Hi,
What is the best way of accepting payment from a potential client in Nigeria? or should I not do business.
Thanks, Alicia

While I have no doubt that there are many honest persons in Nigeria, the track record for business dealings with persons located there is poor, at best. You must be very cautious about dealing with anyone whom you don't know very well, and I'd recommend more than the usual preliminary diligence before accepting any new business from that country.

Hi,
They will send an international check-- If I deposit it and wait for it to clear -- can I then ship the tiles

I would only accept a wire transfer - an international check cold be returned months later.

Alicia-

Are you aware of the current scams coming from Nigeria? If not you might want to become familiar with them so you do not become another victom.

If they're adamant about the 'International Check' - tell them you'll take it to your bank as a collection item and only ship the merchandise after receiving payment.

How does one do and accept a wire transfer.
Thanks, Alicia

Accepting a wire transfer means you have to give this individual the name of your bank, your account name and account number. PLEASE DO NOT DO THAT. The odds are you are going to get scamed.

Ask yourself, Why does a person in Nigeria need to purchase tiles from someone in the US?

Thanks everyone-- My instincts and my gut are telling me not to do this-- They seemed more on the level than most.

My tiles are irresistible-- not easy to find.

Alicia

Alicia,

LISTEN TO DON!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had this incident at our bank and the hell our customer's went through was definately not worth the trouble of one sale.

Seadevil

Thanks, Seadevil and Don for your very clear warnings...... I have contacted buyer and have told her I don't do intl sales and please -- not contact me again.

Alicia

Con men/women are good at what they do. The more convincing they are, the better they fool you.

Also, please understand the meaning of a check "clearing" the bank. You may deposit a check and the teller will tell you it will be available in "x" days. That does not mean the funds have been collected and not subject to some kind of return. It only means that by government regulation a bank can only "hold" for a set number of days.

If you simply must make the sale, do as TexTrainer suggests. Ask your bank to send the check for collection and only ship when you have received funds from your bank.

Search these threads for "Nigerian" and you will become more educated about the various spins of this scenario that are out there.

And as unfortunate as it may be, perhaps the only way Nigerian society will make it a priority to curb the "cottage industry" of fraud will be for merchants like you to refuse to do business. When the scam artists make it difficult enough for even honest Nigerians to do business abroad, maybe they'll realize it's a problem they need to address.