Scambusters, Preventing Internet Scams & Phishing Attempts

This blog is dedicated to help preventing internet fraud and internet scams. Scambusters was a radio show I started in Albany Oregon, but due to defaulted payment by the radio station we took the show offline. Regardless of this issue we still wish to help prevent internet fraud and save people from internet loss. I have been interviewed and featured in various publications such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times & Daily News, The London Times & AARP Newsletters. Please watch this blog for latest tips and tricks and scams to avoid.

Monday, October 17, 2011

CL Craigslist iPad Scam > Harold Bates

We had to hire a replacement programmer and got his SPAM in reply on CL. 

CL does not give anything away except the ability to post. 

Always a Scam.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Harold Bates <knightonaaw@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, Oct 17, 2011 at 7:12 AM
Subject: Re: Programmer Needed ASAP for PHP / MySQL Linux Project (Albany OR)


Dear Cl User,

My name is Harold Bates, Chief executive officer of Craigslist. We have recently partnered up with Apple for a one-time promotional event today, we are giving away complimentary Apple iPhones and iPads to randomly selected individuals who have published an ad on C-list. You have been chosen as one of our latest winners for today. We randomly select numbers to match up with ads on Craigslist and your ad matched with our latest drawing.

We have partnered up with Apple to advertise their most popular product yet, the Apple iPhone and iPad. Once yet again, we are running this campaign for one-day only. All you need to do is CLICK HERE to go to our website made for this promotion and fill out the short survey to get yours for free. Just make sure you enter your email so we may locate our records to ensure that we have reserved one for you. That's it!

Congrats on winning a free Apple iPhone4 and iPad2. In case you have any query or concerns, feel free to email me back. However, you should claim your free iPhone and iPad first to ensure one will be reserved for you before the deadline ends. We do understand that you may well not receive this e-mail until after the deadline, but, we advise you check out the website and enter your email to see if we still have got yours on hold, which we often-times do because others have not claimed theirs in time.

Harold Bates
CEO, C-list

Friday, October 07, 2011

Money Scam > zulusofola@gmx.com > Urgent and very confidencial......

Can someone please define... confidencial ??

SCAM and not a good one! 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jerry Zulusofola <zulusofola1@yahoo.com>
Date: 2011/10/4
Subject: Urgent and very confidencial......
To:


NEEDING YOUR ASSISTANCE ! ! !


BUDUBURAHAM REFUGEE CAMP, WESTERN REGION.
ACCRA-GHANA


Jerry Zulusofola

I and my younger sister write to seek for your assistance; we got your contact from a noble gentleman that came to our refugee camp who came to give a seminar about AIDS whom we confronted that we are looking for a God-fearing person that is when your data was given to us.

I want to introduce myself to you. My name is Jerry Zulusofola and my younger is Aicha Zulusofola and we are both  Sudanese. My consignment contains the sum of 48.5 million United States dollars and some quantity of gold and Diamond, which I cannot be specify. The consignments are presently in the United State. The consignment gets to the State through the help of a U.N diplomat Dr. Newman Desmond. The fact is that Dr. Newman Desmond is supposed to have delivered this consignment trunk boxes to our adopted mother called Miss.Oliver Strongman in the State.


The week Dr. Newman Desmond is suppose to deliver the consignment metallic trunk boxes to her, when he got to the State after clearing the consignment from the Airport, he call Miss.Oliver Strongman to tell him the description to is house for the delivery, but is house keeper answered the call and told Dr.Newman Desmond that her mistress Miss.Oliver Strongman hard a fatal car accident which lead to her death some few hours later. Our mother has already paid the demur-rages from the security company, she paid for Bullion van that took the consignment to the airport and she paid for custom check report she also assisted us in getting the Necessary Document covering the Consignment and Also for the DRUG / ANTI TERRORIST CERTIFICATE, which is so expensive that he spent 75 thousand dollars to acquire it, but unfortunately she died in a car accident, that was why Dr. Newman Desmond has to deposit the consignment with a warehouse over there in State of Utah where our late adopted Go
 d mother do reside. And called us

(1) Assist in the banking safely of the said funds
(2) Advise on lucrative areas for investment
(3) Assist in purchase of properties.
(4) Assist us to continue our education and to start a better life over there.


We will need a financial support from you to get every of our legal documents been transfer to your name in the high court of justice Accra Ghana where our consignment trunk boxes is being originated from before getting to the United State before the diplomat can have the legal right to relocate the delivering to you as our new foreign beneficiary. Diplomat Dr. Newman Desmond has instructed us that as soon as we get all the documents being transfer to your name legally from the high court of justice we are to contact him immediately so that he can proceed with the delivering to you as our new foreign beneficiary. If you can render your assistance in this regard, 45% of the total investment sum will be for you, as your commission.

It will be done under a legitimate process so that we will not breach any international or local laws, governing this matter it's a 100% risk free.

I wait in anticipation of your reply and co-operation.

Thanks


E mails me: zulusofola@gmx.com

Thanks and God bless you

Jerry Zulusofola

Cell Phone #  +233 20 423 9430


Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Goodbye Mr. Jobs...

My most sincere and shortest blog post ever.

"Goodbye Mr. Jobs, you have changed people in ways you will never know."

10/5/2011

Money Scam >: ECOBANK PLC, DEPT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFERm

Yes, it really says " TRANSFERm"  I am not sure what the "M" is for, but it does not really matter.  

Email address "FROM" = test@l3d.nl and if that is not a dead giveaway, what could be...  Oh, right, the lousy email below that.  Would anyone believe a bank would write such a bad email?  If you do, then I guess you deserve to lose your money!  

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: DR. AMATA MICHAEL <test@l3d.nl>
Date: 2011/10/4
Subject: ECOBANK PLC, DEPT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFERm
To:


ECOBANK PLC, DEPT OF  WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
LAGOS NIGERIA/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD OFF
GENERAL GOWON AVENUE VICTORIA ISLAND LAGOS.
CALL US ON +2347081358151.

ATTN: Beneficiary,

PLEASE YOU ARE ADVISE TO GO TROUGH THIS EMAIL CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND AND READY TO COMPLY WITH THE CONTENTS BEFORE REPLYING TO IT. WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY JULIUS BERGER MULTI-NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY ON THEIR AWARD WINNING TO UNITED STATE, ASIA AND EUROPEAN CITIZEN WHO ARE TO RECEIVE THE BELOW MENTIONED AMOUNT, SO YOUR NAME HAPPEN TO BE IN THE LIST OF BENEFICIARIES. SO YOU WILL BE RECEIVING USD$250,000.00 FROM THIS DEPARTMENT OF ECOBANK (WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER), YOU WILL BE RECEIVING USD$20,000.00 SPLITTED INTO FIVE DAILY ON THE INSTALLMENT OF USD$4,000.00 PER CASHED AT ANY WESTERN UNION OUTLET UNTIL IT COMPLETE THE CORRECT AMOUNT (USD$250,000.00).  SO THAT MEANS YOU WILL BE RECEIVING FIVE (5) MTCN NUMBER PER DAY, USD$4,000.00 INTO FIVE THAT'S USD$20,000.00 PER DAY.

MEANWHILE YOU ARE REQUIRE TO BE SENDING US THE TRANSFER CHARGES, THAT IS IF YOU SEND US TRANSFER CHARGES WE WILL RELEASE YOUR INFORMATION TO PICK UP YOUR FUND AND WHEN YOU'VE RECEIVED THE FUND, YOU WILL SEND US THE TRANSFER CHARGES OF NEXT DAY TRANSFER THEN WE RELEASE THE NEXT DAY PICK UP INFORMATION. BECAUSE WE ARE GIVEN ONLY FIFTEEN BUSINESS DAYS (15DAYS) TO GET THE TRANSFER COMPLETED VIA OUR SERVICE AND SUBMIT TRANSFER SLIP TO THEM AT THE END OF THE TRANSFER.

It became imperative to contact you on the subject matter because after the fund has been brought to our office to remit somebody from your country by name Charles Porter contacted us and said you are on sick bed and ordered him to contact us to remit the USD$250,000.00 using his information to pick up your fund presently under our custody for transfer on your behalf.

The Official responsible for the presentation of your money valued  USD$250,000.00 Winning quickly granted approvals to their application now waiting for final endorsement from Board of Trustees.

When our ECOBANK Debit Note was submitted to my desk for final Approvals before forwarding it to Board for endorsement, I noticed that there are discrepancies as there was no evidence of authorization letter from you for Charle Porter to receive the fund on your behalf. I urgently summoned The Official responsible for the presentation of the winning and directed him to stop the movement of the funds and at the same time placed a stop order instruction on the funds pending when your views and comments are received with regards to this matter.

I hereby urged you to call or email me urgently for your comments which will be highly appreciated if you are still alive or not on sick bed, because we will not hesitate to continue the payment transfer activation with the name of the gentleman on claim if no response come from you. Contact me on this number : +2347081358151. or e-mail me back using this address ecobankwesternunion@abv.bg as your silence will be a clear indication that you authorized her to effect the above changes . Also fill the information below to help us facilitate your transfer via western union.
1) Your Full Name:.............

2) Fax and Mobile #:..........
3) Home/ Office Address:....
4) Profession and Age:.......
YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED .

REGARDS,
DR. AMATA MICHAEL,
DIRECTOR OF  OPERATIONS,
ECOBANK PLC WESTERN UNION DEPT

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

EFCC OFFICE -- Email Money Scam

Common scam, we report these all the time.  Money needed to be wired to cover costs, then contact goes away when the money is dried up! 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: EFCC OFFICE <info@efcc.org>
Date: 2011/10/4
Subject: OUTCOME
To:


ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION
(EFCC) FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,

Attn: Beneficiary,

I am Mrs. Farida Waziri the chairman of ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC). EFCC in alliance with economic community of West African states (ECOWAS) with head Office here in Nigeria. We have been working towards the eradication of fraudsters and scam Artists in Western part of Africa With the help of United States Government and the United Nations.

We have been able to track down so many of this scam artist in various parts of west African countries which includes (NIGERIA, REPUBLIC OF BENIN, TOGO, GHANA CAMEROUN AND SENEGAL) and they are all in our custody here in Lagos Nigeria.

We have been able to recover so much money from these scam artists. The United Nation Anti-crime commission and the United State Government have ordered the money recovered from the Scammers to be shared among 100 Lucky people around the globe.

This email is being directed to you because your email address was found in one of the scam Artists file and computer hard disk in our custody here in Nigeria and with the information gardered from this Scam artist, we notice that you have been scammed of so much money and have decided to complensate you you with a little token to recover the lost of your fund. You are therefore being compensated with the total sum $2.5 Million Dollars. We have also arrested all those who claim that they are barristers, bank officials, Lottery Agents who has money for transfer or want you to be the next of kin of such funds which does not exist.

Since your name appeared among the lucky beneficiaries who will receive a compensation of US$2.5 Million, we have made arrangement to register an Online Banking through our Global Bank, where you will have full access to your Online Banking Account Fund, to transfer your fund personally to your Private Bank Account with no complication of things or questioning as the Account will be fully registered in your Name.


Feel free to contact the processing officer Mr. PAUL NELSON. The online Banking Processing is made much easier for you to transfer your fund to your private Bank Account personally, to avoid any delay or complication of things. With this Online Banking Transfer Processing, you can only transfer the Maximum Amount of US$500.000.00 daily/instalmentally until the total amount of your Compensated/deposited fund is transfered and completely paid to you.

So you are advice to contact, processing officer MR. PAUL NELSON with your provided information's required for verification below.

CONTACT PERSON: MR. PAUL NELSON.

CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: mcameron@blumail.org
CONTACT TELEPHONE: +234-7033823004

Provide the information bellow to enable the processing of your Online Banking Account for deposition of your total compensated fund.

1)YOUR FULL NAME.
2)YOUR ADDRESS.
3)YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4)YOUR OCCUPATION
5)YOUR IDENTITY.
6) COUNTRY

Contact Mr. Paul Nelson with the information required for verification to enable him start the processing of your Online Banking Account Registration.

We guarantee your safety and wish you the best of luck.

Best Regard,

Mrs. Farida Waziri
CHAIRMAN ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION
(EFCC) FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.

Internet email Money Scam > RE-IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION BENEFICIARY

Very common, fees need to be paid / wired to get money.  Using free email accounts >> sjpoffice@gmail.com 

SCAM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mr.Simons Jean-Paul <huntingfate@cs.com>
Date: 2011/10/4
Subject: RE-IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION BENEFICIARY
To:




Our Ref: UN/OHG/OXD1/2011
Your Ref:..............................
PAYMENT FILE: UN/EU/DSF/PED/XX01/11.


Attn: Beneficiary

SUBJECT:  RE-IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION

Definitely, I know that this letter will be a surprising one to you. Firstly, I will like to introduce myself formally as Mr. Simons Jean-Paul the EU Protocol Officer

for External Private Relations London Regional Office. You are been officially contacted by me today because your payment funds were Re-deposited into the "European

Union Diplomatic Storage Facility", because you did not forward your claim as the right beneficiary.

Well known to all, The European Union Diplomatic Storage Facility is the mother bank of all diplomatic agency in Europe and World in general. Really these men were

unexpected by me because their visit was imprompt. I had to ask them why they came to see us in person and they said that they were here to collect your funds

consignment valued US$D 12,500,000 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) which rightfully belongs to you, on your behalf. At this development, I

asked them who authorized them to come down to London for the collection of this payment and they told me that you asked them to come and collect this consignment on

your behalf.

In fact, this was the biggest shock that this office have ever received so far because your funds is deposited here as personal belongings and yet you sent these men

to come and collect this funds consignment on your behalf without notifying us. We in this office do not understand why you sent these men to come and collect your

consignment on your behalf. You really let us down because the present EU Legislator are the pillar of our set up here and if actually you want them to help you

collect your payment valued, at least you should have informed me as the Protocol Officer of this office. They actually tendered some Vital Documents which proved that

you actually sent them for the collection of this funds. Honestly, it really baffles me that you took such decision without my consent.

Here are the Document which they tendered to this office:


1. LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION.

2. HIGH COURT INJUCTION.

3. ORDER TO RELEASE.

Actually, these documents which they tendered to this noble office is a clear proof that you sent them to collect this funds consignment for you. Finally, I told them

to come back and they promised to come back. As the Protocol Officer of this noble office, I was supposed to release this funds consignment to them but I refused to do

so because I wanted to hear from you first. Due to the nature of my job, I will not want to make any mistake in releasing this consignment to anyone except you whom is

the recognized bonafide beneficiary to this payment.

As a matter of urgency, you are required to re-confirm to me immediately the follow informations; Your Full Name, Complete Address (Physical Address with Zip Code not

P.O.BOX), Mobile telephone number and copy of your identification for subsequent delivery of the consignment in your favor without any hesitation.

In receipt of this confidential letter, you are also required to Email: sjpoffice@gmail.com with the above mentioned information.

Anticipating your prompt response and thanks for your understanding.

Yours Faithfully,

Simons Jean-Paul

Protocol Officer for External Private Relations
European Union Diplomatic Storage Facility
London, United Kingdom


Saturday, October 01, 2011

Money Scam > Assalam Malaikoum ( Please Do Not Delete )

What a mess, Asian Candian and Saudi Ambasador and email back to Japan, what a mess... ugly money scam.

Received 5 of these this morning.

Headers

Received: from emta114.att.ne.jp by vmta114.att.ne.jp with ESMTP
id <20111001125630675.TJRA.32212.vmta114.att.ne.jp@mta114.att.ne.jp>;
Sat, 1 Oct 2011 21:56:30 +0900
Received: from wem103 ([143.90.14.203] [143.90.14.203])
by emta114.att.ne.jp with ESMTP
id <20111001125630546.XIEN.4656.emta114.att.ne.jp@mta114.att.ne.jp>;
Sat, 1 Oct 2011 21:56:30 +0900
Date: Sat, 1 Oct 2011 21:56:30 +0900
From: "Mrs. Aisatou Mohammed" <ast02@zax.att.ne.jp>
Reply-To: aisatou_mohammed44@yahoo.co.jp
To: ast02@zax.att.ne.jp
Subject: Assalam Malaikoum ( Please Do Not Delete )
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
Sensitivity: Normal
Message-Id: <20111001125630546.XIEN.4656.emta114.att.ne.jp@mta114.att.ne.jp>
X-Spam-Score: ++ (2.3)

-----Original Message-----
From: Mrs. Aisatou Mohammed [mailto:ast02@zax.att.ne.jp]
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 5:57 AM
To: ast02@zax.att.ne.jp
Subject: Assalam Malaikoum ( Please Do Not Delete )

Free Donation For Charity Projects

Assalam Malaikoum

Dearest One,

I am Mrs. Aisatou Mohammed an Asian Canadian but now been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and have been hospitalized for couple of years now. I know as a human that you will feel for me, but the best thing you can do for me is to help me with this my proposal most especially for under privileged ones. I got your full information from the network searching and I decided to contact you out of the lot.

I am 68 years old and was married to Dr, Idriss Mohammed from Saudi Arabia and a crude Oil dealer and lastly worked as to ambassador to Germany for years before he died in the year 2009. We were both married for Sixteen years without a child. My illness has defied all forms of Medical treatment, and right now I have about few months to live, according to the medical experts. Having known my condition and believing the doctor I have decided to donate this fund to avoid total loss to less privilege, organizations, individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein.

My husband died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we were both good religious and since his death I decided not to re-marry. I have decided to give alms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on this planet earth before anything could happen. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations hear in England, Algeria, Malaysia and also the Tsunami victims. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore. I once asked my husband's relatives to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan; they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them.

The last of my money which no one knows of, is this huge cash deposit of Three Million five hundred thousand United States dollars ($3.500.000) that I have in a secure security vault which I will disclose to you later when I receive your positive reply showing your interest. I would want you to keep 20% of the funds to yourself. On complete arrangement the consignment could be convey to your door post if you so wish without your involvement. All I need from you is honest.

I am interested to use this last fund for the propagation of the work of Allah in any form and for charity, like building Clinics, school, orphanage, library and drilling of water for the orphans, local community,helping also the widows, Old Aged, and people living with HIV AIDS who can not afford to pay for health, school and foodstuff or otherwise in relation to God work. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are fighting over theproperties and I don't want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by their greedy attitude.

I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an UNGODLYmanner, hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of death since I am a good believer. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of Allah. The Holy book says that the lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace. I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health and because of the presence of my husband's relatives around me always. I don't want them to know about this development. With Allah all things are possible. Please do not fail to spread the funds across the globe.

Yours,

Mrs. Aisatou Mohammed