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mjshroomer
Sage
Registered: 07/21/99
Posts: 13,774
Loc: gone with my shrooms
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Fraudulent Email Scams
#6397180 - 12/22/06 02:51 PM (17 years, 2 months ago) |
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The Nigerian scam is the worst and grosses lie of all.
Here are some email scams to watch out for
Quote:
Con artists have been scamming the unwary for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, in this age of modern technology it is even easier for unscrupulous con men to make a lot of money. Email has become the medium of choice for the scammers, making it extremely easy for them to try their con on millions of people at a click of a button. Below are three of the most common scams that you may find in your inbox. They range from the ridiculous to the plausible but, unbelievably; all three scams make the fraudsters millions of dollars every year.
The Nigerian Scam The Nigerian Scam has been around for over a century in one form or another. With the existence of email and credit cards it is unfortunately a lot easier now for the fraudsters to make a lot of money very quickly.
The email claims to either be from a government official, quasi-government office or a wealthy family (typically in Nigeria or the Ivory Coast, although there are variations on this scam). Sketchy details are given of an embarrassing legal problem, whereby they need to move money trapped in Nigeria into a foreign bank account. In exchange for your assistance with this you are promised a large percentage of the fortune, worth millions of dollars.
It sounds unbelievable but, blinded by thoughts of unimaginable wealth; people do get sucked into the scam. Once the fraudsters have hooked you in there will be a whole list of reasons why the money transfer is being held up, all of which can conveniently be resolved by you paying them money. For instance, fees for paperwork might need to paid, legal costs, officials need to be bribed to turn a blind eye to the shady dealings - you get the picture. People pay up thousands of dollars because they think that once they receive their million dollar fortune a few $5,000 payments here and there won't matter. Once the fraudsters they have squeezed every last cent out of you, you will never hear from them again.
The Foreign Lottery Scam In recent years a new email scam has emerged, which works on the same principal as the Nigerian scam. An email arrives in your inbox announcing that you are the lucky winner of a foreign lottery. Sometimes the name of a legitimate bank or organization is used, along with official looking websites, to lend the scam credibility. The scam works for the same reason that the Nigerian scam is still being used - people are greedy and want to believe it is true. Of course, the emails demand a huge administration fee to be paid for issuing the check. Once the victim has paid this then the check either never arrives or it bounces. Any further attempts to contact the organization to recover their 'winnings' will simply be ignored.
The PayPal Scam This is one of the most convincing scams doing the rounds as the email is so authentic looking. It claims that PayPal needs you need to log in and verify your account details; (sometimes the reason is given as a loss of data from a system error). The log in link looks legitimate but the web address it takes you to is a mock up of the PayPal site and is completely fraudulent. Be alert and never give over your credit card details and personal information if you are not totally convinced of a source's legitimacy. You can email PayPal at spoof@paypal.com if you are unsure if an email is a scam or the real deal.
If you live in America the best place to report email scams is The Internet Fraud Complaint Center or (IFCC). With your help in reporting suspected email scams, they can make the internet a safer place for everyone and stop the unwary from being conned out of their hard earned money.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
mj
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rod
Ψ
Registered: 06/29/05
Posts: 3,727
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Re: Fraudulent Email Scams [Re: mjshroomer]
#6397197 - 12/22/06 02:56 PM (17 years, 2 months ago) |
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I tend to get phishing emails a lot, claiming to be from banks. I like to find the real bank site, and forward the scams, and let them shut the scammers down.
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JonnyOnTheSpot
Sober Surfer
Registered: 01/27/02
Posts: 11,527
Loc: North Carolina
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Re: Fraudulent Email Scams [Re: mjshroomer]
#6397245 - 12/22/06 03:21 PM (17 years, 2 months ago) |
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a friend of mine fell for the nigerian scam once. i was embarressed for him. i know he hasn't learned his lesson either because just the other day on myspace he was sending out bulletins about free 500 dollar gift cards and shit.
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eligal
Noobie
Registered: 05/25/05
Posts: 7,021
Loc: California
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Re: Fraudulent Email Scams [Re: mjshroomer]
#6397260 - 12/22/06 03:25 PM (17 years, 2 months ago) |
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I get those Nigerian scam mails on a daily basis.... But its soooo damn obvious that its a scam! First time I got them I sent them straight to the junk mail folder. How do people fall for it??
-------------------- \m/ Spanksta \m/ "do you have the freedom to do with your nervous system what you want?" "MolokoMilkPlus said: I'll respect you if you let me give you a blow job" "tactik said: respect the can."
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rod
Ψ
Registered: 06/29/05
Posts: 3,727
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Re: Fraudulent Email Scams [Re: eligal]
#6397320 - 12/22/06 03:45 PM (17 years, 2 months ago) |
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You would think, they would at least use spell check before they send.
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JonnyOnTheSpot
Sober Surfer
Registered: 01/27/02
Posts: 11,527
Loc: North Carolina
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Re: Fraudulent Email Scams [Re: rod]
#6397325 - 12/22/06 03:47 PM (17 years, 2 months ago) |
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i think that's part of the scam. would you really expect someone from nigeria to have perfect spelling and grammar?
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Zepplin
journeyman
Registered: 12/31/01
Posts: 732
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Re: Fraudulent Email Scams [Re: mjshroomer]
#6397390 - 12/22/06 04:11 PM (17 years, 2 months ago) |
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Thanks for the warning, but who would fall for this crap? You'ld have to be a complete idiot. This should be in OTD, theres quite a few there that that fit that descrip. I get those damn emails every other month!
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ParanoidAndroid
Dude
Registered: 03/10/05
Posts: 167
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Re: Fraudulent Email Scams [Re: mjshroomer]
#6398442 - 12/22/06 11:44 PM (17 years, 2 months ago) |
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Funny stuff. Absolutely hilarious!
-------------------- Erowid Every individual reacts differently to every chemical. Know your Body - Know your Mind - Know your Substance - Know your Source.
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