Latest Internet Fraud

Money Transfers Fraud

This type of Fraud consists of an employment offer to help transfer money to a foreign company, supposedly because it costs too much to do it through other methods (which is usually not the case). The prospective victim receives an email like these 4 examples:

Example one
Dear Sir/Madam, XXXXXX is a small scale company in XXXXXX. We supply XXXXXXX to clients in some countries. We have reached big sales volume in the Europe as a starter, and now we are trying to penetrate the US/Canada market. Quite soon we will open representative offices or authorized sales centers in the US and therefore we are currently looking for people who will assist us in establishing a new distribution network there.The fact is that despite the US market is new for us we already have regular clients also speaks for itself. The international money transfer tax for legal entities (companies) in XXXXXX country is 25%, whereas for the individual it is only 7%. There is no sense for us to work this way, while tax for international money transfer made by a private individual is 7%. That's why we need you! We need agents to receive payment for products in money orders, cheque or bank wire transfers) and to resend the money to us via Money Gram or Western Union Money Transfer. This way we will save money because of tax decreasing. JOB DESCRIPTION? 1. Receive payment from Clients 2. Cash Payments at your Bank 3. Deduct 10% which will be your percentage/pay on Payment processed. 4. Forward balance after deduction of percentage/pay to any of the offices you will be contacted to send payment to (Payments are to be forwarded either by Money Gram or Western Union Money Transfer). HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN? 10% from each operation! For instance: If you receive 7000 USD via cheques or money orders on our behalf. You will cash the payment and keep $700 (10% from $7000) for yourself! At the beginning your commission will equal 10%, though later it will increase up to 15%! ADVANTAGES: You do not have to go out as you will work as an independent contractor right from your home office. Your job is absolutely legal. You can earn up to $3000–4000 monthly depending on time you will spend for this job.You do not need any capital to start. You can do the Work easily without leaving or affecting your present Job. The employees who make efforts and work hard have a strong possibility to become managers. Anyway our employee never leaves us. MAIN REQUIREMENTS: 18 years or older legally capable responsible ready to work 2–4 hours per week.with PC knowledge e-mail and internet experience (minimal) And please be informed that Everything is absolutely legal. If you are interested in our offer, please reply to the following email address: XXXXXX@XXXXX with your; (1)Your full names: (2) Contact address: (3) Tele/cell numbers: (4) Occupation: (5) Age: (6) Sex: Thanks for your anticipated action. And we hope to hear back from you soon.

Example two
Dear Sir/Madam, I am XXXXX XXXXX, Human Resources Manager of XXXXX located in XXXX. We deal in XXXXXXX articles such XXXXXX worldwide. Our website is XXXXXX. We are currently in search of a book-keeper/company representative who would assist us in receiving payment from our customers in America/Canada/Asia and other part of Europe. This offer is absolutely legal and you do not need any capital to start. Your Job description is as follows: (1) You would receive payment on our behalf from our various clients which would come in the form of cashiers checks, travelers checks and official checks. (2) You then get the payments deposited/cashed at your bank. (3) You then deduct a commission of 10% of each payment you would be receiving, as been our representative and then send the balance money via western union to any of our agent or offices that you would be instructed. HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN? 10% from each operation! For instance: you receive 7000 USD via checks on our behalf. You will cash the money and keep $700 (10% from $7000) for yourself! At the beginning your commission will equal 10%, though later it will increase up to 12%! Our payments will be issued out in your name, as we would inform our clients to do so. If you are interested in this offer, kindly provide us with the below details. 1) Full name 2) Full house address Street/Ave, City, State and Zip Cope 3) Phone numbers 4) Age & Sex 5) Present Occupation PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL REPLIES SHOULD BE SENT THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS: XXXXXXXXXXXX Thanks for your anticipated action. And we hope to hear back from you. XXXXXX XXXXXX (Human Resources Manager)

Example three
Transactions specialist - part-time work opporunity. An international investment company is looking for communicative and skillful individuals to join the Receivables Team of our Finance & Infrastructure Group in the United States on part-time basis. This position involves monitoring and processing of our company's funds. Your duties will not involve any direct client interaction, and you will be reporting to the Receivables department manager in Russia. We are looking for numerate individuals who are also able to multi-task efficiently in a team. Relevant previous experience and/or education is a plus, but not a prerequisite. The position is entirely home-based, and no relocation is required from the successful candidate. This role does not involve any fixed working hours and is suitable for senior citizens or self-employed individuals. Estimated average salary starts from $3,000.00 per month. In order to qualify for the position, you must be a permanent US resident aged 21 and above and have a verifiable personal/business banking relationship with a US bank. Since most communication with the head office will be via email/fax/phone, you should have reliable access to these facilities and be reachable during regular business hours. To apply for this position or to request additional information on our company, please contact us at xxxxxxxxx@XXXXXXXX. Please make sure to provide your contact phone number. Please note that only applicants under serious consideration will be contacted.

Example four
FROM XXXX and YYYY ZZZZZZZZZZ. XXXXXXXXXX ABIDJAN DANANI REFUGEE CAMP, ABIDJAN REPUBLIC OF COTE-D'IVOIRE

Dearest One,

My name is XXXXXXXX and my Sister's name YYYYYYYYY we are the children of Late General ZZZZZZZZZZZZ the former Director of military intelligence and special acting General Manager of Sieria Leone Diamond mining coperation (SLDMC). I am contacting you to seek your good assistance to transfer and invest Five million seven hundred and twenty thousand united state dollars ($5,720,000.00) belonging to my late father which is deposited in a bank here in Abidjan. This money is revenues from solid minerals and dimonds sale which were under my fathers possession before the civil war broke out. Following the break out of the war, almost all government offices,coperations and parastatals were attacked and vandalized.

The SLDMC was looted and burnt down to ashes, and diamonds worth millions of dollars was stolen by the rebel military forces who attacked my fathers office. Many top government officials and senior army officers were assassinated and my father was a key target because of his very sensitive military position and appointment in the SLDMC.Regreatably, my father was captured and murdered along with half brother in cool blood during a mid-night rebel shoot-out when our official residence in freetown was armbushed by Fordey Sanko the notorious rebel leader. My mother sustainded very sever bullet injuries which resulted to her untimely and painful death in a private hospital here in Ivory Coast.

Now we are alone in a totally strange country without parents, relatives or any body to care for us at our tender ages. Before our mother died, she told us that our father deposited some money which he made from diamond sales and deposited it in a bank here in Ivory Coast and that we should pray and find a trust worthy foreign business partner who will help us to transfer and invest this money in profitable business venture overseas.

She told us to do this quickly so that we can leave Ivory Coast with our cousin brother-Arthur who is here in the camp with us and, then settle down abroad. She gave us the bank document to prove the deposit and then told us that my father used my name as the only son to deposit the money in the bank. She told us that this is the reason why we came to Ivory Coast. My mother died after wards. May her spirit rest in perfect peace.

I have gone to the bank to make inquires about this money and I spoke with the Manager of International remittance who assured me that everything is intact and promised to help me transfer this money to my foreign partners bank account as soon as I provide my partners foreign bank account for them. However, the manager is very concerned because of my age. I am 19 years old and as such advised that I should look for a matured person that will represent me at the bank.

If you are willing to assist us, please let us know immediately so that you will arrange the transfer of the money to your account with the bank. Please note that we will offer you 20% of the total money as compensation for your noble assistance in accodiance with my mothers advise. We are interested in any profitable commercial venture which you consider very good in your country and you would also get a school for me and my little sister and cousin so that we can finish our college education in your country.

Please there is urgent need for the money to be transferred to your account and I am hoping to hear your urgent response so that I can not look for another foreign partner.

Thank you and may God bless you and your dear family.

Yours sincerely

XXXXX and YYYYYY ZZZZZZZ

Example five
Dearest.

Reply in My E-mail:(XXXXXXXXXXX@YYYYYYY.ZZZ)

I am Miss XXXXXX YYYYYYY. My reason of contacting you is that i need your assistance to receive the sum of (US$10.500.000,00 ) into your account for a profitable investment in your country. I have made all the necessary arraangement for successful transfer of this fund into your account without any problem I will give you full detail on how this process will be done. Itis 100% risk free.

thanks. Miss XXXXXX YYYYYYYY Reply in My E-mail:(XXXXXXXXXXX@YYYYYYY.ZZZ)

Example six
Dear Sir/Madam

I'm the C.E.O of XXXXX Textiles. We'd like to offer you additional earnings $2000 – $8000 per month. It's easy and will not take a lot of time. No costs, No Investments, Work Part Time or Full Time. Up to $2000 Part Time and $8000 Full Time. Work from Home with a Business Opportunity that no job could ever offer. Use your own computer to make money and make a CAREER as your own boss. I would like to know if you are interested. Work will consist of receiving of the payments from our clients in USA and Canada.

All you would be doing is receiving these payments that would come to you via the mail system in your country, have them cashed and remit the rest to me. I would be willing to pay you 10% of whatever payment you process. These payments would come in different forms.

We are always facing serious difficulties when it comes to selling our products to Americans; they are always offering to pay with Different Modes, which are difficult for me to cash here in the UK. Because of a hold of almost three weeks that would be placed on them before they clears the banks here in the UK. Unfortunately we can't open the bank accounts in all the countries we work with and because of that we seek for a representative/bookkeeper in USA and Canada.

Respond only if you will like to work from home part-time/full time and get paid weekly without leaving or it affecting your present job. (PAY IS GOOD)If interested please reply with the information below to Email: XXXXXX@XXXXXX.com

EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION FORM: FULL NAME............... ADDRESS (P.O Box Not Accepted)........... CITY.....STATE....ZIPCODE.... PHONE ....... CELL PHONE........... AGE..............SEX................. PRESENT OCCUPATION ................ RECENT BANK..........................

XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX ARTS AND CRAFTS 99-98 XXXXXX STREET XXXXXXXXXX LONDON,WG2B 6TD +44-999-999-9999

Best Regards, Mr. XXXXX XXXXX


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The fraudsters will then send fake checks or postal money orders, in the hopes of getting the victims to cash those fake money instruments and then getting real money from the victims.

These scams are also use as phishing tools, because many times the fraudsters are able to get the victims full name, address, social security, bank account number, etc, etc, which in ends up being identity fraud.
 

FAQ's

What is called "Nigerian Fraud"?
Regardless of the country or countries mentioned in the letter -- even countries located outside of Africa -- the fraudsters are usually from certain families or gangs based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Scam Letters: 419 different examples!
By date received, with names of supposed senders, country where the money is supposed to have originated, and amount. Many duplicates omitted. Many of these emails have been reformatted for readability; the recipient's email address, and all angle brackets or HTML tags were removed. All of the other email and postal addresses, phone numbers, etc., are as given in the email, but be warned, do not attempt to contact the perpetrators!. They are ruthless and violent criminals.

How does the fraud work?
The bait is the fictional millions of dollars described in each one of these letters. The goal is to get you to come up with money for the "expenses" required to transfer those millions to you. The victim thinks, a few hundred or a few thousand dollars is trivial when $31 million is at stake. Each demand for more money is claimed to be the very last obstacle before the big money is released. Sometimes, the victim is lured to Nigeria, where even worse things happen.

How did they get my email address?
Exactly the same way all spammers get your email address. Spammers "harvest" email addresses mentioned on web sites. Others run "dictionary attacks" — programs which query mail servers if they have an address AAA100, AAA101, AAA102, etc. That's why you get tons of unsolicited commercial email even if you've kept your email address a secret. And spammers sell each other CD's with millions of addresses. Remember that practically all spam email is fraudulent anyway, so there is no reason why sellers of penis enlargement pills and vinyl siding wouldn't sell lists of email addresses to Nigerian scammers.