I just received this email from another crafter. Beware of any scams using the names that follow or any of the addresses or situations. This email explained to me more how the scam is actually perpetrated. Here it is:
" My mother was just defrauded for $2500 from a Mark McKenzie at cargo.solutionltd@googlemail.com and a Katie Johson at kateimperial@ymail.com and kcflat@live.com and who currently uses the email address: kateimperial@live.com
About a month ago, my mother received an email from a lady in Australia, "Katie Johson," who was interested in purchasing a large quanitity of candles from her company.
Ms. Johson claimed to want to order a huge amount of products to be shipped to Sydney Australia. Apparently, Katie Johson, had had past business dealings with Cargo Solutions Ltd and convinced my mother that all shipments were to be made with Mr. Mark McKenzie at cargo.solutionltd@googlemail.com using Ms. Johnson's Customer ID Number (QP34572955J). Mr. McKenzie claimed to work for Cargo Solutions Ltd. located in England and would have been willing to pick up the shipment in the US and have it shipped to Australia.
According to Mr. McKenzie, the shipment would cost approximately $2,500 for an express 2-3 day delivery from the US to Ms. Johson's home in Sydney Australia. This would include all transfers fees, customs fees, pick-up and delivery charges. Mr. McKenzie from "Cargo Solutions" asked that a moneygram or western union payment be sent to NAME OF RECEIVER: MARK MCKENZIE at ADDRESS: 566 Cable St, London, E1W 3HB, United Kingdom.
My mother trustingly sent the payment by MoneyGram to Mark McKenzie at 566 Cable St., London, E1W 3HB. Unfortunately, on January 7th, we found out that Ms. Johson's credit cards had been denied due to fraud -- the addresses and names on the credit cards given to my mother did not match her name, Katie Johson, and address at Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.
Several fraudulent credit cards were provided by Ms. Johson to purchase the items. The credit cards seem to be authentic but appeared under different names and addresses.
Here is another website related to this particular email address (too bad I viewed it too late:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2008/10/01/flats_fraud_feature.shtml
Also, "Mr. McKenzie" had asked my mother to send a second payment to the fraudulent names and addresses below:
NAME: MARTA BROWN
ADDRESS: Black Prince Road, London, SE11 6AB, United Kingdom
NAME: ANNETE LEE
ADDRESS: Black Prince Road, London, SE11 6AB, United Kingdom" """" End of email...
The police are investigating this fraud, so anyone with any information can pass it on to me and I will pass it on to the people who need it. Alert anyone you know about this scam, you don't want to be the next target!!!!
-Amanda
