Tag Archives: Scams
Payment Processing CEO Banned from the Business; Company Illegally Debited Millions from Consumers’ Bank Accounts
March 1st, 2010. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
The chief executive officer of a payment processing company will be banned from the business as part of a settlement resolving Federal Trade Commission charges that the company illegally debited millions of dollars in bogus charges from consumers’ bank accounts. In 2007, the FTC charged the executive, Tarzenea Dixon, her company, and others with processing unauthorized debits on behalf of deceptive telemarketers and Internet-based schemes they knew, or deliberately avoided knowing, were violating the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule. In addition, the attorneys general of Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, and Vermont charged the defendants with violating various state laws. According to the FTC complaint, the company played a critical role in helping many of its clients carry out these illegal schemes by providing access to the banking system and the means to extract money from consumers’ bank accounts. Between June 23, 2004, and March 31, 2006, the defendants processed more than $200 million in debits and attempted debits. More than $69 million of the attempted debits were returned or rejected by consumers or their banks for various reasons, an indication that in many cases consumers had never authorized the charges. In many instances, the merchants either failed to deliver the promised products or services or sent consumers relatively worthless items. The settling defendant is Tarzenea Dixon. Her co-defendants are Your Money Access, LLC d/b/a Netchex Corp., Universal Payment Solutions, Check Recovery Systems, Nterglobal Payment Solutions, and Subscription Services, Ltd.; YMA Company, LLC; and Derrelle Janey. In addition to permanently banning Dixon from any payment processing, the settlement order bans her from substantially aiding any marketer when she knows, or consciously avoids knowing, that it is violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The order imposes a $22 million judgment that is stayed based on her inability to pay. The full judgment will become due immediately if she is found to have misrepresented her financial condition. The Commission vote approving the consent in settlement of the court action against Dixon was 4-0. The FTC filed the documents in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on December 22, 2009, and court entered the order on January 11, 2010. Litigation against Janey continues. On October 28, 2008, the court entered a default judgment against the corporate defendants, Your Money Access, LLC and YMA Company, LLC, barring them from payment processing for any client whose business practices are deceptive, unfair, or abusive within the meaning of the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, and the state consumer protection laws. The case was part of the FTC’s “Operation Tele-PHONEY” telemarketing fraud law enforcement sweep announced in May 2008. Wachovia Bank Redress Program In December 2008, the FTC announced a settlement between the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Wachovia Bank, N.A. to issue more than $150 million in redress checks to victims of telemarketing fraud. The checks reimbursed consumers for funds deducted from their accounts by three payment processors that maintained accounts with Wachovia, including Your Money Access. NOTE: Stipulated final judgments and orders are for settlement purposes only and do not constitute an admission by the defendants of a law violation. Consent judgments have the force of law when signed by the judge. The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics .
Exclusive: Yes, Virginia: No, These are Not Solutions – They Are Scams – Family Security Matters
March 1st, 2010. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Family Security Matters Exclusive: Yes, Virginia: No, These are Not Solutions – They Are Scams Family Security Matters Congressional shills demanded legislation to roll back the climate by implementing a major tax increase called cap and trade . …
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Exclusive: Yes, Virginia: No, These are Not Solutions – They Are Scams – Family Security Matters
Why You Should Beware Of Dance Studio Scams
February 15th, 2010. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Dancing can either be a fun pastime or, for some gifted people, a great career opportunity. Dance studios can cater to both types of dancer, though they tend to be aimed more at those who are looking to have fun and socialise rather than pursue a career. Students can learn new techniques and have fun at a dance studio but they should, perhaps, be a little wary when signing up.. Dance studios generate large amounts of money for those who run them and so, just as with most types of business, scam artists become involved in a small number of them. HOW DANCING STUDIO SCAMS ARE COMMITTED Dance studios don’t tend to allow students to come and go as they please, preferring to organise agreements for minimum periods instead. Clients will be signed up for a certain amount of time, typically a year or more, during which will they be contractually obligated to continue paying fees. Dance studios that are looking to earn as much as they can from their clients then find ways of using those contracts, including adding terms and conditions that compel their students to make purchases of training materials or equipment solely through them or an agent of their choice (who will undoubtedly be giving them a nice kickback) . Additionally, such contracts may also compel clients into paying additional fees too, such as a contribution towards the cost of the venue, or for extra training sessions. Funnily enough, a lot of these ‘extras’ will either be unwanted or will go unused. HOW TO AVOID DANCING STUDIO SCAMS As with everything in life, common sense is key. Before joining a dance studio be sure to check them out and ask questions. Speak to people who are already members as well as searching for the studio on the internet. Whilst you shouldn’t believe everything you read it will be worth investigating any complaints you see or hear. Here are some ideas of the types of question you should be asking before joining a dance studio – What is the cost per dancing lesson? Will there be a need to pay for extra materials or lessons? What are the total costs of the contract? Are there any advance payments or deposits required? Will there be monthly or annual fee increases during the term of the contract? How many lessons you are paying for, when are they held and how long do they last? Can you cancel early and what would be the cost of doing so? Is your payment protected if the studio goes out of business? Check whether the answers to those questions will be contained in the contract and, before signing the contract, it may be worth consulting with an attorney to verify that you are clear on what you are paying for and what rights you have. Enjoy your dancing! Why You Should Beware Of Dance Studio Scams is a post from: Scam Types dot Com Check out The Best Internet Security Programs Of 2009
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Why You Should Beware Of Dance Studio Scams
Rainmaking scams refuse to dry up and blow away Commentary William A. Levinson – Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
February 15th, 2010. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader Rainmaking scams refuse to dry up and blow away Commentary William A. Levinson Wilkes Barre Times-Leader Lehman Brothers and Enron also planned to profit from cap and trade . • Various environmental groups have their hands out for donations and/or payments for …
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Rainmaking scams refuse to dry up and blow away Commentary William A. Levinson – Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
How Are Online Ads Used To Scam People?
January 21st, 2010. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
The human race is an imaginative bunch. If there is a problem that is in front of us, we do our best to solve it. The same goes for when we have an objective to achieve. We will pull out our imaginations and come up with something very cunning. This is what hackers and online scam artists do on a daily basis. They see an objective, which is how to get the money that is in your wallet, and figure out a way to accomplish it. Online Classified Ads Scam The latest scam has been using online classified ads to find their victims. There have always been scams when it came to classified ads, even online ones. Craigslist, Ebay and all of the other types of classified web sites, have all had to increase their security over the years. No one wants to visit these places, if all that happens is, them being scammed and their money taken. So there are safe guards in place to help prevent this from happening. But these safeguards deal with just the normal crooks. These days, the online classified ads scams are being done by organized groups of individuals. Organized Crime The groups that are involved with the scams range from organized crime members in the US to criminals operating out of Nigeria. There is just not one group of individuals who are committing these crimes, it has gone international. People have found it lucrative and are taking advantage of it. The range of scams are also great. The different scams include fake electronics, bait and switch, robbery, and even real estate fraud. Some of these scams might need a little bit of explanation so that you know how to avoid them. The bait and switch is especially popular on EBay . It involves someone advertising an item and showing a picture of it in a package. In little letters at the bottom of the page, they say that they are selling the packaging and not the item itself. So when you get only the packaging and you start to complain, they bring up that it is exactly what was advertised. Robbery happens a lot on Craigslist . People will pretend that they are selling something and they need you to pick it up. When you go there with your money, they physically assault you and take the money out of your pocket. This happens more often than people think. Make sure you meet in a public place if possible, when purchasing items off of craigslist. The real estate scam involves people claiming that they have a house for rent or sale. They will tell you that they live there but are out of the country. They then send you a key, and you send them the money. When you get to the place, you find out that the key doesn’t work. This is a relatively new crime that has been happening a lot. Most traces claim that a lot of the real estate scams are originating from Nigeria. Online classifieds are a great way to get a deal but they have their share of risk as well. If you are careful and make sure that read the listing very throughly, you should be able to avoid the scams. How Are Online Ads Used To Scam People? is a post from: Scam Types dot Com Check out The Best Internet Security Programs Of 2009
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How Are Online Ads Used To Scam People?
Beware of the Fake IRS – Unreported/Underreported Income Scam Emails
January 20th, 2010. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Luckily I read all email in plain text format as opposed to HTML email,, because I do that I can see the actual links in emails instead of the links being hidden in HTML format email. I got this scam email this morning and for a moment I thought it might be legit until I saw the last portion of the link. It directs to a site in Poland (.pl). The Internal Revenue Service does not use email regarding problems with your taxes. They always correspond via printer letters sent via US postal mail. Any time you get an email from the US government regarding a problem like taxes, do not click any links, print it our and contact the agency, as in the case the IRS ( www.irs.gov ).
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Beware of the Fake IRS – Unreported/Underreported Income Scam Emails
Congressman Demands FTC Probe of Cash4Gold
January 20th, 2010. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
I had posted
VAT Scam Dogs Europe’s Hot Air Trade – Technorati (blog)
January 18th, 2010. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Technorati (blog) VAT Scam Dogs Europe's Hot Air Trade Technorati (blog) … as the UK issued 93% of free carbon permits to emitters in 2008. Even such low mitigation are dogged by carbon credit scams ! The loser here: planet Earth.
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VAT Scam Dogs Europe’s Hot Air Trade – Technorati (blog)
Reader Comments – U.S. News & World Report (blog)
January 13th, 2010. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Reader Comments U.S. News & World Report (blog) … takes to defend their future – and the future of their children and grandchildren — from Obama and his Marxist scams , like Obamacare and cap and trade . …
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Reader Comments – U.S. News & World Report (blog)
Backgrounder: A roundup up of Carbon Fraud reports – Probe International
January 13th, 2010. Published under Fraud, Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Telegraph.co.uk Backgrounder: A roundup up of Carbon Fraud reports Probe International Carbon credit scams add to the growing list of alleged fraud cases: Officials in at least five European countries are investigating an international carbon … British carbon traders charged with money laundering relating to alleged … Telegraph.co.uk all 12 news articles
Backrounder: A roundup up of Carbon Fraud reports – Probe International
January 13th, 2010. Published under Fraud, Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Telegraph.co.uk Backrounder: A roundup up of Carbon Fraud reports Probe International Carbon credit scams add to the growing list of alleged fraud cases: Officials in at least five European countries are investigating an international carbon … British carbon traders charged with money laundering relating to alleged … Telegraph.co.uk all 12 news articles
Extra Oil 2009 Recap 48: Economy + 2010 News – Gather.com
January 12th, 2010. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Extra Oil 2009 Recap 48: Economy + 2010 News Gather.com SCAMS : mass mail outs by psychics, seers, astrologers promising, for a fee, to tell your future regarding $, what will happen if you fly; …
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Extra Oil 2009 Recap 48: Economy + 2010 News – Gather.com
Marketers of Unproven Weight-Loss Products Bronson Partners LLC Ordered to Pay Nearly $2 Million
January 11th, 2010. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Court Rules in Favor of FTC in Case of Diet Tea and Bio-Slim Patch A federal district court has ordered the marketers of an herbal tea and a diet patch to pay nearly $2 million to the Federal Trade Commission for making deceptive claims that both products would allow users to lose weight quickly without diet or exercise. For nearly two years before the FTC complaint was filed, Bronson Partners, LLC and its officer, Martin Howard, marketed Chinese Diet Tea, telling consumers they could lose as much as six pounds a week by drinking one cup of the green tea after each meal to “neutralize the absorption of fattening foods.” Advertising in national magazines such as USA Weekend and Clipper Magazine, the marketers charged $24.95 plus shipping and handling for a month’s supply. Also during this time, the marketers sold the Bio-Slim Patch, a diet patch that contained extracts from the fucus, garcinia, and guarana plants. Instructing consumers to wear the patches 24 hours a day for at least three months, the marketers claimed that “repulsive, excess ugly fatty tissue will disappear at a spectacular rate due to the combination and synergy of these three natural ingredients.” The marketers advertised the patch in national magazines and in a company catalog, and consumers paid $24.95 plus shipping and handling for a month’s supply. In addition to ordering the nearly $2 million payment, citing “obvious and widespread” violations of the FTC Act, Judge Stefan R. Underhill of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut granted the FTC’s request to prohibit the defendants from selling or advertising any weight-loss products. “Future violations of a similar nature would surely result in financial harm to consumers, and possible physical harm if consumers engage in risky weight-loss techniques in reliance on (the) defendants’ misleading representations,” the judge wrote in his December 2009 ruling and order. He also ordered the defendants to help the FTC identify consumer victims who lost money on the products, so that restitution can be made. The FTC filed its complaint against Bronson Partners, LLC and Martin Howard as part of the “Big Fat Lie” law enforcement sweep in November 2004. The sweep targeted marketers of bogus weight-loss products, such as pills, powders, gels, green teas, and diet patches. In July 2008, the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut granted the FTC’s request for summary judgment against Howard and Bronson Partners, LLC – also doing business as New England Diet Center and Bronson Day Spa. Copies of the November 2004 complaint and the December 2009 ruling and order are available on the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics .
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Marketers of Unproven Weight-Loss Products Bronson Partners LLC Ordered to Pay Nearly $2 Million
Police warn public about online classified ad money order scam – Winnipeg Sun
January 10th, 2010. Published under Money Order Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Police warn public about online classified ad money order scam Winnipeg Sun By WINNIPEG SUN Winnipeg police are urging users of classified advertising websites to be wary of online scams, following reports from several suspicious … and more
Restaurant Scams – WTOP
January 7th, 2010. Published under Money Order Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Restaurant Scams WTOP This is a variation of the fake check or money order scam . Another scam involved a man who claimed he wanted to order food for his wife's birthday party. …
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Restaurant Scams – WTOP
King: Use word ‘terrorism’ more – Politico (blog)
January 6th, 2010. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
King: Use word 'terrorism' more Politico (blog) Obamacare, Cap and trade , two really big scams to shove down our throats that will empower them and destroy the coountry. RE to : Vic Livingston | January … and more
The Curbstoning Auto Scam
January 1st, 2010. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Curbstoning refers to auto dealers who try to bypass the law by selling their vehicles on the street, by pretending to be private sellers. In this auto scam dishonest car dealers use curbstoning as a means of circumventing their state laws which govern the sale of cars. Most states have limits in place with regards to how many vehicles a person may buy and sell in a particular time frame before being required to be a licensed car dealer. The big disadvantage of being licensed, to these people, is that licensed car dealers have to meet certain requirements in order to stay in business. Curbstoners, because they appear to be private sellers, do not have any such restrictions to work within. Inferior Cars Often, a curbstoning car dealer will utilise this scam in order to offload the type of vehicle they would struggle to sell through their dealership. Whatever part of the country you live, or wherever in the world for that fact, you have probably seen this scam in operation on a street corner near you. There will be several cars for sale in the same place, often parked along the curb, hence the name ‘curbstoners’. Typically, these cars will be ones with problems, that are hard for the dealers to sell through their official businesses. Additionally, cars bought at the roadside may have had their clocks rolled back ( odometer fraud ). ‘Internetstoning’ Popular internet sites, such as eBay, have proven to be popular with curbstoners. This is because they often afford the seller a great deal of anonymity, making it difficult for disgruntled purchasers, and government agencies alike, to track them down. Internet adverts for lemon autos allows the scammer to utilise a few different techniques in order to increase their chances of selling their vehicles. Poor resolution photographs are often used as they can hide a multitude of sins, from dents to rust, and many others besides. Another often used tactic in online sales is affinity fraud. Avoiding Curbstoning Scams Whilst there are laws in place that prohibit curbstoning, they are rarely enforced or prosecuted. Likewise, eBay cannot keep up with the problem either – if detected, a scammer will just close an account and start again with a new id. Therefore, vigilance is the key if you wish to avoid buying a car that – may have had it’s odometer rolled back could be stolen has previously been written off or damaged has someone else’s credit outstanding on it has been designated as being for export only If you really must buy a car off the street, or via an online auction then take care. Verify the seller’s identity, get any guarantees or representations in writing and, if possible arrange a viewing (with a mechanic) in advance. The Curbstoning Auto Scam is a post from: Scam Types dot Com Check out The Best Internet Security Programs Of 2009
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The Curbstoning Auto Scam
Federal Trade Commission: Lower Price Cap for Extra Credit Report Copies and Continued Crackdown on Mortgage Relief Scams
December 24th, 2009. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
The Federal Trade Commission has announced that it is lowering from $11 to $10.50 the maximum amount that consumer reporting agencies are allowed to charge consumers for an extra copy of their credit report. The Commission announced the reduction in the amount from 2009 to 2010 under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which requires the FTC each year to revise the cap originally set by statute based on the change in the Consumer Price Index. The fee is rounded to the nearest 50 cents. During this time of economic distress, the FTC reminds consumers that this charge does not apply to the first free copy of their credit report that consumers are entitled to request from each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – once every 12 months through www.annualcreditreport.com. For details, see “Your Access to Free Credit Reports” at ftc.gov/credit . Consumers are also entitled to a free report when a company takes adverse action against them (such as denying an application for credit, insurance, or employment) within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. In addition, consumers are entitled to one free report a year if they are unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days; they are on welfare; or their report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft. The $10.50 charge applies when a consumer who has received a free annual credit report does not otherwise qualify for an additional free report. The Commission vote to publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the reduced cap was 4-0. (File No. P075400; staff contact is Clarke W. Brinckerhoff, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3208; or Keith B. Anderson, Bureau of Economics, 202-326-3428.)
Mann Bracken Out of Business in Georgia?
December 20th, 2009. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
I had just heard rumors that Mann Bracken of Atlanta Georgia had closed their offices in November of this year.
Business Bureau’s top 10 scams – Agassiz Harrison Observer
December 17th, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Business Bureau's top 10 scams Agassiz Harrison Observer Remember that money transfers and direct debit are two of the main methods by which scam artists seek to obtain your money. to charge fees to credit cards. … and more
Inheritance Scams
December 16th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
If you receive an email, or notification via regular mail, from an ‘estate locator’ claiming that there may be an unclaimed inheritance to which you are entitled then don’t get excited too quickly. Sure, there are times when someone dies and leaves a sum of money to people who didn’t know them, or didn’t expect to inherit anything from them, but that tends to be the exception rather than the rule. So, if you do receive such a notification from an ‘estate locator’ suggesting that you have an inheritance due then remember that if something sounds too good to be true it typically is. THE INHERITANCE CON Con artists will adopt any scheme that they think will part a fool from his money. They will tell you that you are due an inheritance and that they have found you by undertaking extensive research. Don’t feel flattered that they have found you though – inheritance scammers bulk mail the same message to hundreds, or even thousands, of people at the same time, hoping that one or two may reply. Those people who do reply are then enticed into a classic advanced fee scam , being told that they need to pay for various expenses before they can claim their inheritance. Such fees can include estate reports, legal costs and processing fees. Needless to say, this money disappears without a trace and no inheritance is ever forthcoming. PREVENTION Keeping yourself safe from inheritance scams is relatively easy and just requires some commonsense. If you receive mail from an ‘estate locator’ then check sources other than the ones they quote to you, such as relatives and obituaries. Additionally, business services such as the BBB and the AG’s office could tell you if you are being approached by an individual or company that has been investigated in connection with inheritance scams. Remember too that legitimate law firms and executors of wills will never require you to pay a fee in order to determine whether you are entitled to an inheritance or not. If you have been unfortunate enough to become a victim of such a scheme then report it to the authorities so that others do not have to experience the same fate. Inheritance Scams is a post from: Scam Types dot Com Check out The Best Internet Security Programs Of 2009
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Inheritance Scams
BBB releases top scams – 24 Hours Vancouver
December 15th, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
CBC.ca BBB releases top scams 24 Hours Vancouver Does the repairman say carbon monoxide levels in your home are so high, he needs money to pay for the fix? Do some research before handing over cash for … Better Business Bureau releases year's top scams CTV.ca Online scams dominate BBB branch's Top 10 list CBC.ca Ten top scams to watch out for Metro Canada – Vancouver all 10 news articles
Better Business Bureau releases year’s top scams – CTV.ca
December 14th, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
CBC.ca Better Business Bureau releases year's top scams CTV.ca … which shows high carbon monoxide levels. The repairs are often unnecessary and costly. Loan offers targeted at people with “no credit ” or “bad credit ” … Online scams dominate BBB branch's Top 10 list CBC.ca all 8 news articles
Online scams dominate BBB branch’s Top 10 list – CBC.ca
December 14th, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
CBC.ca Online scams dominate BBB branch's Top 10 list CBC.ca “Some of the scams are just a bit of misleading advertising. A lot of the time, the consumer's credit card information is going from one company that they … and more
The Use Of Charities To Run Scams On The Internet
December 4th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
One of the things about the holidays is the good feeling that people seem to display that is not there during the rest of the year. A lot of this goodwill gets displayed in the form of giving to charities . It helps a person feel good about themselves. They feel like they are helping someone else in need. That feeling is unrivaled to anything else in the world. This mood can be spoiled very quickly when they find out that their good deed went punished. This happens a lot on the Internet in the form of a scam . The bad guys of the Internet never take a day off, even during the holidays. It is up to you to make sure that you keep yourself on guard during the holiday season. There are several ways that an attacker will try to take advantage of your goodness this holiday. The number one way that this will happen is through a charity email that will be sent out to hundreds of thousands of people. This email will be a legit email but from a fake organization. They will try to sell you a sob story on how needy their cause is and how it is up to you to help them. They may even try to do a hard sell by sending information to your house about the charity in question. Do not fall for it. You have the Internet, be smart and use it. Do some research on the charity. This will let you know very quickly if the charity is a legitimate organization. If they have a negative rating or no record of the charity at all then you know that they are a fake organization. Another way that people will use a charity against an unsuspecting victim is to send you a tainted email. This email will try to pull at your heart strings so that you will visit the site in question. This site will be loaded with malware that will be used to infect your computer. Once again this can be avoided by doing some research on the charity in question before you visit any suspicious links. If you do click on the link, then having the latest in anti virus software protection will help to large extent from having your computer become infected. You must be careful during this holiday season. People have bad intentions 365 days of the year. Just because it is the holidays, do not let down your guard while you surf the Internet. The Use Of Charities To Run Scams On The Internet is a post from: Scam Types dot Com Check out The Best Internet Security Programs Of 2009
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The Use Of Charities To Run Scams On The Internet
Cataloguing the Errors in "The Story of Cap and Trade" – WorldChanging (blog)
December 3rd, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Cataloguing the Errors in “The Story of Cap and Trade ” WorldChanging (blog) What on earth do “financial scams ” have to do with cap and trade ? (Hint: we never find out.) “Devil number one is known as Free Permits, which is why some … and more
Cataloguing the Errors in "The Story of Cap and Trade" – The Daily Score (blog)
December 2nd, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Cataloguing the Errors in “The Story of Cap and Trade ” The Daily Score (blog) What on earth do “financial scams ” have to do with cap and trade ? (Hint: we never find out.) “Devil number one is known as Free Permits, which is why some … A Story of Ignorance About Cap and Trade The Daily Score (blog) all 13 news articles
Serial Scamster – Forbes
November 24th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Money Order Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Forbes Serial Scamster Forbes He pleaded guilty in 2004 to forgery in a money order scam foisted on Neiman Marcus, court records show. (He got off with probation. …
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Serial Scamster – Forbes
How Can I Help My Elderly Friends And Relatives Protect Themselves On The Internet?
November 24th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
For many of us, we have grown up in an age of computers and electronic devices all around us. So when the era of the internet came to pass, there was a leap of knowledge that was needed to adjust but the divide was not that great. For the elderly among us, they can remember a time before the digital age and some of the new technology can seem enticing but yet strange and alien at the same time. Most scams run on the internet today are perpetrated against the elderly. Hopefully I can give you some tips to protect your loved ones. Protecting Your Loved Ones Some people will make a joke and say if you want to protect people from the dangers of the Internet then get a Mac or Linux box and tell them not to use Windows. This is funny but not true especially these days. Macs are becoming more and more popular and everyday new exploits are being found that can be used against them. Exploits are becoming more common and big business on all systems so security is a top priority for all of them. The fact is that most people use a Windows version operating system so you will have to show them how to protect themselves on such machines. Email Security The first thing that you will want to tell them is to be skeptical when it comes to email. People believe that it takes a highly technical genius to scam people on the internet. This is simply not true. Most attacks on people, especially the elderly, are low tech email scams. They will either involve sending a link to a person to get their information through phishing or just a straight out direct scam to get the person to send them money. A lot of the elderly believe everything that they read in their emails and have to be told the many, many different ways that people can be scammed through them. Malicious Programs Another thing that they must be instructed on, is not to open any programs that are sent to them outside of their family or friends. Scammers will send friendly looking e-cards and other digital goodies through an email attachment. Most people would not think that an e-card with hearts and flowers on it would hold a digital ticking time bomb. Looks can be deceiving though. The elderly, just like everyone else, must be taught that attachments, no matter what they look like, can be dangerous. Safe Communications A new attack but one that is growing everyday is the use of the software program Skype to send links to a phishing site. There are a lot of elderly people that use Skype as a cheap and easy way to talk to and see videos of their loved ones. Their relatives might set it up for them so they can be confused as to who is sending a link to them. Skype has a lot of spammers now and the elderly must be warned that it has become just like their emails so they must remain vigilant. Hopefully I have gone over several ways that you can help protect the elderly in your life when they use a computer. It is a new world that they are in so maybe you can help them navigate it.
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How Can I Help My Elderly Friends And Relatives Protect Themselves On The Internet?
What Is Disability Fraud?
November 15th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Its a sad thing to say but it seems that earning money illegally is becoming easy these days. One such method I’ve noticed, and it really upsets me, is disability fraud. Personally I think it is right that we, as a society, look after those who are unfortunate to be disabled. However, there are many individuals who feel that it is ok to play the system and claim benefits for disabilities they do not have . In both legal and medical terms disability does not mean that a person is physically handicapped. Just because a person is able to do all the things that a normal man can do it does not really imply that the person is not disabled. There are a number of medical conditions which are not physically visible but they are still termed as disabilities. Invisible Disabilities Such disabilities are known as “invisible disabilities”. This is the area in which criminals are taking advantage of the system and literally cashing in. Below are some of the common types of invisible disabilities – Chronic Dizziness: This kind of disability is related to an improper functioning of the inner ear. Such a problem would cause problems to a person whilst performing some of the basic tasks like walking, sleeping or working. Chronic Fatigue: If a person does not feel like working and always feels totally tired, then he might be suffering from Chronic Fatigue. This can have a very negative impact on the person’s daily life routine. Mental Illness: Some forms of this disability can make a person mentally so vulnerable that they find basic and common daily tasks very had to perform. Disabilities like agoraphobia, depression, lack of concentration and schizophrenia are categorized under mental illness. Chronic Pain: Some bone or physical injuries and back problems can lead to chronic pain. This kind of pain or disability might not be visible to everybody but people linked with the medical fraternity will easily detect such disability. Of course there are a great many people with invisible disabilities such as those above who are perfectly genuine and who are suffering. Unfortunately, however, there are also many people who fake such conditions for financial gain. Types Of Disability Fraud Below are some of most common types of disability fraud – Doing legitimate work despite claiming to be suffering from disability: It has been found that people suffering from various invisible disabilities are working in jobs they claim they cannot do while enjoying the benefits offered for the disabled. Pretending to be suffering from any kind of Injury: People do pretend to be suffering from some kinds of illness and even doctors can’t prove that wrong. So they intentionally pretend to be disabled, in order to enjoy the benefits offered to them by various agencies. Continuing to claim benefits even after recovering from disability: Not all disabilities are permanent and people are cured every day. Some, however, continue to claim benefits for many years afterwards regardless though. Tackling Disability Fraud Disability fraud is extremely hard to prove and prosecute. Many governments have already initiated various methods to tackle disability fraud but cynics, such as myself, wonder if they are doing enough, especially when recategorising such people as being merely unemployed could prove detrimental to their boasts of keeping jobless figures to a minimum. Doctors cannot always detect whether a claim of disability is genuine or not and the politically correct society we live in now means you really ought to be very careful about questioning whether benefits claimants are legitimate or not. Having said that, here in the UK we are encouraged to grass on our neighbours (another ploy designed to destroy society no doubt) but could you tell whether the disabled person living next door to you was faking it? Probably not. I don’t know what the answer is but I do know that we need to cut out disability fraud. I’m of the opinion that far too many people claim benefits for fake disabilities in order to avoid working and we really ought to get them off their lazy backsides and into work so that they can contribute to society, allowing us to divert the money saved to those who really need it.
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What Is Disability Fraud?
Five Greatest US Green Scams Of All Time – Treehugger
November 12th, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Treehugger Five Greatest US Green Scams Of All Time Treehugger Donating (not auctioning) carbon emission credits to carbon intensive industries is a current example. The upshot is to make a company or a process to look …
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Five Greatest US Green Scams Of All Time – Treehugger
Don’t be victim of consumer fraud this holiday season – Gulf Breeze News
November 11th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Don't be victim of consumer fraud this holiday season Gulf Breeze News If you're asked to pay a fee in advance to get a loan or a credit card, it's probably a scam . ¦ Don't Fall For Job scams : Many people take on seasonal jobs …
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Don’t be victim of consumer fraud this holiday season – Gulf Breeze News
Phishing – What Is It?
October 28th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Phishing is an illegitimate method of extracting the personal and other financial details of a person. Basically, it is a process of tricking a person on the internet to retrieve their banking passwords, bank accounts, phone number, credit card details, etc. This practice has grown over exponentially over last few years. The imposters send you emails that can lure you into entering your personal details somehow into the mails sent by them and once they get what they want, they will raise a toast and have a bash on your hard-earned money. The laws and police have become very vigilant and tough to nail these kinds of fraudsters. Fraudulent E-Mails The preferred mode of Phishing is via sending fraudulent emails. Note, though, that reputed organizations like Amazon, eBay and banks never ask anyone for their password in their emails. Next, whenever you open a phishing email, then the link in that mail will always open a site that has no security encryption. For instance, the valid url of the site will not have HTTPS at the beginning and many email links have some other extension like .rs at the end of the email. Moreover, the format of the email is very generic whereas the reputed organization always refers to you with your customer id number in their emails. The most effective manner to remain protected from phishing scams is that you have enough knowledge to recognize one instantly. However, installing pop up blockers and spam filters in your browser is yet another step you can follow.
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Phishing – What Is It?
Crackers Commit Identity Theft Scams Via Rigged ATMs
October 24th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Recently crackers have turned to rigging independent ATM machines (those found in groceries, gas stations, restaurants, and other small establishments) to defraud customers. Usually, the owner of the establishment gets a small fee on every transaction as rent for having the machine in his or her store. Some crackers, as well as organized crime groups, have been modifying machines so that the machine scans the customer’s ATM card and stores the account data along with the personal identification number (PIN). The criminals then take that data, create forged ATM cards , and clean out the victim’s account. To date this has only occurred with independent ATMs, not bank-owned machines. Perhaps the most common type of fraud committed by crackers is identity theft. Crackers steal personal data, either by cracking computers or through scams, referred to as social engineering, designed to trick people into revealing personal data. A cracker may pose as an employee of an Internet service provider (such as AOL) and attempt to get your password. Other scams include setting up fake Internet storefronts to collect credit card data. When the crackers collect enough data, they steal the identity of the victims and get credit issued under the victims’ names. Always proceed with caution : Guard your Personal information both online and offline; never divulge it to anyone, least of all to strangers who e-mail you and claim to be from your bank, credit card company, or ISP. Vigilance can help protect you from crackers and script kiddies intent on defrauding you.
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Crackers Commit Identity Theft Scams Via Rigged ATMs
To All Who Value Gold and Liberty: When Will Atlas Shrug? – Gold Seek
October 21st, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
To All Who Value Gold and Liberty: When Will Atlas Shrug? Gold Seek This grand daddy of all scams delivers the fuel necessary to support mankind's enslavers – the scam is fiat currency and its present day expression in the …
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To All Who Value Gold and Liberty: When Will Atlas Shrug? – Gold Seek
What Exactly Is Scareware?
October 19th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
The term ‘Scareware’ is often applied to software that is in some way deceptive. (Scareware can also be known as fraudware and includes rogue scanners) A future article will look at how scareware has evolved into ‘ransomware’. What Is The Point Of Scareware? The aim of scareware is quite simply to frighten people into buying something that they otherwise wouldn’t want. In many respects scareware acts like a Trojan, deceiving recipients into installing an unwanted program. Whilst scareware can refer to many different types of products it is typically associated with antivirus scams in which the tactic is to suggest that your computer is either at risk or already infected. Naturally, the scareware then offers the solution – a highly overpriced piece of software which offers to right all the wrongs that have been identified on your system. In fact, only today, I read an interesting article on the BBC website which claims up to 40 million people have fallen victim to such scams in the last year! Its no surprise then that scareware scams are a growth industry – too many internet users have insufficient knowledge to protect themselves and are easily duped by such schemes, spending their money on fake antivirus products that either do not work or, in some cases, actually install Trojans and viruses themselves. How Does Scareware Work? There are 3 main ways in which scareware will trick you somehow – Getting you to pay up – You buy the fake antivirus product, which is bad enough, but then the scammers take your credit card details too! Zombie time – Many scareware programs will ensnare the victim machines into a botnet which can then be used for sending spam or engaging in DDoS attacks. Identity theft – Scareware can install keystroke loggers and Trojans which will record what you do online and search your files for anything containing your private or financial information. How Do I Protect Myself Against Scareware? Avoiding scams isn’t so hard – common sense and inquisitiveness go a long way. If a popup window appears on your computer then you should question it and never, ever buy online unless you yourself have taken your browser to the page you wish to buy from. Here are 3 more tips for avoiding scareware and fake antivirus scams – Only use antivirus programs that have come from a legitimate security vendor – here are the best 10 free ones . Always read your email in plain text – this looks horrible but will display links as they really are, rather than disguised by fancy pictures. Be wary of email attachments – unless you completely trust the sender then do not open them and never be tempted by email offers of free antivirus programs from companies you’ve never heard of. Once again, only buy or download security software from trusted sources – here are 10 more that I trust – and stay safe!
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What Exactly Is Scareware?
Halloween (All Hallows Eve) – Trick Or Scam?
October 15th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Later in this article I will state why I think Halloween is a scam. Firstly though, here is what Halloween is all about – A BRIEF HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN Around 2,000 years ago the people of Ireland, then known as the Celts, celebrated their new year on November the first. This date signified the beginning of winter, a time when mortality rates were much higher, due to the cold and dark associated with the following few months. Therefore, the Celts believed that on the night before, October 31st, there was a link between the worlds of the living and the dead. On this evening, they thought that the ghosts and spirits of the dead would return for a night, intent on damaging crops and causing great mischief for those they left behind. To this end, they celebrated the night with a festival known as Samhain which was a time for Druids and priests to make predictions about the coming year. Furthermore, the Celtic people would wear costumes made from animal skulls and skins, and would sacrifice animals and crops to their deities on huge bonfires. In later years, the Celts became integrated with their Roman conquerors and there was a mixing of their respective cultures, beliefs and festivals. The Romans honoured Pomona, goddess of trees and fruit. Her symbol, an apple, became associated with Samhain and may explain why ‘apple bobbing’ is still popular on Halloween to this day. Later still, Pope Boniface IV attempted to hijack Samhain for the Church. This he did by assigning All Saint’s Day to November 1st. The olde English translation of All Saint’s Day was ‘Alholowmesse’ which later evolved into ‘All Hallows’. Therefore Samhain, the night before, became known as All Hallows Eve. I believe the majority of Americans still use this term, though in Britain the phrase further evolved until October 31st became known as Halloween. MODERN HALLOWEEN COSTUME A large part of modern Halloween celebrations involves dressing up in costumes, much like the original Celts. However, the nature of the attire has changed somewhat. Instead of animal skins, people are far more likely to be seen dressed as ghosts, skeletons, vampires or even popular television characters. (Staggeringly, the winner of the best Halloween outfit at my kids’ school last year went at Snow White!!). HALLOWEEN GAMES Bobbing for apples has already been mentioned but it is not the only game that is based on the early celebrations. Another game often played is divination where a blindfolded child has to choose a piece of paper upon which is written a prophecy. By making the choice themselves, it is said that the prophecy will come true for them during the course of the following year. Another game that is well known is trick or treat. This is probably the main point of interest for children at Halloween, as they not only get to dress up, but they also go knocking on people’s doors, asking for treats. If a treat is not forthcoming, then a trick will be played which will often involve throwing eggs at windows for example. PUMPKINS The pumpkin is itself a part of Irish tradition, though not originally part of the Samhain festival. Whilst emptying a pumpkin and placing a light inside to turn it into a lantern was begun by the Irish, the carving of faces onto pumpkins actually originated in America where crops grew to a much larger size. WHY DO I THINK HALLOWEEN IS A SCAM? At the beginning of the article I stated that I believe Halloween is a scam. Why do I think that? Well, it has nothing to do with occultism, something that ‘Devil’s night’ has become associated with in recent years. That is because Halloween, as you now hopefully know, was never a Christian festival in the first place. Instead, my belief that Halloween is a scam is to do with the commercialism of the event. Samhain began as a festival, borne on the fears of those who lived at the time, who did not fully understand or comprehend the world they lived in. Two millenniums later and modern man has a good grasp of science, adequate heating (in the majority of countries), crops tend not to fail and, for the most part, people do not believe in mischief-making ghosts and spirits coming back to play havok on October 31st. Why then, do we still recognise and celebrate Halloween? Simply, because clever marketing tactics are employed by retail companies looking to turn a profit, and here’s how – Overpriced pumpkins Overpriced and flimsy costumes, unlikely to be re-usable the following year Increased sales of sweets and other gifts to be handed to trick or treaters Associated sales of plastic teeth, ambient music collections and other worthless rubbish Oh, and don’t forget that dentists see an upturn in business after the kids have eaten all the sweets they receive too CONCLUSION Halloween can be great fun, especially children who come home at the end of the evening with a huge amount of sweets. Conversely, it can also be a huge annoyance. I know personally that after the 50th knock on my door it starts to test my patience. Additionally, some may either live in fear of Halloween. I know some elderly people in my area who feel quite intimidated by elder children who levy all kinds of threats if sweets or money are not given to them. Ultimately, Halloween in this day and age bears little to no resemblance to the original festival of Samhain. Verdict : Halloween has become a RETAIL SCAM, designed to extract money from those who probably have no idea what they are commemorating in the first place.
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Halloween (All Hallows Eve) – Trick Or Scam?
Why I Like F-Secure Internet Security 2009
October 11th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
F-Secure have always had a great reputation for making top quality internet security and antivirus products. Their latest offering, F-Secure Internet Security 2009, is a solid package which offers antivirus, antispyware, spam and phishing filter features. It also features DeepGuard 2.0 cloud computing technology which provides automatic updates and protects your computer from severe threats which include terrors such as rootkits and malware. It is very easy to install F-Secure Internet Security 2009 and it offers a whole host of features that will protect your computer from just about every type of virus, malware, Trojan and rootkit thats out there right now. Protection from virus and spyware You may be amazed to discover that F-Secure Internet Security 2009 actually has the Kaspersky antivirus engine integrated with its technology. What this means is that F-Secure Internet Security 2009 is able to detect and delete any kind of virus or spyware from your computer. F-Secure BlackLight No antivirus program detects and deletes rootkits by itself. There are many programs available which have to be run separately so that they can eliminate the rootkit-related problems from your computer. F-Secure BlackLight, however, always stays alert and detects the presence of rootkits and instantly eliminates them from your computer. DeepGuard 2.0 Enabled F-Secure Internet Security 2009 is the first ever antivirus to incorporate DeepGuard technology. Deepguard is actually a cloud computing system, which enables it to protect your computer from any new threat within 60 seconds of its confirmation. It recognizes each and every unauthorized external activity and prevents your computer from getting infected by new threats. Firewall Any Internet Security system is incomplete without a healthy and trustworthy Firewall. The most amazing thing about F-Secure Internet Security 2009’s Firewall is that its settings can be customized as per the user’s wish. It keeps check on all incoming and outgoing Internet activities. Whenever it detects malicious traffic, it blocks the Internet access to that particular application and instantly protects your system from viral threats. You can even set your Firewall to work in Normal Mode, which would grant access to some of the basic activities like IM, email and IRC. Spam Filter and Anti-phishing toolbar Spam is one of the most serious and common problems for just about every Internet user. F-Secure Internet Security 2009 has an integrated program which protects your systems from unsolicited emails. It’s anti-phishing toolbar provides extra layer of protection from serious spam and phishing scams. Parental Control This feature is especially for all those parents who are worried about the kind of web sites visited by their children. Parental Control features enable you to password protect some of the applications and programs to ensure that the Internet does not turn out to be BAD for your kids. It even enables you to whitelist or blacklist particular web pages. With all these features, F-Secure Internet Security 2009 has been released with one sole objective, “protection of your system from virus, spam, malware, rootkits and every other similar threat”. With the innovative factors like DeepGuard 2.0 protection and BlackLight, F-Secure Internet Security 2009 is a stand out option for users who are looking for a trustworthy Internet Security package. Whilst there are many feature-rich antivirus and security programs available today I do have to say that F-Secure Internet Security 2009 offers robust protection for all types of users at an affordable price. Why I Like F-Secure Internet Security 2009 is a post from: Scam Types dot Com Check out 101 Internet Security Programs and Tips
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Why I Like F-Secure Internet Security 2009
Newt, Porn and Fundraising Scams – ScienceBlogs (blog)
October 10th, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Newt, Porn and Fundraising Scams ScienceBlogs (blog) Scribbled in the margin is a hand-written note: “NEWT IS LOOKING FORWARD TO FINALLY MEETING YOU FACE TO FACE — AND GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON CAP AND TRADE AND … and more
Carbon offsets vs. renewable energy certificates: Are both just a copout? – SmartPlanet.com
October 7th, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Carbon offsets vs. renewable energy certificates: Are both just a copout? SmartPlanet.com … then yes, ' carbon credit market' is the absolute tops since people caught on to that “do you want to buy the Brooklyn Bridge” scams . …
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Carbon offsets vs. renewable energy certificates: Are both just a copout? – SmartPlanet.com
The American Prospect: – Huffington Post (blog)
October 3rd, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
The American Prospect: Huffington Post (blog) … in 2008 (around $1 million to Obama) was mere pocket change for what it can reap from scams like cap and trade disguised as an environmental plan. … and more
Energy czar: Businesses need signal on pollutants – CNET News
October 2nd, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
CNET News Energy czar: Businesses need signal on pollutants CNET News E-mail Martin. by LB-ID October 2, 2009 11:14 AM PDT Cap and trade is one of the single biggest scams of all time, and amounts to many thousands of dollars … and more
Kevin Jennings: Obama Aide Under Attack From Fox News, Conservatives – Huffington Post (blog)
October 1st, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
Kevin Jennings: Obama Aide Under Attack From Fox News, Conservatives Huffington Post (blog) … in 2008 (around $1 million to Obama) was mere pocket change for what it can reap from scams like cap and trade disguised as an environmental plan. … and more
What Exactly Is A HYIP Scam?
September 28th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Firstly, for those of you who don’t already know, HYIP stands for High Yield Investment Program. HYIPs are one of the most common scams on the internet today, though they became a source of income for scammers well before the digital age. There are a huge number of people looking to make extra money, for many reasons, including becoming debt free or in the hopes of giving up their day job. A large proportion of those people have internet access and will come across some of the thousands of HYIPs that are circulating the net at any time. The allure of HYIPs is the promise of large returns on small investments, the type of investment a lot of potential internet investors may believe they can afford. With some HYIPs offering returns from 10% to even 50% per day on an investment of as little as $10, it is easy to see why some people get suckered into them, especially when it is known that some people do make the quoted returns. The downside of HYIPs, however, is that a larger number of people lose all their money. In order for the HYIP to pay out to some investors, they use the money invested by the newer members. In other words, a high yield investment program is nothing more than a Ponzi scheme. Whilst anyone getting in early could make a profit, the truth is that the only people consistently making money from HYIPs are those that start them. As no-one really knows how much money is circulating at any time it is impossible to predict when the HYIP will crash, as it surely will. Therefore, investing in one is not much different to flipping a coin – ‘HEADS’ I win : ‘TAILS’ you lose
Don’t Be Fooled by Sweepstakes Scammers Posing as Federal Officials
September 28th, 2009. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Don’t be taken in by con artists who pose as government officials and claim consumers have won what turns out to be a bogus sweepstakes prize. Although these scammers say they represent the Federal Trade Commission or some other government agency, the FTC would never call consumers on behalf of sweepstakes programs, and consumers should never send money up front just because someone promises them a prize. Crooks often take advantage of Internet technology to make it seem that they are calling from Washington, DC, or the consumer’s hometown. They could be calling from anywhere in the world. To learn more about how to avoid this type of scam, go to http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt167.shtm . The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics .
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Don’t Be Fooled by Sweepstakes Scammers Posing as Federal Officials
0800 0800 152 And The ‘BT Phone Scam’
September 23rd, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
If you are a UK telephone user then the following email about a new scam is something you need to read. Of course the scam is not committed by BT themselves but rather by an African (so it seems) who claims to be a representative of that company – Subject: BT phone scam PLEASE PASS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY. The new telephone ’scam’ has arrived. “I received a call from a ‘representative’ of BT, informing me that he was disconnecting me because of an unpaid bill. He demanded payment immediately of £31.00 or it would be £118.00 to re-connect at a later date. The guy wasn’t even fazed when I told him I was with Virgin Media, allegedly VM have to pay BT a percentage for line rental! I asked the guy’s name – the very ‘English’ John Peacock with a very ‘African’ accent – & phone number – 0800 0800 152. Obviously the fellow realized I didn’t believe his story, so offered to demonstrate that he was from BT. I asked how & he told me to hang up & try phoning someone – he would disconnect my phone to prevent this. AND HE DID!! My phone was dead – no engaged tone, nothing – until he phoned me again. Very pleased with himself, he asked if that was enough proof that he was with BT. I asked how the payment was to be made & he said credit card, there & then. I said that I didn’t know how he’d done it, but I had absolutely no intention of paying him, I didn’t believe his name or that he worked for BT. He hung up. Did 1471 & phoned his fictitious 0800 number – not recognised. I phoned the police to let them know, I wasn’t the first! It’s only just started apparently but it is escalating. Their advice was to let as many people know by word of mouth of this scam. The fact that the phone does go off would probably convince some people it’s real, so please let as many friends & family be aware of this. This is good but not that clever. He gave the wrong number – it should have been 0800 800 152 which takes you through to BT Business. The cutting off of the line is very simple – he stays on the line with the mute button on and you can’t dial out – but he can hear you trying to (this is because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it). When you stop trying he cuts off and immediately calls back. You could almost be convinced! The sad thing is that it is so simple that it will certainly fool the elderly and vulnerable.” Unlike some email forwards this one is real and the police are aware of it. So if you get a call like the one detailed above be very wary. If you think you may actually have an outstanding bill then I would recommend hanging up, waiting 10 minutes in case someone really is messing around with your line, and then calling your telephone company using the number found on your latest bill.
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0800 0800 152 And The ‘BT Phone Scam’
How Can I Avoid Vishing Scams?
September 22nd, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
How to avoid vishing scams If you don’t already know what vishing is then you need to read yesterday’s post – What Exactly Is Vishing ? Today I am looking at a few very simple ways of ensuring you don’t become a victim of this crime. Rule #1 can be applied to just about every scenario you may ever come across online – DO NOT REVEAL YOUR SENSITIVE INFORMATION TO ANYONE , INCLUDING BANK EMPLOYEES. Whether you are contacted via email, IM or phone you should never, ever, reveal sensitive information to someone you cannot completely trust. If you always keep that in mind then you will have improved your internet security immeasurably. The other rules are just as much common sense – Banks and other financial institutions never call and ask you for personal information. The call or message may say that your call is being recorded but this is just to scare people so that they do not call the authorities. Notice how the caller never calls you by name. That is because they have no idea what your name is! If your bank or credit card number asks for your account number then they must be false – they should already know such details. Just because they don’t ask for your CVV2 number don’t think they are legit – some people can still steal your money without that information. Some banks, especially the small ones, usually have the last 6 numbers of the card the same for all the cards. So thieves will ask only for the last 6 digits of your credit card number because they know the first ones. So don’t think that if they ask only for 6 digits they cannot steal your money. They can do this just with your PIN and the last 6 digits of your card. Remember the above and stay safe. Don’t get vished!
Hotline: Trash talk and work-at-home scams – The Herald-Times (subscription)
September 21st, 2009. Published under Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.
The Herald-Times (subscription) Hotline: Trash talk and work-at-home scams The Herald-Times (subscription) They can also somehow gain access to a credit card number, even if you did not include any in the application, and charge the card for materials you never …
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Hotline: Trash talk and work-at-home scams – The Herald-Times (subscription)
Top Cricketer Likes Snails. Top Footballer Scores Goals. Idiot Tweeters Spam.
September 19th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Here are a few links to some of the best articles I’ve come across on my internet travels this week – ———————————————————————————————– Its a total hoax but this story about Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s new house is a good read – apparently it’s shaped like a snail ! ———————————————————————————————– The Register has uncovered a new tactic which may soon be seen in all those emails you get from ‘your bank’. Whilst directing people to a fake website that looks like their bank is nothing new this new tactic incorporates ‘live chat’ into the mix, unsurprisingly with a fraud investigator who needs the answers to your secret security questions. ———————————————————————————————– Sans.org asks why fake antivirus programs are so successful? The answer, it would seem, is all in the presentation . Oh, that and the fact that they make the scammers a boat load of cash. ———————————————————————————————– Pick Your Poison: KOOBFACE or FAKEAV? is a post by the guys over at VirusExperts.org that shows a new twist in how those behind the virus will attempt to ensnare Facebook users into their growing botnet. ———————————————————————————————– Are you on Twitter? Are you following more people than you thought you were? Are you receiving @reply and DM spam from people you don’t know? If so, John Chow may have stumbled upon the reason why. ———————————————————————————————– The Koobface worm has been around for a while now, especially on Facebook, but it would seem that the worm has now turned. The latest version would appear to have gone down the scareware route, much like Conficker, and also installs a Click Fraud Trojan . Scary stuff indeed. ———————————————————————————————– The Day Before Zero talks about the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), botnets and ISPs and how the latter could alert their customers if they have been entrapped into a botnet . ———————————————————————————————– Wired.com reported on a hoax about a supposed suicide bombing in America that just happened to be around the time of the 9/11 anniversary. The ‘bombers’ were, it was claimed, a rap group known as ‘The Berlin Boys’ and the hoax extended to Wikipedia entries and California phone numbers that were actually being answered via Skype. An embarrassingly large number of Germans believed it all. ———————————————————————————————– Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Liverpool beat West Ham today with the ‘unfit’ and ‘poorly-performing’ Fernando Torres scoring his 4th and 5th goals in just his sixth game of the season. Just wait until he hits top form…. “This year could be our year”…. ———————————————————————————————–
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Top Cricketer Likes Snails. Top Footballer Scores Goals. Idiot Tweeters Spam.
How To Avoid Gift Card Scams
September 18th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
When you’re browsing around Craigslist and are looking for giftcards that other people don’t want, you’re probably thinking to yourself: What steps can I take to avoid being scammed? Most people initially think of meeting up with the person and then calling the number on the back of the card to check the balance. That’s probably the most common thinking one can think of. However, scammers these days are smarter than that. There is indeed a way to use the balance before selling it off to another person. The seller might make a transaction online just minutes before meeting up with you, and when you meet up and check the balance via telephone, the automated machine will read the balance before the transaction. Most people would be satisfied with this and proceed on with the deal. However, you should be wiser than that. THIS IS HOW YOU AVOID A GIFT CARD SCAM Firstly, when you meet up with the seller, always try to meet up at the place where the gift card is usable. There, you should ask him to get you the item you want (at the same price lsited on the gift card), and pay him afterwards. Even if you want to, you can still return the item later for store credit. This way, you have something that’s more tangible than just a card in your hands. If this method doesn’t click with you, then simply check the back of the card. If the pin is scratched off, then don’t buy because there is a greater chance that the card has already been used. However, even if the pin hasn’t been scratched off yet, there are ways to use it. In addition, to avoid scammers, make sure you keep your eyes on the gift card at all times, because some people will try to switch the cards when you’re not looking. Lastly, if your intuition tells you that there’s something sketchy about the seller, then don’t buy the gift card . Some of the warning signs you may see are that he will call you from a private number, only call you on your number, but won’t give you his, or that he will want to meet with you at random places.
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How To Avoid Gift Card Scams