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Q: CV.MUNAGAME ... Scam? ( Answered 4 out of 5 stars,   3 Comments )
Question  
Subject: CV.MUNAGAME ... Scam?
Category: Business and Money > Small Businesses
Asked by: lunamoody-ga
List Price: $15.00
Posted: 19 May 2006 06:53 PDT
Expires: 18 Jun 2006 06:53 PDT
Question ID: 730358
Hi,

I'm thinking of purchasing some PSP's from a wholesaler in Indonesia 
called "CV. MUNAGAME"  (or MUNAGAME) but I've never dealt with a
global trader before, and I'm concerned that the company may be a
scam. Can you let me know if they can be trusted (real or fake?) Their
website and contact info are below:

CV. MUNAGAME
Contact: Diana Larasati
Addres: Jln.Todak Revindo Industrial Park Blok D4 No.36 Batu Ampar,
Batam-Riau, Indonesia
Phone: +622291502872;+6281809511982
Fax: +622291502873
Website: http://www.munagame.com
Answer  
Subject: Re: CV.MUNAGAME ... Scam?
Answered By: answerfinder-ga on 19 May 2006 09:31 PDT
Rated:4 out of 5 stars
 
Dear lunamoody-ga,

We researchers are often asked to conduct research on companies and
sometimes it is not possible to give a definitive answer because the
information is not always there to be found, or because by the very
nature of a fraud, the truth is hidden.

As yet, I have not been able to confirm the company?s existence at the
Ministry of Industry, Indonesia, as their site is not responding at
the moment. I am posting my answer now as I consider I have sufficient
information for you, I will however, return to their site later and
carry out the search.

In this case, I think you would be best advised not to deal with the company.

My reasons are:
Wrong structure of the company. They are confused as to whether they
are a partnership or a limited liability company.
Unreliable statements concerning their establishment date.
Insufficient evidence of good trade references.
Domain name only registered for one year.
Different telephone numbers in different parts of Indonesia.

Their web site states they started business in February 2006.
http://www.munagame.com/About%20Us.html


The domain name was created in April 2006 and only lasts one year. 

"Registrant:
  munagame.com
  Diana Larasati    
Munagame@tamil.com
  Jln.Todak Revindo Industrial Park Blok D4 No.36 Batu Ampar
  Batam
  Batam
  Batam,29432
  ID
  Tel. +62.2147483647
  Fax. +62.2147483647

Creation Date: 17-Apr-2006
Expiration Date: 17-Apr-2007" 
http://whois.domaintools.com/munagame.com

They only appear on self-promoting business web sites such as ecplaza and alibaba.

On ecplaza they supplied the establishment date of August 2005. 

?Founded Date 8/2005
No. of Employees 40 to 49
# Capital Assets 100,001 to 500,000 US$
# Annual Revenue 50,001 to 100,000 US$
# Net Revenue 50,001 to 100,000 US$
Company Dimension Small, Corp., Listing?
http://member.ecplaza.net/asp/directory/profile.asp?did=85195&mid=cvmunagame


They only joined timway trading on 21 April 2006, but this is not the
date the company was established.
http://trading.timway.com/company/companyInfo.php?cTYPE=&memberid=munagame

Whatever the date this company is alleged to have commenced trading,
there is an insufficient history of their activities from satisfied,
or unsatisfied customers, to provide evidence that they are a reliable
company.

Their About Us contains phrases which appear on other similar web
sites. This is often found on fraudulent web sites.

?with our extensive inventory, superb customer service, rock bottom
prices and experience, etc?
http://www.knockoffbuys.net/
http://www.alstonenterprise.com/contact.em?pid=462163

?then please let us take you to a journey into the world of our?
http://www.alibaba.com/company/10600982.html
http://www.alibaba.com/company/10344802.html

The address appears genuine in that there is a trading estate by that
name, but I have been able to find any corroborating information that
ties down the address any further.

The telephone numbers provided on both the domain name registration
and the web site are different, and do not match the Batam telephone
codes.

On the About Us page reference is made to NPWP. This is Nomor
Pendaftaran Wajib Pajak which is a personal and company tax number. I
cannot check this number.


"CV" in the company name is the abbreviation of "Commanditaire
Vennootschap", which means a limited partnership. However, they give
their Business State as PMA.  PMA is a joint venture between
Indonesian and foreign partners. A joint venture of this nature must
be registered under a Limited Liability company. They are therefore
totally confused as to their company?s correct legal position. You may
consider that this information has been placed there without knowing
as to its true meaning.

Background information:

Partnerships in Indonesia
?>Partnership in any of three kinds: 
                  Maatschap or Persekutuan Perdata 
                  Firma or Firm 
                  Commanditaire Vennootschap or Persekutuan Komanditer 

Partnership
Foreign persons may not be partners in a Persekutuan Perdata, a firma
or a commanditaire vennootschap. Accordingly, we have not dealt with
this type of entity here.?
http://www.hsasia.net/Indonesia/indonesiabasicbusinessstructures.htm


?A PMA company is generally considered to be a joint venture (JV)
between foreign and Indonesian partners. Such a partnership can
involve corporations or individuals. The law states that the joint
venture should take the form of a Limited Liability company (denoted
as Perseroan Terbatas - PT) and is subject to Indonesian Corporate
Law.?
http://www.indonesia.nl/articles.php?art_cat_id=34&rank=1
Limited liability companyies
http://www.kanwilpajakkhusus.depkeu.go.id/infoInvestment.asp


As I stated, I will try the Ministry of Industry later and let you
know of the result.

My conclusion is therefore not to deal with this company. 
You can see my experience in this area by looking at my previous
answers on this subject.
http://answers.google.com/answers/search?q=answerfinder-ga+indonesia+fraud&qtype=answered


I hope this answers your question. If it does not, or the answer is
unclear, then please ask for clarification of this research before
rating the answer. I shall respond to the clarification request as
soon as I receive it.
Thank you
answerfinder

Clarification of Answer by answerfinder-ga on 20 May 2006 02:51 PDT
Dear lunamoody-ga,

The Ministry of Industry search engine is still not responding.
http://www.dprin.go.id/ENG2005/Content2.asp?mode=21&view=frm

However, I think jncsuppliers-ga's useful comment adds sufficient
additional information to warn you off this company.

answerfinder-ga
lunamoody-ga rated this answer:4 out of 5 stars

Comments  
Subject: Re: CV.MUNAGAME ... Scam?
From: jncsuppliers-ga on 19 May 2006 09:54 PDT
 
100% SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The website claims to have a lead time of 3-5 days for Sony PS3 for only $225.
1) The PS3 is supposed to be out in November.
2) When it does come out in November the price will be well over $500,
even for wholesalers.

Also, NEVER pay anyone over the internet with a wire/tt transfer
unless you are 100% certain that it is a real company, and even then
it is much better not to use an unsecure payment in case of a dispute.
 That is the number one payment option for all scammers.  Only use
secure forms of payment such as credit cards (protected against fraud,
they will refund you the money then go after the scammer themselves),
Paypal (protected up to a certain amount), escrow.com, or fly to the
"store" and pay in person when you can see the goods.

Other reasons why this place is a scam:
-Xbox 360 and PSP price is wayyyyyy to low.
-log in/registation does not work at all
-I too am in the wholesale/reselling business, and I have yet to come
across a legitimate Indonesian company.
-Everything about the company info looks just like other scams I have
seen, from the new website, to the email addresses, and the marketing
techniques.

Do not waste anymore time with this company.  They are fake, the
prices are too good to be true, and nothing adds up.
Subject: Re: CV.MUNAGAME ... Scam?
From: lunamoody-ga on 20 May 2006 20:07 PDT
 
Thanks for the quick response and info!
Subject: Re: CV.MUNAGAME ... Scam?
From: numberonebuster-ga on 09 Aug 2006 08:11 PDT
 
I have another company for eveyone to look at http://www.rosofstore.com

Again think that this is a scam as well.

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