ALLABOUTSCAMS.COM

The number of internet users is increasing at a phenomenal rate every year with most new users being people who are green to the whole internet scene. This has made the internet one of the best opportunities for fraudsters to take advantage of ignorant and unsuspecting internet users. Today, scams on the internet have become common place and some have been known to get even the most experienced internet users off guard. The way in which most internet scams occur is by making promises of quick cash or of deals that seem to good to be true. When people see such things they dive in without thinking twice only to find out that they have fallen prey to scammers.

Unlike in the past when very little information was available about scams on the internet, today one can easily come across information regarding the latest scams and how to avoid them. Most of these sites are consumer watch sites with information on various aspects regarding scams such as how to identify them, how to avoid them, how to find help or take action if you happen to fall prey and so much more. Therefore, from such sites you can check email scam and other types of online opportunities that you think are out there to defraud people of their hard earned money.

Given the large number of scams that exist on the internet today, it is very important that you tread carefully when exploring online opportunities and deals. When you find an opportunity on the internet that seems too good to be true or that promises you riches in a few days, you need to think twice about it. The easiest way to avoid falling prey to scams on the internet is to do adequate research before you spend even a dime on an opportunity. Therefore, once you see such opportunities, take time to Google them and read reviews about them. If it is a scam then you will find numerous blogs commenting on it and consumer watch group sites warning you on the site and giving you information on why it is a scam and why you should avoid it.

In addition, if you are one who uses the internet a lot for shopping or other business transactions, it is important that you keep reading on scams on the internet and find out the latest trends so that you can avoid being a victim of one. This way you will be very alert and aware of the latest scams and will ensure that you don’t lose any money to them.
 

David Lloyd, of Caledonia, thought he was buying a Porsche Cayman from autotrader.com and was using Amzaonpayments.com to make the transaction, according to a report by the Caledonia Police Department.

Lloyd expected the car to be delivered in early May. But the car never showed up, the seller made all sorts of excuses as to why it wasn’t delivered and all of the $32,500 he paid, except $1,200, is gone.

Turns out, the amazonpayments.com and autotrader.com websites Lloyd thought he was using were mirror websites that didn’t belong to either business, even though they looked like the sites. Bank records showed the money transfer was made from Lloyd’s bank to an account with Bank of America, which security officials from the bank say is linked to an organized crime group out of Romania.

But this is what scam artists do, said Sgt. Gary Larsen.

“A lot of smaller ones end up in Africa, but the larger ones end up in Romania,” Larsen said. “It’s just that this is the biggest one (computer scam) I’ve ever seen.”

Here’s how the scam went down

The case was turned over to the detective bureau where Investigator David Malison tracked down email addresses, IP addresses and bank accounts.

“Everything you are trying to track is buffered a couple times and you can’t get to it,” Malison said.

Through his investigation, Malison learned the same car was listed for sale on EBay in Indiana, but listed under a legitimate owner’s name. The scammers had taken the information from the legitimate EBay account, transferred it to Autotrader.com, and used a Stevens Point woman’s identity as the seller. She told Malison her husband is a detective, and she didn’t give anyone permission to use her information.

The seller’s phone number was fake, but the seller’s fax number, which listed to Seattle Washington was temporarily out of service.

Malison started talking to a security official with Bank of America. He gave the official the suspect’s name. The official said he knew the suspect’s name well, which they had been working with the Secret Service on several similar thefts, and the suspect is linked to Romanian organized crime.

Two withdrawals -- $10,000 and $20,000 -- were made and then four smaller debit card purchases were made in Tennessee. The security official froze the suspect’s bank account with $1,250 left and told Malison he would add the case to list of others the task force is working on.

The investigation has been turned over to the FBI, Larsen said.

IF A DEAL SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS...

Camano Island Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Crime Spree
June 17, 2011

COLTON HARRIS-MOORE, 20, of Camano Island, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven charges in connection with his lengthy crime spree in the Pacific Northwest and across the United States to Indiana, ending in the Bahamas. HARRIS-MOORE pleaded guilty to bank burglary, two counts of interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft, interstate and foreign transportation of a stolen firearm, being a fugitive in possession of a firearm, piloting an aircraft without a valid airman’s certificate, and interstate transportation of a stolen vessel. HARRIS-MOORE remains in custody at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac, Washington. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2011. Under the terms of the plea agreement, both sides will recommend between 63 and 78 months in prison. However, Judge Richard A. Jones is not bound by the recommendations, and may sentence HARRIS-MOORE up to the maximum allowed by law.

“The many years of Mr. Harris-Moore avoiding responsibility for his criminal conduct have come to an end,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “We have ensured he will not profit from his crimes, and that his victims will be compensated to the greatest extent possible. While we cannot stop him from telling his story, we can make sure he never sees a dime for his crimes.”

Under the terms of the plea agreement, HARRIS-MOORE forfeits any financial gain from telling his story and the proceeds are to be used to compensate the victims of his crimes. A special master experienced in intellectual property rights is appointed to ensure fair dealing and that all proceeds go to the victims. HARRIS-MOORE is expected to enter pleas to state charges in Washington State Superior Court. County prosecutors will be working to schedule a date for HARRIS-MOORE to enter pleas to all the state charges.

The federal plea agreement details a number of crimes including multiple car thefts and burglaries – including one where HARRIS-MOORE confronted and threatened to harm a homeowner.

“This resolution would not be possible without the remarkable efforts of law enforcement and prosecutors from numerous counties in Washington and other states,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.

The first charged criminal act in the plea agreement is the September 5, 2009, burglary of Islanders Bank in Eastsound, Washington. HARRIS-MOORE admits he attempted to break into the ATM and night deposit box at the bank, using tools he had stolen from the Ace Hardware store in Eastsound. He did more than $1,000 in damage.

Following the bank burglary, HARRIS-MOORE traveled to Creston, British Columbia, Canada. He stole a .32 caliber pistol and traveled with it for the next week. He crossed back into the U.S., and on September 29, 2009, HARRIS-MOORE stole a Cessna aircraft from Bonners Ferry, Idaho, and flew the plane to a location near Granite Falls, Washington, where it crashed. HARRIS-MOORE also admits he stole a second firearm, a .22 caliber pistol, during a burglary near Granite Falls, Washington. HARRIS-MOORE carried that pistol with him to his hiding place in the Eastsound Airport on Orcas Island, Washington.

HARRIS-MOORE admits that on February 10, 2010, he piloted an aircraft without an airman’s certificate during a flight he made in a stolen plane from Anacortes to Eastsound, Washington. He admits that on May 31, 2010, he stole a 34 foot boat, and traveled from Ilwaco, Washington, to Warrenton, Oregon.

The statement of facts in the plea agreement goes on to recount HARRIS-MOORE’s series of thefts and burglaries across the U.S.: multiple car thefts in Idaho and Wyoming; burglaries, thefts and auto thefts in South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Indiana, including multiple burglaries at small airports. In Yankton County, South Dakota, HARRIS-MOORE threatened a homeowner after breaking into a residence. Finally, on July 4, 2010, HARRIS-MOORE stole his last aircraft from a hangar in Bloomington, Indiana. He crash landed the aircraft when it ran out of fuel on Abaco Island in the Bahamas. He was arrested in the Bahamas a few days later.

HARRIS-MOORE agrees in the plea agreement that the amount of loss caused to the victims by his crimes is at least $1,409,438.

“The FBI is pleased to see Harris-Moore accept responsibility for the significant financial losses he caused in a number of states during a crime spree that consumed substantial investigative resources from state, local and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Laura Laughlin, Special Agent in Charge of FBI, Seattle. “The FBI appreciates the skillful work by our partners, as well as the invaluable assistance of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. If it weren’t for this coordinated effort, and the tips and assistance of private citizens, Harris-Moore might still be at large. I hope this case demonstrates to the public the important contribution they can have in bringing criminals to justice.”

The FBI is the lead federal agency investigating the case. The FBI was assisted by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, as well as numerous state and local law enforcement agencies from across the country. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Darwin Roberts, Mike Dion and Richard E. Cohen. Attorneys with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana assisted with the case. County Prosecutors Greg Banks (Island County), Randy Gaylord (San Juan County), Richard Weyrich (Skagit County) and Mark Roe (Snohomish County) have provided remarkable resources and assistance.

Malicious Software Features Usama bin Laden Links to Ensnare Unsuspecting Computer Users

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) urges computer users to not open unsolicited (spam) e-mails, including clicking links contained within those messages. Even if the sender is familiar, the public should exercise due diligence. Computer owners must ensure they have up-to-date firewall and anti-virus software running on their machines to detect and deflect malicious software.

The IC3 recommends the public do the following:

• Adjust the privacy settings on social networking sites you frequent to make it more difficult for people you know and do not know to post content to your page. Even a “friend” can unknowingly pass on multimedia that’s actually malicious software.
• Do not agree to download software to view videos. These applications can infect your computer.
• Read e-mails you receive carefully. Fraudulent messages often feature misspellings, poor grammar, and nonstandard English.
• Report e-mails you receive that purport to be from the FBI. Criminals often use the FBI’s name and seal to add legitimacy to their fraudulent schemes. In fact, the FBI does not send unsolicited e-mails to the public. Should you receive unsolicited messages that feature the FBI’s name, seal, or that reference a division or unit within the FBI or an individual employee, report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

E-Mails Containing Malware Sent to Businesses Concerning Their Online Job Postings

01/19/2011—Recent FBI analysis reveals that cyber criminals engaging in ACH/wire transfer fraud have targeted businesses by responding via e-mail to employment opportunities posted online.

Recently, more than $150,000 was stolen from a U.S. business via unauthorized wire transfer as a result of an e-mail the business received that contained malware. The malware was embedded in an e-mail response to a job posting the business placed on an employment website and allowed the attacker to obtain the online banking credentials of the person who was authorized to conduct financial transactions within the company. The malicious actor changed the account settings to allow the sending of wire transfers, one to the Ukraine and two to domestic accounts. The malware was identified as a Bredolab variant, svrwsc.exe. This malware was connected to the ZeuS/Zbot Trojan, which is commonly used by cyber criminals to defraud U.S. businesses.

The FBI recommends that potential employers remain vigilant in opening the e-mails of prospective employees. Running a virus scan prior to opening any e-mail attachments may provide an added layer of security against this type of attack. The FBI also recommends that businesses use separate computer systems to conduct financial transactions.

For more information on this type of fraud and prevention tips, please refer to previous public service announcements at the links below:

• http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/CorporateAccountTakeOver.pdf
• http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/WorkAtHome.pdf
• http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/091103.aspx

Anyone who believes they have been a target this type of attack should immediately contact their financial institutions and local FBI office and promptly report it to the IC3’s website at www.ic3.gov. The IC3’s complaint database links complaints together to refer them to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration. The IC3 also uses complaint information to identify emerging trends and patterns.

 I have recently reseived this e-mail scam letter... What is it with

these scammers,  they never stop trying. This is what e-mail scam

looks like... I have copyed an pasted it for everyone, beware of these e-mails....

Name: Ronald Peter
Email Address: ronaldp@qatar.io

Good day,

I am Ronald Peter staff of Royal Bank Of Scotland. I am contacting you
concerning a deceased customer and an investment he placed under our banks
management eight years ago. I would respectfully request that you keep the
contents of this mail confidential and respect the integrity of the
information you come by as a result of this mail.

I contacted you independently of our investigation and no one is informed
of this communication. I would like to intimate you with certain facts
that I believe would be of interest to you. In 2001, the subject matter
came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our private
banking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of
Twenty Two Million Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars
($22,350,000.00 USD), which he wished to have us turn over (invest) on his
behalf. I was the officer assigned to his case; I made numerous
suggestions in line with my duties as the de-facto chief operations
officer of the private banking sector, especially given the volume of
funds he wished to put into our bank. We met on numerous occasions prior
to any investments being placed. I encouraged him to consider various
growth funds with prime ratings. The favored route in my advice to
customers is to start by assessing data on 6000 traditional stocks and
bond managers and 2000 managers of alternative investments. Based on my
advice, we spun the money around various opportunities and made attractive
margins for our first months of operation, the accrued profit and interest
stood at this point at over Ten million United States Dollars, this margin
was not the full potential of the fund but he desired low risk guaranteed
returns on investments.

In mid 2002, he asked that the money be liquidated because he needed to
make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in here in the United
Kingdom. He directed that I liquidate the funds and deposit it with a
security firm here in London. I informed him that the bank would have to
make special arrangements to have this done and in order not to circumvent
due process, the bank would have to make a 9.5 % deduction from the funds
to cater for banking and statutory charges. He complained about the
charges but later came around when I explained to him the complexities of
the task he was asking of us. Cash movement across borders has become
especially strict since the incidents of 9/11. I contacted my affiliate
here in London and made the funds available to the bank. I undertook all
the processes and made sure I followed his precise instructions to the
letter and had the funds deposited at the London based Bank , this bank is
a specialist private firm that accepts deposits from high net worth
individuals and blue chip corporations that handle valuable products or
undertake transactions that need immediate access to cash. This small and
highly private organization is familiar especially to the highly placed
and well-connected organizations. In line with Instructions, the money was
deposited with the Bank, The deceased told me he wanted the money; there
in anticipation of his arrival from Norway later that week. This was the
last communication we had, this transpired around 25th June 2003. In June
last year, we got a call from the Bank informing us that the activity of
that particular portfolio. This was an astounding position as far as I was
concerned, given the fact that I managed the private banking sector I was
the only one who knew about the deposit at the Bank, and I could not
understand why the deceased ha d not come forward to claim his deposit. I
made futile efforts to locate the deceased. I immediately passed the task
of locating him to the internal investigations department of the Bank.
Four days later, information started to trickle in, apparently our client
was dead. A person who suited his description was declared dead of a heart
attack in Cannes, South of France.

We were soon enough able to identify the body and cause of death was
confirmed. The bank immediately launched an investigation into possible
surviving next of kin to alert about the situation and also to come
forward to claim his estate. If you are familiar with private banking
affairs, those who patronize our services usually prefer anonymity, but
also some levels of detachment from conventional processes. In his
bio-data form, he listed no next of kin. In the field of private banking
opening an account with us means no one will know of its existence,
accounts are rarely held under a name; depositors use numbers and codes to
make the accounts anonymous. This bank also gives the choice to depositors
of having their mail sent to them or held at the bank itself, ensuring
that there are no traces of the account and as I said, rarely do they
nominate next of kin.

Private banking clients apart from not nominating next of kin also usually
in most cases leave wills in our care, in this case; the deceased died
without a testament .In line with our internal processes for account
holders who have passed away, we instituted our own Investigations in good
faith to determine who should have right to claim the estate. This
investigation has for the past months been unfruitful. We have scanned
every continent and used our private investigation affiliate companies to
get to the root of the problem. It is this investigation that resulted in
my being furnished with your details as a possible relative of the
deceased. My official capacity dictates that I am the only party to
supervise the investigation and the only party to receive the results of
the investigation. What this means, you being the last batch of names we
have considered, is that our dear late fellow died with no known or
identifiable family member. This leaves me as the only person with the
full picture of what the prevailing situation is in relation to the
deposit and the late beneficiary of the deposit.

According to practice, The Bank will by the end of this financial year
12th day of September, 2011  broadcast a request for statements of claim
to the Bank.
failing to receive viable claims they will most probably revert the
deposit back to the Bank. This will result in the money entering the Bank
accounting system and the portfolio will be out of my hands and out of the
private banking division. This will not happen if I have my way. What I
wish to relate to you will smack of unethical practice but I want you to
understand something. It is only an outsider to the banking world who
finds the internal politics of the banking world aberrational.

The world of private banking especially is fraught with huge rewards for
those who occupy certain offices and oversee certain portfolios. You
should have begun by now to put together the general direction of what I
propose. I alone have the deposit details and they will release the
deposit to no one unless I instruct them to do so. I alone know of the
existence of this deposit for as far as the Bank is concerned, the
transaction with our late customer concluded when I sent the funds to the
bank, all outstanding interactions in relation to the file are just
customer services and due process. The Bank  has no single idea of what
the history or nature of the deposit. They are simply awaiting
instructions to release the deposit to any party that comes forward. This
is the situation. This bank has spent great amounts of money trying to
track this mans family; they have investigated for months and have found
no family. The investigation has come to an end. My proposal; you share
similar details to the late fellow; I am prepared to place you in a
position to instruct the bank to release the deposit to you as the closest
surviving relation. Upon receipt of the deposit, I am prepared to share
the money with you in half. That is: I will simply nominate you as the
next of kin and have them release the deposit to you. We share the
proceeds 50/50.I would have gone ahead to ask the funds be released to
me, but that would have drawn a straight line to me and my involvement in
claiming the deposit. I assure you that I could have the deposit released
to you within a few days. I will simply inform the bank of the final
closing of the file relating to the deceased I will then officially
communicate with the Bank and instruct them to release the deposit to you.
With these two things: all is done. The alternative would be for us to
have the Bank direct the funds to another bank with you as account holder.
This way there will be no need for you to think of receiving the money
from The Bank. We can fine-tune this based on our interactions. I am aware
of the consequences of this proposal. I ask that if you find no interest
in this project that you should discard this mail. I ask that you do not
be vindictive and destructive. If my offer is of no appeal to you, delete
this message and forget I ever contacted you. Do not destroy my career
because you do not approve of my proposal.


You may not know this but people like myself who have made tidy sums out
of comparable situations run the whole private banking sector. I am not a
criminal and what I do, I do not find against good conscience, this may be
hard for you to understand, but the dynamics of my industry dictates that
I make this move. Such opportunities only come ones' way once in a
lifetime. I cannot let this chance pass me by, for once I find myself in
total control of my destiny. These chances won’t pass me by. I ask that
you do not destroy my chances, if you will not work with me let me know
and let me move on with my life but do not destroy me. I am a family Man
and this is an opportunity to provide them with new opportunities. There
is a reward for this project and it is a task well worth undertaking. I
have evaluated the risks and the only risk I have here is from you
refusing to work with me and alerting my bank. I am the only one who knows
of this situation, good fortune has blessed you with a name that has
planted you into the center of relevance in my life. Let share the
blessing. If you find yourself able to work with me, contact me through
this same email account. If you give me positive signals, I will initiate
this process towards a conclusion. I wish to inform you that should you
contact me via official channels; I will deny knowing you and about this
project. I repeat, I do not want you contacting me through my official
phone lines nor do I want you contacting me through my official email
account. Contact me only through the numbers I will provide for you and
also through this email address. I do not want any direct link between you
and me. My official lines are not secure lines as they are periodically
monitored to assess our level of customer care in line with our Total
Quality Management Policy.

Please observe this instruction religiously. Please, again, note I am a
family Man, I have a Wife and children. I send you this mail not without a
measure of fear as to what the consequences, but I know within me that
nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come
easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learnt from my
private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one
accord, we should plan a meeting, soon.



I await your response

Ronald Peter.

Kindly send your response to the below email for further details and
information's regarding the project. ronaldp@qatar.io