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Thread: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

  1. #26
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    This came across as well today and for many is a well known scam, but it can't be that well known as it is still happening. There are several variations and Mundorf had referenced one here http://www.realscam.com/f16/scammers...industry-2386/. The basic set up is you are given a check to cash for more than you are asking for the item. The "buyer" will tell you that the difference is to be sent to their "shipping" company or some variation. After you cash the check, you will be asked to wire the difference back to the scammer. Of course the check will bounce and you will be held personally and possibly criminally liable.

    The other two versions of this are the "Mystery Shopper" or "Personal Assistant" and it works the same, you are given a fake check to deposit and end up sending your own money or the goods you purchased to the scammer and the check will bounce.

    Capture.JPG

    This is a cut and paste blog however, so here it is. 8 Vile Craigslist Scams to Watch Out For | Wise Bread

    8 Vile Craigslist Scams to Watch Out For
    by Paul Michael on 25 March 2013
    Photo: Rooftop Mind
    Wise Bread Picks


    Craigslist is great. Really, I love it for buying and selling, finding services, and even posting jobs. But for the 99% of ads that are completely legit, you'll find postings designed to con you. That's a sad reality of life, and of Craigslist, but if you know what to look out for you can avoid the pitfalls of an otherwise awesome service. (See also: How Safe Is Craigslist?)

    1. Lured to a Mugging

    This is a really nasty scam, and we could all fall for it quite easily. It's also known as "robbery by appointment."

    As a Craigslist seller, you will know that cash is the only way to go. You don't want to deal with bounced checks. Of course, as a buyer you have to abide by those same rules. Craigslist scammers will place an ad for something like a car, high-end electronics, or anoter product of significant value. You'll arrange to meet the seller (with a nice wad of cash in your pocket), and that's when you'll be jumped and the money taken from you. Some people have even been killed in the robbery attempt.

    This "lure" scenario has happened many times over the years, and as always Craigslist advises you to meet in a safe, secure location, go with a friend (or two), and if in doubt, back out.

    2. Receiving an Overpayment on ANYTHING

    Another common scam is that your prospective buyer will send you a check (regular check, money order, or a cashier's check) that is for much more than the agreed price. There will usually be an excuse, like "oh, I sent a down payment for two months rent instead of one, can you wire me the difference?" Of course, the check they have sent you is fake, but the bank will often cash it and then discover the fraud later. By that time, you're out of pocket, and the scammer's pockets are full of your money.

    Never wire funds, always deal with people locally, and beware of anything other than cash. Even then, cash can be counterfeit. It doesn't hurt to have a counterfeit detector pen on hand (they're less than $10) for larger transactions. And be wary of bills bigger than $20; you can easily be handed a fake $100 bill, give the buyer the item and change, and be out of pocket twice.

    3. The Rental Robbery

    Back in 2009 I wrote a detailed post on this scam, and it appears it is still going on. In fact, it's more widespread than ever, and the reason is that it is very easy to pull off, and almost impossible to track down the scammer.

    The basic premise is this. You scour the Craigslist ads for a rental home and find one that is both beautiful and very, very affordable. Almost too affordable. You contact the address in the ad and are told that the owner had to leave the country (usually for something like missionary work) and needs money to cover the mortgage. You then are told to fill out a background check (which gives ID thieves a ton of personal info) and wire them money for one month's rent and deposit. Most of us would drop out at that point.

    However, if you think "well, I'd never send money to someone I'd never met" you should also know there is a variant of the scam that involves people actually showing homes to you and collecting the money there and then. They'll even give you a set of keys (not that they'll work) and a signed agreement. They gain access to the home through various means, including getting the keys legitimately from a home that's on the market, and then renting it out to dozens of people in a single day. Watch out for this one, and if you receive an email that references leaving the country and low rent because money is needed fast, add it to your spam filter.

    4. Fake or Canceled Tickets

    It's bad enough that scalpers use Craigslist, buying tickets for $50 and when the concert is sold out, selling them to you for $200. But there are also scams involving tickets. These scams won't just leave you paying a steep markup, but also without the tickets you thought you were buying.

    Sophisticated scammers have found ways to replicate tickets to major events that look and feel legit. They even have holograms and watermarks. But these tickets are worthless, and when you buy them, you'll lose out twice. First with the money, and second when you get turned away from the event.

    A similar scam involves genuine tickets that get canceled after you buy them. A common scam involves airline tickets. You purchase the tickets for less than face value, thinking you have a bargain. The scammer will tell you they bought the tickets but cannot use them due to a family emergency. However, the tickets have been canceled and cost the scammer nothing. They will cost you dearly.

    To avoid this, purchase tickets direct from the venue, from a legitimate site like Ticketmaster, or from trusted resources like Hotwire, Travelocity and so on. It's just not worth the risk to buy tickets off Craigslist.

    5. The Online Escrow Service

    You see an ad on Craigslist for something like a car, boat, expensive electronics, that kind of thing. When you contact the seller, they will reply that they want to use an escrow service for their protection and yours, and send you to a site.

    However, unlike escrow.com, which is a legitimate site endorsed by eBay, they will recommend one that sounds just as plausible. Perhaps something like EscrowProtectionPlan.org or EscrowPaymentGuardian.net, and ask you to set up an account. But this is a fraudulent site set up by the seller, and as soon as you deposit the money, you've lost it. Be wary of any seller that recommends an escrow service to you, and if one does, take steps to verify its legitimacy.

    6. The Cell Phone Swindle

    This one can take a bite out of your monthly income, and if you're not monitoring your finances closely, you may not even notice it.

    In this scam, someone will respond to your for sale ad saying they are interested, but cannot talk right then. Usually they're at work or otherwise indisposed. However, instead of giving an email address or phone number, they'll ask you to put your cell phone number into a website that "stores" information for them. In reality, it's a site that is signing you up for a monthly charge of $10 or more per month, and there is no way to cancel the service. The only way out, when you spot it, is to cancel your credit card. And forget about getting a refund.

    Another cell phone swindle is to provide you with a call back number that appears to be an answering service, but is in fact a pay-per-call number. Although you won't be out thousands of dollars like some warnings of these numbers claim (specifically the 809 code scam), you could be charged $25-$30 to make the call. And if enough people do it, that's a tidy sum for the scammer.

    7. The Job Bait

    With unemployment as high as it is, people out there are desperate for work. And when jobs are in such high demand, scammers come out of the woodwork.

    Here's the scam. You will see a job offer that sounds wonderful, with great salary and benefits. But when you apply, you could face any number of potential cons. They include: fake background check services and credit report sites that steal your information, being reimbursed to sign up for "free" offers, fee-based training for the potential job, and bogus focus group and survey sites.

    Your best bet is to thoroughly research any company offering a job. Use the BBB, make sure they have a phone number you can call for information, and run from any posting asking for fees up front.

    8. Revenge of the Free Stuff

    Sometimes you will see ads in the free section that advertise a massive house clearance. Basically, the renter or homeowner is moving out the next day (perhaps even leaving the country) and needs everything to be gone. Seems legit, right? But often, this is a scammer who is setting up an innocent victim to be burglarized.

    There have been news reports of people returning home to discover that their home is being stripped bare by dozens of people. The scammer is often one of these, who will be helping himself to bigger items and blending in with the crowd. The people who take the stuff, who are usually innocent themselves, can be prosecuted. The victim will rarely be able to get back any of the missing items. And the scammer gets away free and clear.

    99.9% of the time, free stuff will be put out on the curb for you to take, or somewhere else outside of the home. If it's inviting you to just walk into the home and take whatever you like, it's bogus.
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  2. #27
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    SCAMMER winnerspromotiondepartment@gmail.com lawchambers@live.com (925) 526-4918

    I got this from a Face Book friend who received it earlier this year. The email address links to another scam site so it has been out for a bit Anti-Scam-Forum-NL There is a different phone number and area code in the thread, but other details seem the same. And of course anything with a free email account should immediately raise red flags, as much as a phone number that can't be traced back to Facebook. The pitch for money was the transaction was held up for VAT, which is always a lie and sending $400 Western Union to Nigeria never a good idea.

    Two documents were provided, google images helped on this one.

    Capture111.JPG

    Capture.JPG

    Of note is the above picture can be found here, originally for $50,000. CBT Supports the development of community foundations | Kootenay Business

    Capture.JPG

    Email Body:

    Graham Tarris
    You are a Lucky Winner In The End Of The Year Facebook Promotion.. For More Details and To Claim Your Prize.. Contact ; (Fund Manager) Dr. Graham. Email; winnerspromotiondepartment@gmail.com
    Thank you
    January 10
    11:03pm
    NAME DELETED
    really what did i win
    ...
    January 22
    Graham Tarris
    You won the sum amount of $250, 000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars) Send an email message to the Claim Department and get your Won Prize. Contact ; (Fund Manager) Dr. Graham. Email; winnerspromotiondepartment@gmail.com.

    This is to notify NAME DELETED that the transaction process batch #FLNL/009842/04 and REF # FLNL/107654/04 have been legally authorized and approved and all transaction and funds transferring remains valid. And content of this mail has to be kept safe for further authorization when the delivery of your Money takes place as soon as the Terms of Policy attached to the Lottery is made by Australian Federation Law Enforcement.
    Thus DELETED, is the bonafide winner of the 2012 Facebook Lottery Promotions.
    All funds written certificate and documents will be remitted to the said name and address and The won prize will be transferred to your Bank Account as soon as you meet up with the Demand of your Country's rules and regulations.
    We will like to inform you that we just receive a message from your Country Custom and Tax Force that they have held your Money because, and we have really work hard to know what is the problem, and we are told you need a custom clearance and Tax VAT before you can carry such huge amount in your Bank Account according to the Order of DELETED Code of conduct.
    The custom clearance fee is $400, and you are to pay it to before your delivery can be made to TODAY :
    Name : OJO OLAMIDE
    City : LAGOS
    State : LAGOS
    Zip Codes : 23401
    Country : NIGERIA
    And get back to us with the MTCN so that your Money can be delivered to you TODAY. We have done our best for you and Our services have been so helpful to you.

    Thank you

    Facebook Team

    Mr Donald.
    ================================================== ================================================== =====================================

    You are to contact a Legal adviser (Lawyer) on this Email : (Barrister Micheal) lawchambers@live.com Here's the address also for the lawyer as he says
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  3. #28
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    SCAMMER mrs.habibbabdul@yahoo.fr

    Another one on her deathbed that wants to give money to a complete stranger. The only thing that would make this any more fake is one of the three photos being used by every dying scammer in the world. How this lady has any time to be on a dating site I will never know.

    Dearest One,

    Thanks, for your prompt reply to my message to you. May Almighty Allah bless you and your entire families for accepting to help me accomplish my heart desire before I go for eternity though I knew very well that Allah will give me a better place even if I die today and that was why I am donating this funds for the helpless ones and for Gods work.


    Though I just tried to check my mail box now because it is not all the time that I do have the power to write. Please the most important thing you will do for me is to assure me that you are going to make use of the funds according to my desire because my spirit will be at rest there after I have died seeing that the helpless and poor ones are benefiting from the funds I am donating through you.


    I would like you to get back to me urgently in receipt of this message to enable me know if i will draft a letter you will submit to the bank for the processing of the transfer to your account.

    Again, I would like you to keep this offer as a top secret, because there are many people in the World today but Almighty Allah chooses only you, so exposing this to people may make them to be envy you or give you some kind of advice that may not allow you to conclude this project perfectly as God wants it.

    I would like the bank to make the transferring of the funds to your bank account before I will be going for a blood remission in Canada by next week according to my doctors advice. So do forward the below information’s to me to enable me draft and send to you a letter you will be sending to the bank where the funds is deposited with other important documents to back up the claim.

    I have attached here some of my pictures for your view and will like you to send to me urgently in receipt of this message the information’s as I write below


    1. Your Full Name:
    2. Your complete address:
    3. Your age
    4. Your occupation and position
    5. A scan copy of your international passport/ ID CARD
    6. Your direct telephone number

    I need this information’s to draft a written letter that you will submit to the bank where I deposited the funds
    You can call my doctor at +22998916850 at any time immediately you sent those information’s so that I will check my mail. Please it is not all the time that I do have the power to write. And it is important for you to keep this transaction as utmost secrete until the funds enter into your account to avoid bad people working against it as many things use to happened in the world today.

    Do always pray for me.
    I wait for your urgently reply.
    Thanks and God Bless you.
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  4. #29
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    If someone says you won and then asks you for money, you did not win. Scam Alert

    Capture.JPG
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  5. #30
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    FBI adds two to the 10 most wanted, if you know them and get a reward throw a little cash Ribshaw's way. FBI — Top Ten at 500: Two New Fugitives Added to List

    Capture.JPG
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  6. #31
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  7. #32
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  8. #33
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    Quote Originally Posted by ribshaw View Post
    SCAMMER winnerspromotiondepartment@gmail.com lawchambers@live.com (925) 526-4918
    I got this from a Face Book friend who received it earlier this year. The email address links to another scam site so it has been out for a bit Anti-Scam-Forum-NL There is a different phone number and area code in the thread, but other details seem the same. And of course anything with a free email account should immediately raise red flags, as much as a phone number that can't be traced back to Facebook. The pitch for money was the transaction was held up for VAT, which is always a lie and sending $400 Western Union to Nigeria never a good idea.

    Two documents were provided, google images helped on this one.

    Capture111.JPG
    This one is rather cute. Supreme Court justice issues a certification using a lawfirm's letterhead? :D And a lawfirm that's NOT existent in San Francisco? :)

    The San Francisco address belongs to Supreme Court of CALIFORNIA, not the United States of America. :)
    ---
    A MLM Skeptic (not a Cynic) covering scams, critical thinking, and psychology
    http://amlmskeptic.blogspot.com

  9. Likes 1 Member(s) liked this post
  10. #34
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    This was posted by someone in a group I was in before Facebook closed my account. I always like to link my work and give credit but can't right now, but this is a scam even without the proper link.

    Scam Scam Scam, prizeclaimdesk@live.com

    This was found in my Zorpia Inbox,

    MICROSOFT45
    MICROSOFT ONLINE PROMOTIONS 2013
    Congratulations! Congratulations!! Congratulations!!!

    Your profile has been selected among the 50 Lucky Winners in Microsoft Online
    Promotions of which your profile has won you the grand sum of (£500,000.00 (Five
    Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds sterlings) The selection was carried out
    through a computer random selection system on Zorpia - The People Meeting Network and your Prodile emerge as one of the lucky for this year. You are advise to contact the Claims Manager within seven(7) Business days of this notification. Winners are advised to
    keep their winning details/information from the public to avoid Fraudulent claim.

    Your Winning details below:
    Batch number…………………MP09102ZP
    Ref number…………………..Mp35447ZP
    Winning number……………….MP09788ZP

    Please Contact the claims manager with your winning details and information
    Full Name:..............

    Age:....................
    Tel:....................
    Nationality:............

    Country:................

    CLAIMS MANAGER CONTACT INFORMATION:
    Ms Susan.M Brown
    TEL: +44 702-024-040-728
    Email: prizeclaimdesk@live.com
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  11. #35
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    PHOENIX (CBS5) - Scammers now using Green Dot MoneyPak cards - CBS 5 - KPHO

    Scams of all kinds have historically involved the victim wiring cash to a stranger, but now that many consumers have gotten wise to this fact, scammers have found a new way for them to pay them.

    They're called Green Dot MoneyPak cards. They're reloadable debit cards, available everywhere, and you can use them to pay your phone, cable, or credit card bill. They're typically for people who don't have, or want, bank accounts.

    Scammers like them because they're more convenient than a money wire, but just as untraceable.

    "My fear was that I was going to lose my job, and my home, and my car," Dean DeVirgilio said.

    Even with his autism, DeVirgilio still tends to all his own affairs. Recently, he got a call from a debt collector who claimed DeVirgilio owed $1,300 on an old payday loan. The caller said, "pay it, or else."

    "Threatened to send the sheriff to my workplace, send a warrant for my arrest, and have me in jail for three years for fraud," DeVirgilio said.

    Federal law prohibits debt collectors from using intimidation, threats and harassment, and no one can be jailed over a debt. DeVirgilio should have realized then he was dealing with a scam artist and the debt wasn't real. Instead, he sent the scammer the money.

    "I feel I'm never going to get that all back, that's hurting me right now financially," DeVirgilio said.

    How the phone caller demanded payment is a growing trend. Dean was instructed to go to Walmart, load a Green Dot MoneyPak card with the cash, then scratch off the back and call with the number.

    "I read off the number, he wrote the number down, and he collected that payment. 'And you had nothing left on the card after that?' Nothing left on the card after that," DeVirgilio said.

    Green Dot MoneyPak cards are not linked to bank accounts - the money is on the card. Anyone you share your card number with, has instant access to your cash and can siphon the card dry.

    "He stole every cent of my money," DeVirgilio said.

    The Green Dot website warns customers about possible scams and reminds them to never give their card number to people they don't know. DeVirgilio hopes others will learn from his mistake.

    "Do not give those people the number off the card," DeVirgilio said.

    Even though Green Dot Money Pak cards are available in 50,000 locations, and scammers could send their victims anyplace, they tend to push them to Walmart. They want you to go to a place you know and trust so you feel comfortable buying the card.

    Green Dot MoneyPak cards serve a purpose for some people. The cards aren't the problem, so remember if you use them, never share your number with a stranger.
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  12. #36
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    America's 50 worst charities rake in nearly $1 billion for corporate fundraisers Dirty secrets of the worst charities | Tampa Bay Times

    You may as well call them scams.

    America's 50 worst charities rake in nearly $1 billion for corporate fundraisers

    By Kris Hundley and Kendall Taggart, Times/CIR special report

    Thursday, June 6, 2013 1:30pm



    The worst charity in America operates from a metal warehouse behind a gas station in Holiday.

    Every year, Kids Wish Network raises millions of dollars in donations in the name of dying children and their families.

    Every year, it spends less than 3 cents on the dollar helping kids.

    Most of the rest gets diverted to enrich the charity's operators and the for-profit companies Kids Wish hires to drum up donations.

    In the past decade alone, Kids Wish has channeled nearly $110 million donated for sick children to its corporate solicitors. An additional $4.8 million has gone to pay the charity's founder and his own consulting firms.

    No charity in the nation has siphoned more money away from the needy over a longer period of time.

    But Kids Wish is not an isolated case, a yearlong investigation by the Tampa Bay Times and The Center for Investigative Reporting has found.

    Using state and federal records, the Times and CIR identified nearly 6,000 charities that have chosen to pay for-profit companies to raise their donations.

    Then reporters took an unprecedented look back to zero in on the 50 worst — based on the money they diverted to boiler room operators and other solicitors over a decade.

    These nonprofits adopt popular causes or mimic well-known charity names that fool donors. Then they rake in cash, year after year.

    The nation's 50 worst charities have paid their solicitors nearly $1 billion over the past 10 years that could have gone to charitable works.

    Until today, no one had tallied the cost of this parasitic segment of the nonprofit industry or traced the long history of its worst offenders.

    Among the findings:

    • The 50 worst charities in America devote less than 4 percent of donations raised to direct cash aid. Some charities give even less. Over a decade, one diabetes charity raised nearly $14 million and gave about $10,000 to patients. Six spent nothing at all on direct cash aid.

    • Even as they plead for financial support, operators at many of the 50 worst charities have lied to donors about where their money goes, taken multiple salaries, secretly paid themselves consulting fees or arranged fundraising contracts with friends. One cancer charity paid a company owned by the president's son nearly $18 million over eight years to solicit funds. A medical charity paid its biggest research grant to its president's own for-profit company.

    • Some nonprofits are little more than fronts for fundraising companies, which bankroll their startup costs, lock them into exclusive contracts at exorbitant rates and even drive the charities into debt. Florida-based Project Cure has raised more than $65 million since 1998, but every year has wound up owing its fundraiser more than what was raised. According to its latest financial filing, the nonprofit is $3 million in debt.

    • To disguise the meager amount of money that reaches those in need, charities use accounting tricks and inflate the value of donated dollar-store cast-offs — snack cakes and air fresheners — that they give to dying cancer patients and homeless veterans.

    Over the past six months, the Times and CIR called or mailed certified letters to the leaders of Kids Wish Network and the 49 other charities that have paid the most to solicitors.

    Nearly half declined to answer questions about their programs or would speak only through an attorney.

    Approached in person, one charity manager threatened to call the police; another refused to open the door. A third charity's president took off in his truck at the sight of a reporter with a camera.

    Kids Wish has hired Melissa Schwartz, a crisis management specialist in New York City who previously worked for the federal government after the 2010 BP oil spill.

    Schwartz said Kids Wish hires solicitors so its staff can focus on working with children, not on raising donations. According to its 2011 IRS filing, the charity has 51 employees. Schwartz also said donors who give directly to the charity instead of in response to solicitations ensure that 100 percent of their pledge will be spent granting wishes.

    She declined to answer additional questions about Kids Wish's fundraising operations, saying the charity "is focused on the future."

    Charity operators who would talk defended their work, saying raising money is expensive especially in tough economic times.

    "No parent has ever turned me down for assistance because we got our money from a telemarketer," said David Thelen, who runs the Committee for Missing Children in Lawrenceville, Ga. The charity is No. 13 on the Times/CIR list.

    Over the past decade, the charity paid its solicitors nearly 90 percent of the $27 million it raised. It spent about $21,000 each year on its cause, most often buying plane tickets to reunite families.

    The charity's efforts primarily consist of giving advice to families whose children have been abducted. Thelen said his group has worked with about 300 parents since 1997.

    But he publicly claims credit for reuniting as many as 1,600 children with their families, even if his charity's involvement was as minimal as posting the child's picture on the charity website.

    Doug White is one of the nation's foremost experts on the ethics of charity fundraising. A consultant to nonprofits for more than 30 years, White teaches in Columbia University's fundraising management master's degree program.

    He said charities with high fundraising expenses often rationalize that such costs are inevitable in the early years. But White said the Times/CIR findings, based on a decade of data, show that the nation's worst charities can't use that excuse.

    White also criticized reputable nonprofits that refuse to condemn bottom-tier charities.

    "When you start a charity, you have a sacred compact with society," said White, one of 30 charity experts interviewed for this series. "They are ripping off the public under the guise of an organization that's supposed to do good for society."

    What happened to Gina Brown's mother-in-law is a classic case.

    Brown said the 72-year-old woman was struggling with dementia when the phone calls started.

    From 2008 to 2011, telemarketers representing some of the worst charities in the nation persuaded her to write checks and charge donations to her credit card for a total of nearly $15,000.

    Among those on the Times/CIR list that got multiple donations, sometimes only months apart, were Cancer Fund of America, Children's Cancer Fund of America and the Committee for Missing Children.

    "She was such a vulnerable person, she must have been on the 'A' list," Brown said.

    The Minnesota woman discovered the donations, which ranged from $10 to nearly $1,000, only after her mother-in-law was placed in an Alzheimer's facility.

    "It's hard to come to grips with the thought of her as a victim because she had been such a bright woman," Brown said. "This can happen to anyone."



    How the list was made

    To identify America's 50 worst charities, the Times and CIR pieced together tens of thousands of pages of public records collected by the federal government and 36 states. Reporters started in California, Florida and New York, where regulators require charities to report results of individual fundraising campaigns.

    The Times and CIR used those records to flag a specific kind of charity: those that pay for-profit corporations to raise the vast majority of their donations year in and year out.

    The effort identified hundreds of charities that run donation drives across the country and regularly give their solicitors at least two-thirds of the take. Experts say good charities should spend about half that much — no more than 35 cents to raise a dollar.

    For the worst charities, writing big checks to telemarketers isn't an anomaly. It's a way of life.

    The Times and CIR charted each charity's performance over the past decade and ranked it based on the total donations diverted to fundraisers, arriving at the 50 worst charities. By this measure, Kids Wish tops the list.

    Tracking donations diverted to fundraising is just one way to rate a charity's performance. But experts called the rating fair and said it would provide a unique resource to help donors avoid bad charities.

    White, the Columbia University professor, dismisses the argument made by charities that without telemarketers they would have no money.

    "When you weigh that in terms of values, of what the charity is supposed to be doing and what the donor is being told in the process, the house comes tumbling down," White said.

    Collectively the 50 worst charities raised more than $1.3 billion over the past decade and paid nearly $1 billion of that directly to the companies that raise their donations.

    If that money had gone to charity, it would have been enough to build 20,000 Habitat for Humanity homes, buy 7 million wheelchairs or pay for mammograms for nearly 10 million uninsured women.

    Instead it funded charities like Youth Development Fund.

    The Tennessee charity, which came in at No. 12, has been around for 30 years. Over the past decade it has raised nearly $30 million from donors by promising to educate children about drug abuse, health and fitness.

    About 80 percent of what's donated each year goes directly to solicitation companies.

    Most of what's left pays for one thing: scuba-diving videos starring the charity's founder and president, Rick Bowen.

    Bowen's charity pays his own for-profit production company about $200,000 a year to make the videos. Then the charity pays to air Rick Bowen Deep-Sea Diving on a local Knoxville station. The program makes no mention of Youth Development Fund.

    In its IRS tax filings, the charity reports that its programming reaches "an estimated audience of 1.3 million."

    But, according to the station manager, the show attracts about 3,600 viewers a week.

    Bowen, who runs the charity out of his Knoxville condo, declined to be interviewed. He defended the practice of hiring his own company with the public's donations.

    "We just happened to be the low bidder," he said.



    Obvious differences

    America's worst charities look nothing like Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Clubs or thousands of other charities, large and small, that are dedicated to helping the sick and needy.

    Well-run charities rely on their own staff to raise money from a variety of sources. They spend most of their donations on easy-to-verify activities, whether it's running soup kitchens, supporting cancer research, raising awareness about drunken driving or building homes for veterans.

    The Times/CIR list of worst charities, meanwhile, is littered with organizations that exhibit red flags for fraud, waste and mismanagement.

    Thirty-nine have been disciplined by state regulators, some as many as seven times.

    Eight of the charities have been banned in one state.

    One was shut down by regulators but reopened under a new name.

    A third of the charities' founders and executives have put relatives on the payroll or the board of directors.

    For eight years, American Breast Cancer Foundation paid Joseph Wolf's telemarketing company to generate donations.

    His mother, Phyllis Wolf, had founded the Baltimore-based charity and was its president until she was forced to resign in 2010.

    While she ran the charity, her son's company, Non Profit Promotions, collected $18 million in telemarketing fees.

    Phyllis Wolf left the charity after the payments to her son attracted media attention in 2010. The charity has since stopped using telemarketers, including Joseph Wolf's.

    Phyllis and Joseph Wolf did not respond to several calls seeking comment.

    The nation's worst charities are large and small. Some are one-person outfits operating from run-down apartments. Others claim hundreds of employees and a half-dozen locations around the country. One lists a UPS mail box as its headquarters address.

    Several play off the names of well-known organizations, confusing donors.

    Among those on the Times/CIR list are Kids Wish Network, Children's Wish Foundation International and Wishing Well Foundation. All of the names sound like the original, Make-A-Wish Foundation, which does not hire professional telemarketers.

    Make-a-Wish officials say they've spent years fielding complaints from people who were solicited by sound-alike charities.

    "While some of the donations go elsewhere, all the bad public relations that comes with telemarketing seems to come to us," said Make-A-Wish spokesman Paul Allvin.

    Donors who answer calls from the 50 worst charities hear professionally honed messages, designed to leverage popular causes and hide one crucial fact: Almost nothing goes to charity.

    When telemarketers for Kids Wish call potential donors, they open with a name you think you've heard before.

    Then they ask potential donors to "imagine the heartbreak of losing a child to a terminal illness," according to scripts filed with North Carolina regulators in 2010.

    Kids Wish, the callers say, wants to fulfill their wishes "while they are still healthy enough to enjoy them."

    They leave out the fact that most of the charity's good deeds involve handing out gift cards to hospitalized children and donated coloring books and board games to healthy kids around the country. And they don't mention the millions of dollars spent on salaries and fundraising every year.

    The biggest difference between good charities and the nation's worst is the bottom line.

    Every charity has salary, overhead and fundraising costs.

    But several watchdog organizations say charities should spend no more than 35 percent of the money they raise on fundraising expenses.

    The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and North Florida is one of dozens of Make-A-Wish chapters across the country.

    Last year, it reported raising $3.1 million cash and spent about 60 percent of that, $1.8 million, granting wishes.

    The same year, Kids Wish raised $18.6 million, its tax filing shows. It spent just $240,000 granting wishes — 1 percent of the cash raised.



    The formula

    The path chosen by Jacqueline Gray shows exactly how a worthy cause can be turned into one of the nation's worst charities.

    In 2007, Gray and her husband, Kevin, started Woman to Woman Breast Cancer Foundation in Lauderdale Lakes.

    For a year the couple struggled to raise money by hosting golf tournaments and by making phone calls to potential donors themselves.

    Then they met Mark Gelvan, a New Jersey consultant who has spent two decades transforming fledgling charities into money-making machines.

    "He said he had the best dialers on the market," Jacqueline Gray recalled.

    Gelvan introduced the Grays to what sounded like a winning formula.

    He would help the charity expand if it signed a contract with telemarketer Community Support Inc.

    The staff at Community Support would handle everything. They would create the marketing materials and run the call centers.

    The telemarketer even gave the Grays $30,000 in seed money to cover bills related to the expansion. All the Grays had to do was agree to let Community Support keep the majority of every dollar raised, then sit back and wait.

    The transformation was immediate.

    From donations of less than $15,000 in fiscal 2008, contributions to Woman to Woman through its professional solicitor increased to $1.5 million in 2009, then leaped to $6.3 million in 2010 and $6.7 million in its most recent filing.

    What the charity got to keep was far more modest. It netted about $50,000 its first year with Community Support and $544,000 in 2011.

    That was still enough for Gray, her husband and her daughter to start taking salaries. In the latest year, the trio received $84,000 in total compensation. Each member of the family also has a vehicle provided by the charity.

    The Grays' decision to sign on with professional fundraisers transformed Woman to Woman into one of the nation's worst. It falls at No. 22 on the Times/CIR list.

    Woman to Woman raised $14.5 million in donations from 2009 to 2011, tax filings show.

    It paid nearly 95 percent of that to its for-profit fundraiser and spent about $700,000 on overhead and salaries.

    That left an average of less than $20,000 a year to provide mammograms and other diagnostic services for women with breast cancer.

    Jacqueline Gray, herself a breast cancer survivor, said she is as shocked as anyone by how much money has been raised in her charity's name and how little of it has reached patients. She said she is angry that phone solicitors take more than 90 percent of the revenue.

    But she vehemently denies that she's to blame.

    "Why would I be to blame for a system that's dysfunctional?" Gray asked. "We are doing what we're supposed to be doing."

    She showed a reporter several emails she has sent Gelvan in the past year, trying to renegotiate Woman to Woman's contracts for better returns.

    His response, according to Gray: If they didn't like 10 percent, Gelvan would replace Woman to Woman with another charity.

    "In the tele-funding business sector, it is common for nonprofit organizations to renew PFR (professional fundraising) contracts under the same terms and provisions of the previous contract," Gelvan wrote in an email that Gray shared with Times/CIR reporters. "This is part of the 'if it's not broken, don't fix it' principle."

    Instead of giving the charity a better return, Gelvan introduced the Grays to the next piece of the formula — gifts-in-kind.

    Gifts-in-kind are donated items like generic drugs and medical supplies. Getting them to the sick and poor in developing countries can be an important role for a charity.

    But for charities that spend most of their money on for-profit solicitors, gifts-in-kind can function as an accounting gimmick.

    The value of these shipments is often highly inflated, with pills that sell for pennies priced at $10 each on paper.

    Several charities also can pitch in to pay the overseas transportation costs of the same shipment of medical supplies.

    Under accounting rules, each charity is then allowed to take credit for the entire value of the shipment as if it alone provided the supplies to those in need.

    The result: A charity's revenues and good deeds are boosted and fundraising costs look smaller.

    That makes donated items especially useful for charities that fear being criticized for having excessive fundraising costs on their public IRS filings.

    Kevin Gray, the charity's chief financial officer, said Gelvan made no pretenses when he suggested the charity start shipping goods overseas.

    "Mark said it was a way to make our 990 (IRS filing) look better," Kevin Gray said.

    Gelvan told them to hire a company that rounds up donated goods and ships them overseas for charities, according to the Grays.

    He handed them a binder laying out options like a Sears catalog.

    They could send blood pressure monitors to Ghana. Or maternity ward equipment to the Philippines. Or surgical supplies to Guatemala.

    The Grays rejected the idea.

    "I can't figure out why I'd pay to ship medicines out of the country while people need the stuff right here," Kevin Gray said. "Why would I want to spend money that way?"

    But the Grays say their charity would have no money if not for professional fundraisers, so they have continued paying them.



    Reaping the benefits

    The fundraising formula that raised millions of dollars for the Grays' charity has been adopted by hundreds of charities.

    They use it to deceive donors and turn their causes into profit centers.

    Few have been more successful than Mark Breiner, the founder and one-time president of Kids Wish Network.

    Breiner relied on professional fundraisers and donated items to build his charity into a nearly $20 million annual operation.

    He is among the beneficiaries. The charity he founded has paid him or his companies nearly $4.8 million in the past 10 years — $1.5 million more than what the charity spent on direct cash to children, according to tax filings.

    While Breiner was still president of Kids Wish, earning $130,000 a year, he joined a former employee as a partner in a fundraising company called Dream Giveaway.

    In 2008 and 2009, Kids Wish paid Dream Giveaway nearly $1.7 million in consulting fees to run automobile give-aways that raised money for the charity. The charity's IRS filings do not specify how much it netted on these early sweepstakes.

    Breiner continued making money after he retired from Kids Wish in mid-2010 and left his mother-in-law on the seven-member charity board. In 2010 and 2011, the charity paid two of Breiner's companies $2.1 million for licensing, consulting and brokerage fees.

    Kids Wish violated IRS rules by waiting four years to disclose the money it paid Breiner's companies.

    The charity first reported the payments in amended tax filings last year after an employee took her concerns about insider dealings to the charity's board.

    Meanda Dubay, who had been a wish coordinator for six months, told Kids Wish's directors she was seeking protection under the charity's whistle-blower policy.

    She was fired immediately after she raised her concerns.

    Kids Wish officials accused Dubay of stealing proprietary information from the company's database and said they had been preparing to dismiss her prior to her appearance before the board.

    The charity asked the FBI to investigate Dubay. The FBI found no wrongdoing.

    Kids Wish then sued Dubay for breach of contract and defamation. Dubay, who declined to talk to reporters, has denied all allegations in the civil case, which is pending.

    Kids Wish officials said in an email that the omissions in the IRS filings resulted from "inadvertent errors made by the former accounting firm."

    Officials at the Tampa accounting firm, Guida & Jimenez, did not return calls seeking comment.

    Breiner declined to answer questions about his fundraising and consulting businesses, which received an additional $1.26 million from Kids Wish for a car giveaway in 2012.

    But he said in an email that the charity recently completed an IRS audit that included a review of its contracts with his companies.

    "They found no indication of private inurement or conflict of interest with founders or board members," Breiner said.

    An IRS spokesman said federal law prohibits the agency from commenting on a specific individual or organization's tax issues.

    Breiner has cashed in on other close relationships in the charity industry as well.

    His consulting business was paid nearly $1 million over two years by a charity founded by a former Kids Wish board member. And when Kids Wish's longtime telemarketer started a charity so his son could have a job, he turned to Breiner for fundraising help.

    "Mark's a genius," said Robert Preston, who paid Breiner's companies more than $375,000 in 2011 to run a Porsche giveaway for the charity, WorldCause Foundation.

    Breiner's consulting arrangements may be perfectly legal, but such relationships are bright red flags to charity experts. They create the appearance of a conflict of interest and make it easy to turn charitable donations into personal profit, experts say.

    Putnam Barber at the University of Washington, who has been writing and teaching about nonprofits for more than 20 years, said, "That kind of arrangement makes me fume."

    Kendall Taggart is a reporter for The Center for Investigative Reporting. Times researcher Caryn Baird, computer-assisted reporting specialist Connie Humburg, and web developer Bill Higgins contributed to this report, along with CNN senior producer David Fitzpatrick. Times staff writer Kris Hundley can be reached at khundley@tampabay.com.

    America's 50 worst charities rake in nearly $1 billion for corporate fundraisers 06/06/13 [Last modified: Friday, June 7, 2013 12:12pm]
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
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  13. #37
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    A lack of regulation big shocker there.

    Lack of regulation and meager penalties allow worst charities to thrive Lack of regulation and meager penalties allow worst charities to thrive | Tampa Bay Times

    Cancer Fund of America and the Reynold's Family should be in jail, damn it!!

    Carol Smith still gets angry when she remembers the box that arrived by mail for her dying husband.

    Cancer Fund of America sent it when he was diagnosed with lung cancer six years ago. Smith had called the charity for help.

    "It was filled with paper plates, cups, napkins and kids' toys," the 67-year-old Knoxville, Tenn., resident said. "My husband looked like somebody slapped him in the face.

    "I just threw it in the trash."

    SERIOUSLY, DON'T GIVE THESE PEOPLE MONEY.

    Intricate family connections bind several of America's worst charities Intricate family connections bind several of America's worst charities

    America's Worst Charities

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    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    This is a little old, but there seems to be a lot of hacking going on in the interwebs lately. Pays to be careful.

    The last malware attempt I got claimed I had won a Best Buy gift card.


    Smartphone Users Should be Aware of Malware Targeting Mobile Devices and Safety Measures to Help Avoid Compromise

    10/12/12—The IC3 has been made aware of various malware attacking Android operating systems for mobile devices. Some of the latest known versions of this type of malware are Loozfon and FinFisher. Loozfon is an information-stealing piece of malware. Criminals use different variants to lure the victims. One version is a work-at-home opportunity that promises a profitable payday just for sending out e-mail. A link within these advertisements leads to a website that is designed to push Loozfon on the user’s device. The malicious application steals contact details from the user’s address book and the infected device’s phone number.

    FinFisher is a spyware capable of taking over the components of a mobile device. When installed the mobile device can be remotely controlled and monitored no matter where the Target is located. FinFisher can be easily transmitted to a smartphone when the user visits a specific web link or opens a text message masquerading as a system update.

    Loozfon and FinFisher are just two examples of malware used by criminals to lure users into compromising their devices.

    Safety tips to protect your mobile device:

    When purchasing a smartphone, know the features of the device, including the default settings. Turn off features of the device not needed to minimize the attack surface of the device.
    Depending on the type of phone, the operating system may have encryption available. This can be used to protect the user’s personal data in the case of loss or theft.
    With the growth of the application market for mobile devices, users should look at the reviews of the developer/company who published the application.
    Review and understand the permissions you are giving when you download applications.
    Passcode protect your mobile device. This is the first layer of physical security to protect the contents of the device. In conjunction with the passcode, enable the screen lock feature after a few minutes of inactivity.
    Obtain malware protection for your mobile device. Look for applications that specialize in antivirus or file integrity that helps protect your device from rogue applications and malware.
    Be aware of applications that enable geo-location. The application will track the user’s location anywhere. This application can be used for marketing, but can also be used by malicious actors, raising concerns of assisting a possible stalker and/or burglaries.
    Jailbreak or rooting is used to remove certain restrictions imposed by the device manufacturer or cell phone carrier. This allows the user nearly unregulated control over what programs can be installed and how the device can be used. However, this procedure often involves exploiting significant security vulnerabilities and increases the attack surface of the device. Anytime an application or service runs in “unrestricted” or “system” level within an operation system, it allows any compromise to take full control of the device.
    Do not allow your device to connect to unknown wireless networks. These networks could be rogue access points that capture information passed between your device and a legitimate server.
    If you decide to sell your device or trade it in, make sure you wipe the device (reset it to factory default) to avoid leaving personal data on the device.
    Smartphones require updates to run applications and firmware. If users neglect this, it increases the risk of having their device hacked or compromised.
    Avoid clicking on or otherwise downloading software or links from unknown sources.
    Use the same precautions on your mobile phone as you would on your computer when using the Internet.

    If you have been a victim of an Internet scam or have received an e-mail that you believe was an attempted scam, please file a complaint at Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Home.
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
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  15. #39
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    Facebook, right on top of things as usual.


    Facebook bug exposes 6 million users Facebook bug exposes 6 million users | Action Fraud

    Facebook revealed on Friday that a bug in its system caused 6 million users phone numbers and email addresses to be exposed [24 June 2013]

    Facebook bug exposes 6 million usersFacebook says this bug meant that the site collated information about users to create master records including phone numbers and email addresses that the owners had never intended to share.

    Facebook said it has fixed the problem and is in the process of notifying affected users via email. Although describing the bug as "pretty technical”, they wanted to emphasise “the practical impact of this bug is likely to be minimal”.

    Facebook explained that anyone attempting to download archive profile information using the Download Your Information (DYI) tool may have been provided with the email or telephone numbers of people who they shared connections with on the site. The email addresses and telephone numbers of an estimated six million people affected were given out to other users “once or twice”.

    They added that they had received no information to suggest the bug was malicious or that any complaints had been made from users who had noticed “anomalous behaviour” or “wrongdoing”.

    What to do if you receive one of these emails?

    If you receive an email from Facebook about your security being compromised it is likely to be legitimate, as some users in the UK will have been affected.

    However it is important to remember that fraudsters will use legitimate events like these to scam people via email. If you receive one and are unsure log into Facebook directly to access your account and follow our advice:

    Do not click on any links in the scam email.
    Do not reply to the email or contact the senders in any way.
    If you have clicked on a link in the email, do not supply any information on the website that may open.
    Do not open any attachments that arrive with the email.
    Report any scam emails to us.

    For further information see the Facebook security post.

    Please note that Action Fraud is not responsible for the content of external websites.

    To report a fraud and receive a police crime reference number, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online fraud reporting tool.
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
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  16. #40
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    1. 419 scams
    2. Advance Fee for Loans
    3. Lottery
    4. Phishing and phony web pages
    5. Overpayment of items you are selling
    6. Disaster Relief
    7. Travel Scams
    8. Make fast money
    9 Employment search overpayment (mystery shopper, personal assistant)
    10. Turn your computer in to a money making machine.

    The Top 10 Internet/Email Scams, 2013
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
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  17. #41
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  18. #42
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    Perfect Way to find who all are crawling my photos – Facebook Scam Perfect Way to find who all are crawling my photos – Facebook Scam | Facecrooks.com | How to Avoid Facebook Scams

    June 24, 2013

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    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
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  19. #43
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    This had some useful links about common scams using money transfers. The 11 Most Common Wire Transfer, Money Transfer Frauds | MoneyGram

    Capture1.jpg
    Capture.jpg
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
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  20. #44
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    I get so excited when I get something new, especially one with this many tells before I even break out the pre-paid to call about my good fortune.

    SCAMMER jewlzlovus@yahoo.com
    SCAMMER PHONE +1-606-259-4052

    The phone hits here for a YMCA employment/scholarship scam dating back to 2010. www.scamwarners.com • View topic - YMCA Employment Scam

    Ip trace leads back to Ireland. Very odd starting location for a US YMCA.

    Capture1.JPG

    Jewlzl Jew

    12:47 PM (45 minutes ago)

    to me
    Hi
    Statistics has shown that your country are the most workaholic citizens of the world here in the US bureau of information on global man labor under the YMCA Human project,the YMCA will be undertaking a Sub headquarters in the Phoenix,USA a 2 months project,the project will take place in Phoenix,7 official citizens are needed from your country to be part of the project worth 30 millions$ and be paid weekly,the team will also get the chance to visit the headquarters after the project and work with the global YMCA globally in the US.
    Like i told you in my previous mail,i am a programmer working with the YMCA and to lead your team from your country.
    I once visited your country,your country is one of the best place to be.
    If you consider to be among the project organization, you should forward your application and get your membership card of the YMCA and application form and the organization working permit,and your group will be visiting the organization for your convocation before the commencement of the project in AUGUST 10Th 2013, You can log unto our website below and take a look.


    the Y If you consider this great opportunity the YMCA are given globally,you have to forward your application to Mrs Danielle Scott

    Kimberly_ymca@usa.com
    Kimberly_Smith@usa.com
    Tel; +13475656823

    Scholarship for students will be given for student willing to further their studies in the US through the YMCA,the project has been targeted for 30,000$ weekly for the 7 team members.I will be working with the regional coordinator from USA, Mr Franklin Hunter who is undertaking a project in Africa and he will be coordinating your team for visas approval


    as the branch executive director of the YMCA



    While you apply for detail information, I will talk to her, and l will be here to stand for you and to monitor the situation in your favor i will be happy to receive you here in my beloved Country (America). If you should apply for it, let them know that I recommend you for they will not waste time with your application .May be through this Program and by the special grace of God we might start affecting each other life positively or at least be able to say that you have made me to know this or that. Surely, no one lives to himself or herself and what ever we can do today for one another may stand for our glory tomorrow.


    With great love from your dearest in heart Below is my address and be ready to become our global correspondent.

    jewlzlovus@yahoo.com
    Downtown Phoenix YMCA
    909 4th Avenue
    Phoenix,PH 61605USA
    Tel/ +1-606-259-4052
    Helin Je,

    Here is my favorite though none of the products on the shelf are things we would buy in the US. And if she needs shampoo imported she is way out of my affordability index for dating.

    amanda.JPG
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
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  21. #45
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    This is an older article, but I found one of the scams to be a little more intricate than you normally see.

    Monday, July 18th, 2011 | Posted by Editor Internet Scams to Good to Be True -Thailand | Chiang Rai Times English Language Newspaper
    Internet Scams to Good to Be True -Thailand

    Be aware of Romance Scammers on Internet and Dating Sites and Social Sites. Nigerian scammers also work from Malaysia



    Ghana and Nigeria are becoming synonymous with Internet fraud as a Google search reveals. Last month, in a town hall meeting in New York with the Vice President His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, I raised the serious problem of Internet fraud in Ghana. While his response showed that the government was trying to solve the problem, but also showed that most Ghanaians were not aware of how sophisticated this crime had become.

    Yet the idea persists that most foreigners being ripped off on internet fraud scams – also called 419 or Sakawa – greedy people are eager to quick riches. This is no longer the case. Criminals no longer send emails that cheap that someone has died in a plane crash has left millions of dollars or the child of a deceased African dictator with millions hidden is willing to transfer the money in the bank account of a foreigner one party. Con artists know that foreigners are no longer for this type of financial scams. Therefore, more sophisticated varieties.

    An Indian company that makes bags of cocoa and has a website receives an “offer” of the Cocoa Marketing Company (Gh) Ltd (CMC) on the official letterhead of the supply of 200,000 bags of Ghana’s cocoa. Its marketing manager calls the number on the letterhead and received by someone impersonating an officer of the CMC. Then comes another looking for fraudulent documents, but official until the Indian company is convinced that the transaction is genuine. This is followed by demands for various positions at various agencies in Ghana, all backed by official looking but fake receipts. Thieves inviting the company to send a representative to Ghana to sign the formal contract. The representative of Ghana arrives only to be picked up by the thieves to his hotel and, finally, fleeced of more money. I know because communication by e-mail I received from one of those victims.

    The lady expresses a desire to visit him in the US and starts demanding money for a plane ticket and to secure a US visa.

    A retiree in the U.S. alone who just lost his wife goes to a dating site on the Internet as match.com and befriends one Thai nurse who is spending time in children in Ghana to help in an orphanage. The image of the retiree saw was actually a picture of a person cut out of the Internet and is used in the scam. Mrs. hopes to visit in the U.S. and starts demanding money for a plane ticket and to secure a U.S. visa. On the day of departure Ghana Immigration would not let him board the plane because I had to take some money into it. Any questions are answered with an official letter from the Ghana Immigration Service. Anyone who doubts this should go to the website of the Ghana Immigration Service and see a flag to warn people of this crime. The woman said the retiree who was bringing a little gold with her to the U.S. and was arrested for not paying taxes on that amount. Mr. Retirees would send their money to pay police and pay the tax so that she can return when you sell gold in the U.S.? This scam is again supported by forged documents, a false passport, a U.S. visa fraud, a fake letter from the Ghana Immigration Service, a fake letter from the Internal Revenue Service and the Ghana Police. Some of these criminals who steal from their colleagues and have their passports and identification documents of people from other countries like the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, etc. for use in these individuals impersonating the Sakawa 419 or fraud. I know because I’ve seen some of these documents.

    The range of official documents, but fraudulent used in these programs ran the gamut and supposedly comes from the ministries, courts, parliament, police and customs.

    As part of its quest to become a middle income country in the near future, Ghana has opened its doors to international trade and investment, which is working directly weakened by the number of fraudulent documents to leave the country. There is also the tragic aspect of these scams on the Internet lead to many victims of despair, debt and bankruptcy and others to take their own lives.

    Last year, a Briton, Philip Hunt, who suffered from depression and had had two failed marriages, took his own life in front of a moving train after being cheated out of £ 82,000 for a romantic con man named “Rose” Nigeria. Also last year, a father of Al Circelli, of Yonkers, New York was shot in the head after he stole $ 50,000 by a romance scammer Internet Ghana who called Aisha.

    These scams do nothing for the image of Ghana as a desirable tourist destination. I think only a minority of these frauds are perpetrated by Ghanaians. Letterhead reading “Federal Republic of Ghana,” the signatories and Chinedu Eke, gives a good idea that these scammers origin. These foreigners have settled in Ghana because most victims do not respond to e-mail scam from their countries of origin. Unless Ghana do something soon, we risk being rejected by the international community.

    Scammers offer to give away free money for helping them move large sums to American banks.

    Combating Internet Crime in Ghana should not be difficult if the government concentrates on the main facilitators – most of them is Western Union and its lax system of money transfer. And to think that in this day and age of international money laundering and terrorist financing, nobody, not even a fake name and identity can enter a Western Union office or its affiliates and collect several thousand dollars with minimal logging is negligent, to say the least. Government should demand that henceforth no one collecting more than $ 1,000 in money transfer Western Union shall provide a driver’s license or passport and in cases of very large sums should be digitally photographed and save the image of the company and put available at the request of the law.

    Some of the victims of cyber crime have lost money through wire transfers. It seems that some banks in Ghana are negligent in opening accounts or some of its officials have colluded with these criminals to deceive foreigners. The government should enforce tougher standards for banks and which shows that Bank staff have assisted in Internet fraud facilitating the opening of fraudulent accounts, they should be prosecuted.

    Government should vigorously pursue the existing SIM card registration exercise and eliminate all the numbers registered fraudulently. These scammers use cell phones that are registered or fraudulently registered or registered to others. Once the SIM card exercise is done correctly and all cellular calls can be traced to particular individuals, cyber-criminals can be quickly located and arrested by police.

    The range of official but fraudulent documents used in these schemes ran the gamut and purportedly comes from the ministries, the courts, parliament, the police and customs

    Institutionally, the Ghana Police Service and must have an Internet unit of effective crime and well trained to carry out covert operations and to pursue and apprehend these criminals. The website of Ghana Police Service should have a banner in bold on the home page with an Internet address and a phone number to anyone who you think you are being ripped off on contact. The cyber crime unit will work with the victim to establish cyber criminals in an undercover operation in Ghana and arrest them. Many victims have told me in touch with the Ghana Police, but received no response or cooperation.

    Most cyber criminals use Internet cafes. The government should seriously consider Internet cafes license – if you do not already – and requires them to ensure their computers are not used for 419 scam or Sakawa. There are stories repeated cyber criminals engaged in equipment rental internet cafes for days with the owners aware of, but turns a blind eye to their activities.

    Last year when I was at home in Ghana, with my family, I went to an internet cafe with my wife for example. Upon entering, just in front of me and a team facing the Internet cafe owner was a man who had cut the image of an Asian woman over the internet and was using software to pose in front of a photograph of the Plaza de Independence of Ghana. Immediately, intentionally told my wife and sight of the man who was changing the image for use in an Internet scam. At this point, the man became very nervous and in a short time left in the cafeteria.

    It is expected that the government acts on these recommendations and, finally, derives the title of this insidious crime is rapidly eroding the image of Ghana.
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  22. #46
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    This is an article by Barbara Nevins Taylor a consumer advocate. Refunds for Grant Scam Victims : CONSUMERMOJO.COM

    Somewhere, sometime you’ve probably heard about “government grants” and seminars and programs that are supposed to help you get “free government money.” These programs sound great. But in truth they are money-making machines for the people who run them and offer consumers very little. That’s why it’s great to know that one company had to cough up approximately $1.7 million as part of settlement and court judgments won by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). As a result, almost 23,000 consumers who signed up with Grant Connect will get refunds. 0

    Grant Connect ran an online business and described itself as a “unique consumer-friendly US government grant program that delivers all of the tools for the consumer to search multiple databases, write grant proposals, and deliver polished plans…” The FTC says the websites also used images of the President and the American flag in an attempt to convince consumers that they were affiliated with the U.S. government, which they were not. 0

    The checks are on the way and consumers will receive amounts based upon what they lost. The FTC says, “Most consumers will recover nearly 80 percent of their total loss.”

    Cash the check right away

    Don’t hold on to the check. Cash it right away. You must do it within 60 days after you receive it.
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  23. #47
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    This is a second article by Barbara Nevis Taylor, $6.5 Million in Refunds to Military Borrowers : CONSUMERMOJO.COM

    Here is the gist, if you or anyone you know in the military borrowed money to buy a car.

    CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU ORDERS AUTO LENDERS TO REFUND APPROXIMATELY $6.5 MILLION TO SERVICEMEMBERS
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  24. #48
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    This appears to be a new picture making its way around the scam world, if you are seeing this picture and thinking about sending money. DON"T you are being scammed.

    It came from a fellow scambuster at https://www.facebook.com/pages/STOP-...17457524931671 since I could not find it on google figured better get it out there.

    Child.JPG
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  25. #49
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    No you didn't win, or find someone with a business proposition, just another scammer. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam/340470669393547

    SCAMMER bar.justin@blumail.org
    SCAMMER bar.justin@secureroot.com
    Monday, July 1, 2013
    ATTENTION!!
    I have a business proposition for you about a late client of mine that bears the same last name as yours with portfolio investment deposited in CitiBank.

    Best regards
    Barrister Justin Foster

    Name : Bar. Justin Foster
    E-mail : bar.justin@blumail.org,bar.justin@secureroot.com
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    SCAMMER asfc3@inmail.com
    SCAMMER asfc1@inmail24.com

    Monday, July 1, 2013
    YOUR PAYMENT OF $27, 000, 000 DOLLARS.
    --
    CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
    FROM THE DESK OF:
    DR. SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI
    EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR,
    CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
    Attention: Beneficiary,

    YOUR PAYMENT OF $27, 000, 000 DOLLARS.

    This is to inform you that the management of this bank has decided to send your fund to you

    by converting the $27 million dollars into an ATM card .Therefore, you are to send down your

    full information as stated below.

    Your full name:
    Your Residential or Office Address:
    Your direct telephone number:

    We will be waiting to receive the above mentioned information as requested.

    We are looking forward to hear from

    Yours Sincerely
    Dr. Sanusi Lamido
    Governor Central Bank of Nigeria.

    Name : Dr. Sanusi Lamido
    E-mail : asfc3@inmail.com,asfc1@inmail24.com
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    SCAMMER b_berry79@yahoo.com
    SCAMMER bb@winners.com

    Monday, July 1, 2013
    Congratulation You Won
    Congratulation! your E-mail has won $950,000 in the 2013 BLACKBERRY YEARLY PROMO.

    Ticket number. 0147N. For Claims Call OR Email our IC Number to Black Berry Email address

    at: b_berry79@yahoo.com

    Your prize will be sent to you in any of your destination.

    Regards
    Mr Brown Adams
    BLACK BERRY INC

    Name : Mr Brown Adams,BLACKBERRY WINNERS INC
    E-mail : b_berry79@yahoo.com,bb@winners.com
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

  26. #50
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    Re: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

    With all the hacking and loss of data going on these days, a credit freeze seems like a good idea to prevent people from opening accounts with your social security number. If you need credit, you can "thaw" the account for a few days to allow creditors access to your file.

    Credit Freeze and Thaw Guide Credit Freeze and Thaw Guide | www.clarkhoward.com

    By Clark Howard


    Credit freezes are one of the most effective tools against economic ID theft available to consumers.

    They allow you to seal your credit reports and use a personal identification number (PIN) that only you know and can use to temporarily "thaw" your credit so that legitimate applications for credit and services can be processed. That added layer of security means that thieves can't establish new credit in your name even if they are able to obtain your ID.

    Freezing your credit files has no impact whatsoever on your existing lines of credit, such as credit cards. You can continue to use them as you regularly would even when your credit is frozen.

    Freezes have been available for free to victims of ID theft for some years, but recently all three of the major credit bureaus adopted new rules allowing non-victims to have access to credit freezes as well for a small fee. In addition, most states and Puerto Rico have adopted laws establishing credit freezes for residents of their state.

    Residents of the state of Maryland may also freeze the credit reports of their minor children.

    The cost ranges from $3-$10 per person per bureau to freeze a credit report; a couple of states have higher fees. See specific info for your state with the links below.

    The cost to "thaw" your reports for one creditor -- or for a specific period of time -- range from being free to $10.

    When shouldn't you freeze your credit?
    If your credit reports are accessed often for work or because you create new accounts with various financial institutions on a regular basis, it is not suggested that you freeze your accounts. The costs to continually "thaw" your reports would tend to be excessive.

    Below you'll find directions and links to assist you in obtaining your credit freeze or thaw from each bureau:

    EQUIFAX CREDIT FREEZE - [Website]

    Credit freezes may be done online or by certified mail - return receipt requested.
    Check your state's listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
    Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the attachments you must include.
    If your PIN is late arriving, call 1-888-298-0045. They will ask you for some ID and arrange for your PIN to be sent to you in 4-7 days.
    Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your Equifax credit freeze by snail mail, online or by calling 1-888-298-0045.


    EXPERIAN CREDIT FREEZE - [Website]

    Credit freezes may be done online or by certified mail - return receipt requested.
    Check your state's listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
    Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the attachments you must include.
    You can also freeze a child's credit report. The information contained at this link is applicable for all three credit bureaus. You must first write a letter to each bureau to learn if your minor child has a credit report and if so, then you can proceed to freeze it.
    Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your Experian credit freeze online or by calling 1-888-397-3742.


    TRANSUNION CREDIT FREEZE - [Website]

    Credit freezes may be done online, by phone (1-888-909-8872) or by certified mail - return receipt requested. (Some users have reported difficulty with the online method. Please try one of the other options if you too experience difficulty.)
    Check your state's listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
    Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the attachments you must include.
    Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your TransUnion credit freeze online or by calling 1-888-909-8872.


    Special thanks to our listeners Carrie and Ed for their input into this guide.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Also the IRS will issue you a six digit code to place on your tax return as a second layer of protection if you may have been a victim of identity theft. I tried to find the direct link, but don't have all day on that one. IRS Combats Identity Theft and Refund Fraud on Many Fronts
    "It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403

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