We have reason to believe that the Facebook page for Edward Christopher of Doral, Florida is a scammer. Edward Christopher contacted a seller of a high-end camera lens. The conversation was casual and somewhat believable. He asked routine questions such as condition if there were any additional photos or video of the product, and proof of purchase. Additionally, Mr. Christopher tried to get the seller to pay for the shipping, which is not normal for scammers. Typical Facebook scammers anxiously offer to pay above and beyond for expedited shipping in addition to the full price.
After the negotiations continued, Mr. Christopher asked if the item could be expedited. The seller said sure, but they offered to pay up to $30 instead of covering the entire shipment amount. That’s when the red flags started about. Edward Christopher offered to pay not only the total price for the lens but $100 for shipping, which is a stable red flag for scammers. The final red flag was this: the address.
Savvy online sellers will check public records. In this case, Mr. Christopher gave the address of
5930 NW 99th Ave UNIT 10 Suite ID# MPF27166 Doral, Florida, 33178 United States.
The ID# and use of ‘United States’ was an immediate red flag, so the seller Google’d the address and was able to verify it was a drop-off location for a company called “My Package Forwarder.” When the seller called Mr. Christopher out on it, he said he worked there. The seller told Mr. Christpher they would call the office to verify he worked there then, and that’s when the scammer, Mr. Christopher, left the conversation.
If an online buyer asks you to ship to a mail forwarding location – you can rest assured it’s a scammer.