New spins on old Scams
Dog For Sale Scam, Job Classified Scam, Banking Agent Scam, all variations of the Nigerian 419 Scam
by Pinedale Online!
January 23, 2007
Anyone who does e-mail, or owns a fax machine, these days has no doubt received a suspicious solicitation. There are new twists to the old scams, so it bears bringing some attention to them to raise awareness amongst our readers. The variations we want to call attention to are the “Classified Ad” scam and “Dog for Sale” scam. Most folks are already very familiar with the “Overbooking”, “Banking Agent”, and “Transaction Assistant/Nigerian 419” scams.
Here at Pinedale Online, we’re seeing these new Classified Ad scams come in from people wanting to place bogus ads with us online and with the printed newspapers.
You may also encounter these scammers if you have placed an online classified ad anywhere, or have a website for something you are trying to sell, or a service you provide.
You should be extremely suspicious if:
• Someone responds to a classified advertisement you have placed and wants you to ship the item abroad, without even having seen the item
• They offer to pay you the amount of the item, plus the shipping costs, and ask you to arrange the shipping and pay the shipping agent yourself.
• An inquiry from someone far away, often in another country
• Western Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, or a "guarantee"
• Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before finalizing the transaction (they are on an off-shore drill rig, in the military on an aircraft carrier with no phone service, they have no phone service for some embarrassing reason they don’t wish to get into…)
EXAMPLES OF ONLINE CLASSSIFIED AD SCAMS
Dog for Sale Scam – Classified ad posting or e-mail asking to post
This scam is relatively new and may fool you at first if you haven’t seen it before. In this scam, the scammer posts an online classified ad offering a rare or expensive dog for sale. The classified ad itself seems pretty normal and there is nothing overtly suspicious about the way that it is written. But when you contact the seller, he will indicate that he would like you to send them a "shipping fee" or sometimes an "adoption fee" before they will sell the dog to you. Truth is there is no dog at all, and once the "seller" receives your deposit, he will disappear and be untraceable. If they want you to send money in advance, this should set off alarm bells. Newspaper classified ad departments: You will probably get so you recognize this one fairly quickly as multiples usually come in via e-mail over the same day. Usually the spelling is horrible and there are only minor changes to the return e-mail and contact person’s name for the person wanting to place the ad.
Nigerian (or 419) Scam
The Nigerian Letter or 419 fraud is named after the section of the Nigerian penal code that it violates. Originally sent by mail, and later by fax, the Nigerian Letter is now sent almost exclusively by e-mail. A typical letter includes a header that says something like “Confidential Business Proposal” and claims to come from a person needing to transfer large sums of money out of the country. As the Nigerian letter has become well known to potential targets, the gangs operating the scams have developed other variations. The targets are often told that they are the beneficiaries of an inheritance or are invited to impersonate the beneficiary of an unclaimed estate. The target may be told that a wealthy individual is being held hostage and will reward those who help to transfer the ransom money. Another common related scam is a fake lottery in which the targets are told that they have 'won' a large prize but must pay an 'administrative fee' before they can receive it. After the 'administrative fee' is paid, the scammer vanishes.
Banking Agent Scam
In this scam, the scammer posts an online classified ad which looks something like this:
"Growing international company is looking for a financial/art/sales agent in (your) area."
When you contact the author of this ad, he will inform you that he is part of a new overseas company which is just starting to break into the North American market. Because of "international banking regulations," he cannot accept payments from new North American customers. So he is looking for someone who will act as a "Banking Agent", and who will cash customers checks for them. If you deposit these checks into your own account, and then send them the majority of the funds, the company will give you a generous commission.
This scammer is playing on greed and the enticement of easy money to get victims to agree to deposit checks in their own account, keeping some of the cash, and then sending the bulk of the funds off to him. Unfortunately, the checks being deposited are counterfeit. The victim, however, doesn’t find that out right away. The bank eventually catches up with it all (it can take weeks for some banks to identify fraudulent checks), at which point the victim is out all the funds sent out and the person who sent the checks will have disappeared
Accidental Overpayment Scam
In this scam, the Con Artist will contact someone who has placed a classified ad, indicating that he wants to purchase the item. When their check arrives in the mail, the victim notices that the amount on the check is much more than the purchase price. The victim emails the person telling him of his error. When the scammer responds, he suggests that the check be deposited anyway and suggests just send him back the overpaid amount. He may even offer additional money for being such and honest person and noticing the overpayment error. Just like with the Banking Agent scam, after depositing the check, the victim finds out eventually that it was counterfeit.
Here are a few simple, common-sense rules to help avoid being scammed:
• Never agree to sell an item for more than the purchase price and refund the overpayment to the seller
• Never agree to purchase an item with partial payment
• Be extremely cautious about wiring funds – most such requests are fraudulent
• Never send money, even if you receive a check. FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON. BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered up to 4 weeks later.
• Never give out your personal or business financial information to someone you do not know (bank account number, social security number)
Examples of bogus Classified Ad e-mails that have come into Pinedale Online just today:
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Hello Sir/Ma, My name is John Ade and I am mailing on behalf of ALOBYTE ART GALLERY to post an ad on JOB OPPORTUNITY available in my local Art Gallery Company for the post of a Sales, managerial,I want my advert for publicantion as written below : =========================================================== As part of my expansion programmme, a Art Gallery Company is looking for part time/full time Work from home account managers and sales representatives, it pays $2500 a month plus benefits and takes only little of your time. Please contact us for more details . Requirements - Should be a computer Literate. 3-5 hours access to the internet weekly. Must be over 18yrs of age. Must be Efficient and Dedicated. If you are interested and need more information,Please send e-mail to alomine1@yahoo.com =========================================================== Please send me quotation on what we are to pay for this ad to run for "1month". My Information is below: Mr.John Ade. 198 Williams Way Houston,Texas-77030 206-338-2710. alomine1@yahoo.com
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Hello Publisher/Editor, I would like to place an Advert for my adorable Bulldog for about 4Weeks,So I will need you to get back to me with the Cost of the AD per Week so that I can figure out for the 4Weeks and my mode of Payment is by Credit Card account.. AD TEXT "AKC : Female Bull dog Puppy AKC registration Bulldog Puppy Jessy She has all the teddy bear features, button nose great facial _expression,erect ears, She is very playful and built solid as a rock, Her body type is just perfectly squared up and cobby. She is a great eater. Many of you Bulldog lovers have been waiting for this quality of Bulldog's to come your way but have not found her yet.You can Contact me Via Email {cloer_dolly@yahoo.com} Name : Michelle Cloer Mailling Address : Address : 12 Hope Str City : Augusta State : Georgia Zip Code : 30907 Country : United State Phone : (206-984-3294) Waiting to read from you as soon as possible today so that I can be able to forward you payment,so that you can be able to schedule my AD. Michelle Cloer
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Hello Publisher/Editor, I would like to place an Advert for my adorable Bulldog for about 4Weeks,So I will need you to get back to me with the Cost of the AD per Week so that I can figure out for the 4Weeks and my mode of Payment is by Credit Card account.. AD TEXT "AKC : Female Bull dog Puppy AKC registration Bulldog Puppy Jessy She has all the teddy bear features, button nose great facial _expression,erect ears, She is very playful and built solid as a rock, Her body type is just perfectly squared up and cobby. She is a great eater. Many of you Bulldog lovers have been waiting for this quality of Bulldog's to come your way but have not found her yet.You can Contact me Via Email {maxwellpet200@yahoo.com} Name : Maxwell Marvol Mailling Address : Address : 12 Hope Str City : Augusta State : Georgia Zip Code : 30907 Country : United State Phone : (206-984-3294) Waiting to read from you as soon as possible today so that I can be able to forward you payment,so that you can be able to schedule my AD. Maxwell Marvol
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This one came in on the Fax machine:
From: COL. JON E. ARISTIDES.
TEMPORARY CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL REFUGEES SPAIN.
Dear Sir/Madam:
LIFE TIME OPPORTUNITY BE MY PARTNER
Please accept my sincere apology for intruding into your privacy.
I got your contact information through your country yellow pagies because of the dire need to contact a God fearing and trust-worthy person to assist me in this transaction on which is my only hope of survival….Before I left my county I moved the sum of US$20M which was given to me by my bother to a private security holding company for safe keeping…I hereby solicit your utmost assistance in the clearance and transfer of these funds from the private holding company to your country for safekeeping and onward investment…We will be willing to reward you with 30% of the total sum for your assistance…I implore you to treat this proposal and transaction with utmost confidentiality…contact me with your information…Spain e-mail address and phone number.
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This is an addition to the above article, as an example of a job solicitation/bank money laundering scam:
Pleasant day,
would you like to work online from home, temporarily and get paid weekly? If yes. We are glad to offer you a job position in our company, Limco Fabric Material Cooperation Ltd.
As part of our Multi Level Marketing Network, we seek capable individuals to work for us as our Company representative in United States and Canada, United Kindom.This offer as our company representative can be taken as a part time job as it has no negative effect on your present job status.
Limco Fabric Material Cooperation Ltd produces the following varieties of clothing materials: - , assorted fabrics for interior decor, silk and traditional costumes and we make supplies weekly to the United States and Canada.
Our integrated yarn and fabric manufacturing operations use state-of-the-art textile equipment from the worlds leading suppliers. Order processing, production monitoring and process flow is seamlessly integrated through a company-wide computer network.
Limco Fabric Material Cooperation Ltd, was found in the year 1998 in China.The International money transfer tax for legal entities (companies) in China is 25%, where as for the individual it is only 7%. There is no sense for us to work this way, while tax for international money transfer made by a private individual is 7% That's why we need an International Representative in US,UK,Canada to receive payment from our clients by bank wire transfer and forward the money to us via our bank account in China while the tax shallbe 7% instead of 25% which will absolutely favour our company.
Our Company manufactures and sells textile and fabrics, we have seller all over
Your tasks are:
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1. Receive payment from Customers.
2. Cash Payments at your Bank.
3. Deduct 10% which will be your Commission/pay on Payment processed and remit our balance to us either via Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram to our company shipping agency.
HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN?
======================
12% from each operation! For instance: you receive 6000 USD via checks or money orders on our behalf. You will cash the payment and keep 12% to yourself before forwarding the remaining! At the beginning your commission will equal 12%, though later it will increase up to 15%! For the research,I am expecting about the sum of $40000 in total from the clients (thoughthe money will be sent in bits).You
could make over $4000 for the little time we will be working together.
ADVANTAGES?
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You don't have to go out of your present daily activity in order to engage in this Job (i.e. you can do this Work easily without leaving or affecting your present Job). You will work as an independent contractor 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. You are not involved in any sales).
Our sales manager sells products and products are delivered to our customer via FEDEX COURIER SERVICES. On Receipt of the delivery the customer has to pay for the products.
REQUIREMENTS?
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18 years or older.
Legally capable.
Responsible, Reliable and Trustworthy
Ready to work 3-4 hours per week.
Able to check and respond to emails often.
Easy telephone access.
If our proposal interest you, Do get back to us with your detailed information as listed below. And if you still need more information about us we can still provide you with our company webside for visit for legal and legitimate purposes.
First Name: .....................
Middle Name: .....................
Last Name: ........................
Address Line 1: ..................
Address Line 2: ..................
Gender: ..........
Marital Status: .............
Age: .........................
City: ........................
Zip Code:
State: ......................
Home Phone: ..............
Attached copy of Valid Identification.......
We await your quick response.
Yours truly,
Bencod Lee S.
Company Name: Limco Fabric Material Cooperation Ltd.
Company Address: Industrial Zone, Pingqiao, Tiantai, Zhejiang, China
City/Province: Taizhou/Zhejiang
Country/Region: China
Zip/Postal Code: 317203
Telephone Number: 00919871152908
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