Complaint Review: ARO Supplies & Materials AKA: AROSAM - NewYork and/or Estonia New York

I just wanted to say "Thank You" Lee, from California for posting this scam. I, too, came across a similar one while searching for part time work on Monster.com. This "company" is calling itself TKG Supplies, from Latvia. The are boasting an upfront salary of $3400.00. Here is the body of the e-mail they sent to me: "TKG SUPPLIES LTD 34 11th Street, Riga, LI4562, Latvia) Thank you for interest in working with us. INFORMATION ABOUT THE PART-TIME JOB OFFERED Your job will consist of looking for a company, which is selling required goods. We will provide you the information about required goods(quantity, packaging, optimal price etc.) Also we will provide infomation about the companies, which are related to such products. Using phone(Our company handles the bills), mail or others methods, you should find the best supplier. Report to our headquarter all details about supplier and their conditions Example: You must found a company which produce or sell steel big-diameter pipe. We send you catalog with information about companies, which are related to such kind of products.You must choose the best variant from offers of companies. Report to our headquarter. We require signing of a contract. The contract is attached to this email. Please take a look. After that, we will send you: 1.List of products. 2.List of companies. Each week you will get updated versions of the lists. Your salary is 3,400.00 US Dollars per month, paid monthly. For proving our paying capacity your first month's salary will be paid upfront. You won't be paying any taxes from this amount. First month is a probation. If we will be satisfied by your work, then we'll continue working together. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK THROUGH [email protected] IF YOU HAVE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND YOU WANT TO START WORKING WITH US, YOU NEED TO Print, fill in and sign the attached employment form. Then fax it to us via our U.S. fax number 815-364-0717. If you will satisfy our requirements, I will contact you later to arrange signing of contract and pre-payment of your salary." I became suspicious after seeing all the grammar mistakes, and when on the "employment form" they sent me, it asked for my bank name(for accounting purposes). Still, it sounded pretty good and I almost signed up. Thanks for your postings, I'm sure these two companies are related, or at least it's the same scam! I have a friend in the secret service, I'm sending this to him today.

Hi Lee! yep, it's the same old scam with a new twist. This is known as the Nigerian scam . There is a 419 coalition for this. also, visit the secret service website and report it. Hold onto that check, as they may want you to send it to them for evidence. http://www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml

OK, it is now Tuesday morning Oct. 15th. I just got off the phone with the "customer" of Aro (arosam). The check of $23,500.05 is indeed fake/stolen.

The check was drawn on a bank acct. owned by Utiliquest ( a legit company ) and i have spoken to there Controller.

I cannot go into details as to the plan, but over the next few days I will update the case (if anyone is reading this) and give it some finality.

Lee
Bell, California

Odd... I sent them an E-mail on saturday when the Fed-Ex Package didnt arrive (wasnt surprised), but i was very surprised to have Fed-Ex Stop by today with a check for $23,500.05 in my name.

I called the bank that it was drawn on (PNC Bank) and verified that the acct number and the company name that wrote it was valid.

Im not sure what to do now

The following is a cut and paste of the most recent email i have received back from them (aro aka: arosam). It details how the money transfer is to go down. I will continually update as new information or status' are brought to light.

QUOTE:
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Hello

I want to notify you that a check from our US Creditor will be mailed to you Thursday or Friday this week by a Fedex Priority Overnight service, directly from the office of our creditor. You will receive it Friday or Saturday at the latest.

Fedex tracking number for the shipment will be: **Edited by Lee**. You can try to track it on Friday evening at www.fedex.com (on-line tracking won't work before Friday)

After you receive the check, please deposit it into your existing bank account as soon as possible at the same day. You can do it either by depositing it into the ATM machine, or in person with a bank teller.

As soon as check is cleared and the funds are available for withdrawal, please deduct your wage, bonus and a wire transfer fee (it is about $40) and initiate a wire transfer for the rest of amount to our bank account.

I am not sure which of our company accounts we will use for this transaction so I will give you detailed wire transfer instructions right after you notify me that the check is cleared. It is very simple to complete the wire transfer, you will have to fill only one form at your bank.

Please contact me as soon as the check clears, so we can proceed with the transaction at the same day.

You will get full information regarding your future employment from literature and catalogs that will be mailed to you in about 2 weeks, right after we get it from a printing factory.

Thank you for cooperation and your work for us.

P.S. Please contact me right after you receive and deposit check with estimate date when a check should clear. It is very important to me to have this date!

William Cromer

Chief Accountant/Treasurer

ARO Supplies And Materials Ltd.
END QUOTE:

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Hopefully this will (if it proves to be a fraud) help others avoid this type of scam.