Qingdao Gunjiang Import & Export Co., Ltd.

Buyer’s Nationality:
South Africa

Seller:
Qingdao Gunjiang Import & Export Co., Limited

Seller Website:
http://www.cngunjiang.com; http://cngjpaper.com/

Seller Address:
Room 602, No 232, Weihai Road., Shibei District, Qingdao, 266600 China

Initial contact with the supplier:
Introduced by a 3rd party

Type of product(s) being purchased:
TDI 80/20, MDI-PM200 and Polyol (PU Foam Raw Chemicals)

Value of the Purchase Order when the incident occurred:
6,001 to 12,000 USD

Destination market of order in question:
Republic of South Africa

Type of Complaint(s):
missed lead times, contract violations, scams & other unethical activities

Stage of relationship with the supplier at the time of the incident:
Initial Order

User Experience:
On the 12th October 2016 I made a search on the internet and social media looking for a company that sells PU Foam raw materials i.e TDI, MDI and Polyol. Around 02:50am I received a FB inbox and a guy introduced himself as Chen Li (email: lgd7979@foxmail.com ), a sales agent for company called Shanghai HongYi Import Export. He requested my email address and Skype details and we began chatting on Skype and he sent me regular emails regarding the chemicals. He was very sincere and cooperating a lot with my requests for details. I requested that he sends me samples first, our agreement was that I pay for the samples and if I place an order, they will deduct the cost of the samples thus meaning I get the samples for free. I agreed and payed $570 on the 26th October 2016 to their bank account and they sent me the samples as promised. We made a few tests and I was happy with the samples.

The bank details now were addressed to a company called Qingdao Gunjiang Import & Export CO.,LTD and no longer Shanghai HongYi Import Export CO.,LTD (I didn’t take note of this until later on). My sales guy Chen Li then proceeded to inform me that he no longer works for Shanghai HongYi but rather that he is now at Qingdao Gunjiang. We continued with our relationship via Skype and email until he went on a business trip and gave me his manager’s details. On the 14th December 2016 I connected with the manager, we spent some time on the phone talking about the relationship we have built and how I want to begin buying small so that we can build the trust.

I ordered 3MT from the manager, she convinced me to make it 5MT as that is the minimum order quantity. I agreed and made it 5MT. We had a few disagreements about the payment option, I wanted to pay deposit, she wanted it all cash upfront because it was a small order. After a few emails, I surrendered and agreed to pay upfront, I got some pressure from my client and I made promises to deliver to my client, the supplier was beginning to pull back and I panicked thinking I will loose this extremely good deal that has the potential to make me and my client money. I authorized the bank to deposit the money.

The following day after the bank transfer, I received info via FB that my sales guy is fake. I received communication thread and also false purchase orders that was sent to this guy in Vietnam, they scammed him $16 250.00 he told me what happened to him and I inquired both from Chen Li and his manager Ada Li and they gave some story that they don’t know this company. I requested to know when will my order be delivered now that I payed them, I have been receiving silent treatment from them ever since.

In an attempt to lure them on the 3rd January 2016 I requested an additional 35MT and suddenly they replied, begging me to deposit 40% of $52 380.00 when I agreed to pay the deposit on the condition that the initial order be received first, Ada gave me the run around. On the 4th January 2016 she then begged me to reduce the deposit from 40% to 20% and immediately deposit that. Her focus was now on the big order and no longer mentioning the initial 5MT order which I payed in cash. Further investigation revealed that they change their company names constantly to scam people, however, the pictures and the address they use is the same:

Qingdao Gunjiang
Room 602, No 232
Weihai Road, Shibei District
Qingdao, China
admin@cngunjiang.com
Tel: 86 532 8980 0790

The different companies they used previously has the same address, email, tel and fax number. Does anyone know what I can do to recover the costs at this point in time??

User Recommendations:
1. There is no such thing as a bargain
2. If it is too good to be true, then its not true
3. Trust your instincts, they are always right.
4. Under no circumstances must you pay all the money upfront, the the supplier carry the risk.