A statement on a recent scam recommends insights on how online fraudsters voluntarily juggle up a website in order to run a scam. Astonishingly, it shows how simple it is to come up with a believable web identity and use it to launch a scam. The scam was noticed when an online buyer stumbled upon it when searching for a barter online.
The buyer was looking to buy definite electronic items online. It was then that he came upon Nancoelectronics.com, presenting stuff he was looking for, at attractive prices. Being a savvy online purchaser, he decided to check out the company online, prior to making a purchase. However, a search in Google and BBB on the company name yielded little against the company. Reassured in this manner, the buyer decided to go ahead and make purchases from the site.
Very soon, he got a anxious call from his credit card company. An internet company had just swipe $10,000 to his account, it informed. There was little the buyer could do when realization dawned that the website from which he had made online purchases was really a scam.
Examination done later revealed Nanco was a name shared by two other unconnected, pre-existing companies on the web. The scam website had lifted their domain name to cash in on their online credibility. It also lifted a group photograph of faculty members from the website of a Finnish university and broaches the same at their site. Onsite, it introduced the people seen in this photograph as sales professionals working for the company.
On its website, it claimed to be headquartered in California with offices in New York, London, and Rome. An inspection done on their IP address, however, showed they were petty criminals operating out of Malaysia.
The unfortunate online consumer could have been forewarned of the scam. If he had made a search online for the company name with the word ‘scam’ added to it, then he would have received a dissimilar set of search results. The results would have given him enough indications to believe the site was a scam.
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Microsoft and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) have teamed up again this year to help increase awareness about Internet security issues.
With a campaign that focuses on public relations activities, educational programs, and events for home users, small businesses, education audiences, and child safety forums, we want to encourage everyone who uses a personal computer to keep one idea in mind: protect yourself before you connect to the Internet.
Here are the four steps you should take before you go online:
Use a firewall.
Turn on automatic updating.
Use updated antivirus software.
Use updated antispyware software.
If you take these steps before you go online, you can help prevent criminals and identity thieves from getting personal information and accessing your computer. While nothing can guarantee complete safety in cyberspace, taking these basic precautions helps to minimize your exposure to risk.
A firm calling itself Edward Jones Market Research has been scamming consumers in several states, including Ohio and New York, the Better Business Bureau said Tuesday.
The firm purports to be located at 201 Progress Parkway in Maryland Heights, the same one used by the real Edward Jones, but appears to be located in Canada, the BBB said.
Consumers have told the BBB that they received a check in the mail from this firm for $3,915. They were told to deposit the money and then to purchase $150 worth of goods from stores such as Wal-Mart, Sears or K-mart, etc. as part of their “secret shopper” duties and then keep $415 as payment for their evaluation.
Their second duty was to test the effectiveness and efficiency of MoneyGram or Western Union by wiring the remaining $3,350 to one of several individuals at locations nationwide. The check eventually turns out to be counterfeit and consumers are held responsible for the money they took out of their bank.
This company is not associated with Edward Jones, the investment firm headquartered in St. Louis, the BBB said.
University warns students about telephone scam
KU students reported receiving calls from someone claiming to be from the KU Comptroller’s office and asking students to update their banking information by calling an 800 number.
Todd Cohen, director of University Relations, said the comptroller’s office wouldn’t contact students to update information by phone. He said students should never give out private information over the phone.
“Unfortunately, college students are a frequent target for these kinds of scams,” Cohen said.
Voice phishing, or vishing, involves scammers requesting personal information through voice messages or phone calls. Cohen said the best defense against vishing was awareness of ways the University might contact students for personal information, including requests through secure Web sites, registered University mail and the Kyou portal.
Information Services is preparing to canvas the campus during October, which is Cyber Security Awareness month, teaching ways to be safe online.
From The Desk of Mr. Souhail Amin Hassan Manager National Bank of Abu Dhabi Dubai Branch, Near Jebel Ali Free-zone main entrance United Arab Emirate (U.A.E.)
Email: souhailamin@gmail.com
I am Mr. Souhail Amin Hassan Branch Manager National Bank of Dubai Abu Dhabi branch, I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you an America Iraqi Foreign Oil Consultant /Contractor with the Chevron Petroleum Corporation Company Late Mr. Thomas Stone Made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$12,000,000.00 (Twelve Million United State Dollars in my branch. Upon maturity,
I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers, Iraqi Foreign Oil consultant Chevron Petroleum Corporation Company that Thomas Stone. Died in a plane crash in Egypt Air Flight 990, 1999 air crash for more information about this crash and person you can contact this website:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/11/01/iran/main49778.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm
Since we got this information about his death and on further investigation I found out that he died without making a WILL and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Thomas Stone did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank,
This sum of US$12,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of United Arab Emirates, at the expiration of 9 (nine) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the (U.A.E) Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Thomas Stone so that the fruits of this old man’s labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the next of kin,
We shall employ the services of an attorney for drafting and notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate administration in your favor for the transfer. A bank account in any part of the world that you will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin,
the money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by the attorney and my position as the Branch Manager guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately via the private email address above,
upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction. Please send me your confidential telephone and fax numbers for easy communication. Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.
Awaiting your urgent reply via my confidential email address: souhailamin@gmail.com
Regards
Mr., Souhail Amin Hassan
