Rich Graham isn’t taking the bait.

Last October, the C-suiter at Texas-based promo products distributor BigPromotions.net shared with ASI Media how several scammers posed as buyers from well-known universities and tried to get him to fulfill product orders for which the crooks would have never paid.

Graham sniffed out the swindles and didn’t fall prey – something he did again just this week when another digital criminal advanced on him, fronting as a purchaser for fast-food chain Sonic.

The approach fits the pattern of ongoing con attempts that would-be swindlers have been aiming at promo distributors; ASI Media has been reporting extensively on this phenomenon in recent years to help warn the industry. Some promo pros believe it’s all an organized racket and, while many spot the attempted crookery before being taken, others have sadly been victimized.

Graham’s fraud antennae were up from the get-go when the email dinged in from the fake buyer, who identified himself as “David Mark,” alleged to be a buyer for Sonic based in Oklahoma City. ASI Media couldn’t, as of this writing, identify if the con artist was using the name of an actual employee in this instance (as is sometimes the case) or an entirely fictional identity. Regardless, Sonic had nothing to do with the scam.

Heads up #promoproducts distributors ~ Thanks to John Bagwell for sharing this story with me. Continued vigilance is important, even if you think you've seen it all.https://t.co/h4WPeysH87

— Chris Ruvo (@ChrisR_ASI) March 8, 2024

The email was suspicious, said Graham, because the products being requested were a 100-pack of 16-ounce white paper hot cups and 1,000 units of coffee cups with lids. “Why would Sonic send out a random email for paper cups?" Graham asked rhetorically. "Doesn’t make sense.”

Furthermore, the wording in the email seemed off. It began, “Dear Sales, We, The Sonic Drive In,” – an awkward start, to be sure.

Stay vigilant: Con artists are posing as #promoproducts suppliers, targeting industry distributors with a malware-fueled scam.https://t.co/NbVzJB8yDh@asicentral

— Chris Ruvo (@ChrisR_ASI) March 22, 2024

There were other tells, too: The website and email address were made to mimic the real Sonic URL – https://www.sonicdrivein.com/ – but were clearly not legit upon closer examination, being “sonicdrivesinc.com.” The con artist was also asking for net 15 or net 30 terms, a shady proposition for a first order.

“We really have to be vigilant with every incoming request,” said Graham. “We have to closely examine everything to determine its legitimacy. This one wasn’t that hard to spot, but other times it’s not as evident, and it’s crucial to pay attention. It’s wild out there.”

Indeed: In March, ASI Media reported that scammers are also posing as promo suppliers to advance malware swindles. And this week, the industry’s second-largest distributor shared details on a recent data breach.