Scammer's Train Tactics Derailed

Cheryl Cruson, manager of Oregon Trails Hobbies and Gifts, in Ontario, Ore., couldn't believe the order she'd received this past week.

She says the email requested the two most expensive train sets in the 6,000-square-foot store. The hobby store, on Oregon Street, takes up two storefronts, but it's much more than just a hobby store. There are gifts and all-occasion goodies, so when the request was made specifically for train sets, she was piqued with wonder.

"I was a little curious how this order came to us," she says. "We're not a large hobby store at all."

It seems the train, a Bachmann North Pole Special, is a G Scale, standing about 8-inches tall, and running on a 6-inch wide track, is special.

"You see a lot of these trains around Christmas time," she says. "This is a discontinued model, making it very hard to get."

So, when Cruson responded to the request acknowledging the types of trains she had available, the response was even more pleasing: two train sets. The order included a similarly expensive Lionel Polar Express Set, fashioned after "The Polar Express."

"They were special order brass trains," she says. And the thought crossed her mind, "'Why are they picking us? We're just a little hobby shop.'"

Cruson recognized the warning signs, and avoided a costly mistake. Scammers are contacting businesses, claiming they want to do business with them even though they aren't in the local area, and in this case the same country.

Seems, Mr. Smith wanted Cruson's hobby shop to pay up front the more than $736 in shipping fees, but offered immediate reimbursement upon receipt.

But, she didn't fall for it.

The scam is fairly simple. The scammer contacts potential victims through email and makes a purchase request of a substantial size. BBB has had scam reports of grave monument, computer and automobile orders.

The scammer makes payment arrangements with the business to cover the charges and shipping fees, and then asks the company to wire the shipping costs to the "shipper," promising immediate reimbursement. No credit cards, simple wire transfer only.

In this case, the payment was to be sent to Global Freight Forwarders Co., in Togo, a small country in eastern Africa.

Cruson says she spoke with a shipping company manager in Ontario who warned her not to send the money or the trains.

"It just didn't feel right from the get-go," she says. "And, when he said he wanted it to go to Africa, I just walked away from it."

BBB reminds businesses:

• To keep their guard up and never wire money to any unknown person(s) regardless of whether they have given you a credit card to cover the cost

• To inform all of your employees to beware of similar phone calls

• To make policies about payment processes and make sure all employees follow protocol regardless of whom the individual is making the purchase

Individuals who receive a transaction request, such as the ones described above, are encouraged to file a complaint at www.ic3.gov reporting the incident.

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