Skunk or Cat?

Recent events in trying to secure financing for a large energy project have uncovered a network of scam artists who all seem to be reading from the same play book. The common thread appears to be their ability to morph into whatever the victim wants them to be. This is important because we have all heard of the unfortunate incident when a neighbor treated a skunk as if it was Basil the cat. Of course the cat was blamed even though he was nowhere near the scene of the stench.

In the business world detecting skunks from cats can be crucial, and in the scam that hit my client it was clear that it might have been avoided. There are companies out there, usually just fronts on the Web, that promise to find your project the money it needs to proceed. They require three things, a copy of your business plan, a signed agreement to use their services and a monthly retainer. Oh, they will dicker and dodge about equity positions, finder's fees and all the rest, but that is irrelevant because what they need is the retainer. Some are modest, the lowest we heard was $5,000 a month, the largest $22,000 a month.

For that comfortable income, they guarantee that they will move heaven and earth to secure the $50 million you need to proceed. Yes, they will send your business plan to a number of hedge funds, and yes they may even make a few long distance calls to Geneva, and yes they might even score an interview. But remember, they are running between 10 and thirty projects just like yours. Twenty times $15,000 is a monthly income of $300,000 for doing very little.

When dealing with these people always ask if they are skunks or cats, and verify everything they tell you.  Dig around that press release announcing the $800 million Saudi Arabian desalination plant, talk to their clients and make sure that your agreement with them allows you an out for fraud.