We’ve learned a bit more about the Overture 3D printer filament scam that seems to be ongoing.
For those that didn’t see the original story, it seems that some unknown persons are setting up a scam site to slurp up money and possibly information from unknowing 3D printer operators looking to buy filament.
Overture is well aware of this, and posted this message on their website a few weeks ago:
“URGENT ALERT: Fraudulent ads are promoting fake Overture3D websites selling filament at suspiciously low prices. These scams aim to steal your info. We’re actively working to get these fraudulent sites taken down. If you ordered from one of these sites, please contact your bank to report fraudulent activity.
Protect Yourself: Always make sure the website URL is consistent with the store name, and use PayPal or Shopify Checkout for an added layer of security. Stay safe!”
The questionable ads quickly disappeared, but they recently returned, and my team noticed them. We managed to capture a bit more information about the scam before things disappeared again.
Above you can see the top of a Facebook page for the not-Overture company. The page itself appears to represent Overture, but is not quite like the actual company website that can be found here.
Of interest is that the Facebook ad pointed to a product category on website jcuires.com (do NOT go there). When we looked through the ad link, we found that it had later been taken down. However, the main website is still there.
The website appears to be a men’s online clothing store, but all of the product images are clearly AI generated and not real. The site seems well-put together, just like a real sales site.
It seems to me that someone is building up this site as the receptacle for buyers looking for 3D printer filament at some point in the near future. This makes sense: spray out a ton of ads on various platforms and have them all directed to one sorta-legit-looking website where the orders (and money) can be collected.
Who is behind jcuires.com? In their about page, they list the company name as “GET RICH TECHNOLOGY UK LTD”, and an actual address.
Looking up the address, which is a real location in the UK in Wales, it is a business called “Ghost Mail”.
Hm.
None of this is real. If you actually want to buy Overture filament, simply go to overture3d.com and buy the items from their store. You can also buy from the company’s official Amazon store.
There is no need to click on random suspicious adverts to buy filament. Just go directly to the company websites.
Be very careful, everyone – there may be other sites masquerading as your favorite filament provider!
[Hat tip to Richard]
