How I lost over $5k to a scam

[Picasso]

1. Order from a trusted vender in china, via email Receive invoice with wire info (China)
..Invoice had all my correct info from past orders, name, contact number, and mailing info...
2. Receive new invoice via email with updated wire transfer info (Thailand) With a great story about a bank account under audit.
..This email had all of the previous correspondence from me. Just wire info changed on invoice pdf.
3. I think this is a scam so I ask vender to email invoice from normal account or contact me on forum.
..I should have used other means of contact at this point, asking the scammer to contact me via other methods is a little dumb, I should have emailed and msged the vender first and not replied to scammer.
4. Receive another email from the "normal" account, and also a hello here on forum. (the hello might not be related and bad timing)
..
5. wire transfer money Monday 7-15-13
..
6. Scammer sends vendor email as me, tells them money will come soon.
..return header of email changed, not from my email servers.
7. China vendor never got money.......vendor checking into things.

Well the only way this could have happened is if the china reps machine or china mail server is hacked. How else could I have been sent the same invoice with all of my contact info? Is it my fault for failing to view the headers? I know my server and machine are fine. Things of much much greater value would have been messed with. I have collected my side of the evidence and will just wait to see what the vendor has to say. You cant take a wire transfer back as far as I know, But I will still contact my bank and see what if any option I have. It has been 5 days now since the transfer.

I will edit this post with more info as I dig deeper. I don't wish to name the vendor, shit happens and I don't want to cause any harm. My post is just a warning to use care. Would paypal have been better? Sure but I've banned them from my life as much as I can.

[carlos3621]

is this trusted vendor, someone you have purchased from before?

[White-Light]

That is totally terrible news.

I hope you manage to get these funds back or at least your ordered goods if not.

For UK purchasers I'd always say use a credit card for payment as over here any payment of over £100 is totally protected as the credit card company have to stand any loss. I don't know what other jurisdictions around the world have in protection, but options are always worth exploring. In the UK protection is offered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. There's a simple explanation here of all UK users rights, down the page: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/sho...your-purchases

I hope both your post and my content for UK purchasers stops this happening to anyone else and I sincerely hope you get your money or goods back and soon.

[Bradfo69]

I hope we don't have a connection here in terms of recent orders with a vendor. Sending large sums of money into the unknown is always a scarey proposition. FWIW, I've found the chinese vendors to be much better in many respects than many domestic vendors so hopefully you'll get this sorted.

[planters]

I think it would be valuable to reveal the details of the vender identity here because as you say the breach is on their end. Others may be victimized before they secure the system.

[Stiffler]

What method of payment did you use? If it was a T/T payment, it could be temporarily 'lost'; While this has not happened to me, I was warned of the possibility the last time I wired money from my bank account. Regardless, I hope you get this sorted.

-Eric

[Picasso]

From talking with the vender it has taken steps to secure its end. Yes it was the one responsible for the breech. If it wants to warn it's customers it is up to them. I'm sure it is busy reviewing all transactions and correspondence. I hope it learns from this and can put in place systems to stop this from happening again. I have to wait till monday to play phone hell with my bank to see what if any options I have.

[carlos3621]

1. Order from a trusted vender in china, via email Receive invoice with wire info (China)
..Invoice had all my correct info from past orders, name, contact number, and mailing info...
2. Receive new invoice via email with updated wire transfer info (Thailand) With a great story about a bank account under audit.
..This email had all of the previous correspondence from me. Just wire info changed on invoice pdf.
3. I think this is a scam so I ask vender to email invoice from normal account or contact me on forum.
..I should have used other means of contact at this point, asking the scammer to contact me via other methods is a little dumb, I should have emailed and msged the vender first and not replied to scammer.
4. Receive another email from the "normal" account, and also a hello here on forum. (the hello might not be related and bad timing)
..
5. wire transfer money Monday 7-15-13
..
6. Scammer sends vendor email as me, tells them money will come soon.
..return header of email changed, not from my email servers.
7. China vendor never got money.......vendor checking into things.

Well the only way this could have happened is if the china reps machine or china mail server is hacked. How else could I have been sent the same invoice with all of my contact info? Is it my fault for failing to view the headers? I know my server and machine are fine. Things of much much greater value would have been messed with. I have collected my side of the evidence and will just wait to see what the vendor has to say. You cant take a wire transfer back as far as I know, But I will still contact my bank and see what if any option I have. It has been 5 days now since the transfer.

I will edit this post with more info as I dig deeper. I don't wish to name the vendor, shit happens and I don't want to cause any harm. My post is just a warning to use care. Would paypal have been better? Sure but I've banned them from my life as much as I can.

Step 2. Is where i would have second thought the transaction..
I only purchase from 3 vendors in china, and i verify the bank wire info, from previous purchases, when i make a new one.

That really sux! And thx for posting this.

Hopefully your able to recover your wire...

[norty303]

Credit Card via Paypal is how I do all of my buying. Easy, convenient and a few options for recovery if it goes wrong.

[Picasso]

After an hour on the phone and about 6 transfers I got to the correct department. For international transfers, it's 100% up to the receiving bank to return funds after a request of fraud has been made. I get charged $25 to put in the fraud "request" and am told its a 50/50 crap shot. Told most of the time the account is closed in 2 days and the receiving bank see's that as the end of the transaction.

The other option "account number error" and it was also $25 also up to the receiving bank. I asked if I had a better chance of getting my money back if I asked to change the account number to a say all 9's. Thinking the receiving bank would reverse the charge....With this option you can only request a change to the receiving account number, cant request a change say to another bank. Again told 50/50 chance as most of the time the receiving bank will just see the account as now closed and be done with it. And unknown chance of the receiving bank even returning for a change of account and sending to another made up account.

7 days since the transfer. 5-7 days and I will know what happens.