If you stay in sales long enough you will eventually run into
a scam artist. These are people who try to get your product for free through
lies and manipulation. Apparently they need your high dollar product in great
quantities and quickly. Otherwise their boss will have their job. You empathize
with them and get excited because you are getting a large sale. When the
product ships you call to ensure quality but they don’t answer. Then you get a
call from your accounting department asking how to get a hold of the contact
because they haven’t received payment or the credit card is now being denied. That sinking feeling in your stomach
tells you what you should have seen coming: You have just been scammed.
Their urgency in obtaining your product was really a ploy to
get it before you could notice what they were doing. New and seasoned
salespeople experience these situations and they have both made the mistake.
This happens. It doesn’t look or feel
good but it’s all part of the job. Scammers utilize many tactics for diverse business
models. Here are a few indicators you can use to combat those that would misuse
your ambition.
1.
Urgency: They have a project that went awry and
need your product overnight. They don’t mind paying for extra shipping they
just need it ASAP! Of course they do. They want the product as quickly as
possible so they can flip it before you and the authorities catch on. If they
are a new customer calling at the end of the day requesting Overnight Priority;
Do yourself a favor and tell them it’s not going to happen.
2.
Its high
price and they need a modest to high quantity of it. A scam artist isn’t going
to waste their time with one or two items but they aren’t going to order too
much. That would cause suspicion. They are going to stick with a modest
quantity at a modest price. This leads you to believe that if this deal goes
through, there will be more to come. Don’t kid yourself.
3.
Delayed payment: You will be asked to overnight
and they will give you a PO number. Naturally they will send a check
immediately to your accounting department and the PO is a reference.
Always ask a new customer to fill out a credit application before placing
orders. You may also want to ask your Accounting deptartment to check the company’s
Dun and Bradstreet information for activity. What about credit cards you say?
Usually their credit card will be approved for funds but won’t clear after
delivery. It could be stolen or inactive.
4.
Domains: Did the client contact you via email?
Check the address. Gmail, Hotmail, Aol or any other free account is a red flag.
Gather their info and confirm it by calling the company before you go any
further. Sometimes they get tricky and create a domain that is similar to a
reputable company like @forbescorp.com, when it’s actually @forbes.com.
5.
Phone numbers: Many will call from a cell phone
and tell you they are on site. These are more of a yellow flag, but if you are
feeling nervous check the area code.
These are just a few indicators
that you may be dealing with a dishonest person. If you are skeptical at all
about a new customer use the tools available to you. Call their company direct,
have them fill out a credit application and utilize your accounting department.
It is much better to be safe than sorry in the case of a spammer. You don’t
want to get penalized or lose your job due to negligence. Remember to gather as
much information as possible with open ended questions and qualify your client
before you place any orders. Safeguarding yourself may take some extra time but
it will be worth it in the end.
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