I Think I'm Being Scammed....

Decorating By AmyCozze Updated 15 Oct 2015 , 11:47am by costumeczar

Bluehue Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Bluehue Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 6:22pm
post #31 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by leah_s

Oh please, people, that's such as obvious scam. And now that you've talked with her, your name is being circulated among the scammers as a "live one."




Perfectly said. thumbs_up.gif



AmyCozze

I spoke in another thread about a 3 week court case i sat on last year -
Long story short - my taxes are now paying for him to be kept and feed for the next 17 years as our guest behind bars... icon_mad.giftapedshut.gif

Then hopefully the mongrel will be shipped back to where he came from. thumbs_up.gif

Don't be fooled that someone in a scamming ring won't spend $5000.00 - if it enables them to scam you out of a hell of lot more.

The more you talk and deal with them via phone and email - the more they win your confidence

Truely - If i can hear alarm bells ringing - and i am in Australia - why can't you icon_confused.gif

There is a saying -
If it talks like a duck and looks like a duck - then its a duck.

If it talks like a scam and feels like a scam - guess what ....ITS A SCAM.

Bluehue

chrisviz Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
chrisviz Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 6:36pm
post #32 of 119

Sorry that it is upsetting.. but RUN. It's a scam!

DebBTX Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
DebBTX Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 6:40pm
post #33 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmyCozze


She then called me right away and left a voicemail (from the same # I had for the previous customer, Elizabeth Kerr) same speech impediment, but saying she is a different woman. Red flags went up everywhere. I told her that I didnt have the date open and she replied asking me when my first available date was...

Any thoughts on what is going on or what I should do?




I would not have anything to do with her. (Not on the phone, email or in person.) Your Red Flags are your internal warning system. Better safe than sorry.

AmyCozze Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
AmyCozze Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 6:42pm
post #34 of 119

I just don't understand what the point is though, what could they possibly gain by doing this?

Bluehue Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Bluehue Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 6:54pm
post #35 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmyCozze

I just don't understand what the point is though, what could they possibly gain by doing this?





Hmmm - think i said it best in my previous post...

The more you talk and deal with them via phone and email - the more they win your confidence
..............then all hell will break loose.

Have to say .............I can't read this thread anymore - 3 pages long and you still don't get what everyone is telling you - i feel like i am being scammed icon_rolleyes.gif

Bluehue.

AmyCozze Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
AmyCozze Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 7:23pm
post #36 of 119

Have to say .............I can't read this thread anymore - 3 pages long and you still don't get what everyone is telling you - i feel like i am being scammed icon_rolleyes.gif

I thought this was a forum to ask your peers for help, but thank you for trying to add insult to injury. As a new business owner I can't turn everyone away who contacts me just because they want to pay with a money order....sorry for wasting your valuable time. And thank you to those of you who actually have a fellow cake decorator's best interests in mind.

SammieB Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
SammieB Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 7:33pm
post #37 of 119

AmyCozze, I'm so sorry, but this is definitely a scam.

Check out this other thread:
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=708589&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=15

I googled the number you listed. It came up with several fake bakery names and the following sentence for every single one. "This is a Home bakery.I cater and make delicious baked products.All products much be paid in full at time of ordering.If you have any special request please fell free to ask.We do vegan products too.Gluten free products are done on request.We take check money order or cash.We do not except credit cards at this time."

I don't know how the scam would play out, I don't pretend to understand how it works. It could be some other bakery checking out competition, but seeing how several of the business names attached to that phone number would no longer come up as a valid listing, I can't imagine this is in any way legit.

I hate for the disappointment it will cause you, but it would cause you much more trouble to continue on with this. icon_sad.gif

LisaPeps Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
LisaPeps Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 7:40pm
post #38 of 119

We have a saying at the Prison I work at, "If they look dodgy, then they are dodgy"

This one sounds dodgy, so it is dodgy. I would run a mile, but if you are going to entertain the idea, proceed with caution.

imagenthatnj Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
imagenthatnj Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 7:46pm
post #39 of 119

AmyCozze, be careful. There's plenty of those scams around.

http://caketalk.typepad.com/caketalk/2008/08/wedding-cake-scam.html

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Bellingham-bakery-falls-victim-to-wedding-cake-scam-90808149.html

And I've heard enough about the speech impediment on those people when you call them.

bakingatthebeach Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
bakingatthebeach Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 8:50pm
post #40 of 119

I think what they do is send you a money order for more than the amount and ask you to refund them the cash. Then the money orders are no good and they are a few hundred dollars richer.

AmyCozze Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
AmyCozze Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 9:32pm
post #41 of 119

SammieB,

that's the same exact woman, same flavors and she is also from Poughkeepsie.... thank you for forwarding the thread, now I know 100% to cut off communication.

kaat Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
kaat Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 9:42pm
post #42 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmyCozze

I told her that I didnt have the date open and she replied asking me when my first available date was...



Who books an event for 200 ppl based on the availability of the cake? My guess would be scam.

costumeczar Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
costumeczar Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 11:01pm
post #43 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmyCozze

should I suggest to the first women that we meet in person, and at that point I will need a 50% deposit in cash before proceeding? I have already put in time designing the cake and have had a few phone calls with her, so if she is legitimate, I wouldn't want to turn her away just because I have "a feeling". That seems like bad business. I've only had my own business for 6 mos, so I'm new to everything, am I just being naive?




Yes! Tell her cash only and she'll run away. Don't bother using Paypal, they can use a fake credit card, and paypal can pull payments back if they need to. As soon as you say cash only it will all be over.

costumeczar Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
costumeczar Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 11:06pm
post #44 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmyCozze

I just don't understand what the point is though, what could they possibly gain by doing this?




What they do (and I get these emails all the time, it's always something about a large order of food or cake) is to send a money order for more than the amount they owe you, then ask you to use the overage to pay for the shipping when the delivery/shipping company that they've hired comes to pick up whatever it is. The "shipping company" is their accomplice, and they take the payment from you. Two weeks later the bank will call you and say that the check they used is fake, or the credit card was stolen, and they pull the payment back. So you're out the total of the money that you paid the "shipper", which came from your own account.

They don't care if they're ordering cake, chicken salad (I get requests for grilled chicken salad plates all the time for some reason), shoes or whatever. The point is to take the money that you pay the shipper.

jason_kraft Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
jason_kraft Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 11:15pm
post #45 of 119

If you'd like to play along, you can tell the "customer" to go ahead with the money order. When you receive it, take it to your local district attorney's office and explain the situation.

costumeczar Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
costumeczar Posted 6 Jun 2011 , 11:57pm
post #46 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

If you'd like to play along, you can tell the "customer" to go ahead with the money order. When you receive it, take it to your local district attorney's office and explain the situation.




Heh heh heh!

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 12:08am
post #47 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

If you'd like to play along, you can tell the "customer" to go ahead with the money order. When you receive it, take it to your local district attorney's office and explain the situation.


When my 16 yr old daughter rec'd a $4900 check, we took it to law enforcement who said they couldn't really do anything about it since the check had not been cashed and no one had been "harmed" by the scam. Here's the story ..... http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-621929-daughter.html+scam

ColleenDelBane Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
ColleenDelBane Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 1:06am
post #48 of 119

ALWAYS insist on a Postal Money Order. This is the only thing other than good old cash that I accept from anyone when I sell my puppies. The minute you say "Postal Money Order Only" you usually never hear from them again. Occasionally they will ask if a different kind of Money order is acceptable. Stand you ground and tell them NO!

jason_kraft Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
jason_kraft Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 1:28am
post #49 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by ColleenDelBane

ALWAYS insist on a Postal Money Order. This is the only thing other than good old cash that I accept from anyone when I sell my puppies. The minute you say "Postal Money Order Only" you usually never hear from them again. Occasionally they will ask if a different kind of Money order is acceptable. Stand you ground and tell them NO!



Postal money orders can be faked as well...they have more security features so it's never a 100% match but good fakes can fool many people.

jason_kraft Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
jason_kraft Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 1:30am
post #50 of 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

If you'd like to play along, you can tell the "customer" to go ahead with the money order. When you receive it, take it to your local district attorney's office and explain the situation.

When my 16 yr old daughter rec'd a $4900 check, we took it to law enforcement who said they couldn't really do anything about it since the check had not been cashed and no one had been "harmed" by the scam. Here's the story ..... http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-621929-daughter.html+scam



This case might be different since the scam is following a specific m.o. and OP can cite other cases, but in any case it's probably worthwhile to call the DA first to see how to proceed.

Don't try to cash it yourself, attempting to cash a financial instrument you know is fake is considered fraud and people have been arrested for doing so.

nikki4199 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
nikki4199 Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 1:56am
post #51 of 119

I work for a catering and we randomly get faxes for and order for about 200 people. They want to send a money order for more than they need . Have us get it then meet their family member to give them the extra cash. We never respond to those. Even the the fax is horribly spelled wrong and sentences don't make sense. Please be careful. I always take 50 % down cash first.

GatuPR Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
GatuPR Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 3:48am
post #52 of 119

Even with cash you have to be careful.

There is a bank manager named Franklin Adams, from some foreign country, that is willing to split 12 million with me lol icon_wink.gif .

AmyCozze Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
AmyCozze Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 12:56pm
post #53 of 119

Well ever since I told her I was going to only accept cash I havent heard back - still not sure what she was trying to pull since the amount she was going to send me for a deposit was no where near what the total for the cake was and I was not "shipping" the cake anywhere, I was personally delivering it - in September.... Either way, I'm glad I didn't waste anymore time on this crazy woman, and here is all her various information if anyone else out there recieves this kind of email:

Names:
Elizabeth Kerr <[email protected]
annelisse finklea <[email protected]
also claimed to be Angela Jordan at one point...

and these phone #'s, one from CA the rest are NY #s
845-380-2056
845-452-4735
760-705-8888
845-559-4808

bakingatthebeach Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
bakingatthebeach Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 1:51pm
post #54 of 119

I have a feeling you would of "accidentally" gotten an overpayment in a money order for the final payment, and they would have asked you to refund the extra, and you might of delivered a cake to either a fake address or a venue where nothing was going on. Somehow you would of ended up with a lot of exotic cake and less money!

RetiredNavyChief Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
RetiredNavyChief Posted 7 Jun 2011 , 4:39pm
post #55 of 119

sounds like they are price fishing. I have had that same email just in a different way! Scammmers. I have even had someone try to have me make their cake as a donation and my cake would be advertised! It was like their whole wedding was a advertisement and they got it for free!

JulieM Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JulieM Posted 30 Jul 2011 , 10:43am
post #56 of 119

I received the SAME message from an Elizabeth Kerr! I own a cake business in PA so the first time she emailed me, I thought it was legit but I didn't have the date free. But I just received another contact from her with a different wedding date but the same phone number and email address.

If you find out anything about her please post it here. I am so curious if its a scam or a 'real' bride who just has an odd way of requesting info about potential wedding cake bakers.

JulieM Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JulieM Posted 30 Jul 2011 , 10:45am
post #57 of 119

Here is the email she sent me last year:

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Kerr. I am looking for a 6 tiered cake for
Sept 19 for 200 people.These are the cake flavors i am interested in:



banana-walnut pound cake
caramelized bananas and walnuts in rum mascapone buttercream filling

mandarin orange fresh pound cake
mandarin orange conserve filling in Bavarian cream


Dark chocolate cake
Burgundy Milk Chocolate Cordial Cherries truffle filling
( this is the candy I would like the filling made with
http://www.queenannecandy.com/go/?product/C80004/TreeKey=QUEUE&Ordinal=1)


Dark chocolate butter cake
Belgian Chocolate truffle ganache filling with hazelnut praline
frangelico buttercream filling



vanilla cake filled with a pomegranate-lime buttercream, painted with
pomegranate vodka,and almond buttercream

Ginger cake with lemon syrup
gingersnap-lemon buttercream filling

This is the plate I would like the cake to be design like I would
ruffles on the edges painted with gold and I would like the pink
flowers painted on them and would like fresh pink flowers.
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/grannymares/iteml/GM-001226#pic1
My phone 845-452-4735.My budget is $1025.I am having the party in
Middletown NY,10941.

And here is the one I received this week:

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Kerr.I am looking for a price quote on this
cake.These are the cake flavors I am interested:


Banana cake
strawberry preserves
pineapple curd with walnuts and cherries
dark chocolate truffle filling with walnuts



Sicilian almond cake
sweet cherry filling
cannoli cream with extra regular size chocolate chips



white butter cake
grapefruit curd in honey buttercream filling

dark chocolate butter cake
Kahlua dark chocolate truffle filling
espresso buttercream filling


mango ginger cake
seedless blackberries in lemon Swiss meringue buttercream filling with
crushed gingersnaps

vanilla vodka buttercream under fondant.please call me at
845-452-4735.My budget is $ 1200

JulieM Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JulieM Posted 30 Jul 2011 , 10:56am
post #58 of 119

MYSTERY SOLVED!

I just googled "Elizabeth Kerr Cakes" and LOOK WHAT CAME UP:

http://www.angieslist.com/companylist/us/ny/poughkeepsie/lizs-bake-shop-reviews-455142.aspx

It looks like our 'bride' is actually another cake baker from NY. Unless by some INSANE COINCIDENCE we have a wedding cake baker with the same name and area code number as Liz' Bake Shop in Poughkeepsie.

cakesweetiecake Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cakesweetiecake Posted 30 Jul 2011 , 11:19am
post #59 of 119

INTERESTING! I googled her name and saw this on the facebook page of a business owner in NY:


To all Bakery Professionals - Beware of Scam: A woman named Elizabeth Kerr inquiring about a wedding cake for 200 people.
June 23 at 8:11pm · Like · Comment


June 23 at 8:11pm.Cake Yeah, it's so weird. She emails with this totally crazy order and then leaves a vm. Right away I thought there was something fishy so I googled her info and sure enough other people have gotten the same inquiry. I guess she sends a fake money order for more than the cake and then asks for the change? Not sure how that would work.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cake/193148397375050?sk=wall

AmyCozze Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
AmyCozze Posted 31 Jul 2011 , 12:10am
post #60 of 119

that's the same email she sent me, same inspiration plate and flavors. She almost had me til she got greedy and sent an email about a different cake under the a different name nut the same contact info. When I called her out on it and told her I put all her information on a well visited forum for bakers she was PISSED (excuse my language). She even had the nerve to leave a nasty message on my voicemail calling me all kinds of different names. She's bad news, but I still dont get the scam, and all the effort she puts into it.

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%