Fraud Is Enormous
According to this report on the BBC, there were 15,000 cases of reported fraud in the first half of 2010.
The body estimated consumers lose at least £35bn through fraud each year – but the actual number might be higher as people fail to report being a victim.
This is a disaster and what are we doing about it?
Nothing mainly, as many still believe that these frausters and their offers are real, when they are just too good to be true!
A Good Old-Fashioned Con
We complain about scams, but this one has little to do with the Internet. It just shows that there is at least one born every minute. There is so much truth in the old saying, that if something is to goog to be true, it probably is!
Bob Bear Retires
The owner and updater of one of the Internet’s biggest any scam resources, Bob Bear, is retiring.
Thanks for all your work, Bob.
The ability to check the scams all in one place will be missed.
NetTemps Inc
This is a scam. So don’t reply.
Looking for a job? My name is Juliette Barnes, I am a recruiting manager of NetTemps Inc, a recruiting agency for direct-hire, contract, and freelance professionals within various professions.
Today I would like introduce some part-time and virtual office vacancies in the spheres of Advertising, Education, Engineering, Finance, Health care, Information technology, Media, Real estate and Transportation.
If you are interested to learn more about the jobs offered, please get back to me, providing your name and contact number.
We are eager to help you find a better job and improve your career!
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail me on:
c v @ n e t t e m p s i n . c o . u k [please delete spaces in the email address before sending it to us]
Yours sincerely,
Juliette Barnes
NetTemps Inc
Why is this a scam?
Look at the e-mail address from where it was sent to you. Did it have anything to do with Juliette Barnes? No!
Remember there is one born every minute. Don’t let it be you!
Harry Markopolos – 2
I bought the book from Waterstones yesterday and I have read the first few chapters on the train home from London.
Brilliant!
He spotted what Madoff was up to in 2000, but the SEC wouldn’t listen and took no action. He also alleges that others felt the same about Madoff, but were happy to take the money.
My respect for Harry grows.
Reading his book, just increases my distrust for financial advisers. I think it is why I like Zopa. There the money is under MY control and I live or fall by my decisions. I know nothing about stocks and shares, so I keep clear of them.
Harry Markopolos
Harry Markopolos is the sort of man I like.
In 2000, he was asked if he could find out how Bernard Madoff made such high returns. So he reverse-modelled Madoff’s results and concluded that he was either running a giant Ponzi scheme or he was illegally trading clients money.
He stuck at it and in 2005 to sent a document to SEC regulators stating.
Bernie Madoff is running the world’s largest unregistered hedge fund. He’s organized this business as “hedge fund of funds privately labeling their own hedge funds which Bernie Madoff secretly runs for them using a split-strike conversion strategy getting paid only trading commissions which are not disclosed.”
No action was taken and we all know now that he was right as in December 2008, Madoff confessed and he is now spending the rest of his life in jail.
Harry has just written a biography called No One Would Listen; A True Financial Thriller.
I shall be buying.
As to Madoff, he just proved that if something is too good to be true, it probably is. It’s just that when people do what Madoff did, no-one listens to the Harrys of this world.
The Discredited 070 Phone Numbers
070 numbers were heralded in the UK as personal numbers that you’d keep for life.
I can’t ever remember seeing one in recent years from anyone who was remotely legitimate.
On the one hand they are a marketing disaster, as people think they are expensive mobile phone numbers and don’t ring them, unless they have to.
And on the other hand, every scam seems to be linked to an 070 number.
So I’d never buy one or phone one for that matter.
Vodafone Telecommunication Network
They keep coming and this one is a little better.
Dear Beneficiary,
Congratulations The VODAFONE mobile telecommunication network service has choosen you by the board of executive directors as one of the final recipients of a Cash Grant/Donation.The online cyber draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 100,000 email addresses of individuals and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer selection from the web.This promotion is to celebrate the 8th years anniversary 2010 programme,We are giving out a yearly donation of (850.000.00) GPB to 5 lucky recipients as a way of showing our appreciation and to help improve our company.
Email:mr.barrysmith111@9.cn
VODAFONE Claims Department
- Full Name:…….
- Residential Address:….
- Country:……
- Occupation:……
- Telephone:….
- Sex:….
- Age:….
- Next of Kin:…..
- Nationality:….
- Winning No:…..
Secretary
Mr.Barry Smith
Telephone:+ (44) 7035954359
Vodafone® Award Promotion
© 2010 Online Award Promotion Edition.
Note the Chinese e-mail address and the 070 phone number.
Another Bed and Breakfast Scam
I reported that a friend had had one of these a month or so ago.
They’ve just had another.
i am inquiring for accommodation for 5 people for 25 days from June -10/2010.
Please give me total cost for the period specified including all
applicable taxes).what is your payment options? Hope you accept credit
cards or cheque?
How ever,an agent has been contacted for their flight
logistics,so all am asking from you is to get back to me with the total
cost for their rooms in the period
specified in {GBP-POUNDS}.
You can contact me at any time,your prompt reply will be appreciated.
Duk William,
Director,GLOBAL INC/GENERAL CONSULATE.
P.O. Box 7841
Sud bury, L18 8BY Liverpool.
Cell: +447045709832
I still haven’t figured out how this scam works. But there is a lot of information in this forum.
Incidentally the post code L18 8BY is very close to the halls of residence at Liverpool University. But it’s Carnatic not Sudbury.
Bed and Breakfast Scam
A friend owns a B&B and they have had two e-mails similar to this one.
i want to inquire if you have 3 rooms available on the 22nd to 29th of july,2010.The number of guest to expect is 6 with 2 people in each room.Do confirm if available and get back to me.
Warm regards,
John Howard.
Scotland .
+44 704 573 0909
It has all the usual marks of spam, with bad spelling, punctuation and grammar. Who ends a message with “Warm Regards”?
But I’m not sure how it works. I suspect that ringing the number will result in a large cost on your phone bill.
There are a lot more examples here.
The Anonymous Widower 