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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

Hi,

I'm currently seeking investment for a project and I've got a reply from a potential investor. We've talked on the phone and we're about to meet in person. Do you think it's a scam?

Thanks

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:10 pm

It's impossible to say without a lot more information. Do you have any emails (with headers) you can post from the person who contacted you?

It may or may not be a scam but caution is always advisable. And if there's any demand for a fee up front, walk away. That would be a sign of a scam.

(Moved here from Surplus Letters.)

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

The person sent me a brief 3 line message and asked for my phone number. He then called me and asked to send him more information, which I did to his @consultant.com email. Because, I can't verify his email, I have a few doubts. I could verify through the IP that it's from the country he said he's from and so was also his mobile number.

Now, a few days later, he calls me up to meet with a third person, his lawyer in a European capital to sign papers in order to get the funds. They said I could get the money in 48h after signing.

I think that it's too incredible to be true but wouldn't mind if it was the case! Smile

What's your opinion on that?

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:47 pm

Welcome to Eater, adstyle!

consultant.com is a free email address offered by Mail.com and is frequently used in scams. It sounds official, but you or I could sign up right this minute and pass ourselves off as consultants. I say scam.

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:49 pm

Doesn't sound "right" to me.

As juan posted, could you post up the headers and the email so we could take a look at it.

I have done quite a few investment scams and it is sounding from the little bit you have said that it is most likely a scam. I would not be meeting up with such an unidentified person.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

He called with an Italian mobile phone number telling me that he was on holidays in Italy with his children for the weekend as he's a Swiss businessman.

Then he gave me his lawyer's UK mobile phone number which I called to set up a meeting with him in Amsterdam because he's there for the week and it's only 4 hours away from here by car. So, I won't need to go to London in order speed up the process.

The lawyer told me to bring all details about the project with me on paper for him to analyse it. And if he likes the project, he'll transfer the funds to my account in less than 72 hours.

Now I wonder, if I should take all this seriously or not?

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:58 pm

Did the "lawyers" number start with +4470 ? This sounds like a scam to me.

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:19 am

While I still can't 100% conclusively declare it a scam, there are a LOT of warning bells and red flags that make me very suspicious. As Bravo says, if the London phone number starts with 70 (after country code 44) it's certainly a scam. 70 or 070 numbers are "redirect" phones, they transfer to any country in the world. Scammers love to use those because they make it appear that they're in England when they can be literally anywhere. It also goes without saying that Amsterdam is a major scam center. I would NOT meet with any of these people until or unless you can definitively prove one way or the other. If they are scammers in Amsterdam, you could put yourself at serious physical risk of harm if you meet them in person.

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:34 am

Try googling his phone numbers to see if they appear elsewhere.
Do the same with his email addresses.

They may turn up elsewhere, and where they appear will give you some clues.

Also; if he is looking to transfer a large amount of money to you in return for a small fee, it's a scam. Nobody does that in real life. Why would they?

the mail.com email address is as much reason as I'd need to kick him in the nuts and run away.

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:07 am

After the investment baits I have done my gut is saying this is a scam.

A meeting so soon is problematic IMHO.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

Thanks for all this info!

Actually, the phone number starts with 07879

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:29 am

07879 sounds like a UK mobile phone number code.

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:49 am

The IP address is in Milan, Italy. I tried Dukgo on the number but it didn't turn up much; it's not on the open proxy lists.

Could you post the first email he sent you? We might could recognize something about the wording that shows it's a scam.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

The guy told me that he was in Milan with his family. As for the email, here's the translation because it was in french:

hi,
I'm a private investor and I'm looking to invest in a wide range of projects. I can be a financial partner in your project and I am from London. Could you please give me more information about your latest project where you're seeking funding?

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:45 am

It's a scam. Walk away and cease all the communication with them. No one will transfer money to your account in 72 hours. In fact it's you will transfer them money for the fake legal fees.
Reasons:
- It's him who contacted you, not the other way round. The wording is the typical scamming letters. No one contact someone out of the blue and tell him he'll send him money.
- the consultant.com, We haven't seen any legitimate business uses these free emails, only scammer do.
- A businessman who is in a holiday in Italy sends you to a lawyer in the UK to arrange a meeting in Amsterdam (typical scam scenario). I bet if you tell him that you want your lawyer to intervene ,they will refuse.

Meeting lawyers costs money and you are not going to meet one, it's one of their gang.

The whole scenario is built to gain your trust that everything is real, so they can demand some small fees later.

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 3:15 pm

SCAM!

As subway stated, the language is pure scammy. Run away, don't walk away!

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:11 pm

Hi,

Check your "investors" name on

http://www.moneyhouse.ch/personensuche.htm

Anyone in Switzerland being authorized to sign as a director for a company / legal person is registererd here. So if your "investor" is not, you have a clear hint that it's a scam.

Regarding a meeting in Amsterdam: that sounds fishy.

Cheers

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

I found the guy on the site and it seems legitimate. What do you think?

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 669

There must be a way to either confirm he is legit, or reveal himself as a scammer.

Have you demanded anything from him? For example, do you have any sort of paperwork, portfolio, identification, resume? Get something if you haven't already. Find out if his work involves him being part of a company. This would allow you to contact that company to see if he does indeed work there. My point is that you need tools you can use to investigate him.

Ask him for documents regarding his investment in your project. What are his rates? How much can he invest? Maybe by asking those sorts of questions you can get him to send some certificates or other documentation which will include tell-tale indicators of a scammer.

Do you have a lawyer or accountant who is involved with your project and whom you trust, and possibly know in person? Explain to them that you're not sure about the investor, and that perhaps that person can speak to this so-called investor. If the investor comes up dumb when faced with various questions and jargon from your person, that could also be a red flag.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

good idea, I'll let my lawyer call him tomorrow. Thanks a lot guys for all the advise, it's highly appreciated. I'll let you know when I have any updates.

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 669

One thing I forgot to add - you may be better off just listening to your gut and walking away. The fact that you felt inclined to ask around to see if this guy may be a scammer is not something to be ignored. Don't get me wrong - you can't be too careful, and you were smart to ask. But if you continue to communicate with him and work toward doing business, make sure you have a clear conscience and absolutely no doubt at all before you commit to anything with him.

Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:16 pm

Keep in mind also that just because his name is on the list doesn't mean he is really that person. Many scammers are clever enough to use real names or websites to appear real. Just because he says he is that person doesn't mean he is.

It is very unlikely that a serious venture capitalist would use a fee consultant.com email. Legitimate businesses typically have their own domains.