Charity / Donating Money Scam

williamstevenson@yahoo.co.uk Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Date: Thu, 24 May 2007 22:51:35 +1000



Dear Friend,

My name is William Stevenson a British merchant formally based in
Dubai. I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer It has defied all forms
of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to
live, according to medical experts. I have not particularly lived my
life so well, as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself) but my
business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always
hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only
thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is
more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the
world. I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I
would live my life a different way from how I have lived it.


Now that God Is About To Call me, I have willed and given most of my
property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well
as a few close friends. I want God to be merciful to me and accept my
soul so, I have decided to give also to charity organizations, as I want
this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have
distributed money to some charity organizations in Africa and Asia
including the Tsunami victims.


Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself
anymore. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts
and distribute the money which I have there to charity organization they
refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them
anymore, as they seem not to be contented with what I have left for them
before I became ill. Presently, I am still having a deposit with a bank
that is yet to be disposed of. I Beg You In The name of God to Help Me
Take The Money To Any Orphanage Home Close To You. I Believe That You
Would Offer This Service For Humanity Sake. If You Can Help Me. Mail Me
back. May the Good Lord Bless You And Your Family.


I Await Your Response.


Regards.
Williams

Abandoned Funds Fraud Email

"Abandoned Funds Fraud Email"



Note how the scammer includes an article from CNN, a real event to make it seem more legit. Please do not let dollar signs blind you, do not fall for these types of fraud letters.

Mr.Andrew Sharel
Senior Audit Officer
Natwest Bank Group
UK.



Dear Friend,

I am Mr.Andrew Sharel Senior Audit Officer of Natwest Bank Group UK.
Natwest Bank London. I am writing following an opportunity in my office
that will be of immense benefit to both of us.

In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of £20.5million
British
Pounds Sterling (Twenty million five hundred thousand British Pounds)
in
an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Late Mr.
Morris
Thompson an American who unfortunately lost his life in the plane
crash
of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000,
including
his wife and only daughter. You shall read more about the crash on
visiting this site.


http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/


Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his
next
of kin or relatves to come over and claim his money because we cannot
release it unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to
the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.

Unfortunately I learnt that his supposed next of kin being his only
daughter died along with him in the plane crash leaving nobody with the
knowledge of this fund behind for the claim. It is therefore upon this
discovery that I and two other officials in this department now decided
to
make business with you and release the money to you as the next of kin
or
beneficiary of the funds for safety keeping and subsequent disbursement
since nobody is coming for it and we don't want this money to go back
into
Government treasury as unclaimed bill.

The banking law and guidelines here stipulates that such money remained
after eight years the money will be transferred into banking treasury
as
unclaimed funds.

We agreed that 35% of this money will be for you as foreign partner,
while
the balance will be for me and my colleagues. I will visit your country
for the disbursement according to the percentages indicated above once
this money gets into your account.Please be honest to me and trust is
our
watchword in this transaction.

Note this transaction is confidential and risk free.As soon as you
receive
this mail you should contact me by return mail.Please note that all
necessary

arrangement for the smooth release of these funds to you has been
finalised.

We will discuss much in details when I do receive your response.

Please if you are interested in this project contact me for further
directives.

Best regards

Mr.Andrew Sharel

Scam Email- Investment Joint Partnership

Here is Today's Scam Email:


helpIwasscammed@yahoo.com
Subject: Proposed Investment Plans.
From: "Mr.Allen Park Lee." Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 21:44:57 +0000 (GMT)


Your esteem attention required Sir.

I write to solicit your Mutual partnership and support for the
actualisation of potential joint venture corporation in your country. My name
is Allen Park Lee, regional Controller of Customs in the Peoples
Republic of China.

Forgive me if my business proposal defies formal protocols, the urgent
need to secure a credible and reliable partnership outside China where
I intend to invest and settle after retirement is quite overwhelming
because my retirement is barely a year now.

In the cause of my duty as Narcotics Control Commission and General
Administration of Customs, I have received kickbacks from smugglers and
business people seeking favours from me to the tune of $27 Million United
States Dollars. As public officer we are not allowed to operate such
huge amount in private bank accounts or own investments overseas and as a
result I hid the money in an ESCROW ACCOUNT in the name of a
confidential TRUST COMPANY for safe keeping because my bank accounts are
monitored.

Now that retirement is right around the corner, I want to establish a
joint venture relationship with you whereby you will be my partner and
receive this money in trust in your nominated bank account and
thereafter you will invest it for our mutual benefits. When this money is in
your bank account, my representative will visit you to finalize on the
entire joint venture arrangements.

As soon as you indicate interest in this proposal, I will give you
further details that you need to know for the immediate commencement of
this proposed corporation. I am willing to negotiate terms with you in due
cause.

I will be most delighted to receive your urgent reply via my
confidential email address: allenparklee@yahoo.com.hk.

Best regards,
Allen Park Lee.

Scam Job Email: Nickerson Chemicals Ltd

**********Scam Email Alert**********


As I have mentioned in previous articles, once scammers get your information, (especially if you have been scammed before), they trade your info with each other. One example is that my email address, helpiwasscammed@yahoo.com, has drawn so much attention by the name, that the scammers make it real easy for me to collect evidence for this website. Daily I receive several scam emails. The one below was
received today.
The scammers are using a legitimate company's information. They even throw a little FBI talk in the letter. Just always remember the number one rule:

An Email from a complete stranger in a foreign country ......offering you a job.....(especially handling CASH!) HMMMMM.....sound legit?

Okay, now reverse it....
Would you send an email to a random person in a faraway land, asking them to handle your cash? YA,RIGHT!

_____________________________________________________________________________________

HERE IS TODAY'S SCAM JOB EMAIL


Dear Madam/Sir,

My name is Terry Cole,currently working as the Human Resources Manager
for Nickerson Chemicals London, England. It is my pleasure to write to
you in respect of our organisation. Nickerson Chemicals London, England
a leader in the import of Chemical products including a variety of
Organic,Dyestuffs and Pharmaceutical as well as Functional Materials
Chemicals. We deliver competitively-priced, quality products to our customers
in the Chemical/textile industry.

We have been expanding our clientelle to the United States/Canada and
we have gotten some client over there. We are looking for trustworthy
representatives in the USA and CANADA that can help as a link between us
and our clients around the world. We need reliable individuals as
book-keepers or representatives in the US or CANADA. But the problem Ihave
is trust, but I have my way of getting anyone that gets away with our
money, I mean the FBI branch in Washington gets involved. So I would like
to know if you will like to work online from home and get paid based on
a percentage without leaving or it affecting your resent job if you
have any.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU?
At this point, We will be glad if you could work with us as our
representative or book-keeper in the US/CANADA. You will be working as our
payment assistant in charge of collecting and processing payments from our
clients. Since they will be making the payment in Checks/Money Orders
made payable only in the US/CANADA, you will be collecting this
payments, cash them at your bank, then be forwarding them via money transfer.
And for this service, We agree to pay you 10% each of each amount you
collect from our clients.

JOB DESCRIPTION
1.Recieve payment(inform of Checks/Money Orders)from our CUstomer.
2.Cash/deposit the Payments at your Bank
3.Deduct 10% which will be your percentage/pay on Payment processed.
4.You will then wire the balance via a mode that shall be communicated
to you later.

HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN?
10% from each operation! For instance: you receive 5000USD via cheques
or money orders on our behalf. You will cash the payment and keep 10%
to yourself before forwarding the remaining balance less any wiring
fees! At the beginning, your commission will equal 10%, though later it
could increase up to 15%, and we usually get paid every week and
sometimes
more than once.

ADVANTAGES.
You dont have to go out of your present daily activities in order to
engage in this Job (i.e.you can do this Work easily without leaving your
present Job).This job will only take 3-4hrs of your time weekly.You
will work as an independent Rep right from your home /office.Your job is
absolutely legal.You do not need any capital to start (non of your
personal funds is needed).

REQUIREMENTS
1.18 years or older.
2.Legally capable.
3.Responsible, Reliable and Trustworthy
4.Ability to receive and follow instructions.
5.Able to check and respond to emails often.
6.Easy telephone access.
7.No start off cost.

IS THIS LEGAL?
Yes it is. As a matter of fact, our lawyers checked all legal
provisions to know if there is any domestic or international law against
businesses or deals in this manner. And they said it is allowed by all LAWS.
So know that doing this work is safe and legitimate. We would be glad
if you accept our proposal. We intend to commence as soon as you are
ready. Just click the reply button to indicate your interest and we will
contact you as soon as possible.Make sure you reply with the details
stated below:

NAME :
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:
ZIP CODE:
PHONE NUMBER(S):
AGE:
I hope to hear back from you.
Thanks,
Terry Cole
Human Resources Manager,
Nickerson Chemicals Ltd
Mill Street East
Dewsbury West Yorkshire
WF2 9BQ
www.nickersons.co.uk
email- terrycole_hrm@yahoo.com

NOTE: ONLY SERIOUS AND INTERESTED APPLICANTS/WORKERS SHOULD PLEASE
REPLY.


_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE WEBSITE:
http://www.svbizlaw.com/emails.nickersonchemicals.htm




A public service from the
Law Offices of Thomas Gross
419 Fraud, Lottery Fraud, Phishing & Other Scams
Exposing Internet Fraud & Scams




Nickerson Chemicals Ltd

"Nickerson Chemicals Ltd was referenced in unsolicited emails that we have received (which are set forth below and on the webpages listed below). These emails appear to be fraudulent or bogus.

This site contains a large collection of fraud and bogus emails that attempt to scam the recipient into sending money for non-existent fortunes, inheritances, cases of money, business partnerships, lottery winnings, etc. Don't be fooled by official looking documents (e.g. phony governmental certificates, checks and passports) as scammers make a living forging these things. Often scammers work in rings and have partners who may pose as lawyers, government officials, bank officials etc.

If you get an e-mail that is similar to one in our collection, you should delete it. Do not contact the person and especially do not give out personal information such as bank account information or your social security number. NEVER pay any fees of any kind. Also, do not accept a check from this stranger and especially do not return a portion of the check . If you are victimized by the fraud, there is not much that you can do. You may want to visit other sites to learn more."


LET'S PROTECT OURSELVES AND OTHERS BY GETTING THE WORD OUT!



LOOKOUT SCAMMERS! WE WILL KICK YOUR CON-DOG ASSES!

The FBI's Crime Prevention Tips

FBI Internet Crime Prevention Tips



Internet crime schemes that steal millions of dollars each year from victims continue to plague the Internet through various methods. Following are preventative measures that will assist you in being informed prior to entering into transactions over the Internet:

Auction Fraud
Counterfeit Cashier's Check
Credit Card Fraud
Debt Elimination
DHL/UPS
Employment/Business Opportunities
Escrow Services Fraud
Identity Theft
Internet Extortion
Investment Fraud
Lotteries
Nigerian Letter or "419"
Phishing/Spoofing
Reshipping
Spam
Third Party Receiver of Funds


Auction Fraud
Before you bid, contact the seller with any questions you have.
Review the seller's feedback.
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
Ensure you understand refund, return, and warranty policies.
Determine the shipping charges before you buy.
Be wary if the seller only accepts wire transfers or cash.
If an escrow service is used, ensure it is legitimate.
Consider insuring your item.
Be cautious of unsolicited offers.

Counterfeit Cashier's Check
Inspect the cashier's check.
Ensure the amount of the check matches in figures and words.
Check to see that the account number is not shiny in appearance.
Be watchful that the drawer's signature is not traced.
Official checks are generally perforated on at least one side.
Inspect the check for additions, deletions, or other alterations.
Contact the financial institution on which the check was drawn to ensure legitimacy.
Obtain the bank's telephone number from a reliable source, not from the check itself.
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.

Credit Card Fraud
Ensure a site is secure and reputable before providing your credit card number online.
Don't trust a site just because it claims to be secure.
If purchasing merchandise, ensure it is from a reputable source.
Promptly reconcile credit card statements to avoid unauthorized charges.
Do your research to ensure legitimacy of the individual or company.
Beware of providing credit card information when requested through unsolicited emails.

Debt Elimination
Know who you are doing business with - do your research.
Obtain the name, address, and telephone number of the individual or company.
Research the individual or company to ensure they are authentic.
Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine the legitimacy of the company.
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
Ensure you understand all terms and conditions of any agreement.
Be wary of businesses that operate from P.O. boxes or maildrops.
Ask for names of other customers of the individual or company and contact them.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

DHL/UPS
Beware of individuals using the DHL or UPS logo in any email communication.
Be suspicious when payment is requested by money transfer before the goods will be delivered.
Remember that DHL and UPS do not generally get involved in directly collecting payment from customers.
Fees associated with DHL or UPS transactions are only for shipping costs and never for other costs associated with online transactions.
Contact DHL or UPS to confirm the authenticity of email communications received.

Employment/Business Opportunities
Be wary of inflated claims of product effectiveness.
Be cautious of exaggerated claims of possible earnings or profits.
Beware when money is required up front for instructions or products.
Be leery when the job posting claims "no experience necessary".
Do not give your social security number when first interacting with your prospective employer.
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
Be wary when replying to unsolicited emails for work-at-home employment.
Research the company to ensure they are authentic.
Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine the legitimacy of the company.

Escrow Services Fraud
Always type in the website address yourself rather than clicking on a link provided.
A legitimate website will be unique and will not duplicate the work of other companies.
Be cautious when a site requests payment to an "agent", instead of a corporate entity.
Be leery of escrow sites that only accept wire transfers or e-currency.
Be watchful of spelling errors, grammar problems, or inconsistent information.
Beware of sites that have escrow fees that are unreasonably low.

Identity Theft
Ensure websites are secure prior to submitting your credit card number.
Do your homework to ensure the business or website is legitimate.
Attempt to obtain a physical address, rather than a P.O. box or maildrop.
Never throw away credit card or bank statements in usable form.
Be aware of missed bills which could indicate your account has been taken over.
Be cautious of scams requiring you to provide your personal information.
Never give your credit card number over the phone unless you make the call.
Monitor your credit statements monthly for any fraudulent activity.
Report unauthorized transactions to your bank or credit card company as soon as possible.
Review a copy of your credit report at least once a year.

Internet Extortion
Security needs to be multi-layered so that numerous obstacles will be in the way of the intruder.
Ensure security is installed at every possible entry point.
Identify all machines connected to the Internet and assess the defense that's engaged.
Identify whether your servers are utilizing any ports that have been known to represent insecurities.
Ensure you are utilizing the most up-to-date patches for your software.

Investment Fraud
If the "opportunity" appears too good to be true, it probably is.
Beware of promises to make fast profits.
Do not invest in anything unless you understand the deal.
Don't assume a company is legitimate based on "appearance" of the website.
Be leery when responding to invesment offers received through unsolicited email.
Be wary of investments that offer high returns at little or no risk.
Independently verify the terms of any investment that you intend to make.
Research the parties involved and the nature of the investment.
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine the legitimacy of the company.

Lotteries
If the lottery winnings appear too good to be true, they probably are.
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
Be leery if you do not remember entering a lottery or contest.
Be cautious if you receive a telephone call stating you are the winner in a lottery.
Beware of lotteries that charge a fee prior to delivery of your prize.
Be wary of demands to send additional money to be eligible for future winnings.
It is a violation of federal law to play a foreign lottery via mail or phone.

Nigerian Letter or "419"
If the "opportunity" appears too good to be true, it probably is.
Do not reply to emails asking for personal banking information.
Be wary of individuals representing themselves as foreign government officials.
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
Beware when asked to assist in placing large sums of money in overseas bank accounts.
Do not believe the promise of large sums of money for your cooperation.
Guard your account information carefully.
Be cautious when additional fees are requested to further the transaction.


Phishing/Spoofing
Be suspicious of any unsolicited email requesting personal information.
Avoid filling out forms in email messages that ask for personal information.
Always compare the link in the email to the link that you are actually directed to.
Log on to the official website, instead of "linking" to it from an unsolicited email.
Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the email to verify if the email is genuine.

Reshipping
Be cautious if you are asked to ship packages to an "overseas home office."
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
Be leery if the individual states that his country will not allow direct business shipments from the United States.
Be wary if the "ship to" address is yours but the name on the package is not.
Never provide your personal information to strangers in a chatroom.
Don't accept packages that you didn't order.
If you receive packages that you didn't order, either refuse them upon delivery or contact the company where the package is from.


Spam
Don't open spam. Delete it unread.
Never respond to spam as this will confirm to the sender that it is a "live" email address.
Have a primary and secondary email address - one for people you know and one for all other purposes.
Avoid giving out your email address unless you know how it will be used.
Never purchase anything advertised through an unsolicited email.

Third Party Receiver of Funds
Do not agree to accept and wire payments for auctions that you did not post.
Be leery if the individual states that his country makes receiving these type of funds difficult.
Be cautious when the job posting claims "no experience necessary".
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Submitting A Fraud Claim: How To Effectively Present Your Case

First, make sure you contact the correct agency for the type of fraud crime you are reporting. There are lots of resources here on the right side of this site, for every type of internet crime. They are going to want to know the basic 5:

1. WHAT happened.

2. WHEN it happened.

3. WHERE it happened.

4. WHO was involved.

5. HOW it happened.





THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP:

Collect as much evidence as possible, every item of proof you have. Examples of evidence:


1. Documents/emails you received from the scammers.

2. Documents/emails you sent to the scammer.

3. Any copies, faxes, Identification, or correspondence through the postal mail sent or received.

4.Bank statements,Western Union reciepts, whatever evidence you have that shows how much money was sent to the scammer.

5. Telephone bills with the scammers telephone numbers highlighted.

6. Any Letters of Credit, Letters of Intent, or any type of Court Of Law Document involved.

7. Any type of physical product that was involved in the scam.

8. Any instructions to or from companies involved, banks, attorneys,websites, etc.



VERY IMPORTANT: KEEP EVERYTHING NEAT & ORGANIZED. Put the documents in chronological order. For example, Organize documents in the order in which each document was received by you or sent by you, or by date of origin.

Next, write a letter explaining with as much of the facts as you can. Only the facts, do not let emotion overwhelm you, and turn it into a 10 page novel. The agency involved just needs the facts.

Make sure your name, address, phone number, and date are in the top left corner of the letter. Always make copies for you to keep, and then send your claim.

Scam Job Email

****REPORT THESE TYPES OF FRAUDULENT EMAILS IMMEDIATELY****

U.S. Mills, Inc.
200 Reservoir Street
Needham, MA 02494-3146
Phone: (781) 328-4963

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are group of company who deal in Distribution & Marketing of natural
foods, due to the fact that we want to expand our sales to other
countries
in particular.We are searching for reliable representatives who can
help
us establish a medium of getting to our customers, as well as making
payments through you to us.
Please if you are interested in transacting business with us we will be
very glad, Please contact us for more information . Subject to your
satisfaction you will be given the opportunity to negotiate your mode
of
whic h we will pay for your services as our representative/agent.
Please
if you are interested in this opportunity, please contact the
Marketing Representative Mrs Linda Rice at
linda.rice02@hotmail.com

Best Regards,
Teejay Million,
Managing Director, (Nigeria)
U.S. MILLS INC.

A Victim Explains How He Got His Money Back After Being Scammed

The following is a letter sent to me from a victim of fraud. He shares with us how he was able to get his money back. This story happened on a global trading website, however this advice could be applied to a similar situation.


I am also a victim of a scam. My incident happened while trying to purchase wholesale goods, from a chinese company through Alibaba.com. (The Fraud company goes by the name of Putian Licheng Footwear Co Ltd.)
I have found (since losing a lot of money), that Alibaba protects it's Gold Members and Trust Pass Members, because without the membership fees those Members pay to Alibaba, they would not have a million dollar company.
Alibaba states in their Terms & Conditions that they will not act against any Company if you do not have a 'Court Of Law Document'.
What this 'Court Of Law Document' means is anyone's guess, however, you can do what I have done.
There must be a Courthouse in your country/county that handles Small Claims. Meaning... if you have a dispute against a person or company in your country.... you can take them to Court. I recommend finding the one nearest you.
I suggest that you get a copy of this type of 'Court of Law document'/a document that you would need to take a person to court. Fill in as much as the details that you can, especially about the company/person that frauded you, and email this Court Document to Alibaba(Or whatever company/website you were frauded through) and order Alibaba to take action against this Company.

This is what I did, and I began to see some action from Alibaba....however you must keep on their backs: call and email them every day, and demand to know what is being done. Also email the company concerned, even if they block you, for evidence.

Then you send copies of emails/proof to Alibaba, to show you have been trying to contact the company and they refuse to answer. Don't give up, keep at them. Demand that Alibaba cancel or suspend their Gold Membership.

Here is a small extract from Alibabas Terms & Conditions for Gold Members:

"ALIBABA.COM Terms of Use Agreement

5.5 Each User hereby represents, warrants and agrees that information submitted to Alibaba.com for display on the Site shall not:

(a) contain fraudulent information or make fraudulent offers of items or involve the sale or attempted sale of counterfeit or stolen items or items whose sales and/or marketing is prohibited by applicable law, or otherwise promote other illegal activities;
(b) be part of a scheme to defraud other Users of the Site or for any other unlawful purpose;"



Copy this to your email to Alibaba, just to remind them of their own obligations as regarding Gold Member and Trust Pass members who operate under their Banner.
Maybe if we start to flood Alibaba with Court Of Law documents, us innocent buyers will stop getting ripped of by fraudulent scammers.


Good Luck


- Thank you Gary, for sharing your story with us!!

Start Here: Internet Fraud 101

What is Internet fraud?

Generally, any type of fraud scheme that uses one or more components of the Internet – such as chat rooms, email, message boards or Web sites – to present fraudulent solicitations to prospective victims, to conduct fraudulent transactions, or to transmit the proceeds of fraud to financial institutions or to others connected with the scheme.


What are the major types of online Internet fraud?

Auctions and retail schemes, online auctions being the number one avenue for Internet fraud
Business opportunity/"work-at-home" schemes
Identity theft and fraud
Investment schemes
Credit card offers
Credit repair
Dating scams
Vacation prize promotions
Nigerian money offers – This scheme involves someone claiming to be a Nigerian official, who promises big profits in exchange for help moving large sums of money out of their country
Advance fee loans
Internet access services
Health and diet scams
Free goods, like long distance phone cards, computers, electronics, etc.
Cable descrambler kits
Fake Lottery emails



What is being done to combat Internet fraud?

The Department of Justice

Prosecutes cases throughout the country against individuals and groups who have engaged in a variety of types of Internet fraud
The Internet Fraud Initiative – a joint initiative between the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Advocacy Center

Develops information on the nature and scope of the problem
Develops and provides training for prosecutors
Establishes a program of public education
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – has authority to bring civil lawsuits to federal district courts. Since 1994, the FTC has brought more than 140 law enforcement actions against more than 490 companies and individuals.

FTC Surf Days – the FTC, along with other state and federal agencies, searches the Internet for sites containing deceptive claims. The site operators then receive warnings
Teaser Sites – fake scams constructed by FTC staff. As a consumer clicks through the site a warning eventually appears stating, "If you respond to an advertisement like this, you could get scammed!"
Consumers Fraud Sentinel Database

Provides secure Internet access to more than 220,000 consumer complaints for more than 200 law enforcement organizations across the United States and Canada
National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) – joint effort between industry and the government to foster awareness of cyber security through educational outreach and public awareness

What precautions can I take to secure my personal and credit information?

Keep your personal information private
Be especially careful about online communications with someone who conceals his true identity
Use a secure browser
Use inexpensive filtering software to filter programs to protect your family from inappropriate sites
Pay your bills online with credit card instead of using personal checks
Review your telephone bill and other bills and challenge any charges that you don't recognize

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What precautions can I take when conducting business online?

Beware of offers that sound too good to be true
Watch out for "advance fee" demands
Take your time in making investment decisions, researching the potential investment opportunity thoroughly
Have an attorney or accountant look at any proposed contracts
Call every supplier or customer of the company and verify that they really do business with the company
Check out the people running the company
Contact your local consumer protection agency and the consumer protection agency in the city where the company is headquartered for more information about the company
Interview business references in person at the place of business if possible and try and get a number of names to choose from. This will help you avoid talking with people who were paid to give favorable responses.
Get earnings claims in writing when considering Internet-related business opportunities
Get references on any travel companies and get details about the trip in writing, including the cancellation policy
Consult with health-care professionals before buying any "cure-all" that claims to cure an ailment quickly or offers easy solutions to a serious illness
What precautions should I take when shopping online?

Keep your password(s) private
Don't judge item by initial appearances posted online
Check out the seller, especially when shopping online auction sites
Shop with companies that you know or at least know who you are dealing with; make sure that the company is legitimate
Get all the details involved before making an Internet transaction, such as complete descriptions, total price, return policy, etc.
Ask your credit card issuer about "substitute" or "single-use" credit card numbers – these allow you to use your credit card without putting your real account number online
Only share credit card information when buying from a company that you trust
Pay by credit or charge card online, because you have a legal right to dispute charges for goods and services that were never ordered or received
Keep a record for proof of the transaction
How can I file a complaint about Internet fraud?

You can file complaints about specific types of fraud with the following agencies:

Commodities Fraud: Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
Securities Fraud: SEC Enforcement Division Complaint Center or your state securities regulators
If you think that you've been the victim of a fraud scheme that involved the Internet, you can also file a complaint online with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center, a joint project of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.


How can I get more information about Internet fraud?

Please see the links above!

Fraud Advice from The Federal Trade Commission

Fraud Advice from The Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov)

THE FACE OF FRAUD:
IT IS NOT WHO YOU THINK.

Believe it or not, there is
no typical fraud victim,
but research finds that
fraud victims are likely to
be educated, informed,
relatively affluent, and
involved in their communities.
Scammers don’t care about
your age, race, income, or geographic location. They just
want your money.

YOU WOULDN’T FALL FOR IT?

Thousands of people are defrauded each year. Scam
artists use the latest trends and sophisticated techniques:
􀁺 professional marketing materials
􀁺 well-crafted and researched telephone scripts, which
are traded among criminals

DON’T FALL FOR
THE BIG PRIZE SCAM

A caller says you won a big lottery prize but you must
send money before you can collect.
It’s fraud and you will lose your money!
Contact the FTC: www.ftc.gov or 1-877-FTC-HELP.
Legitimate lottery and sweepstakes administrators never
charge fees to deliver your prize. If you send money, you
will never get it back.

FRAUD

RECOGNIZE IT.

REPORT IT.

STOP IT.

􀁺 a friendly tone and “generous” offer to put you at ease
􀁺 believable answers to your tough questions
􀁺 an ability to impersonate legitimate businesses,
charities, and causes
􀁺 expertly using your own emotions against you
They are professional criminals: They know what they’re
doing and, unfortunately for their victims, they do it well.

YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF.

Identity theft is the fastest-growing type of fraud. Crooks
can do bad things using your good name. Protect your
precious personal information. Ask all marketing, research,
or charity callers for:
􀁺 detailed, written information that you can check out
yourself
􀁺 time to think about the offer. Scam artists pressure
you for an answer, saying the offer will expire or go to
the next person if you don’t act now
􀁺 valid references and a way to contact them
􀁺 a call-back number. This is not fool-proof. Seasoned
crooks are happy to give you a cell phone or unlisted
number where a colleague is standing by to finish
taking your number.

THE BEST WAY TO HELP STOP
FRAUD IS TO REPORT IT.

If a scam artist has contacted you or if you’ve been
defrauded, contact the FTC at
http://www.ftc.gov
or
1-877-FTC-HELP.

We gather evidence, identify fraud trends
and alert law enforcement throughout the U.S., Canada,
and abroad. By reporting your experience, you can
prevent others from becoming victims and help put an
end to fraud.

Source: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/tmarkg/fraud.pdf

New Tips For Choosing and Using Online Escrow Services

New- Tips for Choosing and Using Online Escrow Services


Online auction fraud has skyrocketed: in 2002, auctions made up 90 percent of complaints made to the Internet Fraud Watch program.
(www.fraud.org)


Using an online escrow service gives you more protection. For a small fee, an online escrow service holds your payment until you confirm that you got what you were promised within an agreed upon inspection period. Only then does it forward the payment to the seller. If there is a dispute about the item, the escrow service may be willing to act as a referee.
Know the difference between escrow services and other online payment services. With an escrow service, the seller doesn’t get paid until you’re satisfied. This is very important in online auction purchases, where there is no way of knowing in advance whether the goods really exist or they were described truthfully. Other types of online payment services may cost less, but since they transmit your payment to the seller immediately, you may have no protection if the goods are never delivered or were misrepresented.
Determine how much you can afford to lose. If the item is relatively inexpensive, it may not be important to use an escrow service. Or you may be covered by insurance offered by the online auction site, the payment service you use, or both; check the limits and terms of insurance carefully. If you can’t afford to lose the amount of your purchase and there isn’t insurance to cover it, use an escrow service.
Make sure your money is secure. Because you’re giving money to the escrow service to hold in trust, you want to make sure it’s safe. Look for information about whether the service is licensed and bonded and find out how you can confirm that with the appropriate agency. An escrow service is usually licensed in the state in which it is physically located. Generally, licensing requires employee background checks, training, supervision, and bonding to ensure that consumers won’t lose their money.

Beware of bogus online escrow services. Fake escrow services simply pocket your money and disappear. Sometimes they operate in connection with fraudulent sellers; in other cases both buyers and sellers may be victimized by bogus escrow services.
Don’t always believe what you see. One common practice of fraudulent escrow services is to copy information from legitimate Web sites onto theirs. If the wording is identical to that of another escrow service, it’s a danger sign of fraud. Another danger sign is using the name of a well-known auction site as part of the escrow service’s name. Bogus escrow services may also forge graphics from trustmark programs such as “VeriSign” and “Trust-e” to make their sites seem safe. Click on these symbols to see whether they link to a fully operational site of the trustmark organization and check to confirm that the escrow service is listed as a member of that program.
Be suspicious of references to U.S. codes. Though escrow services are not regulated by federal law, some claim to comply with the “U.S. Financial and Business Code” in order to appear legitimate. There is no such code.
Unprofessional looking Web sites can be a tip-off. Spelling and grammatical errors are commonly found on fraudulent sites.
Get the business’ physical address. Be wary of escrow service sites that only provide an email address and offer no phone number and address. Without the address, you have no way of checking with state authorities to determine if the service is licensed.
Get references for which escrow services to use. Some online auction sites have links to escrow services that they recommend. There are also private anti-fraud Web sites that list what they believe to be legitimate and fraudulent sites. Simply type the phrase “list of fraudulent escrow sites” into any popular search engine to find these references.
Be wary of escrow recommendations from sellers. They may have ulterior motives for steering you to certain fraudulent sites. Always check the escrow service out yourself.

Fraud Victims Fight Back

Auction fraud victims fight back
Organized groups, soloists hunt criminals, get refunds

By Bob Sullivan
Technology correspondent
MSNBC
Aug. 1, 2002 - You don’t want to scam Kris Hopwood. Earlier this year, he won an Eric Lindros hockey jersey on eBay, sent the seller payment, but never received the shirt. So Hopwood took a day off of work, drove 10 hours from New Jersey to Toronto, and hunted down the con artist. A few hours later, Hopwood had his Lindros shirt, and the wouldbe seller — a sporting goods store employee who had been stealing from the store — was in handcuffs. Hopwood is just one of many auction scam victims who have decided they aren’t taking the crime sitting down.
It's called a “ghost auction,” and it’s the greatest fear of every Internet auction user. Win an item on eBay, Yahoo, or uBid, send the money to the seller, and never hear from the seller again. It’s the easiest way to steal money on the Internet. And frustrated victims often find they have virtually no chance of recovering their money if they simply file a complaint with the auction Web site. Some, like Hopwood, take matters into their own hands.
But others say the only real hope getting money back from a scammer is banding together with other victims. The Internet is now full of Web pages and e-mail groups devoted to investigating con artists, swapping information, and attracting attention from law enforcement agencies.






“The basic thing is you have to have numbers,” said Robert Zornes, who operates an RV park on Washington State’s Olympic Penninsula. He led a group of 50 victims who gave about $37,000 to a seller earlier this year and never received their collectible coins. About 80 percent of the money was returned by the seller after dogged efforts got the Maryland State Police and officials from the Postal Inspector’s office to visit the seller’s home and threaten legal action. “You have to have enough money involved that the postal service or sheriff’s department are willing to go after him. If you are just an isolated guy, you’ve got very little chance, but if you can team up then you have a certain amount of clout.”

Online Dating Scams

Online Dating SCAMS
How to protect yourself from fraud when using Internet personals and dating agencies
By Elena Solomon, www.soulmades.com.au Before you even think about online dating, you must know about dating scams.
This is serious: if you get too deeply involved, a dating scam can significantly hurt not only your heart, but your finances, too.
Make sure you know how to protect yourself from fraud when using dating sites!
Internet personals, online introduction agencies and matchmaking sites allow anyone to join for free, and they usually do not screen their members. It means you never know who is behind this pretty photo: a real beautiful woman or a con artist who downloaded a photo of an unknown model from the Internet.
There are four types of online dating scams:
Prostitute scam;
Phone scam;
Travel scam;
Nigerian postal scam.
1. Prostitute scam
Prostitutes are straightforward: they place profiles on dating sites to solicit business. Such profiles are usually easily recognized by sleazy user names and steamy self-descriptions. They don't waste time letting you know what they are after.
2. Phone scam
This is the variation of the old phone scam: the person asks you to call them, and when you do, you get a bill in the mail for hundreds of dollars (1900 number).
3. Travel scam
The person resides overseas and asks you to help them with travel expenses to visit you.
4. Nigerian postal scam
The person pretends to be a relative of a diseased government official who asks for your help in a financial transaction.
So, how can you protect yourself from being taken by Internet con artists using online personals to reach their victims?
Here is the simple guidance that will make your use of online dating sites safe and secure.
First, when you view a profile, look out for the things like a sleazy user name, especially if it's a woman: guys cannot stop thinking about sex 24/7 (and it's normal) - but women normally don't do it. Sincere women don't choose user names like "the_sweetest_sin", "ms_right_now" etc.
Second, read what the profile says: people milking others for money will say something vague that can fit anyone.Third, look at the photos: gorgeous professional photos in combination with vague profile almost always mean trouble. People with beautiful photos receive LOTS of mail, so they become VERY selective and include many requirements in their profiles (especially women).Basically, any woman who talks about loving sex and experimenting in bed is most likely not for real.
Any man who talks about being a millionaire isn't for real either.It doesn't mean there are no women who love sex and experimenting in bed or millionaires on the site - they just DO NOT talk about that in their profiles.And any person who does, is a liar.Simple.Another HUGE warning is overseas profiles. Often people would list their location as being local and when you start talking to them, they reveal they are from overseas (Nigeria, Russia, etc).Such profiles should be treated as potential scams - always.If the location in the personal profile doesn't match what the person says about him/herself, my advice is to drop it altogether and don't waste your time.
If you decide to proceed, do it for entertainment purposes only and don't get emotionally attached.What will happen, sooner or later you will get a money request in some form - they need money for a sick relative, they want to visit you and need money for tickets, etc - no matter what is the reason, there WILL be a money request.When this happens, you can play along and have some fun, asking for instructions and promising to send them money - just don't actually SEND it.
If you do, there are two variants: they will disappear or ask for MORE money (hey, if you were so stupid to send it once, why not try again!) - and keep asking for more money until you stop sending it.Don't even HOPE this is for real.Because it's NOT.You may want to believe it is, but better believe ME: I am a real person and you can ring me and have a chat with me. With those people, you can't.So, who would you choose to believe: me, who tells you this is a scam - or them, who ask you for money (which you can NEVER recover)?I work in online dating since 1999 - I KNOW.Trust me on that.Long distance + request for money = SCAM.Forget any sweet stories you've heard in between - and any sweet pictures, too. Most likely, the pics are downloaded from the Net and belong to some model. (Hey, there were even scammers using MY OWN pictures! ;-))Guys are more vulnerable to this one than girls: I have never heard about a woman who wired thousands of $$$ to some guy to come and visit her - but the Internet is PLASTERED with stories of men sending money to their non-existing female admirers.
How wonderful... this perfect female specimen cannot wait to get hold of your zip and provide your with the greatest pleasure you ever experienced!! OF COURSE she sincerely loves you and is different from any woman you met before (and probably a couple of generations younger than you as well).C'mon mate: those perfect Playboy-type exemplars dying to try your new sheets exist only in the virtual reality of your correspondence.
They are as real as Santa Claus or Nigerian millions. You know this one: you get a mail from a relative of a deceased top government official who begs your assistance in transferring large sums of money (stolen from the country's people obviously) - and easily promising to give you a few millions if you simply allow them to use your bank account. The people may list themselves as being from Nigeria, or any other African country.This one is clear as daylight, so if anyone starts talking about money transfers, honesty and trust, simply BLOCK them.
Remember the formula:Long distance + request for money = SCAM.
I hope this article will help you protect yourself from dating scams and you will only meet honest, sincere and genuine singles from now on.



* Article From www.soulmades.com

British Lottery Scam

From Caecilia D. Lloyd (Mrs) (Claim Prize)The British Hotball Lotto11 Claughton Firs,Prenton CH435TGLiverpool United Kingdom.

Sir/Madam,Being officially assigned to select winners across the globe, the management is pleased to inform you of the result of the Hotball Lotto GBP millions British Lottery Winners International E-mail programs held on the 28th March 2007 and result where release on the 7th,May,2007.Your Email address attached to ticket number 653-908-321-675 with serial main number 345- 790-241-671 drew lucky star numbers 34-32-90- 43-32 which consequently won in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of GBP1.500.000.00, with REFERENCE #:67/80/IPD and BATCH # EGGS-541-623-782.

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to you.This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 100,000 company and 50,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.This lottery was promoted and sponsored by Sotware Companies in order to enhance and promote the use of Internet Explorer Users and Microsoft-wares around the globe.To file for your claim, please contact our fiducial agent:
Mr Alfred fergusonemail:freelotnl@hotmail.comemail:writealfredferguson@myway.comTEL: 44-7031-909626FAX:44-7092-883767Foreign Service ManagerCongratulations once morefrom our members of staff and thank you for being part of ourpromotional program.

Sincerely,Mrs Caecilia D. Lloyd.International Online Coordinator------------------------ ALICE C'EST ENCORE MIEUX AVEC CANAL+ LE BOUQUET ! ---------------Découvrez vite l'offre exclusive ALICEBOX et CANAL+ LE BOUQUET, en cliquant ici http://alicebox.frSoumis à conditions.

Beware Of The Online Charity Scam

Beware the Online 'Charity' Scam
For many of us, the transition to the New Year was full of thoughts and hopes for a prosperous 2005. But for others in Southeast Asia, the New Year started with a natural disaster in the form of a destructive Tsunami. It was a disaster hard for many of us to comprehend.
There are millions of people in need of aid and assistance, in need of things such as shelter, clothing, food, drinking water, and medications just to name a few. And millions have answered the call. During disasters like this, it becomes apparent there really is tremendous good in humanity. Friends and foe alike set aside their differences for a short while and try to find ways to help.
Unfortunately, just as there are those who legitimately want to help, there are those who will take advantage of them. A lot of times it will be in the form of online charity scams.
It is not uncommon for people with malicious intent to use e-mail and Internet scams to defraud people out of money during a crisis. Although traditional scams requesting money via postal mail and phone calls are quite prevalent, the Internet and e-mail can target many more people and in a very short period of time.
Being aware of online charity scams is your best defense.
If you receive and e-mail requesting donations for any cause from someone or some organization you've never heard of, your best bet is to delete it. In fact, even requests you receive that appear to be from well known organizations may indeed be "Wolves in Sheep's clothing."
Online Charity Scammers have become very adept at pulling the wool over peoples eyes. In some cases, you may even be directed to a website that looks exactly like that of a well known and trusted organization. Only to find out later, after you've made your contribution, that it was a replica or fake, made to look just like the real site.
I warn people all the time to be cautious and selective about what they believe to be true when it comes to the Internet and e-mail. It won't hurt you to do some research and make sure that your donations are going to the right organizations.
The fact of the matter is, more than one person is effected by unscrupulous people looking to make a buck off the misfortune of others. If you become a victim of electronic / Internet fraud in times like these, you're not the only one who will lose out; Those in need of your assistance will as well.
For a list of trusted, legitimate organizations accepting contributions for those affected by the Southeast Asia earthquake and tsunamis, please point your browser to the Network For Good. A coalition of 160 relief, development, and refugee assistance organizations.


Article from www.defendingthenet.com

Email Scam: Need 'help' with millions of dollars

Are you kidding? Every day I get these emails. I never knew africa had so much unclaimed millions that they need help with from strangers. Every one I receive I will always post, because hopefully it will STOP someone from being duped by these assholes.

FROM:BARRISTER ALEX KALJE.KALJE CHAMBERS & ASSOCIATE.(NOTARY PUBLIC)Ouagadougou,Burkina Faso.West Africa.

Attention:Dear Friend.

With great pleasure I am writing this proposal on behalf of my associates.This is a proposal in context but actually an appeal soliciting for your unreserved assistance in consummating an urgent transaction requiring maximum confidence.I apologize for any inconveniences. My intention of writing you through email is because I believe it is very confidential.
But However, your address was secured through my search in the internet for a reliable and capable hand to handle a transaction of this magnitude.
I obtained your profile from ICQ business website and became aware of your credibility and integrity. due to the sensitivity of this transactionand my commitment as an attorney.I am Barrister ALEX KALJE, personal Attorney to one of my Late foreigner Client, a Geologist by profession and The owner of cadbury manufacturing Company here in Burkina Faso, he died since 1999, in an EgyptAir Flight 990, on the 31st October along with other passengers on board.The Bank has recently issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the investment deposits confiscated by the end of this quarter in their financial calendar of 2007.The request of foreigner as next of Kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a Burkinabe cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.This is why I have contacted you to render assistance in repatriating the money and properties left behind by my client, before they will be confiscated or declared unserviceable by this Bank. As his personal Attorney, I am in possession of all legal documents, which shows the entire transaction between him and the bank of africa in relation to this fund deposit.Before his death, he has a huge sum of $9,500.000.00 (nine million five hundred thousand USD)which no other person know about.Consequently the management team of the Bank Of Africa,Ouagadougou,Burkina Faso,West Africa.I want to first transfer $5,000.000.00 (Five million USD) from this money into a safe account abroad, after which we will transfer the remaining (4.500M) but I don't know any foreigner, I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money can not be approved to a local person here.My constraint is to be able to source a foreign partiner who is honest and trustworthy individual, that will act as trustee and willing to assist me in this transaction, your share as compensation will be (35%) while (5%) for tax and other miscellaneous expenses.This transaction is 100% risk free provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality.I guarantee you that the entire transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the LAW.Though this approach appears desperate, I can assure you that whatever questions you would need to ask or any other thing you will need to know regarding this proposal will be adequately answered to give you a clearer understanding of it, so as to arrive at a successful conclusion.In conclusion, I would like to notice that this transaction is 100% risk free and there is nothing to scare about.I personally know the consequency of this transaction in the corridor of my proffession.Hoping that you will understand and assist effectively for the success of this transaction and looking forward to hear from you.N.B: Please reply me on my private email address:

alex_kalje2@yahoo.frBest Regards,Barrister ALEX KALJE (Esq)Ouagadougou,Burkina Faso.West Africa.

Be Careful On Global Trading Websites

There are a lot of Global Trading Websites out there, a place to find product suppliers from other countries. For example, Alibaba.com is the largest trading site I am aware of, and It is a good place to network, however, it is chocked full of scammers, so we have to be very careful of who we deal with, because Alibaba hides behind their very legal "Disclaimer", and will do absolutely NOTHING to help you if you get duped. Here is a fellow Alibaba member, who like many others, was a victim of a scammer. Here are Gary's words:


G'Day Angela,
Like you I am a victim of the infamous "Gold Member" and "Trust Pass" boys from Alibaba, I applaud you on setting up a site to help expose these bastards and would like to contribute any way I can.
What infuriates me most is that the Alibaba management, despite thousands of complaints both directly to them and on their own forums, continually hide behind the facade of their "Disclaimer" and will do nothing to stop these scams continuing.
I have had numerous discussions with them and the only way they will take down a site or suspend them from trading on Alibaba is if a court action is instigated against a company.
They know that this is virtually impossible in China for a foreigner so they just sit back and collect the fees that they charge to allow these trustworthy logos on sites. Anyone can do it, all you need to be is a registered company with a half decent credit rating and be willing to pay the fees, you pay the money and you get the logos, that's it. However after scouring the net I found a site that is able to cross borders and at this moment we are filing a court action against one of the "trustworthy" companies, here is the link,
http://www.econsumer.gov/English/index.HTML
Have a good read , it may help you with your own problems and could you please send me the URL of your site, as I said before I would like to contribute anyway I can.

Cheers for now,
Gary

* REMEMBER to protect yourself, do your research, and be very confident about who you are doing business with.

I Win The Fake Lottery Daily!

ANOTHER SCAM EMAIL:


Attention: Winner,Congratulations to you as we bring to your notice the result of ONCE PROMO 2007 promotions .
We are happy to inform you that your email address have emerged a winner of Five hundred and fifty thousand euro(550, 000.00)Euros.NOTE: to file for your claim, please contact the claim department below on email or phone LOTERIA TRUST AGENCY S.L Mr.PAULVANFRANTEmails:loteriatrust1@aim.comTel:+34646468264Find below your promotion date, Reference and Batch numbers. Remember to quote these numbers in your correspondence with your claims agent (Mr.PAUL VANFRANT)PROMOTION DATE: 28th of April 2007.REFERENCE NUMBER: LSLUK/2031/8161/07BATCH NUMBER: 15/051/IPD1.Name in full2.Address3.Nationality4.Age5.Sex6.Occupation7Phone8Fax9.Present Country10.Amount won.Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for believing on email communication and also for being part of our promotion program.Sincerely Yours,Mrs.HELLEN MORGANTHE PROMOTION COORDINATOR.

Example Of An Email Article Scam

CANADA LOTTERY

From: Mr. Frank BillNo: 125 St Michael's StreetPlot 2A Harrison DriveOntario Canada.Tel/Fax: +1-205-727-9164(www.canada.com/findit/lotteries/index.html)Check for LOTTO 6/49
Customer Service: 680 NCA 85914Ref: EAAL/851OYHI/04Batch No: Lotto 6/49Draw Coupon: Match 6+B


Y O U H A V E WON
THIS LOTTERY IS SPONSORED BY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE 2010 WORLD CUP TO BE HOSTED IN SOUTH AFRICA.

We happily announce to you the draw of the Euro-Afro-American Sweepstake Lottery International programs held on the wed April 28 2007 in Essex United Kingdom and Canada Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:B9564 75604545 100 with! Serial number 46560 drew the winning numbers 3/19/20/23/35/38 with a bonus Number 48,for LOTTO 6/49 under the choice of the lottery in the 2nd category of daily three. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$1.000.000.00 (One Million United States Dollars) in cash credited to file EAAL/9080118308/04.

This is from a total cash prize of US $130,000,000.00 Million dollars, shared amongst the first One-Hundred and thirty (130) lucky winners in this category worldwide. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Afro booklet representative office in Africa as indicated in your play coupon, because this particular draw was selected to promote the 2010 World Cup to be Hosted in South Africa hence your winning information must be kept to enable you participate in our subsequent games before the grand finale. In view of this, your US$1.000,000.00 (One Million United States Dollars) would be released to you by an accredited commercial Bank in South Africa. Our African agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.

All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draws system and extracted from over 10,000,00 companies and personal e-mails.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned. To file for your claim, please contact our corresponding agent in South Africa immediately you read this message for quick and urgent release of your fund, contact information is as follow:

MR. JAMES TWALA, Tel: +27-78-555-7877.
EMAIL: http://us.f636.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=jamestwala@yahoo.com

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences withour designated agents. Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program that has successfully won this competition. Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program. Yours Sincerely,Mrs.Gladys Owen United Kingdom Zonal Co-coordinator Mrs.Patricia Hope Asst. Gen. Sec Mr. Grey Johnson Canadian/American Zonal Secretary General. Switzerland Zonal Co-coordinator For African Winners Dr Bill Wilson. African/European Head Office Baumgarten-strasse 15 Postfach 686 Geneva CH-8201 Schaffhausen Dr Peter Martins Head South African Offshore Payment Office Madrid, Spain.

Thanks for yourCo-operation in anticipation. Contact:(www.canada.com/findit/lotteries/index.html) Check for LOTTO 6/49Ahora también puedes acceder a tu correo Terra desde el móvil.Infórmate pinchando aquí.

I Was Ripped Off Big Time!

Hi, I found you on alibaba.com
STORY NUMBER 1:
Hi,
My name is Ouahiba Smaoui, my trade manager ID is wahiba33, Florida USA. on april 16th 2007 ,
I have been contacted by Mr. John Steve ,a free member from Party Superstores Limited company from UK regarding buying GSM phones.
After a long chat on trade manager,he convinced me to buy from him, and I fell for the price, and never thought it was a scam until later.
I placed an order on of 10 units of NOKIA N95/N76 , and I paid $1000usd via western union (receipt attached).Once I gave him the MTCN# , he disappered, and never signed in to his trade manager or online.
I sent him emails,messages but in vain,I knew then that I was ripped off!!
I do have all proofs of conversations with him,on trade manager and on messenger.
His trade manager ID was coldsteve4sure .
I am seeking your help. Is there any way to get a hold of him or get my money back? I am desperately upset and furious of my stupidity in trusting this member on this site.
Please contact me with any information needed to help solve this matter,I can provide you with copies of all conversations with him.

STORY NUMBER 2:

The same day, April 16th 2007, I was contacted by another company :Putian Licheng District Meifeng Package Factory ,I said ok this one is a gold member and has a trust-pass...so I ordered from them and sent $1000usd with Western Union for 5units of Nokia N95 new edition. A week later, I received only 3 units, but they were fake!! replicas!! I went right away and sent them back to them, I chat with the seller again on trade manager : Andrew ID was cgs_rainysharing, he never answered back and he changed his name to :huangjianyu
Anyways,I never had a chance to get on hold of him,I contacted all members of the company,even the manager won't answer back up to today.
I have attached all proofs,conversations,emails,receipts,invoices.......



Here are all their emails:

1- johnsteve4ltd@hotmail.com
Hello Ms Ouahiba,
The goods will be ship via Express delivery DHL / UPS 2-3 days delivery after shipment through a shipping company and below is the information you need to wire payment . NAME : JOHN STEVE
ADDRESS : 30 ST JOHNS SQUARECITY : LONDON
EC1M 4DN : UKA : $1000USD
Have the payment made via western union money transfer or money gram and do get back to me with the mtcn # which is the money transfer control number with the sender information exactly as it's on western union or money gram form fill , I will be on my way to confirm the payment,Tina will head to have the goods scheldule for shipping and I will get back to you with the tracking number to enable you to track the status of the shipment, Looking forward to read from you with the payment information. Hope we can do business with you in future Thank you very much ! Best Regard. Mr Steve

Scam Job Offer Example

* NOTE TO SELF: If a perfect stranger contacts you from out of the blue via email, and offers you a job, hmmm.....SCAM!!


U.S. Mills, Inc.200 Reservoir StreetNeedham, MA 02494-3146Phone: (781) 328-4963

Dear Sir/Madam,
We are group of company who deal in Distribution & Marketing of naturalfoods, due to the fact that we want to expand our sales to othercountriesin particular.We are searching for reliable representatives who canhelpus establish a medium of getting to our customers, as well as making payments through you to us.
Please if you are interested in transacting business with us we will bevery glad, Please contact us for more information .
Subject to yoursatisfaction you will be given the opportunity to negotiate your modeofwhic h we will pay for your services as our representative/agent. Pleaseif you are interested in this opportunity, please contact theMarketting Representative "Mrs Linda Rice" atinfo@usmillsinc.net


Best Regards,Teejay Million,Managing Director, (Nigeria)U.S. MILLS INC.

Scam Email - "I need your help in transferring millions to your private account"

Dear Friend,
I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise as we have never met before, but need not to worry as I am using the only secured and confidential medium available to seek for your foreign assistance in a business.
I am contacting you independently of my investigation and no one is informed of this communication.I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of $11.3million immediately to your private account. The money has been here in our Bank lying dormant for nine good years now without anybody coming for the claim of it.
I want to release the money to you as the nearest person to our deceased customer (the account owner) who died a long with his supposed NEXT OF KIN since August 1997.The Banking ethics here does not allow such money to stay more than 10 years, because the money will be recalled to the Bank treasury as unclaimed fund.
Upon receipt of your reply, indicating your interest in this transaction, I will send you full details on how the business will be executed.Please keep this proposal as a top secret and delete if you are not interested.
Regards,MR TAREK OMARBank Of Africa,Burkina Faso-West Africa

tarek omar" mr_omartarek6@hotmail.com