Abhi locked the 'Fraud Alert' thread against replies in the News forum, but if I were able to reply to him, I would say this:
I received the aforementioned emails from a fraudster who was posing as Tony. The really bad thing is that the fraudulent email came to me as a reply to email that I had just sent to support@apache-labs.com. The reply had a copy of my original inquiry in the body of the email, at the bottom. Therefore, and obviously, Abhi's company email account has been hacked by a cyber-criminal. Unfortunately, I can't notify him because the earlier thread is locked.
Aside from the obvious nonsense about the middle eastern bank transfer, I pretty much knew it wasn't really Tony because the writer was illiterate and obviously not writing in his native language. If this email had come to me unsolicited, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. But the fact that it came to me as a direct reply to the email I had sent to them, gave me pause.
But now I am still left not knowing how to make my original inquiry about an order that I had placed in May 2023.
73,
Bryan w4WMT
Payment Fraud Alert
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
Bryan I have also received simplier challenges receiving a response from this company in relation to an order I made over a year ago for the 10W PA board . No response for months and no delivery or refund of the money they banked from me. Very frustrating and totally unacceptable.
Best Regards and good luck
Dave
Best Regards and good luck
Dave
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
My fellow the ham radio community,
Be aware that when you deal with Apache Labs, they don't take responsibility for their internal problems, and you – the customer put your money at huge risk!
I want to try and alert you all to the ill-behaver of Apache Labs, the makers of Anan radios; the company failed to take responsibility for internal fraud problems, and as such, good customers that pay thousands of dollars called to take the blame over Apache Lab's failure to provide secure and reliable service to us the customers, Apache Labs asking us the customers to take the financial hit!
Apache Labs was scammed; someone takeover the company email server and managed to communicate with potential customers using Apache labs email address (and email server) and signed as Tony (the employee that usually runs this type of operation, all the communication was made from the same email server and email address using Tony's signature (support@apache-labs.com), providing bank details and sums to be transferred that were found later to be fraud.
When we learned that Apache Labs was scammed, we communicated immediately and directly with the company CEO, he was aware to scam/fraud and share with me that it happened on the company hosted email server, I was asked to try and push my bank to reverse the transaction (in my case, the prepayment of USD 1000 that Tony asked for and managed to be transferred to the real bank account of the company while the rest of the payment (USD 3000) was transferred by Tony request to different bank account of the company – this account use the same company name but found later to be a fraud), even though it is not my responsibility I approached my bank and push them hard to do so trying to help Apache Labs, the result was that my bank was unable to do so.
We, as customers, have nothing to do with the company infrastructure security and the financial spared of the company bank accounts.
I WANT MY G2! I did pay the full amount! The company can sue the email server provider and the insurance company or even take it on itself, but asking us, the customers that already paid, to repay? That's a shame!
WHATEVER HAPPENED THE COMPANY CAN'T DROP INTERNAL SECURITY
/ FRAUD ON THE COMPANY CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR!!!
Nimrod Schwartz
4X1BG
Be aware that when you deal with Apache Labs, they don't take responsibility for their internal problems, and you – the customer put your money at huge risk!
I want to try and alert you all to the ill-behaver of Apache Labs, the makers of Anan radios; the company failed to take responsibility for internal fraud problems, and as such, good customers that pay thousands of dollars called to take the blame over Apache Lab's failure to provide secure and reliable service to us the customers, Apache Labs asking us the customers to take the financial hit!
Apache Labs was scammed; someone takeover the company email server and managed to communicate with potential customers using Apache labs email address (and email server) and signed as Tony (the employee that usually runs this type of operation, all the communication was made from the same email server and email address using Tony's signature (support@apache-labs.com), providing bank details and sums to be transferred that were found later to be fraud.
When we learned that Apache Labs was scammed, we communicated immediately and directly with the company CEO, he was aware to scam/fraud and share with me that it happened on the company hosted email server, I was asked to try and push my bank to reverse the transaction (in my case, the prepayment of USD 1000 that Tony asked for and managed to be transferred to the real bank account of the company while the rest of the payment (USD 3000) was transferred by Tony request to different bank account of the company – this account use the same company name but found later to be a fraud), even though it is not my responsibility I approached my bank and push them hard to do so trying to help Apache Labs, the result was that my bank was unable to do so.
We, as customers, have nothing to do with the company infrastructure security and the financial spared of the company bank accounts.
I WANT MY G2! I did pay the full amount! The company can sue the email server provider and the insurance company or even take it on itself, but asking us, the customers that already paid, to repay? That's a shame!
WHATEVER HAPPENED THE COMPANY CAN'T DROP INTERNAL SECURITY
/ FRAUD ON THE COMPANY CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR!!!
Nimrod Schwartz
4X1BG
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
I see many threads on scams related to payments and servers at Apache-Labs that have been hacked making for a very uneasy feeling if one were to purchase any products. As far as I am concerned, I purchased my ANAN from a fellow here in the U.S. so I never had to place an order via the Apache-Lab website and, I didn't have to wait of months. The radio I bought was brand-new as the seller had come across a deal he couldn't refuse in the mean-time so he had an "extra" radio that he wanted to sell.
From what I understand, emails that appear to be legit, sent by Apache-Labs may not be ("phishing") just makes this all even more concerning.
What is the current recommendation in regards to payment method? Also, please advise when it is that you paid (was it recently?) and if Apache-Labs emailed to confirm the payment. Then again, even a "confirmation" email could appear legit but may not be. Going by IP address may not be definitive proof of legitimacy either as you can "fake" IP addresses by using a VPN.
73!
Juha
From what I understand, emails that appear to be legit, sent by Apache-Labs may not be ("phishing") just makes this all even more concerning.
What is the current recommendation in regards to payment method? Also, please advise when it is that you paid (was it recently?) and if Apache-Labs emailed to confirm the payment. Then again, even a "confirmation" email could appear legit but may not be. Going by IP address may not be definitive proof of legitimacy either as you can "fake" IP addresses by using a VPN.
73!
Juha
PC: 8 Core i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz, NVMe SK Hynix 512 GB SSD, 32GB RAM
Windows 10 Home, Version 22H2
Thetis v2.10.4.3 x64
Protocol 2 v2.1.18
Windows 10 Home, Version 22H2
Thetis v2.10.4.3 x64
Protocol 2 v2.1.18
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
Apache labs has stated on their order page to not use bank/wire transfers for payment. Credit cards and PayPal are much safer and offer better buyer protection. This was posted after the incident in the post above yours. It didn't help that person in this particular instance. As it wasn't an issue at the time he ordered. Unfortunately, part of the email system at Apache Labs provider was hacked and allowed another party to redirect his second payment to a different bank and account. No one knows if Apache labs has stepped up and taken responsibility for this problem and made good on this person's order even though they only received his initial payment and not the balance.
I frequent other websites that have Anan radios discussion groups. There have been several posts from people paying for a new G2 Saturn radio using PayPal or a credit card. None have had a problem receiving the radio they paid for. Even though delivery time from time of order till actual shipping took several weeks. So, they are delivering the 100 watt G2 radios. But, communication with them is not that good. They rarely respond to emails until they bill you for final payment.
And it is even more rare that they post on the forums here. It is a strange way to do business. And I am surprised that they have been able to continue being unresponsive and still have people ordering radios from them.
James
WD5GWY
I frequent other websites that have Anan radios discussion groups. There have been several posts from people paying for a new G2 Saturn radio using PayPal or a credit card. None have had a problem receiving the radio they paid for. Even though delivery time from time of order till actual shipping took several weeks. So, they are delivering the 100 watt G2 radios. But, communication with them is not that good. They rarely respond to emails until they bill you for final payment.
And it is even more rare that they post on the forums here. It is a strange way to do business. And I am surprised that they have been able to continue being unresponsive and still have people ordering radios from them.
James
WD5GWY
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
Hi,
Just to update you all, the company email server has been hacked. We were ordered to transfer money using the same email account on the same email server signed by the same company employee (Tony), and we did so. The first payment was sent to the real company bank account, and the second payment, by company instruction, was sent to a fraud account in a different bank using the same company name bit by bit (?)
The company responded with the following:
1. We know and admit that our email server was hacked, but we have no responsibility over our email server !!!
2. All potential clients of Apache Labs should know where the company holds business worldwide and what its legitimate bank accounts are by heart!!!
As such - we are not responsible for any loss of client money (that happened because someone hacked our servers...)
Interesting approach
Nimrod
4X1BG
Just to update you all, the company email server has been hacked. We were ordered to transfer money using the same email account on the same email server signed by the same company employee (Tony), and we did so. The first payment was sent to the real company bank account, and the second payment, by company instruction, was sent to a fraud account in a different bank using the same company name bit by bit (?)
The company responded with the following:
1. We know and admit that our email server was hacked, but we have no responsibility over our email server !!!
2. All potential clients of Apache Labs should know where the company holds business worldwide and what its legitimate bank accounts are by heart!!!
As such - we are not responsible for any loss of client money (that happened because someone hacked our servers...)
Interesting approach
Nimrod
4X1BG
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
Dude,
You're treading on dangerous ground there. If you aren't prepared to produce evidence that Apache Labs actually made the statement(s) you're claiming they made, then your post is possible grounds for a libel suit against you personally by Apache Labs.
Just sayin,
Mark
[Edited to remove quoted text]
You're treading on dangerous ground there. If you aren't prepared to produce evidence that Apache Labs actually made the statement(s) you're claiming they made, then your post is possible grounds for a libel suit against you personally by Apache Labs.
Just sayin,
Mark
[Edited to remove quoted text]
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
Nimrod,
I absolutely understand your frustration with this situation. And I hope you find a way to get it resolved. One question I have intended to ask you when you posted this in the past, while the fraudster used the same email address,a different bank etc,. Since your bank processed the transaction, shouldn't they and yourself noticed the different account number and bank your funds were being transferred to?
I would have thought someone would notice the different account number and bank with the second transfer from the first one, and questioned why the different bank and account?
James
WD5GWY
I absolutely understand your frustration with this situation. And I hope you find a way to get it resolved. One question I have intended to ask you when you posted this in the past, while the fraudster used the same email address,a different bank etc,. Since your bank processed the transaction, shouldn't they and yourself noticed the different account number and bank your funds were being transferred to?
I would have thought someone would notice the different account number and bank with the second transfer from the first one, and questioned why the different bank and account?
James
WD5GWY
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
Well,
Any company dealing with international markets usually has more than one bank account for many different reasons,
I am working with Icom - when I buy from them, they, from time to time, ask me to send the payments to Icom USA or
Icom Japan - depends on the availability of the equipment, shipment, etc.
It's no big deal; even my small company has accounts in Israel, Swiss, and the US for different reasons.
Reminder: Apache Labs' headquarters is in Australia, and the manufacturing is in India, which is in two different countries. So, asking the client to
pay to different company accounts is done every day - and when the requests come from the same person using the same email address/ server and the account's name is the same bit by bit - it sounds normal to me.
Nimrod
Any company dealing with international markets usually has more than one bank account for many different reasons,
I am working with Icom - when I buy from them, they, from time to time, ask me to send the payments to Icom USA or
Icom Japan - depends on the availability of the equipment, shipment, etc.
It's no big deal; even my small company has accounts in Israel, Swiss, and the US for different reasons.
Reminder: Apache Labs' headquarters is in Australia, and the manufacturing is in India, which is in two different countries. So, asking the client to
pay to different company accounts is done every day - and when the requests come from the same person using the same email address/ server and the account's name is the same bit by bit - it sounds normal to me.
Nimrod
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
K1LSB wrote:Dude,
You're treading on dangerous ground there. If you aren't prepared to produce evidence that Apache Labs actually made the statement(s) you're claiming they made, then your post is possible grounds for a libel suit against you personally by Apache Labs.
Just sayin,
Mark
[Edited to remove quoted text]
What statement? - all the info I am sharing came from the CEO's emails.
??
Re: Payment Fraud Alert
nimrod wrote:K1LSB wrote:Dude,
You're treading on dangerous ground there. If you aren't prepared to produce evidence that Apache Labs actually made the statement(s) you're claiming they made, then your post is possible grounds for a libel suit against you personally by Apache Labs.
Just sayin,
Mark
[Edited to remove quoted text]
What statement? - all the info I am sharing came from the CEO's emails.
??
I'm done here.