Spring 2020 and we are seeing a number of direct email scams from people pretending to be legitimate container companies. these all follow a similar pattern, here are the emails we have seen so far.
Please note, all these company names are legitimate companies, they should not be avoided, however scammers are sending out emails using these legitimate company names. These circular emails shoudl be avoided.
We detail the standard MO below. to date all emails have followed a very similar format and will be obvious clones of each other.
To clarify – please do not respond to any of these emails, these are scam emails not in any way connected with the company name used in each of these emails.
If you see similar emails propitiating to be from different legitimate trading companies, please forward the email to us so we can add them to this list. Ordinarily as a scam progresses the scammers will change and update their scam as they go. Please keep us posted with any updates so we can track this scam, and make it as hard as possible for the scammers to get away with this.
We have excellent resources to help keep this up to date if the scammers evolve this scam further.
Email From Kennith Hall or Linda Sloane from Halls Containers Ltd
Email sent from: kennithhallcontainers@gmail.com
Subject: Sales
Emails to date have been cc’d (not BBC’s) to typically 20-30 email addresses in one go (but we understand they are sending out multiple versions of each email)
Email Text:
Dear Sir /Madam
I am writing to you on behalf of Halls Containers Ltd to inform you of an opportunity that may be of some interest to your organisation and workforce. We have due to overstocking, limited space and a decline in business almost 200 shipping containers of various sizes available for purchase and long term hire.
In an effort to clear the available units swiftly they will be sold at a fraction of retail value.
The containers are high quality CSC ISO Certified units and range between just 6-12 months old so the condition is of course excellent as expected and with over 9 years warranty remaining.
For further information and/or any general enquiries please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Yours sincerely
Linda Sloane (Halls Containers Ltd)
Images used in the email
The real Halls Containers
we’re honestly not 100% sure on this one, the only halls containers we can find is an esty shop selling small domestic storage tubs. If you operate a container trading firm called halls containers in the UK please get in touch.
Email from John Kings at UK Containers Direct
The containers direct version of this email we believe was an early version, as the email does not include as many images and detail, but has much the same content as the halls containers email above.
the message text reads:
On behalf of UK Containers Direct we have a fantastic opportunity for all you other container companies out their to purchase some of our existing stock as we are over stocked with shipping containers of all sizes, we are looking to offload some of our container stock to other clients so if you would be interested please feel free to send me an email and i will get back to you as soon as i can, look forward to your reply.
they then list a similar block of containers for sale that is shown in the images in the halls containers email
50 x 10 ft shipping containers
34 x 20 ft shipping containers
26 x 40 ft shipping containers
10 x 20 ft office containers
12 x 30 ft office containers
15 x 40 ft office containers
16 x 20 ft refrigeration shipping containers
21 x 40 ft refrigeration shipping containers
The Real Containers Direct
Containers direct is a long established container trading firm, contactable on 0800 141 3604
Email From George Lendon at Lendon Containers
If you click on the logo for Lendon container in the email, it takes you through tot he genuine Lendon containers website.
Email From: George Lendon (lendoncontainersales@gmail.com
Subject: Containers
Message body:
Dear Sir /Madam
I am writing to you on behalf of Lendon Containers Ltd to inform you of an opportunity that may be of some interest to your organisation and workforce. We have due to overstocking, limited space and a decline in business almost 200 shipping containers of various sizes available for purchase and long term hire.
In an effort to clear the available units swiftly they will be sold at a fraction of retail value.
The containers are high quality CSC ISO Certified units and range between just 6-12 months old so the condition is of course excellent as expected and with over 9 years warranty remaining.
For further information and/or any general enquiries please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Yours sincerely
George Lendon
Images Used:
The real Lendon Containers
if a long established, reputable business. Its a small family firm run by Lendon and his wife rosemary. There is no one called George Lendon working at this company.
Phone: 020 7350 1940
Email from BSL Containers
We are trying to source an original copy of this email to update this page.
The real BSL Containers
BSL are a long established manufacturer and importer of shipping containers. Head office is contactable on 852 2363 3381 during hong kong office hours.