Exporting Ammunition

[ugimports]

First off, I don't intend to actually even attempt to fulfill this request, but I want to see how far a spam email will go.

I also don't want to reply, if in fact, by my reply I will be admitting to something I shouldn't be doing. Here's the email received:

Re: Inquiry No. JE99002P045
Subject: RFQ - Cartridge, Caliber 0.45


Dear Sir:

Please quote your best price for item listed below. We will
place our purchase order to you soon if your price and terms
are acceptable to us.


Item No. 1:

Cartridge, Caliber 0.45
NSN: 1305003011685
Cartridge Model No.: M1911
QTY: 1,550,000 Rounds

End User: Taiwan R.O.C. Army.



Your cooperation in this matter will be very appreciated.
We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely

Alwin Chen
Vice President
Rocom Corp
11719 Gunners Drive
Germantown, MD 20876
Tel: 301-528-0350; Fax: 301-528-0875
e-mail: goi68@aol.com

I already replied once with something polite such as:

You should contact ammunition manufacturers directly for this volume. Sorry, I can't provide pricing for you in this quantity.

But they sent me a "2nd request". If I reply with some absurd number does that get me in trouble with exporting laws if I don't ever intend on following through? I'm curious to see how their scam works and so want to pretend like I'd do it... I'm unclear how ITAR or what other export laws are involved, but would like to know if merely playing the email game will get me in trouble.

Thoughts?

[gose]

(i) Whoever willfully violates or conspires to or attempts to violate any provision of the EAA, the EAR, or any order or license issued thereunder, with knowledge that the exports involved will be used for the benefit of, or that the destination or intended destination of items involved is, any controlled country or any country to which exports or reexports are controlled for foreign policy purposes, except in the case of an individual, shall be fined not more than five times the value of the export or reexport involved or $1,000,000, whichever is greater; and, in the case of an individual, shall be fined not more than $250,000, or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both

So you might get slammed with a "conspiring to...", even though you havent really done anything yet.
I would run run run away from this.

[halifax]

Forget the quantity issue. Tell them you are not setup to deal with export/customs issues. If they won't take NO for an answer report your concerns to DHS.

[ugimports]

Forget the quantity issue. Tell them you are not setup to deal with export/customs issues. If they won't take NO for an answer report your concerns to DHS.

Yeah, I've used that excuse with people trying to buy stuff from out of the country

I'll try it again with this one and see what happens.

[freonr22]

it would have to be to indicate end user, otherwise why would the requester list it??

[ugimports]

I figured as much...that's why I was curious if merely emailing (even with no intent to follow through) implies some sort of intent.

[halifax]

I figured as much...that's why I was curious if merely emailing (even with no intent to follow through) implies some sort of intent.

Seems to me convincing anyone that you had no intent to follow through would be tough if you continue the emails.

[ugimports]

Seems to me convincing anyone that you had no intent to follow through would be tough if you continue the emails.

I think it would be pretty easy if it went to court, not that I would want to have to prove it there.

If I never get a quote from a distributor on anything close to this quantity of ammunition or ever email communication or phone call to any ammo manufacturer then just my emails don't mean much. Especially since I was planning to quote like 3x market price to see how the scam worked.

I think intent would have to show that I was actively trying to source the product and make shipping arrangements..all effort I wouldn't really expend. Email is easy to do, click Reply, type a bunch of BS, click send.

In any case, as recommended I didn't proceed with the fishing expedition anyhow. Oh well... no way now to see if they were going to send me a money order for 1 million too much and ask me to cash it and send back the change

[gose]

Seems to me convincing anyone that you had no intent to follow through would be tough if you continue the emails.

Yeah, trying to prove in court that there was no intent to follow through when the emails say otherwise might not be a position you want to be in.

If nothing was done, except emailing, it probably wont stick, but if the buyer turns out to be someone on some watch list, you might be in for a (expensive) ride

[FNH5-7]

Wow sounds like a scam good thing you didn't go with it. To me what gave it away was "Cartridge Model No.: M1911" I don't think there's a 45acp ONLY FOR the 1911....there are many 45 caliber guns.

[ugimports]

Something I didn't do until now, but it looks like (if that was a real location) the person works in the middle of the street:

http://bit.ly/bYsxrD

[Bt Doctur]

A further search reveals this,same address but no information except a non USA phone number

http://titanictrade.com/MyContactUsView.aspx?cat=3&typ=7&opt=1&cod=20083242232110&key=&blc=US&bdw=MY&page=1&mid=NDQ2MQ%3D%3D-zGLlbwGmNXA%3D

[ugimports]

A further search reveals this,same address but no information except a non USA phone number
http://titanictrade.com/MyContactUsV...zGLlbwGmNXA%3D

That's actually a us phone number just written differently:
001-301-5280350 = 1-301-5280350 = 301-528-0350