They never stop coming into our inbox, so as long as we get them, we will continue to share them so that others will know how to spot a scam email. Here is one that was in my inbox today.
Hello my friend.
It is understandable that you might be a bit apprehensive because you do not know, but I have a lucrative business proposal of mutual interest to share with you. I got your reference in my search for someone who suits my proposed business relationship.
I am Mr P. Lee of South Korea, happily married with children, and I am Director of Hang Seng Bank Ltd., in charge of the International Remittance Department. I have a confidential business proposal for you. I need you to assist me in implementing a business project from Hong Kong to your country. It is the transfer of large sums of money. Everything about this transaction shall be legally done without hitch. Please try to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue.
After funds have been successfully transferred into your account, we will share in proportion to both of us agreed. I prefer you to me on my private e-mail address (peterleejp@aol.com) and then after that I will give you more information about this operation. If you're interested, send me the following urgently:
1st Names and surnames
2nd Occupation
3rd Private phone number
4th Current contact address
Please, if you do not want to delete this e-mail and do not hunt, because I am putting my career and life of my family at stake with this venture. Although nothing ventured nothing gained.
Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.
Sincerely,
Mr.Pt. Lee
Hang Seng Bank Limited
Hong Kong. () Asian
E-mail: - peterleejp@aol.com
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Mr Pavarotti
I was contacted by the someone who operates another scam fighting site that they have gotten several reports of victims who have lost money to an inheritance scam from someone using the name Mr. Pavarotti.
Here are the two emails addresses connected with these emails
billkennedy.judy@yahoo.co.uk
michaelharryx@gmail.com
Remember, the name and email addresses alone cannot fully warn you if the person YOU are dealing with is a scammer or not. The scammers change their names and email addresses often. If their offer involves sending a cashier's check to you, you cashing or depositing it, and then wire any portion of that money back to them or on to someone else then it is a scam.
Here are the two emails addresses connected with these emails
billkennedy.judy@yahoo.co.uk
michaelharryx@gmail.com
Remember, the name and email addresses alone cannot fully warn you if the person YOU are dealing with is a scammer or not. The scammers change their names and email addresses often. If their offer involves sending a cashier's check to you, you cashing or depositing it, and then wire any portion of that money back to them or on to someone else then it is a scam.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Back from my "happy place"
I just got back last night from the happiest place in the world . . . Walt Disney World! My entire family had a wonderful time, and some of us did not want to leave, but we know that we will see Mickey and the gang again some day.
Thank you to all of my guest bloggers for providing great items while I was gone.
So now it is time to get back into the groove, and start dreaming of the next vacation.
Thank you to all of my guest bloggers for providing great items while I was gone.
So now it is time to get back into the groove, and start dreaming of the next vacation.
Friday, October 22, 2010
RFID ~ protect your data
I have the pleasure of calling fellow scam fighter Denise Richardson my friend, and she introduced me to a product that can help protect everyone, and I had to share it with you.
First off, do you know what a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag is? A RFID tag holds your name, credit card number and anything else that your bank or credit card company decides to embed on it.
Now this is where I say "Why don't these people use their minds for good instead of evil" . . . I say this because there are also Radio Frequency Readers and Remote Frequency Readers that allow you to read, or skim, the information off of someone else's RFID tags without ever touching the card that those tags are embedded on! Yes, someone actually went out and created a hand held device that you can use to collect the credit card information of other people . . . people sitting next to you on the bus, or walking down the street.
So, how do the REST of us protect ourselves from those that are using their minds for evil instead of good, or those that have purchased the products that these evil thinkers have created? There are companies like Kena Kai and Magellan's that have wallets that actually block RFID reading products. See . . . now THAT is someone using their minds for GOOD and not evil!
How did I find out about these wallets? From Denise Richardson of GiveMeBackMyCredit.com If you would like to read what Denise has to say about these products you can read her blog on the topic.
First off, do you know what a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag is? A RFID tag holds your name, credit card number and anything else that your bank or credit card company decides to embed on it.
Now this is where I say "Why don't these people use their minds for good instead of evil" . . . I say this because there are also Radio Frequency Readers and Remote Frequency Readers that allow you to read, or skim, the information off of someone else's RFID tags without ever touching the card that those tags are embedded on! Yes, someone actually went out and created a hand held device that you can use to collect the credit card information of other people . . . people sitting next to you on the bus, or walking down the street.
So, how do the REST of us protect ourselves from those that are using their minds for evil instead of good, or those that have purchased the products that these evil thinkers have created? There are companies like Kena Kai and Magellan's that have wallets that actually block RFID reading products. See . . . now THAT is someone using their minds for GOOD and not evil!
How did I find out about these wallets? From Denise Richardson of GiveMeBackMyCredit.com If you would like to read what Denise has to say about these products you can read her blog on the topic.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Lottery Scams on TLC
Tomorrow night, October 21st, TLC will be airing a special episode of The Lottery Changed My Life, which will be talking about lottery scams.
Thank you TLC for bringing attention to this issue.
Thank you TLC for bringing attention to this issue.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Wire Transers
A recent article about scams and wire transfers caught my eye the other day. Here are time facts from the article . . .
Rules governing wire transfers place a larger burden on account holders than laws on credit cards or debit card . . . . {the} bank says {the victim} may not have met required security requirements on his computer system — even though he has secured wireless, firewalls, anti-virus software and other protection — and so, the bank may not be liable to pay him back.
I get really frustrated when I see things like this. Why is it that the banks can sit back and do nothing, and put all of the blame on the customer!?!?! When do the banks have to stand up and say "There are things we could have done to stop this, so we are liable also."
I get really frustrated when I see things like this. Why is it that the banks can sit back and do nothing, and put all of the blame on the customer!?!?! When do the banks have to stand up and say "There are things we could have done to stop this, so we are liable also."
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Eight years . . .
Eight years ago this month my husband and I became victims of a counterfeit cashier's check scam when our bank told us that a cashier's check we received was good, clear, verified and that we would have no problems with it. Off of that information, we went forward with a transaction. One week later the bank contacted us to let us know that the check was counterfeit, and that WE were 100% liable for the money . . . even though they had told us it was good, clear and verified.
It was this situation that brought us to create the website ScamVictimsUnited.com, where we warn people about scams, offer resources and advice, and allow people to talk with other victims on our message board. In the first two years of our site being operational we helped stop over $2 million dollars from going into scams.
Now, you would think that eight years later things would have changed. Some things have, but even today we see victims coming to our site who brought these checks to the bank and were told that they were good, clear or verified . . . sometimes by more than one bank employee . . . so the exact same situation that happened to us eight years ago is still happening to people today.
Until laws can be changed to hold the banks accountable for telling the customers that these checks are good, clear and verified and then later hold the bank customer liable when it comes back that they are NOT a true check, education is the best way we have to fight these scams.
What can you do?
Write to your law makers and tell them that you want to see banks held liable for releasing funds on checks that they have told customers are good, clear or verified, and then later reversed those words to hold the customer liable.
Sign our petition to ask for stronger consumer protection laws. If the banks are liable for the money lost, and not the customer, then they will change their practices and make SURE that every penny is accounted for before they release the money to the customer.
Contact your bank and ask them if you brought in a cashier's check for $4000, how long would it take to know you could use the money, with no worries about the check. If their answer included terms like "clear", "good" or "verified' you may want to read the information we have on what these terms really mean, and then armed with that information you may want to speak to the bank manager about better education on counterfeit checks for his staff, or go and find a bank that already does understand these items and can therefore better protect you and your money.
Friday, October 15, 2010
LoveFraud ~ Should I warn the next victim?
The website LoveFraud is a site dedicated to helping those that have fallen in love with a con-man. The owner of the site, Donna Andersen, knows this situation because she lived it.
When asked about warning the con-man's next victim, Donna gives some great advice. Make sure to be safe, think about your emotional state, and how the victim's reaction may affect you. She talks about all of these items in more depth on her site.
When asked about warning the con-man's next victim, Donna gives some great advice. Make sure to be safe, think about your emotional state, and how the victim's reaction may affect you. She talks about all of these items in more depth on her site.
I’ve heard of cases where the victim was grateful for the warning and got out. I’ve heard of cases where the next victim has refused to listen and stayed with the sociopath. And I’ve heard of cases where the victim stayed for awhile, then started to see the bad behavior, remembered the warning, and got out.
I know that since I’ve posted the information about my ex-husband, James Montgomery, online, at least seven women have contacted me to thank me for the warning. They Googled his name, found Lovefraud, and dumped him. I don’t know how many may have dumped him without telling me. This makes me feel good. ~ Donna Anderson
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
National Center for Victims Of Crime
The National Center for Victims Of Crime ((NCVC) will hold it's annual conference from June 20-22, 2011 in Washington, DC
They are currently looking for presenters for the conference. I presented at a workshop at the 2007 conference. If you are interested n submitting a proposal it must be in by December 6, 2010. Go to the NCVC's website to download the application.
Conferences like these are a wonderful way to let others know about the work you are doing, and network with other groups so that you can reach even more people.
They are currently looking for presenters for the conference. I presented at a workshop at the 2007 conference. If you are interested n submitting a proposal it must be in by December 6, 2010. Go to the NCVC's website to download the application.
Conferences like these are a wonderful way to let others know about the work you are doing, and network with other groups so that you can reach even more people.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Publishers Clearing House Scam
Who doesn't want to win the lottery or a sweepstakes? I think we have all had that "dream" at one time or another. What would we do? How would we spend the money? This is why so many people want to believe that there is a chance that they really DID win when they are contacted by scammers pretending to be with The Publisher Clearing House or other sweepstakes.
The scammers do not just send emails any more. Some are calling their intended victims directly. This is why it is important to protect information like your address and phone number. Do not post this information on blogs or open message boards.
Things that are still the same with this scam is that they will ask you to wire money to them, for legal fees or other reasons. Remember, if the lottery or sweepstakes is legitimate, they could deduct those fees from your winnings without you having to wire them anything.
Doing a Google search on any information that you have on the "sweepstakes representative" that contacts you is one way to try and check things out. Often the phone number that the call came from will be from another country, which is a dead giveaway that this is a scam.
The scammers do not just send emails any more. Some are calling their intended victims directly. This is why it is important to protect information like your address and phone number. Do not post this information on blogs or open message boards.
Things that are still the same with this scam is that they will ask you to wire money to them, for legal fees or other reasons. Remember, if the lottery or sweepstakes is legitimate, they could deduct those fees from your winnings without you having to wire them anything.
Doing a Google search on any information that you have on the "sweepstakes representative" that contacts you is one way to try and check things out. Often the phone number that the call came from will be from another country, which is a dead giveaway that this is a scam.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Date Scam
I would like to introduce you to another scam fighting site, DateScam.co.uk, and probably the best way to do so is to share the story from their About Us page.
As an "almost" victim of an online dating scam, TWICE, I came across so many difficulties trying to find the information and resources to deal with this. There is a lot of information out there that gives advice on how to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of a scam and how to spot a potential scam etc etc.
There is information about what to do in the event that you have been scammed. But dating scams are a VERY PERSONAL ISSUE, and one that many people may feel too embarrassed to talk about, even to their family and friends.
Many of the "scam/fraud information sites" are American and you only find out when you have spent ages reading through the "blurb" that they are of no use to you.
Many sites charge ASTRONOMICAL FEES to do background checks on people. You can do this yourself to a point, if you HAVE THE TIME and know where to look! But how can you check on someone using a false name, or address, or phone number?
The process is such a long winded one , and unless you are committed to spending the time researching, the chances are that you will give up!
I tried a variety of tactics using google and Bing etc. I typed in dating scam, Internet dating scam, online dating scams, how do I know if I've been scammed? and combinations of all of those. I got really confused and spent hours trawling online scam sites. With all of these difficulties there wasn't really on particular site that could give me the answers I needed.
So this website has been created to give support and help to those who have found themselves at the hands of a dating scammer, and to remove endless hours hitting your head against a brick wall.
There are currently 4 researchers who work at DateScam.co.uk, and they have ALL been victims of online dating scams at one time or another and they want to help to stamp out the online dating scam, or at least make a dent in it.
As an "almost" victim of an online dating scam, TWICE, I came across so many difficulties trying to find the information and resources to deal with this. There is a lot of information out there that gives advice on how to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of a scam and how to spot a potential scam etc etc.
There is information about what to do in the event that you have been scammed. But dating scams are a VERY PERSONAL ISSUE, and one that many people may feel too embarrassed to talk about, even to their family and friends.
Many of the "scam/fraud information sites" are American and you only find out when you have spent ages reading through the "blurb" that they are of no use to you.
Many sites charge ASTRONOMICAL FEES to do background checks on people. You can do this yourself to a point, if you HAVE THE TIME and know where to look! But how can you check on someone using a false name, or address, or phone number?
The process is such a long winded one , and unless you are committed to spending the time researching, the chances are that you will give up!
I tried a variety of tactics using google and Bing etc. I typed in dating scam, Internet dating scam, online dating scams, how do I know if I've been scammed? and combinations of all of those. I got really confused and spent hours trawling online scam sites. With all of these difficulties there wasn't really on particular site that could give me the answers I needed.
So this website has been created to give support and help to those who have found themselves at the hands of a dating scammer, and to remove endless hours hitting your head against a brick wall.
There are currently 4 researchers who work at DateScam.co.uk, and they have ALL been victims of online dating scams at one time or another and they want to help to stamp out the online dating scam, or at least make a dent in it.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Email scams
You might ask, why do I post so many emails that I get that I know are scams? Because I think that they are a great example of scam emails and that the best way to teach people how to spot them is to show them the emails.
Subject: PLEASE DO REPLY..
From: williamlwcheung@fastwebmail.it
Reply To: jpwilliamcheung@yahoo.cn
Good Day To You My Friend.
It is understandable that you might be a little bit apprehensive because you do not know me but I have a lucrative business proposal of mutual interest to share with you. I got your reference in my search for someone who suits my proposed business relationship.
I am Mr. William Leung Wing Cheung a South Korean, happily married with children; i work as an Executive Director of Hang Seng Bank Ltd, Head of Personal Banking. I have a confidential business suggestion for you. I will need you to assist me in executing a business project from Hong Kong to your country. It involves the transfer of a large sum of money. Everything concerning this transaction shall be legally done without hitch. Please endeavour to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue.
Once the funds have been successfully transferred into your account, we shall share in the ratio to be agreed by both of us. I will prefer you reach me on my private email address below (jpwilliamcheung@yahoo.cn) and finally after that I shall furnish you with more information's about this operation. Should you be interested, please forward the following to me urgently:
1. Full names
2. Occupation
3. Private phone number
4. Current contact address
Please if you are not interested delete this email and do not hunt me because I am putting my career and the life of my family at stake with this venture. Although nothing ventured is nothing gained.
Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Mr William Leung Wing Cheung.JP
Hang Seng Bank Limited
Hong Kong. {Asia}
Email: - jpwilliamcheung@yahoo.cn
Subject: PLEASE DO REPLY..
From: williamlwcheung@fastwebmail.it
Reply To: jpwilliamcheung@yahoo.cn
Good Day To You My Friend.
It is understandable that you might be a little bit apprehensive because you do not know me but I have a lucrative business proposal of mutual interest to share with you. I got your reference in my search for someone who suits my proposed business relationship.
I am Mr. William Leung Wing Cheung a South Korean, happily married with children; i work as an Executive Director of Hang Seng Bank Ltd, Head of Personal Banking. I have a confidential business suggestion for you. I will need you to assist me in executing a business project from Hong Kong to your country. It involves the transfer of a large sum of money. Everything concerning this transaction shall be legally done without hitch. Please endeavour to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue.
Once the funds have been successfully transferred into your account, we shall share in the ratio to be agreed by both of us. I will prefer you reach me on my private email address below (jpwilliamcheung@yahoo.cn) and finally after that I shall furnish you with more information's about this operation. Should you be interested, please forward the following to me urgently:
1. Full names
2. Occupation
3. Private phone number
4. Current contact address
Please if you are not interested delete this email and do not hunt me because I am putting my career and the life of my family at stake with this venture. Although nothing ventured is nothing gained.
Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Mr William Leung Wing Cheung.JP
Hang Seng Bank Limited
Hong Kong. {Asia}
Email: - jpwilliamcheung@yahoo.cn
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Scammers pretending to be US Soldiers
I just got done reading an article about the increase of scams in which the scammers are pretending to be a US Soldier. Why do these scams continue to work so well? These scams play on the victims emotions.
As far as we look back at history, we can find stories of letters being sent from soldiers going to fight for their country or a cause back to someone that they care for. With the age of the internet, these letters are sent via email instead of traditional methods. Through these letters people feel connected and share stories, and the start to build trust and sometimes even deeper feelings for the other person. Now, add to this that many people want to do the right thing to help out a soldier who is fighting for our country and you add even more emotion to this stories and THAT is why they work so well.
This article does state that
The US Army released a warning about these internet scams which includes some red flags and warning signs to look for. At Scam Victims United, we would recommend that you do not send money to anyone that you do not know personally. If the first time that you came in contact with this person is via the internet, even if you have been speaking for months, remember that you do not really KNOW this person . . . you have no way of knowing who is really on the other end of the computer screen.
As far as we look back at history, we can find stories of letters being sent from soldiers going to fight for their country or a cause back to someone that they care for. With the age of the internet, these letters are sent via email instead of traditional methods. Through these letters people feel connected and share stories, and the start to build trust and sometimes even deeper feelings for the other person. Now, add to this that many people want to do the right thing to help out a soldier who is fighting for our country and you add even more emotion to this stories and THAT is why they work so well.
This article does state that
The Army has received complaints from the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Great Britain and elsewhere, with victims reporting losses from a few thousand dollars to $28,000 in one case, Grey said. The stolen identities have primarily come from soldiers and Marines, who have been deployed in the greatest numbers.
In response, the U.S. government has issued warnings, with its embassy in London going so far as to post online examples of fraudulent military papers used in scams.
The US Army released a warning about these internet scams which includes some red flags and warning signs to look for. At Scam Victims United, we would recommend that you do not send money to anyone that you do not know personally. If the first time that you came in contact with this person is via the internet, even if you have been speaking for months, remember that you do not really KNOW this person . . . you have no way of knowing who is really on the other end of the computer screen.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Another sample letter
Subject: Attention
From: FredAex@mail.com
Here is another sample of a scam email.
--------------------------------
Attention Sir/Madam,
Are you tired of seeking loans and mortgages from banks? Have you been turned
down constantly by your banks and other financial institutions due to bad credit? Are you about loosing your home due to financial constraints?Do you want to purchase a house of your choice but no finance?
The good news here is that we are now offering private loans, both secured and unsecured
loans of any amount.We offer all kinds of loans, We are certified, trust worthy, reliable,
efficient and dynamic. Unlike other investment companies, we offer our well deserved services for the least possible interest rate (3%) Our rates can be charged per annum and commences after an agreed fixed period which will be calculated as Such.
We seek interested individuals, corporations and companies who intend to utilize our service to signify their interest, kindly get back at us via email (FredAex@mail.com)
Fill this loan application form bellow if interested
1. Full Names:.........................
2. Full Contact Address:...............
3. Country of Residence:...............
4. Telephone/Mobile:...................
5. Age and Sex:........................
6. Occupation:.........................
7. Annual Income:......................
8. Amount needed as loan:..............
9. Loan Duration:......................
10. Purpose of Loan:...................
Yours Sincerely,
Mr.Fred Alex(Director)
Fred Alex Finance company.
From: FredAex@mail.com
Here is another sample of a scam email.
--------------------------------
Attention Sir/Madam,
Are you tired of seeking loans and mortgages from banks? Have you been turned
down constantly by your banks and other financial institutions due to bad credit? Are you about loosing your home due to financial constraints?Do you want to purchase a house of your choice but no finance?
The good news here is that we are now offering private loans, both secured and unsecured
loans of any amount.We offer all kinds of loans, We are certified, trust worthy, reliable,
efficient and dynamic. Unlike other investment companies, we offer our well deserved services for the least possible interest rate (3%) Our rates can be charged per annum and commences after an agreed fixed period which will be calculated as Such.
We seek interested individuals, corporations and companies who intend to utilize our service to signify their interest, kindly get back at us via email (FredAex@mail.com)
Fill this loan application form bellow if interested
1. Full Names:.........................
2. Full Contact Address:...............
3. Country of Residence:...............
4. Telephone/Mobile:...................
5. Age and Sex:........................
6. Occupation:.........................
7. Annual Income:......................
8. Amount needed as loan:..............
9. Loan Duration:......................
10. Purpose of Loan:...................
Yours Sincerely,
Mr.Fred Alex(Director)
Fred Alex Finance company.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
PayPal scam
I just got this email today . . . I love how they even include "warning" and safety information in the email to make it sound more real.
Companies like PayPal will never send you and email about your account like this.
Subject: Attention! Your PayPal account has been limited!
Date: 9/29/2010 5:53:41 P.M. Central Daylight Time
From: noreply@paypal.fr
Information Regarding Your account:
Dear PayPal Member:
Attention! Your PayPal account has been limited!
As part of our security measures, we regularly screen activity in the PayPal system.We recently contacted you after noticing an issue on your account.We requested information from you for the following reason:
Our system detected unusual charges to a credit card linked to your PayPal account.
Reference Number: PP-259-187-991
This is the Last reminder to log in to PayPal as soon as possible. Once you log in, you will be provided with steps to restore your account access.
Once you log in, you will be provided with steps to restore your account access. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure account safety.
Click here to activate your account
We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that this is a security measure intended to help protect you and your account. We apologise for any inconvenience..
Sincerely,
PayPal Account Review Department
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 1999-2010 PayPal. All rights reserved. PayPal Ltd. PayPal FSA Register Number: 226056.
PayPal Email ID PP059
Protect Your Account Info
Make sure you never provide your password to fraudulent websites.
To safely and securely access the PayPal website or your account, open a new web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer or Netscape) and type in the PayPal login page (http://paypal.com/) to be sure you are on the real PayPal site.
For more information on protecting yourself from fraud, please review our Security Tips at https://www.paypal.com/us/securitytips
Protect Your Password
You should never give your PayPal password to anyone.
Companies like PayPal will never send you and email about your account like this.
Subject: Attention! Your PayPal account has been limited!
Date: 9/29/2010 5:53:41 P.M. Central Daylight Time
From: noreply@paypal.fr
Information Regarding Your account:
Dear PayPal Member:
Attention! Your PayPal account has been limited!
As part of our security measures, we regularly screen activity in the PayPal system.We recently contacted you after noticing an issue on your account.We requested information from you for the following reason:
Our system detected unusual charges to a credit card linked to your PayPal account.
Reference Number: PP-259-187-991
This is the Last reminder to log in to PayPal as soon as possible. Once you log in, you will be provided with steps to restore your account access.
Once you log in, you will be provided with steps to restore your account access. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure account safety.
Click here to activate your account
We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that this is a security measure intended to help protect you and your account. We apologise for any inconvenience..
Sincerely,
PayPal Account Review Department
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 1999-2010 PayPal. All rights reserved. PayPal Ltd. PayPal FSA Register Number: 226056.
PayPal Email ID PP059
Protect Your Account Info
Make sure you never provide your password to fraudulent websites.
To safely and securely access the PayPal website or your account, open a new web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer or Netscape) and type in the PayPal login page (http://paypal.com/) to be sure you are on the real PayPal site.
For more information on protecting yourself from fraud, please review our Security Tips at https://www.paypal.com/us/securitytips
Protect Your Password
You should never give your PayPal password to anyone.
Monday, October 4, 2010
THE VERDICT: HANG UP
Here is a great reminder from our friends at ScamNot.org
THE VERDICT: HANG UP
Don't Fall for Jury Duty Scam
The phone rings, you pick it up, and the caller identifies himself as an officer of the court. He says you failed to report for jury duty and that a warrant is out for your arrest. You say you never received a notice. To clear it up, the caller says he'll need some information for "verification purposes"-your birth date, social security number, maybe even a credit card number.
This is when you should hang up the phone. It's a scam.
Jury scams have been around for years, but have seen a resurgence in recent months. Communities in more than a dozen states have issued public warnings about cold calls from people claiming to be court officials seeking personal information. As a rule, court officers never ask for confidential information over the phone; they generally correspond with prospective jurors via mail.
The scam's bold simplicity may be what makes it so effective. Facing the unexpected threat of arrest, victims are caught off guard and may be quick to part with some information to defuse the situation.
"They get you scared first," says a special agent in the Minneapolis field office who has heard the complaints. "They get people saying, 'Oh my gosh! I'm not a criminal. What's going on?'" That's when the scammer dangles a solution-a fine, payable by credit card that will clear up the problem.
With enough information, scammers can assume your identity and empty your bank accounts.
"It seems like a very simple scam," the agent adds. The trick is putting people on the defensive, then reeling them back in with the promise of a clean slate. "It's kind of ingenious. It's social engineering."
In recent months, communities in Florida, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Oregon, California, Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Hampshire reported scams or posted warnings or press releases on their local websites. In August, the federal court system issued a warning on the scam and urged people to call their local District Court office if they receive suspicious calls. In September, the FBI issued a press release about jury scams and suggested victims also contact their local FBI field office.
In March, USA.gov, the federal government's information website, posted details about jury scams in their Frequently Asked Questions area. The site reported scores of queries on the subject from website visitors and callers seeking information.
The jury scam is a simple variation of the identity-theft ploys that have proliferated in recent years as personal information and good credit have become thieves' preferred prey, particularly on the Internet. Scammers might tap your information to make a purchase on your credit card, but could just as easily sell your information to the highest bidder on the Internet's black market.
Protecting yourself is the key: Never give out personal information when you receive an unsolicited phone call.
REMEMBER SCAMNOT.
THE VERDICT: HANG UP
Don't Fall for Jury Duty Scam
The phone rings, you pick it up, and the caller identifies himself as an officer of the court. He says you failed to report for jury duty and that a warrant is out for your arrest. You say you never received a notice. To clear it up, the caller says he'll need some information for "verification purposes"-your birth date, social security number, maybe even a credit card number.
This is when you should hang up the phone. It's a scam.
Jury scams have been around for years, but have seen a resurgence in recent months. Communities in more than a dozen states have issued public warnings about cold calls from people claiming to be court officials seeking personal information. As a rule, court officers never ask for confidential information over the phone; they generally correspond with prospective jurors via mail.
The scam's bold simplicity may be what makes it so effective. Facing the unexpected threat of arrest, victims are caught off guard and may be quick to part with some information to defuse the situation.
"They get you scared first," says a special agent in the Minneapolis field office who has heard the complaints. "They get people saying, 'Oh my gosh! I'm not a criminal. What's going on?'" That's when the scammer dangles a solution-a fine, payable by credit card that will clear up the problem.
With enough information, scammers can assume your identity and empty your bank accounts.
"It seems like a very simple scam," the agent adds. The trick is putting people on the defensive, then reeling them back in with the promise of a clean slate. "It's kind of ingenious. It's social engineering."
In recent months, communities in Florida, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Oregon, California, Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Hampshire reported scams or posted warnings or press releases on their local websites. In August, the federal court system issued a warning on the scam and urged people to call their local District Court office if they receive suspicious calls. In September, the FBI issued a press release about jury scams and suggested victims also contact their local FBI field office.
In March, USA.gov, the federal government's information website, posted details about jury scams in their Frequently Asked Questions area. The site reported scores of queries on the subject from website visitors and callers seeking information.
The jury scam is a simple variation of the identity-theft ploys that have proliferated in recent years as personal information and good credit have become thieves' preferred prey, particularly on the Internet. Scammers might tap your information to make a purchase on your credit card, but could just as easily sell your information to the highest bidder on the Internet's black market.
Protecting yourself is the key: Never give out personal information when you receive an unsolicited phone call.
REMEMBER SCAMNOT.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Nigerian Cheque Fraudsters - Continued
Here is a continuation of the guest blog from our friends at Cyber Crime Ops
By James Bigglesworth
INTERVIEW WITH THE VICTIM - (PART ONE)
I interviewed the potential victim over a number of days during the compilation of this article. Below is part one of our interview, which covers the initial part of the scam.
Quote:
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Hello Pat, thanks for coming to talk to us.
Pat: Hi James, glad to be here and thanks for allowing this story to to be told via your forum. I hope that many people will read and learn from it.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: You are quite welcome. Let's start with some basics; Who are you and what do you d for a living?
Pat: Sure, I'm Pat [censored], forty something guy from the Manchester area of our fair land of England. I'm a Vetinary Surgeon and have a small animals practice in [censored] that has been around since my grandfathers days.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Great, thanks for that Pat. Tell us how you came into contact with the Nigerian fraudster.
Pat: Well, our surgery isn't doing so great, so I was in need of a quick way of earning some extra cash. I know I should not have done it, but I actually responded to a spam email in my account. It was the only one I have ever answered, and by heck the only one I ever will. I didn't actually expect to get a reply, but I did.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: What was the original email all about?
Pat: To be honest it was a bit vague, which I suppose piqued my interest. The subject was "Program employment for all", but the email address that it came from was curious "employment_deaf_govemployment_d@yahoo.co.jp". The email was very short but said it was for helping unemployed people in their free time. I guess it was cheeky of me to reply, since I have a full-time job, but I was curious. That's when this "Samuel Morcas" responded to me.
Readers may be interested to learn that the same email solicitation was received by ourselves and is posted in our Hall Of Shame forum.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: What did you find out from the reply?
Pat: Sam got back to me on the 8th June 2009, day after I first replied to him. He said that he was from New Jersey, but now in Nigeria, and that he was looking for someone to help him distribute his payroll cheques.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Did he say how you were to do that?
Pat: Eventually, though his initial reply asked me if I have a good printer. I replied again saying I did, and basically asked him to tell me what he wanted.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Did you get any further details when he got back to you?
Pat: Yes I sure did. Basically he wanted me to purchase some computer software which he called "verser check", and to buy paper and ink for printing of the cheques. Then he would send me a list of people to send cheques to. I would print out the cheques at home, using the special software, and send them out to the people he gave me.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: So, why do you think he couldn't do that himself?
Pat: Actually I never did ask him that, I just assumed that because he was in Nigeria it would take too long for the postal mail to get to the UK. If he was paying payroll, he wouldn't want to keep people waiting for their pay too long. He did also say that he would set up a FedEx or DHL account for me to get the cheques delivered, which I guess would be very expensive to use from Africa.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Did you start to suspect anything was wrong with the offer?
Pat: Well yes and no really. I knew that I was talking to a spammer, but I really didn't think much about it. Looking back I was an idiot, and actually gave him my full name and postal address.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Hindsight is a wonderful thing Pat. What happened next?
Pat: I was curious about the software he talked about so went on Google to see what I could find out. I managed to locate software called "VersaCheck" and the Ink he talked about called "VersaInk". It was American, so I wrote back and told him that it wasn't available for the UK.
The Ink is designated as Magnetic Ink Character Recognition which is used on cheques for compliance with US Federal and Canada Bank regulations.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: What did he say to that?
Pat: He seemed to accept it, and said he would send me the cheques in the postal mail. The last communication I had with him was on June 18th, 2009, about a week and a half after his original spam email.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: When did the cheques arrive?
Pat: Actually they didn't arrive, and I began to forget about it.
PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTING CHEQUES
If some unknown individual offers you some form of employment and asks you to print cheques for distribution, there is only one thing to do.
WALK AWAY!
It is accepted that a business will print their own cheques for the purpose of payroll. This seems to be what these scammers are hooking into for their illegal activities. If you are recruited online to participate in such a scheme you can guarantee that it is 100% illegal.
The abuse of payroll cheque printing appears to be centered around the USA. It is also quite common for US based cheque fraud to involve charities, or at least a stolen version of their cheques. This abuse is simply down to the Federal Laws written so badly in the USA that the Banks are protected. This protection makes the Banks act like gods, and the attitudes mean that victims of crime get the blame for what is in reality failure by the banks to protect their own customers.
I find that banks in the USA always blame the customer, and never accept any responsibility for a bad system. They won't fix it, because they are protected by Federal law, so why should they. Changing the law is the only way to change the lax and hugely arrogant banking attitudes, and we all know how quickly that is going to happen.
References and Further Reading
Hall Of Shame - Program employment for all
Wikipedia - Curiosity Killed The Cat
Wikipedia - Magnetic Ink Character Recognition
Related CyberCrimeOps.COM Articles
Cheque Fraud - The Unseen Victims
Overpayment Scams
Payment Cashing - A Mule Of A Fraud
Secret and Mystery Shopping With A Twist
Seller Beware - Are You Really Getting Paid?
You Have Won A Lottery/Sweepstake - Or Have You?
By James Bigglesworth
INTERVIEW WITH THE VICTIM - (PART ONE)
I interviewed the potential victim over a number of days during the compilation of this article. Below is part one of our interview, which covers the initial part of the scam.
Quote:
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Hello Pat, thanks for coming to talk to us.
Pat: Hi James, glad to be here and thanks for allowing this story to to be told via your forum. I hope that many people will read and learn from it.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: You are quite welcome. Let's start with some basics; Who are you and what do you d for a living?
Pat: Sure, I'm Pat [censored], forty something guy from the Manchester area of our fair land of England. I'm a Vetinary Surgeon and have a small animals practice in [censored] that has been around since my grandfathers days.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Great, thanks for that Pat. Tell us how you came into contact with the Nigerian fraudster.
Pat: Well, our surgery isn't doing so great, so I was in need of a quick way of earning some extra cash. I know I should not have done it, but I actually responded to a spam email in my account. It was the only one I have ever answered, and by heck the only one I ever will. I didn't actually expect to get a reply, but I did.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: What was the original email all about?
Pat: To be honest it was a bit vague, which I suppose piqued my interest. The subject was "Program employment for all", but the email address that it came from was curious "employment_deaf_govemployment_d@yahoo.co.jp". The email was very short but said it was for helping unemployed people in their free time. I guess it was cheeky of me to reply, since I have a full-time job, but I was curious. That's when this "Samuel Morcas" responded to me.
Readers may be interested to learn that the same email solicitation was received by ourselves and is posted in our Hall Of Shame forum.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: What did you find out from the reply?
Pat: Sam got back to me on the 8th June 2009, day after I first replied to him. He said that he was from New Jersey, but now in Nigeria, and that he was looking for someone to help him distribute his payroll cheques.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Did he say how you were to do that?
Pat: Eventually, though his initial reply asked me if I have a good printer. I replied again saying I did, and basically asked him to tell me what he wanted.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Did you get any further details when he got back to you?
Pat: Yes I sure did. Basically he wanted me to purchase some computer software which he called "verser check", and to buy paper and ink for printing of the cheques. Then he would send me a list of people to send cheques to. I would print out the cheques at home, using the special software, and send them out to the people he gave me.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: So, why do you think he couldn't do that himself?
Pat: Actually I never did ask him that, I just assumed that because he was in Nigeria it would take too long for the postal mail to get to the UK. If he was paying payroll, he wouldn't want to keep people waiting for their pay too long. He did also say that he would set up a FedEx or DHL account for me to get the cheques delivered, which I guess would be very expensive to use from Africa.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Did you start to suspect anything was wrong with the offer?
Pat: Well yes and no really. I knew that I was talking to a spammer, but I really didn't think much about it. Looking back I was an idiot, and actually gave him my full name and postal address.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: Hindsight is a wonderful thing Pat. What happened next?
Pat: I was curious about the software he talked about so went on Google to see what I could find out. I managed to locate software called "VersaCheck" and the Ink he talked about called "VersaInk". It was American, so I wrote back and told him that it wasn't available for the UK.
The Ink is designated as Magnetic Ink Character Recognition which is used on cheques for compliance with US Federal and Canada Bank regulations.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: What did he say to that?
Pat: He seemed to accept it, and said he would send me the cheques in the postal mail. The last communication I had with him was on June 18th, 2009, about a week and a half after his original spam email.
CyberCrimeOps.COM: When did the cheques arrive?
Pat: Actually they didn't arrive, and I began to forget about it.
PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTING CHEQUES
If some unknown individual offers you some form of employment and asks you to print cheques for distribution, there is only one thing to do.
WALK AWAY!
It is accepted that a business will print their own cheques for the purpose of payroll. This seems to be what these scammers are hooking into for their illegal activities. If you are recruited online to participate in such a scheme you can guarantee that it is 100% illegal.
The abuse of payroll cheque printing appears to be centered around the USA. It is also quite common for US based cheque fraud to involve charities, or at least a stolen version of their cheques. This abuse is simply down to the Federal Laws written so badly in the USA that the Banks are protected. This protection makes the Banks act like gods, and the attitudes mean that victims of crime get the blame for what is in reality failure by the banks to protect their own customers.
I find that banks in the USA always blame the customer, and never accept any responsibility for a bad system. They won't fix it, because they are protected by Federal law, so why should they. Changing the law is the only way to change the lax and hugely arrogant banking attitudes, and we all know how quickly that is going to happen.
References and Further Reading
Hall Of Shame - Program employment for all
Wikipedia - Curiosity Killed The Cat
Wikipedia - Magnetic Ink Character Recognition
Related CyberCrimeOps.COM Articles
Cheque Fraud - The Unseen Victims
Overpayment Scams
Payment Cashing - A Mule Of A Fraud
Secret and Mystery Shopping With A Twist
Seller Beware - Are You Really Getting Paid?
You Have Won A Lottery/Sweepstake - Or Have You?
Saturday, October 2, 2010
My two internet lives ~ Be SAFE!
The readers of this blog know that I have my scam fighting internet life, but you might not know about my "other" internet life.
I also operate a crafting blog and, along with my husband, created the website CricutSearch.com
Now, this is where my two internet lives will collide . . .
With many of the crafting blogs that do contests and give aways they will ask people to post a comment on the blog to "enter" and to leave their email address so that they have a way to get a hold of these people to let them know that they have won. I totally understand that the blog owners/operators need a way to contact these people, but I am hoping that I can help to share a SAFER way than posting email addresses.
First, posting email addresses on the internet in response to a blog post or on an open message board is one of the things that we warn people NOT to do at ScamVictimsUnited.com. Why is that? The people that create the spam and scam "mailing lists" have programs that basically surf the net looking for email addresses. When you post your email address in a comment, on a blog or a message board you are opening the door for your name to be added to these mailing lists. This will increase the amount of spam that you get, and some of the people who operate scams and send out the spam will attach a virus to the email, so you are opening yourself up for the potential of a virus on your computer.
I know that the people running these contests need the email address to contact people, but can I suggest a SAFER way for people to do so? If in your post when you ask for email addresses, you warn people about posting email addresses and encourage them to write it like I will write mine below
admin at cricutsearch dot com
and
admin at scamvictimsunited dot com
Since these are all separate words they will NOT get picked up by the computer programs that troll sites for addresses. This allows the person to have the information that you need but also keeps them safe. And on message boards, if you are registered to the message board you should NEVER have to post your email address. All of the good message boards have a Private Message button or an Email button at the bottom of your profile which shows up on every message you post. If someone needs to get a hold of you, they can click on this button and do so, and your email address is safe from scams and spam.
If you operate a website or blog, I encourage you to review your site and make sure that you are not posting your email address in a way that can be picked up by these programs. Another way to post your email address on your own blog is to simply say "Email Me" and then make those words "clickable", just like you would if you were inserting a link, but instead of a link you are inserting an email address. I know that blogger makes it easy for you . . . when you go to insert a link there is a second check box for inserting an email address.
Also, as a blog or website operator, you can post this information to help to educate your followers and keep them safe. Ironically, October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, so it is the perfect time to share this message with all of your readers.
I also operate a crafting blog and, along with my husband, created the website CricutSearch.com
Now, this is where my two internet lives will collide . . .
With many of the crafting blogs that do contests and give aways they will ask people to post a comment on the blog to "enter" and to leave their email address so that they have a way to get a hold of these people to let them know that they have won. I totally understand that the blog owners/operators need a way to contact these people, but I am hoping that I can help to share a SAFER way than posting email addresses.
First, posting email addresses on the internet in response to a blog post or on an open message board is one of the things that we warn people NOT to do at ScamVictimsUnited.com. Why is that? The people that create the spam and scam "mailing lists" have programs that basically surf the net looking for email addresses. When you post your email address in a comment, on a blog or a message board you are opening the door for your name to be added to these mailing lists. This will increase the amount of spam that you get, and some of the people who operate scams and send out the spam will attach a virus to the email, so you are opening yourself up for the potential of a virus on your computer.
I know that the people running these contests need the email address to contact people, but can I suggest a SAFER way for people to do so? If in your post when you ask for email addresses, you warn people about posting email addresses and encourage them to write it like I will write mine below
admin at cricutsearch dot com
and
admin at scamvictimsunited dot com
Since these are all separate words they will NOT get picked up by the computer programs that troll sites for addresses. This allows the person to have the information that you need but also keeps them safe. And on message boards, if you are registered to the message board you should NEVER have to post your email address. All of the good message boards have a Private Message button or an Email button at the bottom of your profile which shows up on every message you post. If someone needs to get a hold of you, they can click on this button and do so, and your email address is safe from scams and spam.
If you operate a website or blog, I encourage you to review your site and make sure that you are not posting your email address in a way that can be picked up by these programs. Another way to post your email address on your own blog is to simply say "Email Me" and then make those words "clickable", just like you would if you were inserting a link, but instead of a link you are inserting an email address. I know that blogger makes it easy for you . . . when you go to insert a link there is a second check box for inserting an email address.
Also, as a blog or website operator, you can post this information to help to educate your followers and keep them safe. Ironically, October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, so it is the perfect time to share this message with all of your readers.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Nigerian Cheque Fraudsters
I would like to share a guest blog post from my friend at Cyber Crime Ops
Nigerian Cheque Fraudsters - Truth From The Horses Mouth
By James Bigglesworth
July 9, 2009
INTRODUCTION
Some people reading this article may have heard about "The Nigerian Cheque Scam", where someone from Nigeria sends a cheque for more than the value of something that is being offered by a seller. Likewise, cheques to be "processed" as part of some employment scheme are also included in this bracket. The premise is to get the victim to cash the cheque, and send part of the proceeds somewhere else. Later the cheque bounces, leaving the victim with a large debt to pay, and possible prosecution.
The cheques are not always sent from Nigeria though. They may actually be sent from somewhere within your own country, maybe even your own state, province or county. It could be confusing to be dealing with someone who says they are an American in Nigeria, but you are in Britain, and you get a cheque post-marked London.
Ever wondered how this is done? What goes on beneath the surface? Read on to find out more.
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME
The compilation of exchanges below have been provided to us by a potential victim of a fraud. The communications, though not totally complete, have taken place between an innocent and a Nigerian criminal. Readers are reminded that communications with criminals is hazardous to your status as a living member of society. Giving personal details to a fraudster places you, your family and your friends, in the firing line if a scammer wants retribution against you.
Whilst it is not always easy to know that person x is a fraudster before you start to communicate, anything that follows that indicates that they are a criminal should be enough to cease any further communication.
There is a saying that "Curiosity Killed The Cat" [link], and this is a warning for everyone to take heed. Our potential victim was so curious that he could very easily have been mistaken for a willing participant of an international bank fraud.
In short, DO NOT attempt to "find out what it is all about", simply walk away and do not look back.
Nigerian Cheque Fraudsters - Truth From The Horses Mouth
By James Bigglesworth
July 9, 2009
INTRODUCTION
Some people reading this article may have heard about "The Nigerian Cheque Scam", where someone from Nigeria sends a cheque for more than the value of something that is being offered by a seller. Likewise, cheques to be "processed" as part of some employment scheme are also included in this bracket. The premise is to get the victim to cash the cheque, and send part of the proceeds somewhere else. Later the cheque bounces, leaving the victim with a large debt to pay, and possible prosecution.
The cheques are not always sent from Nigeria though. They may actually be sent from somewhere within your own country, maybe even your own state, province or county. It could be confusing to be dealing with someone who says they are an American in Nigeria, but you are in Britain, and you get a cheque post-marked London.
Ever wondered how this is done? What goes on beneath the surface? Read on to find out more.
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME
The compilation of exchanges below have been provided to us by a potential victim of a fraud. The communications, though not totally complete, have taken place between an innocent and a Nigerian criminal. Readers are reminded that communications with criminals is hazardous to your status as a living member of society. Giving personal details to a fraudster places you, your family and your friends, in the firing line if a scammer wants retribution against you.
Whilst it is not always easy to know that person x is a fraudster before you start to communicate, anything that follows that indicates that they are a criminal should be enough to cease any further communication.
There is a saying that "Curiosity Killed The Cat" [link], and this is a warning for everyone to take heed. Our potential victim was so curious that he could very easily have been mistaken for a willing participant of an international bank fraud.
In short, DO NOT attempt to "find out what it is all about", simply walk away and do not look back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
