Fraud alert! Watch out for used press scammers: commentary by Andy McCourt

Around $9 billion in used printing machinery is traded annually across the globe - more than new equipment sales at $5-$6 billion. Whilst there are many reputable and service-oriented dealers, the sheer size of the pie has attracted an unsavoury element; and Australians have been caught in their scams. In his monthly column for Print 21, Andy McCourt (pictured) reveals all and takes one of the scammers for a ride.

It starts with a press that sounds like great value, advertised on one of the international printing machine trading sites and 'situated in the UK.' You express interest, ask the condition, receive photos and the 'dealer' or 'printer' selling it seems very trustworthy. Maybe you even call him on the UK phone number given that begins +44. You then want to inspect the machine and he says he has another party interested but he will hold it for you if you send a 5% or 10% deposit, and he'll even meet you at Heathrow and take you to see it. All seems okay so you instruct your bank to send the deposit to his company, book a cheap flight to the UK, arrive and look for 'Mr John Smith.'

He doesn't show so you call his mobile number or the UK office number. Nothing. You take a taxi to the address in Deptford where he said he had his business. It's a coffee shop and they've never heard of him. You feel sick. You go to the bank branch where you transferred the money, explain your dilemma to the manager who does a discrete check to find the account, only to discover it has been stripped bare. You've just done your deposit money.

Mike Steele is chairman of the British Used Printing Machinery Suppliers Federation and organiser of the UPEX used printing equipment exhibitions around the world. He confirms that an unnamed Australian buyer arrived at Heathrow last year, to meet the press vendor to whom he had sent a deposit, but who never turned up. A German company also lost 40,000 pounds sterling deposit last year, believing the dealer he had secured a late model Speedmaster 102 from, was genuine. Even the good old British bobbies couldn't help the poor fellow, such is the international nature of the fraud and the speed with which they cover their tracks.

So here's how it works. The photos and descriptions of the presses are usually 'cloned' from genuine websites. Everything looks hunky-dory, a dealer name and address at Docklands for example. However, the perpetrator is much more likely to be in Nigeria than Canary Wharf! The +44 phone number is a service number, typically starting 0702 or 0870, that can forward to anywhere in the world. The email address is likely to be a free web address such as yahoo, hotmail or gmail.

You may have spotted the press of your dreams on a bona-fide ethical site such as pressxchange.com - owned by Haymarket Media, publishers of the leading UK journal Printweek, or graphictrader.com. These fraudsters use the credibility of others to build confidence. Or maybe you have received an email from a dealer offering 'clearance prices' on machinery.

Either way, no matter how good it all sounds never part with money until you or someone you trust has physically inspected the machine. No reputable dealer (and I deal with dozens of them) would ask for a deposit before you have inspected a press.

Me and Mr Harrison
Searching for a 5-colour Speedmaster 74 on behalf of a client, I came across a 1995 SM74-5P3 from a London company calling itself 'Excel Graphic Ltd.' Here's the link Clue #1 - there is a reputable dealer named Exel Graphic Services - look for spelling discrepancies. The email address given is: jhrgraphics@yahoo.com  (please feel free to spam the hell out of him). Another clue - would a big dealer use a yahoo or gmail-type email address? Also note the discrepancy between the supposed company and email address.

So I ask John Harrison via email for details on the press and he replies:
>>Machine is readily available and can be seen in operation during inspection.
Will you be coming for inspection or you want machine shipped directly to you?
Machine is been patronse(sic) by other interested customers, so i advise you make haste.
Please furnish me with the details above so i can send you the machine details and photos.
Regards,
J.Harrison.<<

Note the poor English - another clue. We continue our online correspondence until he writes:
>>Hello Mr Andy,
  I own this machine and it is located in Deptford,London.Attached below are the photos of the press. Machine is free from damages on cylinders and gears.
 Normally,machine requires a 10% refundable secuirity deposit to help secure machine for you or any third party prior to inspection.
Regards,
J.Harrison TEL:+44 702 409 4530<<

Aha! The tell-tale 0702 service phone number! And would a bloke named 'Harrison' call me 'Mr Andy??' I continue to express interest and he writes:

>> Please advise when you will be coming for inspection so i can help you hold down this machine. Kindly advise your company information so i can send you PROFOMA INVOICE with the preferred wire instructions for the deposit.<<

I advise that we don't pay deposits on presses sight unseen, but that a colleague is in Europe and can inspect it. Mr Harrison conveniently does not reply until after the suggested inspection date and says:

>> Hello Andy,
      I told you that this machine is been patronize by other prospective customers. The press is not under option, the machine could have been reserve for you but you refuse advising on the deposit. Regards,
J.Harriosn<<

This time he misspells his own name! 'Harriosn.'  So I tell him he will receive a CASH deposit if only he will let us arrange inspection of the press. He gets a bit uppity, even panicky, at this stage with this gem:

>> Hello Andy,
     I understand your procedure and I respect it. But I also have my procedure of my firm. Deposit has to be made and confirm before any inspection. You wont like coming all the way from australia and you wont be allowed to inspected press. There wont be any re-imbursement from my firm. 
Thank you,
J.Harrison<<<<<

So there's an example of how it works. You may say 'I would spot that a mile off' but experienced people are being caught every week.

Be careful out there and deal only with reputable known used machinery dealers (and auction houses like Graysonle of course!) if you are looking to save money on used kit.

You're probably wondering what my last message to 'Mr J. Harrison' was? Okay, here it is:
" Mr Harrison,
You don't really have a press to inspect, do you? It doesn't exist under your control, does it? Be honest with me. Do you really own this press?"

If ever he replies and it's publishable, I'll let you know.