In Apr.2013, our regular business partner from India ordered some desktop CPU from a Hong Kong company by himself and asked us to arrange payment. This HK supplier (we will use “T” to represent it in the following contents) had businesses with us in the last 2 years and performs well, so we send full payment of 7,500 USD in advance.
But something unusual happened then: the boss (we will use “F” to represent) from T didn’t deliver goods on time and give no reply to our calls and e-mails. At the beginning, we guessed there maybe something happened to her. So we decided to wait for some time since the cooperation before was good.
One month later, the situation was still the same: no any reply. We had no choice but can only turned to the Hong Kong policemen for help. On 22nd, May 2013, we sent a report of the case to the policemen. After telephone and e-mail communications of several months, the policemen appointed a meeting with us in Nov. 2013. Here is the testimony:
Hong Kong policemen visited the office of T company now and then and finally got in touch with F. F said her father was ill and it cost her a lot of money. Then she contacted us and suggested to send the goods in several times. Considering her trouble, we agreed.
She finally kept part of her promise since she only gave about 35% goods in three times from Mar. 2014 to May 2014. Then T disappeared once again. We lost 65% goods and 1 year’s time. Considering the time and energy, we chose to give up.
That is not the end of the story. We met another computer parts buyer from the Middle East on May 2014 and he shared the same story with us by chance. Then we realized it should be a scam: the order amount is not that big to make the buyer to spend time and energy; even if they were caught, a partial shipment will be their suggestion; after some time, they disappeared again. What most buyers chose to do was giving up and let them go.
Bad luck will fall to us sometimes, but we should pay due attention to these parts of our control. By the way, the Hong Kong policeman should win our praise.
Leave A Comment