Nigerian Internet Scam Hits Vermont

Burlington, Vermont – April 18, 2008

Internet scams are a dime a dozen. But when a Vermont woman found a great deal on a rented house — online — she suddenly realized that something wasn’t right.

Amanda Thomson says she found it on the Internet. She was looking for a house to rent with her fiancee. She went onto Craig’s List, a free website that includes homes for rent.

“I saw this great house for $700 in the Burlington hills,” she said. “And it had pictures of the inside and it looked very nice. So I jumped on it.”

Amanda Thomson had the good sense to check further on the house in Burlington’s Hill section that supposedly rented at such a low price. She Googled the address. Guess what? The house she hoped to move into was for sale. She called the realty company.

Sybil Chicoine, vice-president for marketing with Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman Realty, said, ”We contacted Craig’s List and they were quite cooperative in taking the listings down.”

Chicoine said several consumers called with similar stories about rental listings on Craig’s List. It was obvious that this was a scam. Especially since the email address of the people asking for a rental deposit up front was located in Nigeria.

Others dealing with offers on the Internet need to be careful. Chicoine added, “Just to do a little due diligence when they’re working online, and to — it sounds a little cliché — but when something’s a little too good to be true, you know, it might in fact be.”

Thomson said she feels embarrassed. But at the end of the day she avoided the trap. ”I did not send any money,” she said. “Still, I’m just the bulls eye because I fell for it, I was so convinced that I was going to get this house and we were going to have a great place to live. And it didn’t happen. But we did find something and it was good.”

Thomson hopes others will take heed. Verify everything when it comes to financial dealings on the Internet.

Andy Potter – WCAX News

E-mail scam targets teachers

Hi.

this is a item from the news that I came across today.

it’s very informative and you should read through it.

regards

alan

www.elovedeceptions.com

by News Channel 8’s Tina Detelj
Posted Nov. 6, 2007
6:35 PM

Stonington (WTNH) _ Several people in Southeastern Connecticut are not gambling when it comes to a suspicious e-mail.

An e-mail was sent to some Pawcatuck teachers, supposedly from a friend. Luckily, the teachers were able to determine that the e-mail was a hoax, but they are concerned that others might fall for the scam.

“The grammar in the e-mail was far from what we’re used to seeing and that was the biggest clue,” said principal Jane Guilini.

The e-mail reads in part, “I will appreciate whatsoever you can afford to send me for now.” It asks for $2,500 to be sent through Western Union because the sender is supposedly stranded in Nigeria.  One of the teachers from North Stonington does do work in Africa and whoever sent the bogus e-mail knew enough about her work to mention a program that fights racism and HIV/AIDS.

All you have to do is look at the headlines to see that the Nigerian scams are evolving. This scam could have been very effective because whoever sent out the e-mail hacked into a teacher’s e-mail account making the e-mail seem more authentic and more personal.

“Someone has altered her password so yes, this has happened,” said Guilini.

So far, none of the teachers have fallen for the scam and they want to make sure no one does.

“I think it’s just a great reminder that sometimes scam artists try to prey on your emotions,” said Asst. Superintendent, Leanne Masterjoseph.

Masterjoseph says it is also a reminder to be skeptical of any suspicious e-mails. Of course any e-mail which asks for money should be considered suspect, especially if it’s from Nigeria.

Federal agents crack down on Internet scams

Hi

Here is another item from the news about internet scams. It appears after all that something is being done to clamp down on net scams.

please read the story and leave your comments.

alan

www.elovedeceptions.com

Federal agents crack down on Internet scams

05:35 PM Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday, October 3, 2007
By Bart Treece / 3 On Your Side Producer It’s one of the biggest scams around and federal agents are finally cracking down.

This scam has gone on for so long. The biggest problem is that the scammers live overseas and the victims live right here, many of them living in Arizona.

Because of the distance, it’s a little hard to crack down on these con artists. Until now, that is.

At a news conference today, federal agents say they have had enough.

Nigerian police, with the help of federal agents, raided Internet cafes in Africa.

As it turns out, the raid is part of a global crackdown on Internet scams.

Altogether, 16 people were arrested for allegedly taking part in fake check scams that target countless Americans.

In Amsterdam, 60 people were taken into custody for doing the exact same thing.

Federal and local authorities announced the crackdown at a news conference in downtown Phoenix.

“American consumers are being defrauded by overseas scam artists,” said Pete Zegarac, a U.S. postal inspector.

The crackdown, they say, actually started by sending American agents overseas to investigate.

“In a 21-day effort alone in Nigeria, postal inspectors oversaw the seizure of 15,000 fake checks,” Zegarac said.

U.S. postal inspector Keith Moore from the Phoenix office was in Nigeria for several weeks and says he saw firsthand how good these scammers are.

“We were able to determine their equipment is first class,” Moore said.

For example, that first-class equipment produces checks that look real.

After you cash it and send some of the proceeds back to the scammer, you later find out the check is fake.

The bait is usually set when you receive an e-mail.

“Two out of three adults receive a potential scam once a week, said Sally Wells with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. “I have a reliable source because my mother sends them to me about once a week.”

“These scams prey on the elderly and when English is a second language,” said Ann Harwood with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona.

Victims are lured into the scam because easy money is too hard to resist.

Another example, are foreign lotteries claiming you won money. To collect, you cash the fake check and return a portion to the scammer.

“It’s easy for law enforcement to stand up here and say, ‘You won the lottery without even entering. You must be the luckiest person on earth!’” Zegarac said.

Numerous times, law enforcement warn people about these scams and now they have a new tool for you, a Web site called fakechecks.org, which is part of a multi-agency effort to keep your money out of the hands of con artists.

“There’s a lot of feeling there that Americans have a lot of money and they want to target that,” Moore said.

“People fall for it,” Zegarac said. “It’s up to us to get the word out.”

That Web site is also the place to report these scams to law enforcement so they can track down these scammers.