14/11/2025
⚠️ BUSINESS SCAM ALERT – PLEASE READ & SHARE ⚠️
Over the last few days we’ve received multiple “sales enquiries” that looked normal at first… until the exact same person emailed again from a different Gmail address, requesting a completely different list of products (laptops first, then Sonos speakers).
This is a known scam pattern currently targeting Australian small businesses.
❗ The Pattern to Watch For:
Comes from random Gmail accounts using different names
Sends large product lists (laptops, speakers, electronics)
Asks you to “send pricing including GST”
Then tries to pay over the phone, usually with a stolen credit card
Goods are picked up by a “courier” immediately after payment
Weeks later…
The bank reverses the charge
Business loses 100% of the money
AND loses the stock you handed over
Total loss: $1,000 – $10,000+
❗ Why This One Was a Scam
These two emails show classic red flags:
📌 Two different Gmail accounts pretending to be the same person
📌 Requests for high-value items
📌 No business details, no phone number, no ABN
📌 Pattern identical to the “card-not-present / stolen card” scam
If I had accepted payment over the phone, here’s exactly what would have happened:
1️⃣ Scammer gives a stolen credit card
2️⃣ Bank approves it temporarily
3️⃣ Scammer sends a “courier” to collect the items
4️⃣ Days/weeks later the bank charges back the transaction
5️⃣ I would lose all my money, all my stock, and be left with nothing
➡️ Because phone payments are NOT protected for sellers.
⚠️ Phone Payments = ZERO Protection
When a business manually enters card details over the phone, banks treat it as the highest-risk transaction type.
If the card is stolen or the purchaser disputes the charge…
👉 The seller ALWAYS loses the dispute.
👉 No exceptions.
👉 You lose the stock AND the payment.
✔️ Safety Advice for Businesses
NEVER process high-value phone payments
ALWAYS confirm identity
Do NOT release stock to “couriers” without verified payment
Use in-person transactions, bank transfers, or verified PayID from a business account
If something feels off… trust your gut
If any other local businesses receive emails like these, please be careful.
Scammers are getting smarter, and they’re targeting small stores that work hard for every dollar.
If you ever need help verifying suspicious enquiries, feel free to contact us, we’re happy to help keep the Albany business community safe. 💙💻
