The Gacillia Nut Scandal

We’ve recently been the target of a scammer. Yes. Even us, whose job it is is to keep our clients safe and be aware of these scoundrels running internet scams.

One morning, it seemed like a normal enough morning, we got this email from Sandra Greg that read like this:

Hi

I need  informational website on my business. 8-10 pages will be a good fit for me, my company is base on Agriculture products. such products are  Gacillia Nut and Cocoa so i need best layout design, the site would only be informational,  I need you to give me an estimate should include hosting and i have a private project consultant, he has the text content and the logos for the site.

Note,

1. I want only English language
2. I don’t have a domain yet but i want the domain name as (qualityfarmproduce.us)
3. you will be updating the site for me.
4. i will be proving the images, logos and content for the site.
5. i want the site up and running before ending of next month.
6. My budget is $6000USD

Kindly get back to me with an estimate,

Thank you!

Ok.

So it seemed safe enough. Maybe some grammar was wrong (it was).

Maybe they are asking for a high-cost domain name (also was).

Maybe they didn’t capitalize their I’s (they didn’t).

Asking if we can take credit cards.

But…

They were asking for a website which we do. Everyday. They had a budget, a deadline a goal in mind and the willingness to provide prompt payment. Horray!

Not so fast…

Something felt off with Sandra Greg. Aside from the weird sentence structure, something was amiss with this request.

We were hesitant to respond or even submit a bid on this project. We even scheduled a phone call. “Sandra” gave us her phone number. We called at the agreed upon time. Lo and behold…  no answer. After following up with an email she gave us a pile of excuses and reasons why she missed the call.

We know why, now. Sandra Greg is a scammer!

We eventually did go as far as to submit a bid. Our contract stated we need the client’s address. “Sandra” would not provide us with her address. When she did eventually send us an address in Houston, TX. (Across the county from us) it was for a foreclosed house that was empty!

Hmmmm…

We reached out to follow up on this project, her response was the exact same email that started this whole thing. What a piece of work.

Honestly, we don’t how this scam is expected to work. But turns out its been going around the web for a few years now. The thing in common seems to be the gacillia nut.

Whats a gacilla nut? Nothing, it is fake.

Save your time and effort and ignore, report and block these scammers and be aware. Malicious people are out there.