How I got scammed
Even those of us who are wise in years, and experienced business operators get scammed. It’s way more embarrassing, because by dint of graying temples and crone stick of wizened wisdom, we expect ourselves to be smarter than that. But draw your chairs closer children, and I’ll tell you the sad story of how I let myself get taken.
Patricia Belgrave sent out emails to a targeted list of mid-scale soap manufacturers offering to let us buy out the remainder of her warehouse because she was closing shop in September. Because the message purportedly came from within the soapers community, I didn’t do the due diligence I usually take when sourcing a vendor.
Lesson learned: Always do due diligence on your supply chain. Never buy anything to do someone a “favor”.
After a month of placing an order, and paying their PayPal invoice, I still hadn’t received any product. I emailed them, and the mail bounced. I emailed their paypal email address, and asked for either tracking information or a refund, and there was no response. I called their phone number which had been disconnected.
*facepalm*
I filed a dispute with PayPal, which was eventually decided in my favor. Unfortunately, PayPal won’t reimburse you for claims if the company has emptied the paypal account, which this person did long before any of us with claims got through the mandatory claim time.
Lesson Learned: PayPal is not as safe as Visa or Mastercard, both of which would have reversed the charges. PayPal says “Yeah, sorry to hear that. Sucks to be you.” I need to find a new payment processor for the SoapyHollow shopping cart.
So, to save other from suffering the same sort of loss, and the embarrassment of getting scammed, I give you all of the information on these folks that I can find.
Doing business as; Wholesalershub
Also doing business as: EssentialsbyShishas
Also doing business as:: The Upper Room Bath & Body Basics
(Addresses, emails, phone numbers after the cut.)
shishas1@aol.com
PO Box 5003
Brookfield, Connecticut 06804
Patricia A Hosten; dba Patricia Belgrave
NewScents101@aol.com
5 Carlton Street
Danbury, CT 06811 US
+1.8888971066
Other email aliases:
- neworders01@aol.com
- servicedesk@wholesalershub.com
- servicedesk@essentialsbyshishas.com
For the record, yes I have filed a complaint with the FTC and the CT Attorney General. Mail/Wire fraud is a big no-no, and the law does not take kindly to people who commit felonies.
Oh no! Hopefully you didn’t lose too much money in this. I often buy out people’s stock via Craig’s List, etc. Usually just hobbyists tho bc I have been doing the bulk of my supplying through buy groups from major wholesalers. I am not familiar w/ the soap community, has anyone started anything like that to help you get better prices from reputable vendors?
I got caught in the same web of lies by these shysters. Could you email me the steps to file with the FTC and the AG?
To Sandy: There are some buying groups, and I’ll probably do a profile on one that I really like a lot, but this one came in a backdoor by pretending to be “one of us”.
To Catherine: Sure…if there’s a way for me to see your email address. WP is still new to me. If you haven’t heard from me in a day or so, please contact me via email at soapyhollow at gmail.
I just lost my belief in humanity.
I made my first purchase ever on-line, did all my research and look at me NOW!
I GOT SCREWED!!!
I knew I shouldn’t have made that purchase.
Does anyone know where I might find small empty powder shakers?
For the cardboard ones, The Chandler Soap folks seem to have a good price for small quantities: http://www.forsoapmakers.com/store/Powder-Shakers-c-62.html. ThechemistryStore.com has aluminum ones, and for bulk purchasing I’ve always liked the folks at http://www.sks-bottle.com/, they’ve branched into a lot of cosmetics packaging…but I can’t remember if they sell powder tubes or not.
Good luck!