Zhengzhou Gently Business contacted me about a video production job. I dealt with Anna there. They were pretty convincing and sent me lots of documentation. But in the end it turned out to be a scam. I thought I would put a post to warn anyone else who might be concerned that this company is engaging in fraudulent contacts.
Dear Ken, Many thanks for your post & response. How did you find out that it was a scam ? They are trying to buy some products from us and are happy to pay upfront but would like to receive some samples first. Many thanks for your advice. Jim
They operate out of a residential address. Their web site was hosted by a web host well known for spamming. When I started inquiring more about their business status they quickly change the contact information on their domain. There were other factors also that made me suspicious. When I asked too many questions and made clear I would not pay any contract signing fees or gratuities they cancelled our negotiations. If you want to know 100% if they are legitimate you need someone in Hunan to go to the business licensing bureau and look up their Industry and commerce number: 410103100005032. However I think they will find that it's associated with another business with a different name. Stick to the old adage. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't.
Dear Ken, thanks to your blog or I'd have wasted time pursuing this fake business opportunity!
We are a brand consultancy firm in Singapore. This company approached me to provide a proposal for the brand development of a budget hotel. The budget of USD200,000 was given but it was too good to be true for such a development. Other telltale signs include: 1. their email looks really unprofessional (kiddy!); 2. their brief was not concerted; 3. they touched on payment terms prematurely; 4. they sent another brief on a unrelated project by accident.
I'm glad this was helpful, Jamie. I put this up because I did numerous searches on ZGBC and found no warnings on the web. I hope that someone who actually lost money to them comes forward to try and shut down their site.
They got me. Same scam as they tried to pull on the SG Branding Group except I'm a Landscape Designer and Project Manager. Lots of emails, all suspicious, but I had another reason to go to China so I figured, why not ? My mistake. They were ready to sign the contract, mobilization fee was going to be wired to my account but "could I buy some gifts for the company managers"?. $1500 worth of cigarettes. That was when I realized that this charade had just gone too far. I was on the plane and out of there the next morning. BEWARE of Zhengzhou Gently Business. THEY ARE SCAMMERS !!!!!!!
We have also had contact with them and as I was in the region anyway I took a moment to see what they were about. I think all the comments are accurate and that it is not a bone fide business. They are currently working on scamming UK landscape design businesses and I know of three now that have been contacted. Andrew
Thanks for posting Fisher. If you know of any good UK landscape design web forums or blogs you might want to try posting a warning. The more warnings about Zhengzhou Gently Business out there the less likely someone else is going to waste time with them.
Hi Ken, We are a french advertising agency. We confirm that Zhengzhou Gently Business are scammers. They contacted us 2 months ago for 3D animation films. I went in Zhengzhou to sign a contract with them but now they don't send the deposit to start the job.
I am a landscape designer in California who was contacted The Gently Co. At least when they rip you off, they do it Gently! The supposed were building a big "eco village' about 16 acres but when I asked for a site plan they told me that it was "secret" I figured maybe they had some missile silos on the site. They kept pushing , pushing for me fly there and give them a detailed bid on the design, and then sign a contract. I told them if they wanted to withhold necessary information from me, my bid was going to be a secret too.The question I have is why landscape designers? We are not what I would call "deep pockets" they would be much better of scamming bankers or prison guards
How can I see the dates of the posts? it just shows me the time? I wanted to know when Anon from California posted his and when he was contacted by ZGBC?
This is the Landscaper from California. I was contacted in late O ctober. The name of my contact at Gently was "Linda" These people are amateurs, the package they sent was thrown together and is just a bunch of stuff pulled off the net. I have worked on enough legitimate projects to know when someone is faking it.
Have been back and forth with ZhengZhou Strong Business Co. They have $300k for animations of a new hotel development. They have sent Blueprints of what to create, and payment terms. For the work they want their budget is on par. We set up a separate bank account with another bank unrelated and figured we'll see what can happen. So far no activity. They were to pay 30% up front to begin. Now they want a meeting in China to sign in person. I think not. No contract no payment, no visit. They've not reponded to a Skype call or request to visit us here.
Anyone want to set up a domain name "Zhengzhou_Gently_Business_Fraud.com"?You're welcome to copy the content on this page or link here. These people are pretty active and I'm tired of seeing people having their time wasted by them.
Hi again Ken, we challenged them about their business name, asked how Zhengzhou Strong Business was related to Zhengzhou Gently Business. We told them no deposit, no work or no trip to China to sign any agreements. The story changed and now they'll come here. Last email was that they'd come in June.
So you know, the business number they gave us was exactly the same as yours. "Kenny" was the guy and I found info from "Anna" online. He said that was his "associate."
I own a Landscape Design business in Melbourne, Australia. Same thing ($300k design, come to China to sign contract). Contact person's name has changed to "ella". Thanks for your site. 12/2/2011
A warning to all of you contacted by any Chinese Businesses. Keep it simple, no deposit, no work, no visit. If they really want your service they will come to see you - its the Chinese way. Anything else is a scam. Been doing business in China for 7 years and it pays to play by the Chinese rules.
Hi Ken, thanks for the post. I was in China and pop over to Zhengzhou to sign the contract with them. Same trick, they asked for cigarettes as a "gift" for their managers and they gave me 2 5meters long silk painting in return. My question is why would they spend all the effort to cheat on the cigarettes? I even spoke to their bankers whom told me the fund is in process. The waiting is about a month now, so let's just see about it...
Ken thanks so much. I was just about to head to Zhengzhou to sign a branding contract for 175K for a new 5 Star Hotel. However I thought they where funny due to their emails and asked around some contacts in Hong Kong. Didn’t take long to get to your blog. These guys are a wind up. Got to love their consistency with designers. This must have worked in the past otherwise they wouldn’t keep it up. Keep well clear people.Thanks again Ken. Pew!!!!
Well The show goes on. We a 3D graphic design house out of Cape Town South Africa and fell victim to this scam with Zhengzhou Strong Business as early as 4 weeks ago. We got the contract signed and bought the smoke :)
Since then they have even had the nerve to continue stringing us along by mailing us that they will initiate payment soon. At least i saw some of china, but yes it is most definitely a scam. All for a couple of smokes :) we currently working on a YOUTUBE warning re China fever. Wish i saw this blog earlier.
We are a South African Visualisation Studio, Studio Dolby
We were approached by a Mr Cherry Fan from Zhengzhou to visualise a new hotel complex, Business International Hotel Apartments, with a budget of $300k. At first we were caught up in the scam and spent quite a lot of time working out a cost estimate, which was hard to do as the information was vague and we could not get a better brief out of the guy. The information was strange collection of text and images cobbled together, which definitely needed to be professionally done if they want to get the hotel off the ground. The bad spelling and grammar I thought was due to the language difference.
They happily accepted our quote and wanted to see us in Zhengzhou, I eventually clicked that something was up - I did a web search and came up with this website and the game was up. I however played along with this guy, gave him a date and sent him on a wild goose chase over the city to meet me at various hotels. He confessed after I told him I had reported him to the Chinese Authorities:
Hi Rupert
Believe it or not, after you sent me the email, I quit my job yesterday. I was looking for you twice in the hotels and I feel that something were not right. I will graduate from my university this June and I never expect that I have gone into such a company! I was terrified and I am sorry. I have been working for this man for about one month and I will send my apologize letter to my every client. Yesterday, I just look through the computer that they use, I find their building or hotel were about to built form last year to this year but never come into being. And they change their company name many times as well we their own names. I am so sorry and just from your letter I realise that I was working for a liar. Thank you!! You are just saving me from a terrible crime. So I am very grateful and I will never step into that company again!! And I will close that email box so that they cannot use it to cheat others. I am grateful that you were my first client and I haven't do the ugly business for them even once. And thank you again.
Cherry (I will never use that name again since I used it to cheat on others. Thank you and I am sorry.)
Thanks everyone for your comments. Please post warnings on other websites and blogs so that this information is easier for people to find when people search for Zhengzhou GBC.
I have been contacted over the last month about Zhengzhou Strong business too. Out Hawaii based firm has been involved with many landscape architectural projects and this was to good to be true. I feel better now, as my gut instinct was correct.
I decided to follow up with them after I called them out on their scam. Yet, they say they don't know what I'm talking about and still are planning on coming to the states to "sign papers"
Total BS since December, back and forth and the story changing.
Thank you Ken for this post and all who have come forward to expose this fraud.
On Jan. 3rd 2012, our organization, Landscape Design Advisor was contacted by a representative of Zhengzhou Strong Business Co. named Ella Liu. She said her company was planning an Eco-Village project in China and wondered if any of our landscape architects would be interested.
We were surprised to read Andrew Fisher Tomlin's post that this scam is being perpetrated in the UK as well. There were other countries mentioned like South Africa and Australia.
We will be notifying our members about this company and advise them to take extra cautionary steps when dealing with overseas clients, like taking the advice that someone commented above, 'Keep it simple, no deposit, no work, no visit.'
Hi everyone! These scams are back again, same tactic of asking for landscape design and 3D animation, just that they have change of company name. This is their new company name and contact details. Do take note!
山东青岛仁特实业发展有限公司 ShanDong QingDao Trading Limited
中国、山东省、青岛市经济技术开发区产业园A区B栋五号
联系人：赵娟 电话：+86 532 8166 0715 传真：+86 532 8552 5388
Email: sdqdrt0532@163.com
邮编：266000 Here is their website http://www.sdqdrtgs.diytrade.com/
same situation here in interior design firm in Kuala Lumpur,i get suspicious after they offered us to go over china to sign the contract so why i try to search the background of this company. some update to their id:18806422406 email address:18806422406@163.com website :www.sdqdrtgs.diytrade.com
please spread it everyone to avoid any big scam happen. Thanks ken for opening this blog.
Hi Ken Thanks for your sharing. Is same situation in hong kong interior design firm.They say that have the interior project in Qing Dao.They suggest the great offer. We have some doubt,because is too smooth going. So i use the phone number to search their information.Let me avoid the scam happen.
35 comments:
Dear Ken,
How do you know about Zhengzhou Gently Business Co ?
Is this company not involved with internet scams ?
Regards,
Jim
Zhengzhou Gently Business contacted me about a video production job. I dealt with Anna there. They were pretty convincing and sent me lots of documentation. But in the end it turned out to be a scam. I thought I would put a post to warn anyone else who might be concerned that this company is engaging in fraudulent contacts.
Dear Ken,
Many thanks for your post & response.
How did you find out that it was a scam ?
They are trying to buy some products from us and are happy to pay upfront but would like to receive some samples first.
Many thanks for your advice.
Jim
They operate out of a residential address. Their web site was hosted by a web host well known for spamming. When I started inquiring more about their business status they quickly change the contact information on their domain. There were other factors also that made me suspicious. When I asked too many questions and made clear I would not pay any contract signing fees or gratuities they cancelled our negotiations. If you want to know 100% if they are legitimate you need someone in Hunan to go to the business licensing bureau and look up their Industry and commerce number: 410103100005032. However I think they will find that it's associated with another business with a different name. Stick to the old adage. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't.
Dear Ken, thanks to your blog or I'd have wasted time pursuing this fake business opportunity!
We are a brand consultancy firm in Singapore. This company approached me to provide a proposal for the brand development of a budget hotel. The budget of USD200,000 was given but it was too good to be true for such a development. Other telltale signs include:
1. their email looks really unprofessional (kiddy!);
2. their brief was not concerted;
3. they touched on payment terms prematurely;
4. they sent another brief on a unrelated project by accident.
Jaime
I'm glad this was helpful, Jamie. I put this up because I did numerous searches on ZGBC and found no warnings on the web. I hope that someone who actually lost money to them comes forward to try and shut down their site.
They got me. Same scam as they tried to pull on the SG Branding Group except I'm a Landscape Designer and Project Manager. Lots of emails, all suspicious, but I had another reason to go to China so I figured, why not ? My mistake. They were ready to sign the contract, mobilization fee was going to be wired to my account but "could I buy some gifts for the company managers"?. $1500 worth of cigarettes. That was when I realized that this charade had just gone too far. I was on the plane and out of there the next morning. BEWARE of Zhengzhou Gently Business. THEY ARE SCAMMERS !!!!!!!
Thanks, Glen, for the report. If you want to post or email me more details of your encounter I would be interested to know what I missed :)
Hi Glenn
I had a similar experience with the ZZGB Ltd.
When did you visit them and which project was it? I found another guy in the States, also landscape designer who was approached.
What a lot of effort for some cigarettes? Did you think they had bigger scam plans once they had got you hooked? Cheers Tom
We have also had contact with them and as I was in the region anyway I took a moment to see what they were about. I think all the comments are accurate and that it is not a bone fide business. They are currently working on scamming UK landscape design businesses and I know of three now that have been contacted.
Andrew
Thanks for posting Fisher. If you know of any good UK landscape design web forums or blogs you might want to try posting a warning. The more warnings about Zhengzhou Gently Business out there the less likely someone else is going to waste time with them.
Hi Ken,
We are a french advertising agency.
We confirm that Zhengzhou Gently Business are scammers. They contacted us 2 months ago for 3D animation films. I went in Zhengzhou to sign a contract with them but now they don't send the deposit to start the job.
I am a landscape designer in California who was contacted The Gently Co. At least when they rip you off, they do it Gently!
The supposed were building a big "eco village' about 16 acres but when I asked for a site plan they told me that it was "secret" I figured maybe they had some missile silos on the site. They kept pushing , pushing for me fly there and give them a detailed bid on the design, and then sign a contract. I told them if they wanted to withhold necessary information from me, my bid was going to be a secret too.The question I have is why landscape designers? We are not what I would call "deep pockets" they would be much better of scamming bankers or prison guards
Hi Ken
How can I see the dates of the posts? it just shows me the time? I wanted to know when Anon from California posted his and when he was contacted by ZGBC?
This is the Landscaper from California. I was contacted in late O ctober. The name of my contact at Gently was "Linda" These people are amateurs, the package they sent was thrown together and is just a bunch of stuff pulled off the net. I have worked on enough legitimate projects to know when someone is faking it.
Have been back and forth with ZhengZhou Strong Business Co. They have $300k for animations of a new hotel development. They have sent Blueprints of what to create, and payment terms. For the work they want their budget is on par. We set up a separate bank account with another bank unrelated and figured we'll see what can happen. So far no activity. They were to pay 30% up front to begin. Now they want a meeting in China to sign in person. I think not. No contract no payment, no visit. They've not reponded to a Skype call or request to visit us here.
Oh well...
Anyone want to set up a domain name "Zhengzhou_Gently_Business_Fraud.com"?You're welcome to copy the content on this page or link here. These people are pretty active and I'm tired of seeing people having their time wasted by them.
Hi again Ken,
we challenged them about their business name, asked how Zhengzhou Strong Business was related to Zhengzhou Gently Business. We told them no deposit, no work or no trip to China to sign any agreements. The story changed and now they'll come here. Last email was that they'd come in June.
So you know, the business number they gave us was exactly the same as yours. "Kenny" was the guy and I found info from "Anna" online. He said that was his "associate."
Let us know if they actually come to meet you and sign a contract. But be warned about the sort of people you are dealing with.
I own a Landscape Design business in Melbourne, Australia. Same thing ($300k design, come to China to sign contract). Contact person's name has changed to "ella". Thanks for your site. 12/2/2011
A warning to all of you contacted by any Chinese Businesses. Keep it simple, no deposit, no work, no visit. If they really want your service they will come to see you - its the Chinese way. Anything else is a scam. Been doing business in China for 7 years and it pays to play by the Chinese rules.
They are also representing themselves as Zhengzhou Strong Business Co., Ltd.
http://www.hnzzsm.com/gsjj.asp
They attempted to run the brand design scam on us too. Although we're not really sure what their end game was/is.
I agree with "Keep it simple, no deposit, no work, no visit. If they really want your service they will come to see you - its the Chinese way."
good post!
Hi Ken, thanks for the post. I was in China and pop over to Zhengzhou to sign the contract with them. Same trick, they asked for cigarettes as a "gift" for their managers and they gave me 2 5meters long silk painting in return. My question is why would they spend all the effort to cheat on the cigarettes? I even spoke to their bankers whom told me the fund is in process. The waiting is about a month now, so let's just see about it...
Ken thanks so much. I was just about to head to Zhengzhou to sign a branding contract for 175K for a new 5 Star Hotel. However I thought they where funny due to their emails and asked around some contacts in Hong Kong. Didn’t take long to get to your blog. These guys are a wind up. Got to love their consistency with designers. This must have worked in the past otherwise they wouldn’t keep it up. Keep well clear people.Thanks again Ken. Pew!!!!
Well The show goes on. We a 3D graphic design house out of Cape Town South Africa and fell victim to this scam with Zhengzhou Strong Business as early as 4 weeks ago. We got the contract signed and bought the smoke :)
Since then they have even had the nerve to continue stringing us along by mailing us that they will initiate payment soon. At least i saw some of china, but yes it is most definitely a scam. All for a couple of smokes :) we currently working on a YOUTUBE warning re China fever. Wish i saw this blog earlier.
We are a South African Visualisation Studio, Studio Dolby
We were approached by a Mr Cherry Fan from Zhengzhou to visualise a new hotel complex, Business International Hotel Apartments, with a budget of $300k. At first we were caught up in the scam and spent quite a lot of time working out a cost estimate, which was hard to do as the information was vague and we could not get a better brief out of the guy. The information was strange collection of text and images cobbled together, which definitely needed to be professionally done if they want to get the hotel off the ground. The bad spelling and grammar I thought was due to the language difference.
They happily accepted our quote and wanted to see us in Zhengzhou, I eventually clicked that something was up - I did a web search and came up with this website and the game was up. I however played along with this guy, gave him a date and sent him on a wild goose chase over the city to meet me at various hotels. He confessed after I told him I had reported him to the Chinese Authorities:
Hi Rupert
Believe it or not, after you sent me the email, I quit my job yesterday.
I was looking for you twice in the hotels and I feel that something were not right.
I will graduate from my university this June and I never expect that I have gone into such a company!
I was terrified and I am sorry.
I have been working for this man for about one month and I will send my apologize letter to my every client.
Yesterday, I just look through the computer that they use, I find their building or hotel were about to built form last year to this year but never come into being.
And they change their company name many times as well we their own names.
I am so sorry and just from your letter I realise that I was working for a liar.
Thank you!! You are just saving me from a terrible crime.
So I am very grateful and I will never step into that company again!!
And I will close that email box so that they cannot use it to cheat others.
I am grateful that you were my first client and I haven't do the ugly business for them even once.
And thank you again.
Cherry
(I will never use that name again since I used it to cheat on others.
Thank you and I am sorry.)
Thanks everyone for your comments. Please post warnings on other websites and blogs so that this information is easier for people to find when people search for Zhengzhou GBC.
Aloha
I have been contacted over the last month about Zhengzhou Strong business too. Out Hawaii based firm has been involved with many landscape architectural projects and this was to good to be true. I feel better now, as my gut instinct was correct.
Mahalo Ken
Bryan Maxwell, ASLA
2012-May-06
www.landscapearchitect.net
I decided to follow up with them after I called them out on their scam. Yet, they say they don't know what I'm talking about and still are planning on coming to the states to "sign papers"
Total BS since December, back and forth and the story changing.
Thank you Ken for this post and all who have come forward to expose this fraud.
On Jan. 3rd 2012, our organization, Landscape Design Advisor was contacted by a representative of Zhengzhou Strong Business Co. named Ella Liu. She said her company was planning an Eco-Village project in China and wondered if any of our landscape architects would be interested.
We were surprised to read Andrew Fisher Tomlin's post that this scam is being perpetrated in the UK as well. There were other countries mentioned like South Africa and Australia.
We will be notifying our members about this company and advise them to take extra cautionary steps when dealing with overseas clients, like taking the advice that someone commented above, 'Keep it simple, no deposit, no work, no visit.'
Best,
Allen Quay
Landscape Design Advisor
Hi everyone!
These scams are back again, same tactic of asking for landscape design and 3D animation, just that they have change of company name. This is their new company name and contact details. Do take note!
山东青岛仁特实业发展有限公司
ShanDong QingDao Trading Limited
中国、山东省、青岛市经济技术开发区产业园A区B栋五号
联系人：赵娟
电话：+86 532 8166 0715
传真：+86 532 8552 5388
Email: sdqdrt0532@163.com
邮编：266000
Here is their website http://www.sdqdrtgs.diytrade.com/
Thanks for sharing that information! Please keep spreading the word whenever you come across these sort of email scams.
Dear Ken,
same situation here in interior design firm in Kuala Lumpur,i get suspicious after they offered us to go over china to sign the contract so why i try to search the background of this company.
some update to their id:18806422406 email address:18806422406@163.com
website :www.sdqdrtgs.diytrade.com
please spread it everyone to avoid any big scam happen. Thanks ken for opening this blog.
Hi Ken
Thanks for your sharing.
Is same situation in hong kong interior design firm.They say that have the interior project in Qing Dao.They suggest the great offer. We have some doubt,because is too smooth going. So i use the phone number to search their information.Let me avoid the scam happen.
刘先生
TEl:13792478491
山东青岛仁特实业发展有限公司
山东省-青岛市经济技术开发区产业园A区B栋五号楼
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