Online Scams

Anyone selling online or elseware needs to be aware of the possibility that every customer is a potential fraudster. Scams more prevelant online because the scammer can present an offer without ever confronting the merchant. You have no idea if the customer is legit or is trying to take you for a ride.

Scamming Americans has become a huge international business. Countries that have little law enforcement and high poverty rates are centers for industrial scamming. Online merchants are highly vunerable because of thier increased visability and easy access. In one way its great that you are now visable to a world market, but now you are visable to many more scammers.

The actual financial gains of scammers is estimated at between 400 billion and 1 trillion dollars anually. Since many people do not report scams so the actual number is unknown.

There is a wealth on information online about scams, scammers and the legal aspects of the cons. We have set up a few examples about specific scams, how they work and what to look for.

The basic rule of thumb is "If you think it's a scam, it probably is".

Phising Scams - The term Phishing (pronunced fishing) is directly related to the sending of mass e-mail offering something of value, a chance to make money or buy a product. If the scammer send out thousands of e-mails, they only need to catch one fish. Phishing scammers are like fishermen, changing bait, fishing different waters and hoping for one bite. And one bite is all they need to reel in the big fish. Often taking people for $3,000 to $10,000 in one shot. Even a coupld of fish a year at that price is worth the effort.

Typical Scam Scenario:

Person contacts you to buy a large quantity of products. They are going to pay you by cashier's check and you will ship the product.

1) The check is a fake check on a foreign bank. You deposit the check and ship the products. Later the check is revealed as a fake and you have lost your inventory.

2) The scammer send you a check for more than the agreed amount. Then contacts you and tells you how his secratary made a mistake and overpaid. Then asks you to refund the difference back to them via western union. Since you are sitting on a fat load of cash, you do. And of course the check was fake.

Printing fake checks is so common, the banks have no idea what is real and what is fake. Often taking 2 weeks or more to make the determination.

One scam syndacate even printed fke postage stamps, for 1 million letters mailed to the US. That was over 1 million dollars in fake postage.

If you think you are the only person being contacted, think again. An average business could get many such offers a week. This is a huge problem and can catch you off guard and take you for a ride.

We hope anyone with a story to tell will post it in our forum in the Scams section.

Below are some samples of e-mail relayed through the craftrsbuzz mail system.

My dear,
Greetings To You,
You may be surprised to receive this unsolicited mail as it may appear to be. Sorry to bother you any way.

I am Dr. Koffi Nene Nguessan the personal assistant (Finance) to the late President Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Lome,Togo. In order to avoid any long meaningless talk, I am looking for a person who can be TRUSTED to handle part of the money the late President wanted to go and deposit in Switzerland three weeks before he died.
I am presently in a neibouring country Cote D' Iovire (Ivory Coast) due to the problem on whom will be the next prsident and because of this there is no peace in my country right now.I wait for your quick reponse to my proposal.

Thanks and God Bless.

I will explain in details after your response to this mail address , email--------------------
See sites bellow for more details.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4239983.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4281559.stm

Dr. Koffi Nene Nguessan.
Eyadéma Of Togo/From Dr Koffi Nene

Hello there,
I will like to purchase the underlisted products,to my store
in nigeria.
Item 1: Religious Magnet Favors
price:?
Your prompt response is highly needed due to the urgent demand
of the above item.So,please get me the total for the item
above,including the Shipping charges,via usps global express to the address slated
on the bottom of this mail.So,as soon as i hear from you,i will get back
to you with the payment method.I look forward in anticipation of your
response.
Best regards,
Keith.

Name:Nicholas Osmak(on behalf of Keithstore)
Address:4 omotayo street,off post office road
City:Mushin
State:Lagos
Postal code:23401
Country:Nigeria

DEAR RESPECTED,
MY NAME IS JERRY WILLIAMS . NATIONALITY SIERRA LEONE. I AM 23 YEARS OLD, A STUDENT. I LOST MY FATHER YEARS BACK. HE DIED DRURING THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN MY COUNTRY. MY LATE FATHER WAS ONE OF THE DIRECTORS UNDER TIJAN KABBAH
GOVERNMENT.
MY MOTHER IS AGED SHE IS 62 YEARS NOW AN OLD WOMAN. WE ARE LEAVING IN COTE D'IVOIRE SINCE PAST SIX MONTH. IT IS MY DESIRE TO WRITE FROM MY HEART HOPING THAT YOU WILL NOT BETRAY US. MY FATHER DIVERTED SOME HUGE SOME OF MONEY WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A BANK IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN HE WAS ALIFE, IN FACT IN A BRIFE I INTRODUTION.
ALL THE INFORMATION WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU. THIS MONEY TOTALING US$ 25,000,000.00 (TWENTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLAR ) NOW WE ARE SEEKING FOR A TRUSTED PERSON WHO WILL RECEIVE THIS MONEY INTO HIS/HER ACCOUNT FOR ONWARD INVESTMENT.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE NEEDED FROM YOU IS YOUR GOOD ASSISTANCE IN HELPING US TRANSFERRING THE SAID SUM TO YOUR ACCOUNT SINCE WE ARE INEXPERENCED IN THE WORLD OF BUSINESS, THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT. A DOCUMENT CONCERNING THE DEPOSIT MAY BE GIVEN TO YOU FOR YOUR VERIFICATION.
WE REALLY NEED TO MOVE THE FUND OUT OF AFRICA TO ABROAD. I AND MY MOTHER HAVE DECIEDED TO GIVE YOU 10% OF THE TOTAL SUM FOR YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE.

THE WORLD IS FULL OF BAD PEOPLE PLEASE CAN YOU PROVE YOUR GUNUITY TO US FOR US TO HAVE YOU AS A PARTNER.
SORRY I AM NOT SAYING YOU ARE BAD PERSON BUT CONSIDER THAT THIS IS MONEY AND HOW THE MONEY WAS GOTTEN. IT IS INHERITACE AND LAST HOPE. SHOW YOUR INTEREST AND WE PROCEED ON THE NEXT STEP OF ACTION. AFRICA IS NO LONGER
CONDUSIVE FOR US TO STAY.
WE LOOK FORWARD FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY.
OUR REGARDS.
JERRY WILLIAMS ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY.

Dearest
With due respect and humility I write you this letter which I believe you would be of great assistance to me and my children.
I am Mrs Mohy Sabawa, the wife of the late Dr
David E. Sabawa Jr of blessed memory. Prior to my husband assassination by the rebel forces loyal to Corporal Foday Sankoh of the revolutionary United Front (RUF), he was the Director General National Gold and Diamond Mining Corporation of Sierra-Leone.
Few days before my husband was assassinated, he instructed me and my children (George and Henry) to move out of Sierra-Leone and also to go in his underground strong room where the documents of money he has deposited in a finance company in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire in one trunk box as family valuables and treasures with the name of my first son Mr George as the beneficiary. The amount is US$15.500.000 (Fifteen Million five hundred thousand united states dollars). We managed to escape to Abidjan the Republic of Cote cote d'Ivoire through the help of my husband friend who is a trawler. As our travelling document was seized.
I am now looking for a trustworthy and God fearing person who will handle this money for rapid profit for the future of my two fatherless children.
For your information, the finance company did not know the real content of the box and we do not wish them to know until the money is transferred to your account. As it was deposited as family valuables and treasures.
Meanwhile, I want to leave Cote d'Ivoire entirely for investment of this money in your country and mostly for the future of my children. I want you to please assist us to claim the box from the finance company and to deposit the money in your account as to order the bank to transfer the money to your account in your country. As our foreign partner.
We have it in mind to reward you with a certain
percentage for your assistance. As soon as we hear from you. Do not hesitate to call my son George on this line Tel:00225 07 34 69 34. immediately you receive this letter to enable us proceed in earnest towards retrieving the box and transferring of the money into your account.
Finally please ensure that no one else knows about this money as it is only myself my son, yourself and the Rev. pastor of the church where we worship knows about this money. May God bless you as you assist me.
PLEASE REPLY ME WITH THIS PRIVATE EMAIL
mohysab@yahoo.com
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Mohy Sabawa

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Mr MikeWillMore,of VEENKEROL TRADE LINK Import/Export Co.(VEENKEROL) we deal on Art and Craft which we export into Canada/America and Europe.

We are searching for representatives who can help us establish a medium of getting to our customers in Canada/America and Europe,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 which we will pay for your services as our representative in Canada/America and Europe.

Please if you are willing to assist, we will want you to contact our reputable office, so as to enable us give you further details. Please, you have to be an honest and trusted person, as more payments wil be made through you in the course of this transaction. And moreso you will be entitled to 10% of every payment that you are able to recieve for us from our customers.

Please contact us for more information via email so that the officer in charge can send you the company Application form for the post of Representative which will be fill out by you and send back to our office immediately.

We look forward in working with you. you can send us your reply via E-mail to our perculiar officer so that he can forward you the company application form for the post required:

Name: Mr. Mikewillmore
Email: veenkerol@yahoo.com

NOTE:This does not require any of your financial obligations.
Thanks In advance

Managing Director,

Mr. Mikewillmore .