hey all,
i'm not actually all that into cycling but i wanted to post this somewhere to warn people. i was looking for a couple folding bikes for me and my girlfriend to take with us on our road trip. we settled on a couple dahons. the price was the same on every site i found them on except the scumbag's sites. i found both bikes on different but strangely similar uk websites when doing a google shopping search. both were about $200 cheaper than the competition. it seemed too good to be true and i did some searches on the websites to see if they were legit but didn't find anything.
the two sites are:
bike buddy ltd
http://www.bikebududdyonline.com/
and
bike away ltd
http://www.bikeawaystore.net/
i purchased both and this morning i get an email from "john bailey" stating the order was processed but there was an issue w/ billing my credit card and it instructed me to wire them cash. when i called the # on the website i get a guy answer "hello?".. no company name..just "hello". i ask if i'm calling bike buddy and the guy confirms in a thick african sounding accent that i was. i asked his name and he said "john" "john baily"? and he says yes. i commented that he didn't sound like a john baily.. i asked all the questions any person would ask and told him i believed he was a scam artist. he actually tried to convince me he wasn't but after i continued to ask rhetorical are-you-[censored]-kidding-me questions he finally hung up on me. i called visa and they said there were no charges and to just keep an eye for unauthorized charges etc.. i later found some people describing having fell for a similar scam on a motorcycle forum. ( forums.ukbike.comTopic4177 29 1.aspxOpen ↗ )
See the email below:
Dear Valued Customer
We thank you again for your order F95001579B (1 New Dahon Curve D3 (New, In Stock)), and to inform you that your order has been received and Packed, it is now ready for shipment to the below address you supplied to us at your order page.
Ship To:
xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx
Philadelphia PA 19125
US
Shipments will be made via FedEx International, and the grand total for this order (1 New Dahon Curve D3) is $400.00 and Two Day Shipping is $69.95, the TOTAL DUE: $469.95, No taxes to pay, so you don't have to pay for anything more.
We are now done with the packaging of your order, but it has not been shipped out because we have been unable to charge your credit card, we don't know what exactly the problem is, but to enable the shipment proceed today without any problem or delays, kindly walk or drive down to any Western Union local office around you, and send the Total payment of your order to the Below Company Cashier's Western Union Details.
Below is the company Cashier's Western Union Details, where your payment will be directed to:
Receivers Full Name: Nina Jones.
Address: BELL PARK BELL CLOSE, NEWNHAM INDUSTRIAL E.
City: PLYMPTON,
Post Code: PL7 4JH
Amount to be paid: Total Amount on your Order Receipt. (TOTAL DUE: $469.95)
Country: United Kingdom.
When the payment is Transferred successfully, kindly get back to us with the below payment details for proper verification and confirmation of your payment to enable shipment proceed:
Senders Full Name:
MTCN#:
Amount Sent:
Immediately this information is received and confirmed, we will proceed with the shipment, and the item will get to your home address in the next 48hrs via
FedEx Int'l.
NOTE:You have nothing to worry about the Transfer charges, the charges is on us, and we will pay for it, all you need to do is to deduct the transfer charges from the total amount of your Order and send the balance to the Company Cashier Payment Info given to you above.
We await to hear back from you ASAP along with the full payment Details, to avoid any delays in the shipment and delivery of this Order to you. Or come online on your Gtalk, MSN or Yahoo Mesenger for a sales rep to direct you on how to make your Payment via Western Union online with your credit card
We hope to hear back from you soon, and do better business in the future.
Thanks again for your order and business with us.
Best Regards
MGT..