Today I received a request for an estimate for my business Growthworx, which provides web development and SEO services.
The screenshots below show the request — and yes, it turned out to be a scam. I had a hunch from the start, but I decided to play along just to see how far the scammer would go. Let me walk you through the whole experience.
For SEO purposes, I’m including the exact email below — verbatim, exactly as the scammer sent it (broken English and all):
| Name: Corn Deann |
| Message: |
| I have a small clothing business for both male and female which i run here in Indianapolis IN , all now am trying to expand the business and i want you to build an E-commerce website for it for advertisement and to increase my sales rate..so i need you to checkout this site but i need something more perfect than this it is possible, http://www.missrebel.co.uk The site would only be E-commerce so i need you to give me an estimate .The estimate should include hosting and i want the site to have not more than 8 pages since it is E-commerce and I have a private project graphic designer ,he has the text content, images and the logos for the site. Note: 1. I want only English language 2. I don’t have a domain yet but i want the domain name as swishwearsel.io or swishwearsel.tv 3.You will be updating the site for me. 4. I will be proving the images,logos and content for the site. 5. I want the site up and running before the end of next month. 6. My budget is $7300 Kindly get back to me with: (1) an estimate (2) and Actually I want something like the miserable site i provided to you caused the Content and the logo and images is with the graphic designer once you are about to get the services started i would surely provided that to you and i want you to get back to me with the estimate on the website design services I only wanted an E-commerce site i like the layout of the site that is why it was sent to you as sample i will like to go with the swishwearsel.tv I think that will be better as a domain name you can purchase that for me.I am not selling on the site yet that is why i want it informational for now.I have up to 50 items i want to upload on the site for now .i want the site updated monthly each time i have new designs i want to upload on the site.I will like the search engine optimization ,It will make it easier for people to get to my site my budget is for the website alone ,I would have my private project graphic designer forward the information you will be needing as soon as you come up with an estimate.I would like you to get back to me with your estimate so we can proceed |
I responded with an estimate
I sent over an estimate, and he agreed to it right away — eager to pay. (Already a red flag, but let’s continue.) I asked him to send the payment via Wise.
Here’s my Wise referral link, by the way.
He said he couldn’t use Wise. Fine — I offered an alternative: pay directly through my website using a payment link for around $10,000. He refused that too.
That’s when his broken English in a follow-up message confirmed my suspicions.
I Googled his email addresses — [email protected] and [email protected] — and found a blog post warning about exactly this kind of scam: Avoid Web Design Scams (Edit: 2026 Update – The content is removed by the user, so I had to remove the hyperlink). Feel free to visit my Web Design Agency that will help you in need.
At that point, I cut off the conversation and decided to write this article instead — so anyone else who searches for these emails or this name can find a clear warning.
Thanks for reading.
Below is the full Hangouts conversation (unedited):
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 1:57 PM
Let’s chat on Hangouts!
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:00 PM
Hi
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:05 PM
Hello
How are you doing today
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:06 PM
I am doing well. What about you?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:06 PM
I’m good
So I would like to proceed with the payment now
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:08 PM
Sure. Can you do it with Wise? It would be less hassle. I’m not too sure about Payoneer. I haven’t received many payments through it before. But if you’re comfortable with Payoneer, I’m okay with it too.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:08 PM
Sure I’ll
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:09 PM
How can I communicate with your Graphics designer?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:09 PM
I would like you to know that I would have to get back to you in few minutes Just want to make some clarification with the Graphics Designer regarding all the necessary documents needed for my website and I would get back to you shortly once I discussed
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:10 PM
Okay, no problem! Take your time.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:35 PM
I already conclude with the graphic designer now and i would be needing a little favor from you regarding to the graphic designer who has the text content ,logo,images needed for my website and i would be grateful if you could help me with the favor?
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:35 PM
Yes, sure. Let me know what I can do.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:38 PM
Okay good , I would like you to help me with the favor so he can drop you the content file and go ahead with my project…..I need this website i would be glad if you could help me out with this favor , I want you to send me an invoice of $7,820 , $2,500 if your your down deposit payment plus i want you to deduct the $100 for your gratitude to get this done for my website design and the remaining $4680 you would help me send its to the graphic designer that has the text content and the logo for my website as half payment , once he has the $4680 he would send the text content and logo needed for my website to you also the funds would be sent to him via Skills into is account , please let me know if you can help me with this ?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:40 PM
So you would be sending me an invoice of $7820 ok
You would deduct your down payment of $2500+100
And have the rest $4680 sent to him
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:42 PM
Oh, I understand now. Okay, I can do it. But shouldn’t the down payment be $3,500 — half of the total project cost of $7,000?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:42 PM
You can also get Bitcoins for him
Ok if that is the case
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:43 PM
Bitcoin isn’t available in Bangladesh, so I can send him USD instead.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:44 PM
$3500+ $7200 would be total of $10,700
So send me an invoice of $10,700
So you would deduct $3500 as your down payment
And have the rest $7200 sent to him ok
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:45 PM
$7,200 for your graphic designer? Didn’t you say $4,680 earlier? Let me know if I have this wrong.
And the total should be $4,680 + $3,500.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:46 PM
Yeah that a type error
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:46 PM
$8,180 total.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:46 PM
It’s $7200 for the graphics designer ok
It’s a phone type error
So it’s $7200 for the graphics designer so I hope you are understanding me regarding to this
So go ahead and have the invoice of $10,700 sent to me now
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:47 PM
I get it. So the issue is that Wise doesn’t have an invoicing option. Can you send the $10,700 directly instead?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:47 PM
You can have it sent through payoneer
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:47 PM
Ok sure
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:47 PM
That would be preferable
Yeah
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:48 PM
What is your email address?
Oh, one more question — how will I send money to your graphic designer? Where is he/she based?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:49 PM
You can have it send to him thru coinme
You can easily setup with coinme online and it’s would be easy to have a Bitcoin sent to him directly
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:50 PM
Ok
What is your email address to send the invoice?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:50 PM
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:51 PM
I know this app. Thanks
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:53 PM
Sure my email address is [email protected]
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:53 PM
Thanks!
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:53 PM
So I’ll be awaiting on it
So you would be needing what again
Full name and country right
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:54 PM
Yes, please
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:57 PM
First name : Corn deann
State : United state
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 2:58 PM
Thank you!
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 2:59 PM
Address : 5 MacArthu St, Stoughton Ma 02072
So let me know when you sent it
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 3:03 PM
Okay!
Don’t you have a Payoneer account with the email [email protected]?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 3:05 PM
No I don’t
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 3:05 PM
Ohh, okay!
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 3:05 PM
But that won’t be a problem
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 3:06 PM
What state do you live in?
Massachusetts?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 3:07 PM
Yes
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 3:07 PM
Okay!
What is your company name?
And website url?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 3:08 PM
Switchdeal
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 3:08 PM
Okay! And Website URL?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 3:10 PM
Switchdeal.co
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 3:19 PM
Done — I’ve sent you the invoice.
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 3:59 PM
Have you got it?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 4:06 PM
This is what I got
It’s didn’t show where it’s would say I should input my card information
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 4:07 PM
You can use this link then: https://link.payoneer.com/Token?t=63D25B2B72AC4497AA6DF872EA27C440
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 4:14 PM
You should have gotten this when you clicked the pay button.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 4:15 PM
Yes I got it
But is not showing where it’s would say I should Input my card information
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 4:16 PM
Did you click on Next?
On the last step, you’ll get the option to add a card.
You can’t pay me as an individual. Do you have a business account? These are the typical problems with Payoneer.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 4:19 PM
It’s not showing
See this
And it’s showing this
Is this your first time using it
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 4:21 PM
Yes, this is my first time requesting a payment through Payoneer.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 4:21 PM
Oh
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 4:21 PM
Can you pay with Wise?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 4:21 PM
No I can’t
It’s only payoneer
I think you should figure it out at your end
Maybe when you are staring the invoice
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 4:22 PM
What should I do while creating the invoice?
Have you sent payments like this before?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 4:23 PM
This my 2nd time making a payment via payoneer
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 4:24 PM
Okay! So last time it went smoothly, right? You were able to use your card?
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 4:24 PM
Yes it’s went successfully
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 4:25 PM
Can you try this one? https://link.payoneer.com/Token?t=0609F496FFA8472DA0EC7B651663E9C8
It’s a new invoice.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 4:29 PM
Still same thing
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 4:29 PM
Ok let me talk with Payoneer.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 56 min
Where do you click here
Click the second option and let me see ok
And send me the link
So I can see if it’s there
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 54 min
I see this:
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 53 min
Yes click the first option
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 52 min
And then? I did it this way.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 50 min
Yes click that
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 49 min
I did
And then I used the same “request payment” option.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 32 min
Yes have the link sent to me
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 32 min
You can also use this link to pay me — it accepts card payments: https://growthworx.com.bd/services/seo
Website design & SEO for 3 months
abdullahtofa.com
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 31 min
I can’t work with the link ok
So I can only make it eligible with Payoneer
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 30 min
Are you sure you’ve paid through Payoneer with a card before? I was warned that you don’t actually have a Payoneer account. Also, I’m getting the same link again — here it is: https://link.payoneer.com/Token?t=0609F496FFA8472DA0EC7B651663E9C8
And right now, I’m in touch with Payoneer support.
Nicholoson Anthonyy at 27 min
Still same thing
But it’s not possible I should have an account with them before I can make the payment with my card
Hussain Abdullah Tofa at 24 min
Ok no problem
I’ve given you all the options I can.
If that doesn’t work for you, then I guess there’s no other way forward.