

Walter

That makes sense. Find online forums etc that do charge something then send this email en masse and hope the customer service folks are poorly paid third worlders who will just refund without asking questions.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Walter Hay

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
401%
Sep 13, 2014
3,318
13,305
World citizen

PizzaOnTheRoof

Moving Forward
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
220%
Jul 30, 2018
1,218
2,682
Texas
Could their problem be complacency? Too big and too clever to make any mistakes.

Walter
So many invoices and payments going out across dozens of departments makes it easy for something to slip through. Especially if it looks similar to something they're already paying for.
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,083
169,526
Utah
That makes sense. Find online forums etc that do charge something then send this email en masse and hope the customer service folks are poorly paid third worlders who will just refund without asking questions.

Even if they sent over the right amount, say 59.97 (3 mo INSIDERS subscription) , I'd still have to find a reference charge and an account to trace to. You can't "refund" something without a corresponding transaction. So the "scam" makes no sense if there is no account and no initial money flow.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ZCP

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
336%
Oct 22, 2010
3,952
13,267
Woodstock, GA
@MJ DeMarco is thinking too small for the FLF ....... get this thing up to $150M so these scams might slip through ........ get to work, boss! Chop chop!
 

minivanman

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
265%
Mar 16, 2017
1,722
4,562
54
DFW
Hopefully you received my last email. I was in error, I meant to say you need to refund my account $1,999,000.00. Please refund promptly. Thank you
 

AFMKelvin

Some Profound Quote Goes Here
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
199%
Jan 26, 2016
733
1,456
31
Rice, Texas
I've heard of a scam like this from Vic at boldanddetermined.com. Someone had set up a website and was selling his ebook plus a monthly training course. He was using the brand and the author's name. Once the website shut down they were contacting Vic for refunds. Vic had no idea what was happening until he talked to those asking for a refund.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top