So sorry to hear about this experience...I had an experience with Champion Motors here in Toronto that I think I should let the members know about.
I sent an email to them before Christmas asking for a price on Paragon Springs for my C8.
They replied to my email with a price that I liked and was actually cheaper than ordering direct from Paragon with duty's, shipping, taxes,etc so I was very happy.
I emailed back and said I would like to proceed. They emailed me back and asked for a deposit.
They said in their email that I could send them an etransfer so I decided to pay the entire $548 to them.
After I etransfered the money I emailed them and said that the payment was sent. They replied saying I could pick up the springs.
I sent a driver from my work down to pick them up and when they arrived Champion said they didn't know anything about the springs or etransfer.
I was quite shocked as you might guess as I just sent $548 to them after a long email exchange going back and forth.
They stated the last email they received from me was the one asking for the prices. They did not send me the emails after that asking for a deposit or saying I could come and pick them up.
At this point I was completely shocked as I didn't even think it was possible for a thief or hacker to insert themselves in the middle of an email chain and commit a fraud like this.
When I spoke to one of the owners he was polite and told me he was sorry and that I should be very careful who I send money to these days.
That was it. No offer to help. No offer to get me the springs with maybe a discount to make up for my loss.
I resigned myself to the fact that I had been taken and I would not get the springs.
Then without me knowing my two young sons put their money together and drove down to Champion to buy me the springs for Christmas.
When they gave me the springs I was pissed off that they did that for me and even more pissed off that when the bought them Champion did not offer a single penny of a discount to make up for any responsibility that they might have in me getting scammed from their email. They again told my son that I need to be more careful who I sent money to.
I am in utter shock that a company would respond like this to a situation that occurred in my opinion through their email. They took zero responsibility. Yes I should be more careful who I send money to but when I'm replying to emails coming directly to me through a company email address I was stupid enough to trust it.
Anyhow I just wanted to let people know about my experience and make your own decision who to deal with in the future.
The kicker is my brother owns a C6 Z06 and spent $5000 with them in the past. I spent $1000 a month ago on gears for my sons C5 and my other son owns a modded C6.
With 4 Corvettes in my immediate family and all four of us who love to mod our cars I can't imagine the lost business they have just incurred by simply not taking any responsibility at all.
What a Christmas!
The police can easily find out who you sent the money to. What was the email address? No competent thief would be using e-transfer to commit fraud as it’s tracable.
I have also been scammed out of $580 in cash this season. I needed front tires for my BMW X5, with tires being $580 each. Before ordering tires found an ad on Kijiji of a tire shop selling used low mileage tires in North York for $250 per tire and $40 install. Called the guy who confirmed the tires are available, drove down there on a Saturday morning from Niagara. They showed me the 2 tires the are practically new that I inspected myself for any holes, plugs, cuts or sidewall bulges (I was suspicious because tires looked like they where dipped in tire shine) Told them to install them, the guy says sure wait in our waiting room, I said I prefer to stay with the car. He says I can’t due to insurance but I can stand outside while they keep the garage door open.
I watched them bring the 2 new tires and put them next to my car, take off my wheels and take both to their tire mounting equipment. I could not fully visualize the tire machine and the balancer. “New” tires when on the car and I paid $580 in cash.
Once I got home everything was fine, but the following day tire pressures were off. So while I was putting air in the tire I see a thin cut between the side wall and the tread. I turned the wheel and had my brother drive slowing while I inspected the tread and what do I find: a chunk of tread missing and a big plug. At this point I check the other wheel and it looks ok but there is a 2 inch crack/cut in the groove of the tread where the wear bars are. At this point I jacked up the car and took off the wheels just to find damage to the inner side wall of one of the tires that looks like it was glued.
Yep, they did a bait and switch on the tire machine outside of my field of view.
$580 is a good lesson, but the fact that those scumbags endangered my 100k SUV, my life, lives of my family and everyone else on the road next to me is evil.
That is the biggest disappointment I have. As far as I understand this was Champion's email that got hacked and not mine. Am I partially responsible? Yes of course, I should have questioned the email address they had me send the money to but I figured since I had been going back and forth with them on the very same email chain that I started that it must be legit.I am amazed that Champion has not jumped on board to help find out, at minimum, just what happened here. In the days of the "Corvette Shop" wars Champion was always involved but never once did dishonest come up. @PapaSmurf, wonder if you could get Champion to also file a police report, something very odd happening here that potentially could impact their business. Maybe they have not thought this through.
@DenisC8 is, sorry for your situation, crap you cannot trust anyone. Think that one is over the border of fraud. Not only a lot of money to lose but they put you, and others, in danger.
I'm sure we did. I will ask my wife who is the one who sent the e transfer.You would've received an email from Interac stating that the name of the account holder that auto deposited the amount. Did you get this?
No, their password could be compromised. Like mine was. Someone could have gained it from a compromise on another system as mine was. Once they had the password they could have intercepted Papas emails, add theirs to the chain and then use their own email address. I'd also suggest that somewhere along they deleted all other emails so as not to have Champion notice.Exactly. As I said earlier their server has been compromised. Only way this could have occurred In this way .
I'm sure we did. I will ask my wife who is the one who sent the e transfer.
Murray is a dinosaur. I was referring to the 1950's....Was a 1995 movie with Angelina Jolie
Let's not go quite that far back, but certainly the 70's when hack was something you did to wood. LOLMurray is a dinosaur. I was referring to the 1950's....
No, their password could be compromised. Like mine was. Someone could have gained it from a compromise on another system as mine was. Once they had the password they could have intercepted Papas emails, add theirs to the chain and then use their own email address. I'd also suggest that somewhere along they deleted all other emails so as not to have Champion notice.
I still hack wood. My favorite saw for finish woodwork has always been a chainsaw.... True story..Let's not go quite that far back, but certainly the 70's when hack was something you did to wood. LOL
Perhaps this article will aid your defence Murray: The History of the Word Hacker - Deepgram BlogLet's not go quite that far back, but certainly the 70's when hack was something you did to wood. LOL
It didn't embarrass me that I was kind enough to buy someone a couch!Yeah, go ahead Murray, click the link. Then you can add to the thread the embarrassment of being taken advantage of...
Sorry, my name is PapaSmurf and I only have blue children, but their account info is 16B9345 password forkUGrandpa Murray it's me your grandson. I've been arrested and need $5000 for bail. Oh yeah, they only take Beer Store gift cards as payment. Pranouti Courier Service will come by to pick up later...
Now that's what we call a 'rub'....Sorry, my name is PapaSmurf and I only have blue children, but their account info is 16B9345 password forkU