Confirmed Scam Site : South Africa Halo E-Liquid Shop

[Renaldo]

Hi all,

I have come across a local website that proclaims to be the South African Halo branch. www.halocigs.co.za. I have checked the website and it has all the same logo's and layout as the US Halo website. It also have the costs in Rand and explains how they use the South African Postal Service. They have a contact number in Durban.

I did try and contact them to confirm their details but their "contact us" page links to info@halogigs.co.za. Note the misspelled email. Needless to say the email bounced back as it needs to be info@halocigs.co.za

I am only mentioning it here as there is no mention of a South African branch on the USA Halo website and I also can't find any such announcement on the internet.

I might be wrong but I would rather warn people before they order something and never get it. If the owners of the shop could comment here and possibly explain the process that would be appreciated.

 

[BumbleBee]

Hi all,

I have come across a local website that proclaims to be the South African Halo branch. www.halocigs.co.za. I have checked the website and it has all the same logo's and layout as the US Halo website. It also have the costs in Rand and explains how they use the South African Postal Service. They have a contact number in Durban.

I did try and contact them to confirm their details but their "contact us" page links to info@halogigs.co.za. Note the misspelled email. Needless to say the email bounced back as it needs to be info@halocigs.co.za

I am only mentioning it here as there is no mention of a South African branch on the USA Halo website and I also can't find any such announcement on the internet.

I might be wrong but I would rather warn people before they order something and never get it. If the owners of the shop could comment here and possibly explain the process that would be appreciated.

Their Halo Premium Support link is also spelled incorrectly as info@haolcigs.co.za. This could be legit, maybe whoever put this website together did it in a hurry and these are just a few typos, or maybe not. @Renaldo have you mailed Halo directly to confirm the existence of an official agent/branch here?

 

[Renaldo]

I have not gotten to that point yet but I will do so now. Thanks

 

[VapingSquid]

Misspelling by switching two letters is a classic phishing technique - happens a lot in URLs too.

They purchase a domain name with one letter swapped (always in the middle, never at the end) and then rip all the stylesheets etc from the original website and hey presto!

I wouldn't go near this with a ten foot barge pole. And any web dev / registrar that misspells TWO email addresses without testing it should be out of a job by now.

To add:

1. There is no security certificate as there is on the original (payment gateways)
2. Social media channels that require security tokens (eg. Twitter) are omitted because to link to them they need authorisation from the master account)

 

[argief]

The domain is registered to a Durban address under Gareth Simaan. No registration for the mentioned incorrectly spelled addresses must be poor design and/or review before publication.

This is all publicly available information.

 

[GlacieredPyro]

Also no SSL anywhere it seems.
Stay faaaaaaaaaaaaaar away.

 

[ErnstZA]

This is him. I see the cradlehotels.com website has been suspended.
Somethings fishy

 

[SHiBBY]

Don't stress, the domain expires in two months from now after being registered in 2013. Perhaps the result of considering to start up a business, then deciding not to do so in the end and just letting the registration run it's course. You can give him a ring if you really want, just to confirm what's up

Gareth Simaan: 0823327155 (Source: whois.net)

 

[Renaldo]

Tried to call yesterday before even posting this, no answer. If indeed it's just lying dormant why still offer things for sale where you can be taken to the pay screen? Just find everything wrong with this one.

 

[SHiBBY]

Hahaaa jeez I only saw the phone number available on the website now...

Please call +27 31 123 4567
Po Box 12345

I can't see my screen through all the red flags my mind is waving around...

 

[Renaldo]

100% Confirmed to be fake. Below is the message I got from Halo USA. Do not buy from them.

 

[Sir Vape]

Yoh !!! They Durban as well apparently

 

[Renaldo]

Have you ever considered making something similar to their Sub Zero? Massive gap in the market for that flavour with the ICE touch.

Yoh !!! They Durban as well apparently

 

[Sir Vape]

Working on something Stay tuned