Cyber scammers slam suppliers

The print quotation scam attacking the industry during the past month is about to hit suppliers, according to Printing Industries.

Printing Industries' national communications and technical services manager, Joe Kowalewski, said contacts in Canada had confirmed a switch in focus to include equipment suppliers.

"What's apparent is that the scammers have a level of sophistication and knowledge of graphic arts products and in this new twist are able to identify individual pieces of equipment, such as finishing equipment, by name and model," he said.

"They are ordering multiple pieces of equipment costing thousands of dollars per item with a significant weight, hence the emphasis on freight costs which is where the scam kicks in.

"Suppliers are asked to prepay freight via Western Union transfer and add it to the so called customers account. Credit card details, usually fake or stolen, are provided by way of payment guarantee to the unsuspecting company.

"The scammers often telephoned their targets and confirm specifications for the equipment to be shipped to African destinations."

Kowalewski said the modus operandi of the scammers however, had not changed.

"They are still identifiable from their free email accounts like Yahoo and Gmail, have poor writing skills, use made-up clergy names such as Rev.Fayboid or similar and, if pressed on detailed technical specifications, will simply ignore the request," he said.

Printing Industries' ScamWatch page had attracted interest from printing companies in the USA, Canada and the UK who have also been targeted by the scammers seeking print job quotations.

"We have been able to provide a resource that has saved many companies locally and internationally from a lot of angst and saved them from losing money to the perpetrators of this scam," Kowalewski said.

"We are still collecting evidence from all companies who have been approached as part of our ongoing co-operation with  Australian authorities.

"All such information can be e-mailed to us via scamwatch@printnet.com.au or via our website www.printnet.com.au," he said