Ziktrust, Zigtrust review: Transportation services

I am reporting the company ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS (website: https://ziktrustglobalcourier.com/) as being involved in a scam that consists of having targets pay shipment costs for non-existing shipments.

The scam works as follows:

- A scammer (a woman impersonating a US Army staff sergeant approaching retirement, deployed in Saudi Arabia) contacts interlocutor via social media.

- Chats with interlocutor to gain confidence.

- Tells interlocutor a touching story about being alone in the world.

- Asks interlocutor to help her with the cost of shipping certain goods of sentimental value to a certain place in connection with her retirement from the US Army. She will reimburse the costs later.

- Interlocutor is contacted by a shipping company called "ziktrust Global Courier Service", with the e-mail [protected]@gmail.com and a logo similar to the "Z" symbol used by Russian forces in Ukraine. Messages from this address are sent by one David Arthur, "Chief Delivery", who is supposed to be senior staff. Shipping company requests to transfer a certain amount of shipping costs (in this case ca. 5,000 €) to a certain account, for instance in Portugal. The account is that of an insignificant recent company or a company that doesn’t exist.

- This interlocutor, wanting to be helpful but wary of "ziktrust Global Courier Service", googles their name and comes upon the website https://ziktrustglobalcourier.com/, allegedly pertaining to a shipping company ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS, seated at St. Michaels Wy., Metrocentre, Gateshead NE11 9YG, United Kingdom. The site features an e-mail address [protected]@ziktrustglobalcourier.com and a phone number +[protected], but the phone number can be used only for Whatsapp communications, not for phone calls.

- This interlocutor uses the chat function of the ZIKTRUST website to inquire whether [protected]@gmail.com and David Arthur, "Chief Delivery", are legit. The person on the other side confirms and then requests transfer of the shipping costs to another account than that provided by David Arthur. The interlocutor requests a coordinated reply from David Arthur and ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS, which is not provided despite insistence. Finally, interlocutor receives an e-mail from the e-mail address on the website, nicely signed by one Chief delivery officer Mr. Samuel Smith. Supposedly Mr. David Arthur in Saudi Arabia doesn't want to release the shipment until payment is made to the account he indicated, but he has been told by his superior Samuel Smith to back down. Interlocutor is reassured that he will pay to the correct account and shipment is on the way.

- Interlocutor makes the transfer and reports back to scammer with the good news that her problem is being taken care of. Scammer asks for a copy of the payment slip. Upon receiving that copy scammer urgently contacts interlocutor stating that the payment was made to the wrong account and should be cancelled, and that payment should instead be made to David Arthur, who the scammer now "reveals" is a good acquaintance of hers and the US Army staff at the base.

- Interlocutor requests bank to cancel transfer, contacts ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS demanding that the amount transferred according to their instructions (5,129 € to an account in Turkey) be returned in case it enters said account.

- ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS try to coax interlocutor into upholding the transfer with insistent WhatsApp messages, assuring interlocutor that they will take care of the shipment and that interlocutor should not listen to David Arthur, who is a troublesome employee.

- Interlocutor refuses and insists on refund.

- ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS insists that package is on its way.

- ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS does not answer interlocutor's questions about particulars of the package and circumstances of its shipment.

- ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS claims package is with customer in Portugal and sends interlocutor an alleged tracking document with a tracking number and a carrier reference number but no object/consignment number. Interlocutor contacts customs in Portugal, who say cannot locate any package based on this information and have never heard of ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS. Which means the package doesn't exist.

ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS has no company registration number and can also not be found in yellow pages. This suggests that ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS is a fraudulent organization throughout.

ZIKTRUST GLOBAL EXPRESS is linked to a company called ZIGTRUST GLOBAL XPRESS, website https://ziktrustglobal.wixsite.com/ziktrust, allegedly located in 500 Terry Francois Street San Francisco, CA 94158. The address seems to be fake, as according to Google Maps there is no Terry Francois Street in San Francisco, the street is called Terry Francois Boulevard.

ZIGTRUST GLOBAL XPRESS can provide no commercial registration number.

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