I was nearly duped into a wedding fraud. How you ask?
I was contacted by a TTY operator from a man claiming he wanted to purchase 8 bouquets for his brother’s wedding, which was in about 10 days. He used the term bouquets but gave me large measurements for the requested items. He said someone would be picking them up so I only needed to make them. When I ask him wedding colors and flower preferences he ask if I had an email address and he would send me the info. I supplied my email.
His email came with size and price for each arrangement. He again said they would be picked up by a private shipper (I was thinking currier), (I thought this term was a little out of place but then again he had called table arrangements, bouquets so I figured he was a man and did not know the difference) and he ask for the total cost so he could pay using his credit card.
I wrote back asking for things like were these arrangements for tables/ alters / other locations of the arrangements, colors of the wedding dresses/linens and other questions. I explained that these answers would help me to pick the flower types and accompanying colors.
He wrote back answering most of my questions and asking what type of credit cards do I accept. At this point I had checked with suppliers and what he was wanting was not going to be available and I knew we had to talk (TTY or otherwise) over the phone to get everything decided and payment received before I could go further. I responded to his email asking that he call me between 1-2pm for us to talk as I had a morning appointment and would not be back until that time.
During my morning appointment he called. I took the call, through a TTY operator. I told him we could not get the large vases needed in time. While he was responding the TTY operator said to me…..”Don’t put a lot of work into this it is not a real order.” I ask what she meant and she said he does this all the time and then she proceeded to tell me how he was going to try and get me to do him a favor and put the shipping charges on a fraudulent credit card he would supply and then ask me for a favor. He would say that he needed me to put the shipping charges on the card too. Then would I send by way of Western Union or some other company the shipping company the money for the pickup and shipping.
I ask her if she knew this to be true why she connected his calls; she said that the FCC requires her to make the connections as this is the service her company supplies. I then said…”but you can tell me this”. She stated she could lose her job. When he came back on the phone he did exactly what she said he would do. Asking for this little favor etc. etc. etc. Of course I told him NO. I couldn’t do that and in fact I needed payment up front before buying anything. When she typed that in to the machine, she came back and said “He just hung up”.
Praise God he is our protector. I just wanted everyone in our business to know this is going on. Just in case you are tempted by the money he offers or the desire to help someone, at their last minute, tries to take you over. Remember we do what we do, in the order in which we do it, as good business practice. I’ve got to tell you, I was completely shocked that someone could run a scam and involve another company and that company could not refuse to participate due to some dumb law. This is wrong, very, very, wrong. I would never have done the favor he asked but thank God for an honest and caring TTY operator. May God bless her for her honesty!
Patricia Nelker
Butterfly and Roses
Austin, Texas
This is my first time at posting. I sure hope this helps someone.
I was contacted by a TTY operator from a man claiming he wanted to purchase 8 bouquets for his brother’s wedding, which was in about 10 days. He used the term bouquets but gave me large measurements for the requested items. He said someone would be picking them up so I only needed to make them. When I ask him wedding colors and flower preferences he ask if I had an email address and he would send me the info. I supplied my email.
His email came with size and price for each arrangement. He again said they would be picked up by a private shipper (I was thinking currier), (I thought this term was a little out of place but then again he had called table arrangements, bouquets so I figured he was a man and did not know the difference) and he ask for the total cost so he could pay using his credit card.
I wrote back asking for things like were these arrangements for tables/ alters / other locations of the arrangements, colors of the wedding dresses/linens and other questions. I explained that these answers would help me to pick the flower types and accompanying colors.
He wrote back answering most of my questions and asking what type of credit cards do I accept. At this point I had checked with suppliers and what he was wanting was not going to be available and I knew we had to talk (TTY or otherwise) over the phone to get everything decided and payment received before I could go further. I responded to his email asking that he call me between 1-2pm for us to talk as I had a morning appointment and would not be back until that time.
During my morning appointment he called. I took the call, through a TTY operator. I told him we could not get the large vases needed in time. While he was responding the TTY operator said to me…..”Don’t put a lot of work into this it is not a real order.” I ask what she meant and she said he does this all the time and then she proceeded to tell me how he was going to try and get me to do him a favor and put the shipping charges on a fraudulent credit card he would supply and then ask me for a favor. He would say that he needed me to put the shipping charges on the card too. Then would I send by way of Western Union or some other company the shipping company the money for the pickup and shipping.
I ask her if she knew this to be true why she connected his calls; she said that the FCC requires her to make the connections as this is the service her company supplies. I then said…”but you can tell me this”. She stated she could lose her job. When he came back on the phone he did exactly what she said he would do. Asking for this little favor etc. etc. etc. Of course I told him NO. I couldn’t do that and in fact I needed payment up front before buying anything. When she typed that in to the machine, she came back and said “He just hung up”.
Praise God he is our protector. I just wanted everyone in our business to know this is going on. Just in case you are tempted by the money he offers or the desire to help someone, at their last minute, tries to take you over. Remember we do what we do, in the order in which we do it, as good business practice. I’ve got to tell you, I was completely shocked that someone could run a scam and involve another company and that company could not refuse to participate due to some dumb law. This is wrong, very, very, wrong. I would never have done the favor he asked but thank God for an honest and caring TTY operator. May God bless her for her honesty!
Patricia Nelker
Butterfly and Roses
Austin, Texas
This is my first time at posting. I sure hope this helps someone.
