Here at Blackberry Pallet, we specialize in providing new wooden pallets to customers throughout Southwest Virginia. We take pride in offering quality products and excellent customer service. Recently, we stumbled upon a frustrating scam tactic, and we want to share our experience to protect other businesses.
What is Quote Stuffing?
We started receiving several quote requests for a large order of pallets – each request was from an out of state customer and each request was very similar in size, type of pallets, and with an offer for their "local agent" to handle pickup. Curious, we checked out some of the companies... and realized the information was fake!
This is what's known as "quote stuffing". Scammers send identical requests to multiple companies, forcing them to spend time and energy on quotes for orders that don't exist. So why do they do it? Well, sometimes it's just to waste our time, other times it can be a way to extract company information for further scams.
Red Flags That Caught Our Eye
Identical/Similar Orders:Â The quote requests were sometimes word-for-word copies of each other or very close to it, even though they supposedly came from different companies.
Unusual urgency:Â The large order quantity was coupled with a request to contact ASAP and that they would be picking up the order within a short time frame.
Suspicious "Businesses": When we did a little digging, the businesses behind the quotes didn't check out. Doing basic google searches revealed companies that either didn’t really exist, or were real companies but would never actually need pallets in the first place. Or they were companies where the registered company phone number did not match the phone number provided by the requesting individual.
What Scammer’s gain
Data Harvesting for Phishing & Spam: By requesting quotes, scammers can collect valid business email addresses and contact details. These can be used for phishing scams (emails disguised as legitimate companies) or bombarding businesses with spam emails promoting fake products or services.
Building Lead Lists for Further Scams: The information gathered through quotes, like company size, industry, and product needs, can be used to build targeted lead lists. Scammers can then use this information for more elaborate scams, like impersonating a supplier or offering "urgent" solutions to problems related to the quoted products.
Identifying Potential Vulnerabilities: The back-and-forth communication during the quote process can reveal a company's communication protocols and information security practices. Scammers can exploit these vulnerabilities in future attacks, like tricking employees into clicking malicious links or revealing sensitive information.
Protecting Yourself
Verify, Verify, Verify: Before spending time crafting a quote, double-check the company's information. Look them up online, check their website, and don't be afraid to ask for more details. We recommend contacting the company’s registered front office number to initiate communication.
Don't Overshare:Â Only give the information necessary for the initial quote. You can provide more details later if the order seems legitimate.
Report the Scammers:Â Letting authorities like the FTC know about these scams helps everyone.
Don't Get Stung
Dealing with scams like quote stuffing is frustrating! But by being vigilant and staying informed, you can protect your business from wasting valuable time and protect your information.
In today’s day and age, information is a powerful tool. By using your company’s real information, scammer’s can pose as legitimate business entities to perpetuate further scams and fraud. However, information is your tool as well. Protect your information, and use the wide array of public information at your fingertips to verify and vet the people with whom you intend to do business.
Let's spread awareness! If you've encountered similar scams, share your experience in the comments below.
Remember:Â Don't hesitate to ask questions or share this post to help other businesses stay safe!
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