I found out a little more information a few minutes ago. The deal is practically done; all pallets are being held by UPS in North Carolina, Florida, and California. There's a holding fee of $900 a month for all holds (total, from all states they're in). From there on, when the Poles are ready to have them shipped, they'll be released by UPS towards Poland/customs.
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Business Owners, Does This Sound Suspicious?
- Thread starter Squilly
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So the palettes aren't even in your brother's possession?
Who told to about this fee? Who is paying it and to whom? Have you verified any of this directly with UPS?
What is your brother doing with his $20k? Get an 8-ball for the weekend and a Mac Pro?
What exactly is your brother's role in all this again?
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OP - does this look familiar?
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21591662-Scam-Shipping-Scam
From that link
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21591662-Scam-Shipping-Scam
From that link
interesting question.......this of course relates to how the "grey market" works........goods bought legally where they're cheaper but then distributed outside the manufacturer's official distribution network.
Apple actually has an online store for Poland; their base ipad is listed for the equivalent of $695 versus %499 at the US store.
Squilly has said there's state sales tax* (add 6% to 8%), VAT for Poland (ugh, add another 22%), Squilly's brother's fee (add another 12.5%) and unknown shipping costs.........so something like an increase of an around 45%.......Unless they stiff Squilly's brother of course!
(*however since this transaction is all for re-sale, they probably aren't really paying state sales tax, despite what's been said)
What happened to not ending well?
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Not similar; my brother is paying for the goods from Apple using money given from Poles, stuff is being sent to different locations, being sent to Poland, brother keeps profits.
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They're not in his possession, no. What fee? All fees are paid by the Poles, profit stays with us. I'm sure it's been verified.
No idea, he's the middleman.
I'm going to hold you to that bet.
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His logic: "it's not breaking contract if they don't know." But yes, I have told him. Also, he talked to a store manager in the back room at an Apple store near us. Don't know what they talked about.
I sincerely hope that you're winding us up, because the alternative is truly horrifying.
Jesus ******* Christ.
Jesus ******* Christ.
For what it's worth, that holding fee is normal and planned. That isn't there just because it's a slow process. Also being paid for.
Also, what's the horrifying part?
Right, so you have no idea who owns this bank account?
I can tell you it's not the Poles because they wouldn't be eligible to open an account at Philadelphia Federal Credit Union. So that leaves your brother. Or it's a stolen account, and the second your brother withdrawals a dime of that money, he'll have committed a felony.
We'll be it the fact that the goods are no longer in Apple's possession, I'm going to guess its already gone. I still can't wrap my head around this. Sees money in account, JUST bought something with the account, ships goods, gets the rest.
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Right, so you have no idea who owns this bank account?
I can tell you it's not the Poles because they wouldn't be eligible to open an account at Philadelphia Federal Credit Union. So that leaves your brother. Or it's a stolen account, and the second your brother withdrawals a dime of that money, he'll have committed a felony.
He just bought something on the account (iPad for that matter) and it went through. I don't know.
Right, so you have no idea who owns this bank account?
I can tell you it's not the Poles because they wouldn't be eligible to open an account at Philadelphia Federal Credit Union. So that leaves your brother. Or it's a stolen account, and the second your brother withdrawals a dime of that money, he'll have committed a felony.
I'm confused after rereading too
He sees the funds available in the bank account, which can't be phished. He just bought an iPad using the funds from that account. When the deal is completed, he'll have the rest. Technically, he has access to all of the $20k now.
God, I miss this place.
So, having caught up on this thread, let me ask: why didn't you consider sending a pallet at a time to verify the process? There'd be less money spent on holding fees, you'd have a bit more faith in the process, and you'd still get $2500/pallet, right?
Also, just so I'm clear on things, of the initial deposit in the bank, it's mostly gone - used to pay for things - and they're on pallets at UPS waiting to be shipped, so if, say, something occurs such that the funds are found to be invalid, the things will be out of the country before then, but your brother's name is still on the account and so therefore still liable?
So, having caught up on this thread, let me ask: why didn't you consider sending a pallet at a time to verify the process? There'd be less money spent on holding fees, you'd have a bit more faith in the process, and you'd still get $2500/pallet, right?
Also, just so I'm clear on things, of the initial deposit in the bank, it's mostly gone - used to pay for things - and they're on pallets at UPS waiting to be shipped, so if, say, something occurs such that the funds are found to be invalid, the things will be out of the country before then, but your brother's name is still on the account and so therefore still liable?
I'm confused after rereading too
He sees the funds available in the bank account, which can't be phished. He just bought an iPad using the funds from that account. When the deal is completed, he'll have the rest. Technically, he has access to all of the $20k now.
How did he use funds from the account to purchase an iPad?
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