Large Scale Central

Scam anyone?

General Discussion
#1

I received this in my email today. Thought I would share for the humor of it.

Dear Madam and Gentleman,

Hello ? How are you doing ?

First of all, I has been worked about 35 years from the Model Locomotive Manufacturer but I left that company as of the end of 2018 and established the AnyHobby Co., Inc for the new business relationship partnerships with you. So, we informed you that this company has established with the intention of producing and supplying the parts to using at your Models what you need, and we can manufacture or produce for the following parts. Of course, we will guarantee that the quality and delivery date for parts or purchasing agency instead you from the S/Korea will be ship the any parts on time. I also am reading the internet website and also, we can see of your contact way what we do.

We are pleasuring to meeting with you in this way and we also are very pleasure to introducing to you as we can offer the below details,

  1. Lost Wax Casted parts with Master Patterns by your drawings or samples for any scale
    — for the models, machine parts, Music instrument parts,

  2. Truck Set or Bogie sets

  3. Wheel sets for any scale

  4. Etched parts (Screen Parts by Film)
    for the brass, nickel silver and stainless steel,

  5. Press (Stamping) Parts for any scale
    — Stamping parts by press from any materials

  6. Screws & coil Spring parts

  7. Handmade samples for the Limited Models

  8. Production for the complete Models

— Scale model trains, air plane and boat by Brass materials

  1. Machine parts by Lathe(CNC)

  2. Plaques as like the builder plate and badges, etc

  3. Decals,

  4. Forging, Machine parts,

  5. The scale construction(Stations, famous building, old structures, architecture, Bridges, Signals) models, etc.

  6. It can be to apply the any scale for that parts.

So, we would like to suggestion to you that I can be to introducing for building the Brass Models or any parts of any scale by your data & Specification or samples. What about that with your new models for more attractive and beautiful by upgrade or repair ?

Please be let us know of your interesting for building with us. Also, we can guarantee the quality and shipping date by the highest quality and delivery for your models and merchandise on time. Or, If you want to the parts as like the details for the service parts, kit parts and retail to finding the repair parts by your customers, we can be to help and offering to the best available cost. Please be to help with it.

Please don’t hesitate to contact to us for your models and so many projects.

We are looking forward to hearing from you sooner and if you visit in Korea, Please call to us. Have a nice every days with your family !

Best regards,

Joseph, Cho
Anyhobby co., Inc
Room #302, 31, Junggye-Ro 16 Da-gil,
(Junggye-Dong, Samho Vill)
Nowon-ku, Seoul, Korea 01722
Korea Mobile : 82-(0)10-3896-7596

#2

Lol, let us know how your visit to Korea goes, Bob. Sounds like something you should pursue sooner (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)At least they weren’t offering to give you millions of dollars for free (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

#3

Korea is not unknown for the supply of finescale model trains, is it ? Looks quite plausible to me, all the processes and services listed are ones that would be offered by a small volume model manufacturer, or someone supplying to it - I was one once. Just some poor stock translation software and perhaps the need for a fluent English speaker to check over for the use of the vernacular and syntax.

If you have or have had some involvement or contact with model businesses, however tangenetal, you will invariably find yourself on a related circulation list. They exist not just for mug punters, so you will invariably get speculative contacts from the Asian subcontinent and South East Asia as a result. Business is business. I’d still go and check for 3rd party references though.

The biggest risk, dealing with China in particular, is that you get all the bits perfectly produced for your short run model shipped over only to find an identical product has mysteriously shipped just ahead of yours into your target market leaving you with a lot of virtually unsalable stock (or the need to ruinously discount ). I was told that by a major supplier to the “artisan” model business in the UK some 20 years ago. But then again maybe he was putting around the story to protect his own business interests as the Chinese suppliers started encroaching on his market with reliable and quality product (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)I followed his advice though (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)I’m still not sure if I should have taken the risk to this day.

#4

Like Max I think this could be plausible. I mean if I were to try and send an email of this sorts to South Korea it would probably read about the same. There is a real need for the services he says he is providing and if he indeed is able to produce them as he says he can it would be a big asset. However, I am also skeptical and probably would not give them any of my actual information.

#5

Well, the domain anyhobby.com is registered to an entity in china, not korea… no name on the registration… it could be real, and you could call on the phone, maybe invest 5 bucks…

The real issue is like the biggest problem with china, you will get a “prototype”, then give them the rest of the money, and then wait. Often what you receive is not the same as the prototype.

I doubt that anything less than a full blown business venture, with regular trips to Korea, and tranches based on performance would work.

Greg

#6

A little investigation finds this http://atlasrescueforum.proboards.com/thread/3347/korea-brass-email-u25c The mobile phone number matches your e-mail for (Cho, Sungoh) which leads to http://korea-brass.com/bin/minihome/neo_main758.htm?seq=9521&_aldo=280 which looks legit.

#7

According to their web site, they made the USA trains Big Boy, and the Hudson and the bi-level car carriers…

If you look at their web site, under history, time stopped in 2003…

So, maybe korea-brass made this stuff 16 years ago, but the lack of current history is concerning…

Greg

#8

My Hudson was made in Korea.

#9

Mine too… (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#10

The copyright on the website is 2012, and there is a deadlink to a news release from 2015. Also, if you look at the map, I don’t think this is an industrial section of Seoul (I haven’t been there in 15 years, but I walked all over that city!). I don’t recongnize any of the terrain features other than the little river is the Cheongunchang (or something like that). Restoring it was a major urban beautification project in the middle of the city under Mayor Lee Un-bak (or something like that) about 5-10 years ago. While possible, I don’t think they could afford the space for a machine shop here! At best, this is an office trying fall in on an old company’s gear and web infrastructure with a possible manufacturing site in China, in my opinion.

That being said, South Korea has master craftsmen in all sorts of boutique industries, and Seoul of 15 years ago had workshops in the darndedst places. I know folks who have had Harley Davidson’s customized in Seoul, and I had an acquaintance who worked with a Korean tailor to outfit his entire reenacting company in uniforms of correct material and manufacture. If you know the city - and can drink soju - it might be worth checking it out.

Eric

#11

US Website http://www.korea-brass-usa.com/

#12

One of the first warning signs of scam emails is the wording , using words out of context or the wrong tense.I would trust that e mail about as far as I could throw a computer. As someone who gets a lot of this kind of phone call and e mail scam , I would not keep it

#13

This email screams phishing on so many levels. For starters is the greeting. No one introduces themselves with a question in the greeting.

Stating that you have 35 years with one manufacturer with out some form of backup (like what manufacturer, or sufficient other information for one to surmise a manufacturer) is so much smoke in the wind. All the rest of the first paragraph is horrible translation, not a good way to introduce yourself.

Bullet points 1 thru 14 can be found anywhere in any model railroad forum with out looking to hard. The intriguing part for me is the ability to offer such a varied array of manufacturing processes as a start up. I don’t know of many well heeled manufacturing operations that can offer all those serviced in one place.

Again, the next paragraph mentions upgrades and repairs. Subjects that have been a staple in the forums for as long as I have been a member here and I am sure before that.

Inconsistencies in the name, address, web site, etc. all indicate less than forthright intentions. Being employed by a government contractor keeps me on my toes about phishing attempts, and this is one if I have ever seen one. Not sure of his end game, but I am not playing, hence publishing it here.

Max, I will beg to differ on the point of Korea not being in the model business. Back in the early days of my involvement in the model railroading hobby I modeled in 0 Scale, 0n3 to be specific. Some of the finest brass imports of the time came from Korea, long before China opened up to the rest of the world. I am sure there are others in my silver haired age group that will remember name like Anjin. I may look up some of the old back issues of MR and RMC and see if I can find a list for your enjoyment.

As for the Chinese copying technology, they are ‘Johnny come lately’ in that arena. The Japanese did it long before that with the transistor radios of the late '60s and ealy '70s right up to today in all avenues of electronics, except today they are the inovators. The Koreans followed suit with many items, including appliances. The Chinese do it with everything. They even beat us at our own game of recycling, they recycle OUR TRASH and send it back to us in blister packs.

#14

Bob Cope said:

Stating that you have 35 years with one manufacturer with out some form of backup (like what manufacturer, or sufficient other information for one to surmise a manufacturer) is so much smoke in the wind.

I believe this fellow is a former principal employee of Korea brass. That would be the same Korea brass that (along with Lionel) was forced to pay MTH $40 million for stealing their designs. Maybe he’s legitimately trying to break out on his own.

#15

Some of the better known Korean brass model train builders were Ah Jin, Sam Hong Sa and Dong Jin.

All of them dabbled in all scales with varying levels of quality.

#16

Bob Cope said:

Max, I will beg to differ on the point of Korea not being in the model business. Back in the early days of my involvement in the model railroading hobby I modeled in 0 Scale, 0n3 to be specific. Some of the finest brass imports of the time came from Korea, long before China opened up to the rest of the world. I am sure there are others in my silver haired age group that will remember name like Anjin. I may look up some of the old back issues of MR and RMC and see if I can find a list for your enjoyment.

As for the Chinese copying technology, they are ‘Johnny come lately’ in that arena. The Japanese did it long before that with the transistor radios of the late '60s and ealy '70s right up to today in all avenues of electronics, except today they are the inovators. The Koreans followed suit with many items, including appliances. The Chinese do it with everything. They even beat us at our own game of recycling, they recycle OUR TRASH and send it back to us in blister packs.

Bob, I think you need to read my comment at the start of my post again. I think it comes under the heading of “rhetoric”. I do have a modest, though minimal, awareness of Korea’s contributions to the model railroading world and other hobbies. As to China’s copying of other’s technology - if you were referring to my subsequent anecdote - I was more thinking about it in terms of it being generally accepted that companies trading from there having a somewhat laissez-fair attitude to other’s intellectual property rights in general - and how fear of that might be used to advance other’s positions - rightly or wrongly. Good old xenophobia at work in that last statement.

#17

Out of all the email in boxes that exist, why did this email end up in your in box? I ask that question when I get a suspicious email. If there is no way so n so would actually know me, I know its a scam before I even get past the introduction.

#18

David Maynard said:

Out of all the email in boxes that exist, why did this email end up in your in box? I ask that question when I get a suspicious email. If there is no way so n so would actually know me, I know its a scam before I even get past the introduction.

Yeah, the “Dear Madam and Gentleman,” is a bit out of touch, eh? Of course, it usually comes for a credit card company and says something like “Dear Valued Customer”. Right. So valued you don’t know my name?

#19

Max Winter said:

Bob Cope said:

…The Japanese did it long before that with the transistor radios of the late '60s…

Well son of a gun, am I the only one who still listens to the ball games on my transistor? Hey, don’t laugh…it gets great reception and I can take it with me anywhere I go.

#20

How did they find Bob? Searching the net for customers:

https://www.ecgrc.com/Contact%20Us.html

Bob’s name is easily found along with his association with trains, clubs, etc.

Greg