Six ways to get scammed when buying or selling personal protection equipment and how to avoid it. (Updated May 6th)
*This is NOT legal advice, I am just sharing my experience*
I’ve spent the last weeks helping out N95 sellers, brokers, and buyers in prequalifying leads and preparing paperwork.
In just three weeks, I encountered six different ways to be scammed. This article will show how they tried to scam and give you tools to help you to uncover scams.
- Fake certificates (UPDATED May 5th)
- Fake face masks
- Fake proof of life
- Fake Documents
- Fake Buyer
- Fake sellers on B2B portals
Fake certificates (UPDATED May 5th)
Problem
Many sellers send bogus certificates in the hope of making a sale.
Solution
Always validate the information by yourself.
Certification services usually provide an easy way to validate a certificate:
Dekra: https://www.dekra-product-safety.com/en/search-certificate-number
TÜV: https://www.tuvsud.com/en/services/product-certification/ps-cert
This is how it works — Example ICR certificate:
Step 1: Get the certificate number and visit the website of the notified body
Step 2: Input the certificate number.
Step 3: See the result:
Did you receive a certificate issued by one of the following institutes?
Amtre Veritas
BSI Test Limited
CELAB
ECM
Ecole Supérieure du Bois
ISET
ICR Polska
ISP
NPS
NTC
Sapo
STS Inspection and Certification
VIC Testing and Certification
Well, those the institutes are NOT a notified body competent for PPE.
These ‘certificates’ have NO legal value and can NOT be used as a conclusion of conformity assessment.
Source: https://www.eu-esf.org/covid-19/4513-covid-19-suspicious-certificates-for-ppe
Learnings
→ Never accept a redacted certificate
→ Always check the validity of a certificate by yourself
→ Look up if the certification is for the right product
→ Look up if the institute is a notified body for PPE
Fake face masks
The CDC has published an informative website that helps you to spot fake N95 mask. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/usernotices/counterfeitResp.html
Please visit the website for a detailed overview.
I summarized the main points:
— 3rd parties are selling productions by using the approval number and label without the legitimate company’s permission.
— Check the earloops!
There is a reason why legit N95 masks leave marks. They sight tight on your face and create a physical barrier to stop airborne particles from entering the masks. That’s why the respirators elastic wraps around your head and not your ears!
The majority of fake N95 have loose earloops that wrap around your ear and leave an entry point for airborne particles.
THOSE MASKS ARE NOT SAFE. DO NOT SELL THOSE TO MEDICAL STAFF.
— FDA Logo on the Box
The FDA does not allow the vendor to put the FDA logo on the box.
More information on FDA labeling and how sellers mislead you by providing an “FDA certificate” can be found here. (Check it out, it’s a great article by Jay Park, MD!)
— N95 with valves
San Francisco Department of Public Health does NOT recommend them
Source: https://twitter.com/SF_DPH/status/1257350897291743235
The CDC has tested various N95 masks and published the results here:
Make sure to look up the manufacturer if you are buying N95s!
It’s devastating how poor the filtration efficiency of the most N95s is.
(Thank you for sending me the link J! — Check is articles on how to spot fake/bogus N95! https://medium.com/@jayparkmd )
Fake Proof of Life
Problem
Many buyers ask for a “Proof of Life.”
Example: Screenshot from a “Proof of Life video”
Looks legit? Well …check the barcode
Ok, it’s not easy to spot it. Turn on your QR scanning app or visit an online service like “Free Online Barcode Reader” and scan the barcode
The result: The barcode is 1234567890
Hint: Legit barcodes show the UPC if read by a QR code / Barcode scanner and NOT 1234567890.
You can verify UPCs here:
https://www.gs1us.org/tools/gs1-company-database-gepir
Solution
3M safeguard — Ask for the lot number and secure-code of a random sample that YOU choose in a live stream with the Seller and check those yourself on the 3M website.
Link: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/safe-guard-us/
Received an SGS report by the Seller? Verify it with SGS!
SGS verification: https://www.sgs.com/en/verify-sgs-documents
Fake Documents
Problem
You received proof that the buyer has the funds to make the transaction.
Well, you can buy a template online for $20 and edit it yourself.
Example:
Do not simply trust a letter. Always contact the institution behind it.
Received a Letter of Interests, Letter of Commitment, etc. ?
A potential lead sent me a Letter of Commitment showing that he had 3 Trillion USD ready to buy 3M branded N95 masks.
We checked the companies on the letter and uncovered that the name of one company was used wrongfully and contacted the company. So the ridiculous amount was faked and the name of a legitimate company misused.
Solution
Have the buyer’s lawyer send you a Letter of attestation. Also, verify that the lawyer exists by looking him up on the website of your state bar.
The letter of attestations always says something like this
I, <LAWYER NAME>, <POSITION> at the law firm <NAME OF FIRM> and being a licensed attorney in the <LOCATION> hereby confirm as follows.
If you got it, look the lawyer up an contact him/ her through the firm’s website!
Fake buyer (Updated May 1st)
Often broker introduces themselves as a buyer and provides his clients LOI, POF, other documentation, or is simply a scammer. Please follow the steps stated above to verify the paperwork the broker sent you and directly contact the buyer’s lawyer!
Problem Broker introduces themselves as a buyer or seller to get prices and connect the other side.
Solution Look them up! Many brokers post buy AND sell requests online.
Example
Both posts below are from the same broker. He called me today and told me that his buyer is a hospital group with 500 hospitals.
Or how about ridiculous high amounts? I’ve shown the 3 Trillion USD fund screenshot earlier. Today a “buyer/facilitator” approached me looking for 2 Billion 3M 1860 immediately. I don’t have any screenshot to share as we just talked on the phone, but looking him up on Linkedin revealed that something is off with this guy.
Fake Seller on portals
Problem
Anyone can register on B2B portals.
Also, always look up if the company can make the deal. Once I had to deal with a company that is going through chapter 11. So always check if they are dealing with bankruptcies as well.
https://businessbankruptcies.com
Many manufacturers do not sell through distributors.
So always look up the manufacturer.
For example, Dasheng do not have any dealers or branch factories
That’s why there is a very high chance that those masks on Alibaba are produced and sold by nonauthorized companies
3M only deals through a network of authorized suppliers and distributors, and you can verify your Seller by contacting 3Ms fraud hotline
(Link to Info PDF https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/1803670O/fraudulent-activity-price-gouging-and-counterfeit-products.pdf )
Solution
Interact with the manufacturer directly to confirm if the Seller is authorized to sell the product
OR
Find legit manufacturer through satellite offices of your countries chamber of commerce.
For example, The German Chamber of Commerce in China is providing help to find legit manufactures in China.
— https://china.ahk.de/info-hub-von-produkten-aus-china-zur-covid-19-praevention (Website is in German)
The FDA also provides a list of legitimate manufacturers
Link: https://www.fda.gov/media/136663/download
That’s all for now!
I will update this article frequently. Feel free to share your story in the comments!
You can connect with me on LinkedIn or write me an e-mail if you have questions, want to follow up or share your story.
Need help in your procurement or sales process?
DM me on Linkedin or e-mail me!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sukhjindersingh14/
E-Mail: sukhjinder.singh@think66.com
Thanks,
Sukhjinder Singh
