Beware : Online scams

[goodboys]

According to a recent report from the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, who operate the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), online crime complaints nearly doubled from 2003 to 2004. Though they identify a sizable list of online scams, here's a solid "top 5" slate to ponder:

1. The Nigerian scam: Since it first appeared in the early 1980s this scam alone accounts for billions of dollars lost. It works like this: A recipient receives an unsolicited fax, email or letter that references Nigeria, or another African country. It typically mentions overcharged or double-invoiced oil or other service and supply contracts where a highly placed contact wants to get the excess money out of the country. Bequests whose funds won't be available for some time or a charity that needs money while waiting for funds to get through probate or out of escrow. Other versions are about pending payments from employment or a contract or other promises of big money in the near future. Variations are endless, and the reasons often are alarmingly plausible, and there's always a catch -- the victim (email recipient) must part with money to shake funds loose for sharing. Victims who fall for the initial pitch are repeatedly asked to fork over more money to speed things up as complications and delays stack up. In the end, a victim gets nothing and faces large losses, if not financial ruin.

2. Online auction scams: Victims find apparently valuable goods at outrageous discounts, and hand over their money to scammers through eBay or other online auction sites. Instead of the merchandise, victims either receive nothing or shoddy knockoffs that aren't worth the asking price. According to the IC3, this scam accounts for about three-quarters of all complaints it handles.

Cont..

[mianghuei]

Originally Posted by goodboys

According to a recent report from the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, who operate the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), online crime complaints nearly doubled from 2003 to 2004. Though they identify a sizable list of online scams, here's a solid "top 5" slate to ponder:
1. The Nigerian scam: Since it first appeared in the early 1980s this scam alone accounts for billions of dollars lost. It works like this: A recipient receives an unsolicited fax, email or letter that references Nigeria, or another African country. It typically mentions overcharged or double-invoiced oil or other service and supply contracts where a highly placed contact wants to get the excess money out of the country. Bequests whose funds won't be available for some time or a charity that needs money while waiting for funds to get through probate or out of escrow. Other versions are about pending payments from employment or a contract or other promises of big money in the near future. Variations are endless, and the reasons often are alarmingly plausible, and there's always a catch -- the victim (email recipient) must part with money to shake funds loose for sharing. Victims who fall for the initial pitch are repeatedly asked to fork over more money to speed things up as complications and delays stack up. In the end, a victim gets nothing and faces large losses, if not financial ruin.
2. Online auction scams: Victims find apparently valuable goods at outrageous discounts, and hand over their money to scammers through eBay or other online auction sites. Instead of the merchandise, victims either receive nothing or shoddy knockoffs that aren't worth the asking price. According to the IC3, this scam accounts for about three-quarters of all complaints it handles.
Cont..

How do you get this stuff anyway? It is interesting.

[goodboys]

Originally Posted by mianghuei

How do you get this stuff anyway? It is interesting.

Because I am one of the vitims mentioned in these scams.

[kayin04]

Me too, I received a mail informing me that I've inherited some dead guy's fortune. Yeah right. Obviously that's a scam. Of all the people in the world, why me, right?

[markstoon]

The Nigerian scam is a very widly known scam now they sent mail all over the glob trying to scam much as they can i got their mail hundreds of times and i still get i never reply this i think that new scam now is Tax scam i got many mails now but i never reply them too

thanks for sharing

[mianghuei]

Originally Posted by goodboys

Because I am one of the vitims mentioned in these scams.

really? I never experienced this before. How scandalous!