Possible Aquarium-related scam?

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David R

David R

Blue Tier VIP
MFK Member
Apr 26, 2005
5,056
259
346
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New Zealand
I just received this email;

Dear Sir/ Madam ,
Our company Friendship Aquatics LTD, a Nigerian based company, specialises in the export of different types of live tropical fish
(freshwater fish )reptiles , aquatic Plants and Africa Snails
We can, and are willing to, meet your demand for the above mentioned items.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Thanks.
Gilead Uzoma
Friendship Aquatics LTD
www.fsaquatics.com
info@fsaquatics.com
gilead_fish@yahoo.com
+23417335459
+2347055864475
Click to expand...
The fact that it was a Nigerian-based unsolicited email made me immediately think scam. How ever, because it was based around fish/reptiles it made me think it was far more thorough and targeted than the usual "I am prince Mbutu and need you to help me leave the country with $72billion" type scams.
So I googled them, and the first hit was their own website, which on the surface looks fairly legit; http://www.fsaquatics.com/index.html
How ever, about 5 lines into their stock list I see "Osteoglossum Africana", hmm. The whole website seems a bit basic and unprofessional, and I'm still sure it is part of an elaborate scam.
I'm really interested to see if anyone else from the forums I visit also received the email, I haven't signed up to anywhere new for some time now, so I'm guessing he's picking email addresses from somewhere like here.

Anyway, will be interesting to see if he replies to my email... ;)
 
I am not sure you can discount it SOLELY on the basis of the website. Let's be honest, how many of our beloved fish importers/sellers have a good website as well?
 
My email;

Dear Gilead.

Thanks you sincearly for your email, you are exactly the kind of person I have been searching for to help me locate rare fish of the genus Polypterus from Nigeria and the surrounding areas. It is as if God has guided your hand in randomly selecting my email address. I am only interested in wild-caught fish with correct habitat data stating the exact location in the river/lake they were caught in, but I'm sure a reputible and capable firm such as yours would be providing all of that anyway.

Also, the border of my home country is very strict, there would need to be some obfuscation around the naming of the fish when they are shipped as only half of the species of Polypterus are allowed to be imported. We will need to invent some sort of special code language so I can tell which fish are which, but the authorities cannot.

I look forward to seeing detailed photographs, prices and sizes of your current stock.

Thanks,
Regards,
Cheers,


David
Click to expand...


Got a reply with a whole bunch of random pictures of fish, crabs, snails and shrimp. Many of the fish pics are photographs of pictures from Axelrods Encyclopedia of Fresh Water Aquarium Fish, I recognise the pictures and the symbols below the pics, and its obvious they are a photo of a photo.

I'll tell him I need pictures of the actual fish I am interested in and see what he can produce....


 
Clay;4499945; said:
I am not sure you can discount it SOLELY on the basis of the website. Let's be honest, how many of our beloved fish importers/sellers have a good website as well?
Click to expand...

True, like Rapps has a crappy sight but awesome service.
 
buahhahahhahaahhha

that reply is priceless should be interesting to see what comes back to you from it
 
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