Blue Book has received multiple reports of fraud or fraudulent intent involving a scammer impersonating a former owner of a legitimate, long-established business.
The scammer initially reached out to unsuspecting companies via the email address of jerry.floridafood.ffp@gmail.com, requesting to purchase such items as “avocados, bell peppers, round tomatoes, romas, and limes.”
The following reflects a portion of the scammers email signature:
Blue Book has called the referenced phone line multiple times; however, the calls go unanswered and has voicemail characteristics similar to previous impersonation scams.
Analysis of the email communication shared with Blue Book shows industry knowledge in commodity markets, but also consists of grammatical errors and overall lacks professionalism. Please note, methods of communication, signature names, as well as emails and phone lines will evolve.
WARNING: If you receive inquiries from new or unfamiliar businesses, thoroughly vet the company before proceeding with any transactions! Ensure the company completes your credit application and cross reference it against the company’s Blue Book profile.
Check references and be sure they are legitimate operators! It’s a good idea to call the company at its Blue Book listed phone lines and ask for the person communicating with you, rather simply replying to a potentially bogus email or the number the person calls on.
If you do not have a formal credit application process, Blue Book recommends using our credit application tool. To use, go to a company’s BBOS profile page and select “Request Credit Application” on the right side of the page:
This tool will send the credit application directly to the company that’s inquired with you. Blue Book will manage the process from start to finish, sending you a completed application if or when the company follows through.
Please be advised that the scammer completed a credit application for companies that have reported this matter to Blue Book and within the credit application, three business references were shared that are not listed by Blue Book.
A report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in April 2024 highlighted that “scams impersonating well-known businesses continue to be among the most common types of fraud reported.”
In 2023 alone, the FTC received over 330,000 reports of business impersonation scams, resulting in more than $1 billion in losses — and that’s just the reported cases! There are known losses associated with this alert!
BE CAUTIOUS: Always conduct due diligence before engaging with unknown businesses. If you encounter suspicious product requests or are unsure of the authenticity of the inquiry, report them to Blue Book, share the information with your trading partners, and notify local law enforcement.
Stay alert and protect your business and others in the industry!
