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Not sure if I am reaching out in the correct space.
Received an email recently from "Shopify Support" recommending Gary Carruthers (Underwater Pistol) as an expert to help with my Shopify platform. I engaged the person as recommended, but having some concerns regarding legitimacy. A request for a meeting was refused on the basis that now is his peak period and that he also doesn't speak English well.
My research pointed to this person being located in London. Having gone through the dialogue and ready to set up for payment for service the email given did not contain and reference to such "reputable" company nor the persons name. The email given was fakokundeazeez@gmail.com.
I am willing to work with Gary as certified expert, however, I need help verifying legitimacy.
Hi @HSDCo
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HI @HSDCo
If you got an email from "Shopify Support" you should check the actual email. As here you can find 5-6 topics a day with the same or similar scam attempts. Shopify will never use a Gmail account just their own domain. Now Gary Carruthers (Underwater Pistol) is a name you can find, but the excuse that "he also doesn't speak English well." should be a big red flag. As it is a UK agency, you can check their partner page here:
https://www.shopify.com/partners/directory/partner/uwp
Scammers often take a name that could sound good, but if you actually talk to them you would find out straight away.
Note that given the Gmail name, if you search you will find a lot of connections to Nigeria, so another big red flag.
So I would recommend immediately removing access if you give any, and blocking any emails or messages from scammers.
And there are probably some good Shopify developers from Nigeria but those do not use those scammer's tactics and are honest upfront.
Good luck and take care.
It’s good that you’re being cautious. Here’s how you can verify the legitimacy:
Check Shopify Experts: Visit the official Shopify Experts directory to see if Gary Carruthers (Underwater Pistol) is listed as an approved expert. Legitimate Shopify experts will be featured there.
Verify Email: The email address you received from is suspicious—Shopify experts typically use official company domains, not personal email accounts.
Contact Shopify: Reach out to Shopify Support directly via their official channels to confirm whether they recommended Gary Carruthers.
Request More Details: If Gary is legit, ask for a business website, certifications, or professional references to ensure you’re working with someone trustworthy.
Be cautious about proceeding without confirmation!
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