Possibly scammed by HK impersonator

[Pepdude5]

I’m having problems with my 1st order from HK. I used the whatsapp contact from a friend who ordered successfully from Sue. I paid with bitcoin. They used a shady shipping company nexaglobalcourier.com
For 5-6 days it said still in HK (normal for transit it US). I import from China frequently.

I kept tracking it, then called # on website and its some guy, not a real company. Then i get texts saying $250 tariifs are due and i can pay online or with bitcoin. I said online. Then they keep saying bitcoin only and demanding fast payment which makes me think I’m being scammed, that and that the tariffs are a flat $250. Its always a % so it shouldn’t be flat rate.

Then i go to the website, find Nicole’s #, contact her, she introduces me to another Sue saying my original Sue is scammer. New Sue & Nicole say they ship Fedex or UPS depending on if liquids are involved or not, not some scam shipping company.

Can anyone help me figure out who is real? I thought using my friends contact was safe but had this shipping problem. If I got burned on $793 I don’t want to add $250 to it, would rather put that towards new order. I’m hurting for cash with business being seasonally slow. Can’t get burned twice.

 

[byefatlicia]

I don't envy your situation. I'm a gambler and often chase my losses. But in this case, the dice may be loaded.

 

[exploitedworkerbee]

I’m having problems with my 1st order from HK. I used the whatsapp contact from a friend who ordered successfully from Sue. I paid with bitcoin. They used a shady shipping company nexaglobalcourier.com
For 5-6 days it said still in HK (normal for transit it US). I import from China frequently.

I kept tracking it, then called # on website and its some guy, not a real company. Then i get texts saying $250 tariifs are due and i can pay online or with bitcoin. I said online. Then they keep saying bitcoin only and demanding fast payment which makes me think I’m being scammed, that and that the tariffs are a flat $250. Its always a % so it shouldn’t be flat rate.

Then i go to the website, find Nicole’s #, contact her, she introduces me to another Sue saying my original Sue is scammer. New Sue & Nicole say they ship Fedex or UPS depending on if liquids are involved or not, not some scam shipping company.

Can anyone help me figure out who is real? I thought using my friends contact was safe but had this shipping problem. If I got burned on $793 I don’t want to add $250 to it, would rather put that towards new order. I’m hurting for cash with business being seasonally slow. Can’t get burned twice.

Whatever you do, don't send that tariff payment. There is no customs broker that demands bitcoin. Tariffs would be payable by the broker to the US gov in US dollars just like any other tax, so this isn't an industry that runs on crypto. Afraid to say it sounds like it's probably time to cut your losses and dive into vendor research. It's a serious bummer but we live and learn.

 

[Airborne Daddy]

If the real reps can't validate ur order you were scammed. Ask for bella/ailsa.

 

[randompersonrandom]

I just want to say I'm really sorry that happened to you. I know it's a risk and that we kinda go into this having accepted that it might happen, but it would (will, since I'm adopting an "no if, when" view on it) hurt so badly when it actually happens.

 

[nonyabizznez]

The optimist in me is hoping that your order is still in progress. By calling the number on the website you may have engaged a scammer (totally unrelated). Did the scammer on the phone know any details about your order? It's possible your order is still progressing and the Bitcoin tariff scam is peripheral. 🤞 It's also possible that no other contact at HK can help you and just when you've written off the whole experience there will be a package in your mailbox.

 

[Bunny]

The tariff payment sounds suspect. I personally would not pay it. 😵‍💫

 

[Pepdude5]

I paid it against my better judgment. They’re saying I’ll get my order now. We’ll see. I did so bc my friend referred me to that # and he got his order but that was months ago. She’s saying she’ll use Fedex/UPS in future.

TBH not even sure the website is legit. Easy to make a knock off and it was peptide singular, not plural.

Hopefully i get in a few days. Will post the outcome here

 

[chmuse]

I paid it against my better judgment. They’re saying I’ll get my order now. We’ll see. I did so bc my friend referred me to that # and he got his order but that was months ago. She’s saying she’ll use Fedex/UPS in future.

TBH not even sure the website is legit. Easy to make a knock off and it was peptide singular, not plural.

Hopefully i get in a few days. Will post the outcome here

TBH not many vendors have a website and that would sketch me to start with.

 

[thecook]

I paid it against my better judgment. They’re saying I’ll get my order now. We’ll see. I did so bc my friend referred me to that # and he got his order but that was months ago. She’s saying she’ll use Fedex/UPS in future.

TBH not even sure the website is legit. Easy to make a knock off and it was peptide singular, not plural.

Hopefully i get in a few days. Will post the outcome here

Sunk cost fallacy in action. Hoping I'm wrong.

 

[Pepdude5]

Sunk cost fallacy in action. Hoping I'm wrong.

Me too. I trade crypto, I’m used to losing $ 😂

 

[Pepdude5]

Scam confirmed. After days of it not moving and shipping co website not working i get a new notice saying its in my town & I need to pay a city license fee of $99.99 which they’ll refund after i pay it. My town is so small, we don’t even have zoning for houses. Its not a city & there is no permit or permit fee. Sucks but oh well .

 

[ZippityDooDah]

Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way. Hopefully others will read this and realize that extreme caution and verifying contact information is always important.

 

[Pepdude5]

That’s why I posted it. A friend of mine for 35 years gave me the whats app # I used, he said he’s used it a few times and got the product.

 

[Pepdude5]

At least i lost 10# in 10 days eating keto diet and fasting 18hrs/day. Really wanted to try the peptides

 

[Pepdude5]

I know we can’t post supplier info but can we make a thread that identifies scammers to help keep people safe?

 

[ZippityDooDah]

I know we can’t post supplier info but can we make a thread that identifies scammers to help keep people safe?

Discussing suppliers is fine, EXCEPT: not for newer members, NOT in the Introduce Yourself section, and DEFINITELY NOT to shill.

In the case of scams I'm willing to waive the newer members restriction, but because of the built-in permissions limiting their early posts they have to contact me directly to allow it.

Regardless, in coming weeks the vendor review section is going to be re-vamped, and there will be something along the lines of a wall of shame or beware of section.