The most dangerous type of scam is Identity deception. The most common type of Identity disguise that prevails today is disguising the location. For example, some scrap traders disguise their location as they are from China. Actually they will be located in Nigeria and they disguise their true location so that they can fool the customers and swindle the money.

However, there are many ways to identify these scammers. They can be easily tracked using their contact numbers.

1. Most of these scammers use a VIOP number to disguise the location. You can note that the VIOP numbers with prefix +4470 or +4487 are rarely used by genuine companies and they never belong to China.

2. Knowing the geographic location of any contact number is easy. http://www.numberingplans.com gets you the information about the geographic location of a contact number. You just need to key in the contact number. If the location shown by this website is different from what the scrap company claims, then no doubt it’s a scam. Save yourself.
    

You are right..

A few more precautions..

The phone number of these guys are routed from Europe to Africa. If you make a call you can witness the extra time for redirection and the voice being heard as if from down the well.

Also they will give you an European bank detail which is mainly an offshore bank whose account is linked somewhere to Africa.

Double check with the bank and ask if the account holder is a native of the country he have mentioned.

You can find out the culprits from their language, Call them directly and if you smell any foul drop the deal. 

Just to add a few more points. Most of the scammers never give the land phone number. They do not call at all. Also, in one case, fraudsters have used the names of genuine companies like CIIME & Metalica (based in UK). The guy , named Cook, was an african pretending to be a british with a fancy british name. BEWARE of these people. They are listed in this website as well.

I deal in HMS, used rails and steel trimmings.

Thank you for your kind information. Now I have moved the company(Scrap Metal Clearance Company Limited) with the contact name Mr.Michael Cook to our suspicious list. Please have a look at http://www.recycleinme.com/search/SuspiciousDetails.aspx?id=20558

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