It so sad that just about every day I could do a google search on scams and find another story like this one . . .
Work-at-home scams join on-line cons - News - The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News and Sports
The scammers got to websites where people who are really looking for work post their resume, and they then contact these people offering them a job. Many of them are called account managers or billing department managers, and they are basically funneling the counterfeit checks that the scammers make off to the victims. They are using the fact that so many Americans are looking for work to fuel their scam business.
I wish I could take out a full page ad in every newspaper across the country and post something on every employment and resume site on the internet about these scams to help warn people.
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Cosmetics Sales Rep Victimized by Check Scam | wltx.com
As we have talked about, there are a lot of work at home offers that are scams, but some of the ones that are NOT are working for a Home Party Plan type company, like Avon . . . but this story shows that just because you are working for a company like this does not make you protected from scams. In the article, Cosmetics Sales Rep Victimized by Check Scam wltx.com , they talk to an Avon Lady who took a couple of orders from people and accepted cashier's checks from them as payment. The checks later turned out to be counterfeit.
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Scam Busters: The Mystery Shopping Trap | News | Money/Investing | Mainstreet
In the article Scam Busters: The Mystery Shopping Trap News Money/Investing Mainstreet, they are talking about how the hard economic times have increased the number of people becoming victims of the Secret Shopper/Mystery Shopper Scams and other work at home offers.
Some of their suggestions include
Avoid "Keep the Change" Payment Plans - Be suspicious of any scheme where you are sent a check or money order for more than the amount you would be owed for your work.
Call Companies Directly to Verify their Checks - Use directory assistance to get a phone number independent of what number you've been sent by your new "employer." Call the company directly to verify the check.
Don't Respond to Pressure to Act Now - Some banks take 10 days, or more, to determine if a check is legit. Even if your bank lets you make a withdrawal sooner, wait until your bank assures you that a check has cleared.
Do a Name Check - The contact names from your new opportunity should match up. Mismatched names or other typos or unprofessional communications should be a red flag.
If You Get Taken, Report the Scam - The Internet Crime Complaint Center and the U.S. Postal Inspections Service are two good places to start.
Some of their suggestions include
Avoid "Keep the Change" Payment Plans - Be suspicious of any scheme where you are sent a check or money order for more than the amount you would be owed for your work.
Call Companies Directly to Verify their Checks - Use directory assistance to get a phone number independent of what number you've been sent by your new "employer." Call the company directly to verify the check.
Don't Respond to Pressure to Act Now - Some banks take 10 days, or more, to determine if a check is legit. Even if your bank lets you make a withdrawal sooner, wait until your bank assures you that a check has cleared.
Do a Name Check - The contact names from your new opportunity should match up. Mismatched names or other typos or unprofessional communications should be a red flag.
If You Get Taken, Report the Scam - The Internet Crime Complaint Center and the U.S. Postal Inspections Service are two good places to start.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Alabama AG King teaches seniors about fraud
I just read this article and I am so happy to see that some places are taking scam awareness and education seriously. There needs to be more presentations like this one, across the country!
Alabama AG King teaches seniors about fraud
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
Alabama AG King teaches seniors about fraud
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Scams and the bank's part
I would like to share with you a problem in our banking system that needs to be addressed in order to protect all banking customers.
It starts when people from overseas posing as potential buyers of large items for sale on the internet, such as cars, ask the seller of the item if they can have an associate of theirs in the United States mail them a cashier’s check for the amount of the item plus transportation overseas in order to expedite the process. They ask that once the check has cleared the bank, the seller withdraw the amount that is for transportation, and wire it to the buyer so he can schedule the shipment of the item.
When these cashier’s checks are deposited into the accounts of the sellers and they ask their banks to verify for them when the check will be clear and good, so that they can safely remove the funds needed, they are not given accurate information by the banks. Some are told that the check will be good in 24 hours, and some are told that the check is guaranteed good, so they should have no worries about the using the funds. Feeling safely assured the bank customer goes through with the transaction. Then, days later, when the checks are found to be counterfeit the banks are holding their customer responsible for the entire amount of the check, even though the bank had already assured them that the funds were good.
This is exactly what happened to my husband and myself in October 2002. We found out quickly that there was very little information that could help victims of these scams, so we decided to begin our own website, ScamVictimsUnited.com, in order to spread the word about this scam and help to save others from going through what we went through. While our efforts have helped stop over $2 million in the first two years of operation, so much more could be done if the banking industry would take more responsibility for actually verifying these cashier’s checks before the money is released to the customers.
It has been our dream and our mission to find a way to compel our government and legal system to take measures to help protect banking customers from this type of unfair and deceptive business practice. The banking system is failing to verify these checks and allowing counterfeit cashier’s checks to pass into the system which impedes the national interest of the United States because it finances crime, undermines the integrity of the international financial system, impedes the international fight against corruption and drug trafficking, terrorism and distorts economics. United States banks are frequently used by other countries to receive large funds from unsuspecting Americans because the banks often fail to screen, monitor and check the transactions for their customers.
We are asking that the customer protection laws governing banks and the check clearance/settlement system include the following:
- Assure full disclosure of the true time period for check clearance to the customer
- Prohibit the use of funds until a check been verified against the ledger at the issuing bank and the check has been honored
- Hold financial institutions liable for any monetary loss due to the customers reliance on false of misleading statements by financial institutions
- Mandatory holding periods on all checks of a substantial amount
- If a customer would like to access the money before the time that the bank has verified and honored the check, requiring them to sign an agreement that makes it clear that they are liable for the money of the check comes back as counterfeit.
These items will help to ensure good business practices, customer financial safety, and reduce the use of counterfeit checks as a means of fraud. If financial institutions understand that they will be help totally liable for any monetary losses due to false or misleading statements or neglect to follow the above described check clearing and verification process the financial institutions will take measures to protect themselves from this type of loss, thus protecting the customer, the financial system, and reducing the criminal activity of producing counterfeit cashier’s checks. Our financial institutions are our last defense against this type of fraud, so it is important that these customer protection laws be created to ensure that they are working with and for their customers in order to reduce such activity.
We hope that you will agree with us that the banking industry is misleading it’s customers when they do not fully disclose the time that it will take for a cashier’s check to be verified as legitimate, or when the assure a customer that a check has cleared only to hold that same customer liable when they find out later that they were wrong. We hope that you can assist us, and all other victims of theses scams, by launching the legal battle to change the way the banking industry handles the verification process of cashier’s checks.
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
It starts when people from overseas posing as potential buyers of large items for sale on the internet, such as cars, ask the seller of the item if they can have an associate of theirs in the United States mail them a cashier’s check for the amount of the item plus transportation overseas in order to expedite the process. They ask that once the check has cleared the bank, the seller withdraw the amount that is for transportation, and wire it to the buyer so he can schedule the shipment of the item.
When these cashier’s checks are deposited into the accounts of the sellers and they ask their banks to verify for them when the check will be clear and good, so that they can safely remove the funds needed, they are not given accurate information by the banks. Some are told that the check will be good in 24 hours, and some are told that the check is guaranteed good, so they should have no worries about the using the funds. Feeling safely assured the bank customer goes through with the transaction. Then, days later, when the checks are found to be counterfeit the banks are holding their customer responsible for the entire amount of the check, even though the bank had already assured them that the funds were good.
This is exactly what happened to my husband and myself in October 2002. We found out quickly that there was very little information that could help victims of these scams, so we decided to begin our own website, ScamVictimsUnited.com, in order to spread the word about this scam and help to save others from going through what we went through. While our efforts have helped stop over $2 million in the first two years of operation, so much more could be done if the banking industry would take more responsibility for actually verifying these cashier’s checks before the money is released to the customers.
It has been our dream and our mission to find a way to compel our government and legal system to take measures to help protect banking customers from this type of unfair and deceptive business practice. The banking system is failing to verify these checks and allowing counterfeit cashier’s checks to pass into the system which impedes the national interest of the United States because it finances crime, undermines the integrity of the international financial system, impedes the international fight against corruption and drug trafficking, terrorism and distorts economics. United States banks are frequently used by other countries to receive large funds from unsuspecting Americans because the banks often fail to screen, monitor and check the transactions for their customers.
We are asking that the customer protection laws governing banks and the check clearance/settlement system include the following:
- Assure full disclosure of the true time period for check clearance to the customer
- Prohibit the use of funds until a check been verified against the ledger at the issuing bank and the check has been honored
- Hold financial institutions liable for any monetary loss due to the customers reliance on false of misleading statements by financial institutions
- Mandatory holding periods on all checks of a substantial amount
- If a customer would like to access the money before the time that the bank has verified and honored the check, requiring them to sign an agreement that makes it clear that they are liable for the money of the check comes back as counterfeit.
These items will help to ensure good business practices, customer financial safety, and reduce the use of counterfeit checks as a means of fraud. If financial institutions understand that they will be help totally liable for any monetary losses due to false or misleading statements or neglect to follow the above described check clearing and verification process the financial institutions will take measures to protect themselves from this type of loss, thus protecting the customer, the financial system, and reducing the criminal activity of producing counterfeit cashier’s checks. Our financial institutions are our last defense against this type of fraud, so it is important that these customer protection laws be created to ensure that they are working with and for their customers in order to reduce such activity.
We hope that you will agree with us that the banking industry is misleading it’s customers when they do not fully disclose the time that it will take for a cashier’s check to be verified as legitimate, or when the assure a customer that a check has cleared only to hold that same customer liable when they find out later that they were wrong. We hope that you can assist us, and all other victims of theses scams, by launching the legal battle to change the way the banking industry handles the verification process of cashier’s checks.
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Re-Victimization and Secret Shopper Scams on the rise
The current economic situation is causing a strain on many people, and scammers are cashing in on it. There has been an increase in Secret Shopper Scams and Re-Victimization Scams in recent months.
Unsuspecting people answer ads placed online for Secret Shoppers or Mystery Shoppers, thinking that this will be a great way for them to earn some extra income to help make ends meet. They are sent official looking letters and forms, and instructed that they will be sent a Cashier's Check or Money Order by the company that they are working for, and they will use that money in their Secret Shopping Assignments. The check arrives, they bring it to the bank and soon they are told that the check has cleared, so they proceed forward with their given assignments. Usually, they are told to go to several different Western Union, Money Gram, or other money wiring locations. Once they have wired the money they fill out an evaluation of the customer service at the location, and send it in and wait for their next assignment.
The problem comes in about a week, when their bank contacts them to let them know that the check was counterfeit. The bank then deducts the amount of the check, sometimes for several thousands of dollars, from their bank account. This leaves the person that was already feeling the strain of the current economic situation in an even tighter spot. There are some people who end up with negative bank accounts.
The other scam on the rise is the Re-Victimization scam, in which the scammer sends a letter saying that they are working with a very official sounding agency, like The Fraud Alert Investigation Agency (FAIA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They explain that they are assisting scam victims in recovering the money that they have lost. Many of the emails and letters will even claim that they are working in efforts with agencies like the Internet Crime Complaint Center, the National White Collar Crime Center, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and most recently our own site, ScamVictimsUnited.com, has been included on this list. Scam victims who are desperate to try to recover any of the money that they have lost may contact these people. They may as for lawyers fees to be paid to recover the money, or ask for the victims's bank account information so that they can deposit the recovered money directly. Both of these are ploys to deceive the victim and drain them of even more money.
To protect yourself from these scams, do not accept any jobs posted online where you do not interview with someone in person before acquiring the job, and do not reply to any emails in which someone tells you that they can help you to recover lost money. Another good safety procedure it to do a search on the name of the person who contacts you, the company that they are claiming to be with, their phone number or email address.
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
Unsuspecting people answer ads placed online for Secret Shoppers or Mystery Shoppers, thinking that this will be a great way for them to earn some extra income to help make ends meet. They are sent official looking letters and forms, and instructed that they will be sent a Cashier's Check or Money Order by the company that they are working for, and they will use that money in their Secret Shopping Assignments. The check arrives, they bring it to the bank and soon they are told that the check has cleared, so they proceed forward with their given assignments. Usually, they are told to go to several different Western Union, Money Gram, or other money wiring locations. Once they have wired the money they fill out an evaluation of the customer service at the location, and send it in and wait for their next assignment.
The problem comes in about a week, when their bank contacts them to let them know that the check was counterfeit. The bank then deducts the amount of the check, sometimes for several thousands of dollars, from their bank account. This leaves the person that was already feeling the strain of the current economic situation in an even tighter spot. There are some people who end up with negative bank accounts.
The other scam on the rise is the Re-Victimization scam, in which the scammer sends a letter saying that they are working with a very official sounding agency, like The Fraud Alert Investigation Agency (FAIA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They explain that they are assisting scam victims in recovering the money that they have lost. Many of the emails and letters will even claim that they are working in efforts with agencies like the Internet Crime Complaint Center, the National White Collar Crime Center, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and most recently our own site, ScamVictimsUnited.com, has been included on this list. Scam victims who are desperate to try to recover any of the money that they have lost may contact these people. They may as for lawyers fees to be paid to recover the money, or ask for the victims's bank account information so that they can deposit the recovered money directly. Both of these are ploys to deceive the victim and drain them of even more money.
To protect yourself from these scams, do not accept any jobs posted online where you do not interview with someone in person before acquiring the job, and do not reply to any emails in which someone tells you that they can help you to recover lost money. Another good safety procedure it to do a search on the name of the person who contacts you, the company that they are claiming to be with, their phone number or email address.
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
Friday, July 24, 2009
419 scam vs Counterfeit Check Scam
Over the years I have had many people ask me what is the difference between a 419/Advance Fee Scam and a Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scam, so I listed out some of the differenecs here.
Initial Contact -
419 Scam
People are contacted out of the blue by the scammers.
Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scam
People have placed an ad somewhere on the internet to sell an item, so they are expecting to receive emails from people they do not know in response to this ad.
Personal Information -
419 Scam
The scammer asks for your bank account information in order to transfer a large amount of money out of the country and into your account.
Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scam
The scammer asks for your name and mailing address so that they can send you a cashier’s check for payment and transportation of the item you are selling.
How you loose money -
419 Scam
Scammer tells you that there are fees that have to be paid before the money can be transferred and you are to pay them.
Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scam
When you get the check from the scammer and bring it to the bank they tell you that the check is good, or that it has cleared. Feeling assured by this information, you take the portion of the check that was supposed to be for transportation and wire it to the appropriate people. Then, days later the bank notifies you that the check was counterfeit and that you are liable for the money that you took out, even though the only reason you took it out was because they had assured you that the check was good.
Victims -
419 Scam
While they may not know that it is illegal, they do know that the situation that they are entering into is one is which they will receive a large amount of money for assisting someone else, and that it will not be a lot of work on their part.
Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scam
Innocent people who were just trying to sell items that they no longer want or need on the internet, and who trusted the word of their banks when they told them that the check was good, some of which are now facing criminal charges because not enough banks and law enforcement agencies are educated on this scam.
For more information on these scams you can go to http://www.state.ia.us/government/ag/consumer/advisories/Nigeria_Mar_2003.html or our website http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
Initial Contact -
419 Scam
People are contacted out of the blue by the scammers.
Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scam
People have placed an ad somewhere on the internet to sell an item, so they are expecting to receive emails from people they do not know in response to this ad.
Personal Information -
419 Scam
The scammer asks for your bank account information in order to transfer a large amount of money out of the country and into your account.
Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scam
The scammer asks for your name and mailing address so that they can send you a cashier’s check for payment and transportation of the item you are selling.
How you loose money -
419 Scam
Scammer tells you that there are fees that have to be paid before the money can be transferred and you are to pay them.
Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scam
When you get the check from the scammer and bring it to the bank they tell you that the check is good, or that it has cleared. Feeling assured by this information, you take the portion of the check that was supposed to be for transportation and wire it to the appropriate people. Then, days later the bank notifies you that the check was counterfeit and that you are liable for the money that you took out, even though the only reason you took it out was because they had assured you that the check was good.
Victims -
419 Scam
While they may not know that it is illegal, they do know that the situation that they are entering into is one is which they will receive a large amount of money for assisting someone else, and that it will not be a lot of work on their part.
Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scam
Innocent people who were just trying to sell items that they no longer want or need on the internet, and who trusted the word of their banks when they told them that the check was good, some of which are now facing criminal charges because not enough banks and law enforcement agencies are educated on this scam.
For more information on these scams you can go to http://www.state.ia.us/government/ag/consumer/advisories/Nigeria_Mar_2003.html or our website http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more through
http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
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