I THINK I know these suckers. Not sure if these are their real or fake names though.

Here is the scam procedure:

1. They request a paper (usually big one - about 20 or more pages) to be completed within a couple of days.

2. The company sends them a payment link to pay (or they try to unsuccessfully pay at the time of ordering).

3. When the payment doesn't go through (most of the times it doesn't since they have incomplete numbers or don't have a correct zip/security code/address), one of them contacts the company via email and claims there was an unexpected problem with his card and asks the company's representative to charge his "brother's" credit card instead. Then he emails the "brother's" card number and expiration date to the company that ASSUMES he is a legit client who just has a problem with his card (he is nice and "helpful" throughout the process). The company that processes the cards is usually able to charge the card manually by providing the card number and expiration date ONLY (in such cases security code or even name on card are not required to successfully charge the card). After a month or so the real owner of the card disputes the charge because the credit card number was stolen.

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Bruce, I am sorry you had to go through this. I own a small freelance writing company (along with my husband) and I had to find out about these tricks the hard way too.

I am glad I discovered this site - maybe when more freelance writers and company owners start posting similar stories here, we'll be able to expose and get rid of those fraudulent people once and forever.

Lora