Know the Danger Signals of Scams

A deal that sounds much better than any being advertised by firms you know to be legitimate - offers that are "too good to be true".

A promoter who is not based locally, provides no telephone number, and uses a PO box or mail drop, rather than a full street address.

A promoter name and/or logo that closely mimics that of a respected brand or business.

Pressure words, such as "urgent" or "final deadline," sprinkled throughout the sales literature.

Pressure, threats or harassment, either in writing, during a phone call, in an e-mail message, or in a personal contact.

Individuals who immediately request or demand for a check, money order or cash to be picked up by a courier or to be sent to a mail drop or PO box

Vague answers or none at all to key questions you ask about the offer; and insistence that you finalize a deal orally or provide personal financial information (such as your social security number or credit card number), without a written contract or other documentation in writing.

These scams are not limited to cars. It is used with other vehicles, such as trucks and motorcycles

Be aware, scams are becoming widespread and are targeting auto sellers on the internet.  This Often involves buyers from Nigeria, Africa, Holland and other countries.

Car-dealer fraud is plaguing our country. The tactics being used are so sly that even informed consumers who do their homework are being taken for hundreds, and often thousands, of dollars.

These scam artists prey on their victims by making offers that sellers can't refuse. They offer to purchase items at a price well over what the seller is asking for. A fake money order or fake cashier's check that may look like it is being drawn from a reputable large company such as an airline or credit card company for an even larger amount is sent as payment for the items.

Scammers are also beginning to change their tactics. Some are requesting account information such as routing numbers in order to (supposedly) wire funds. Please do not provide any information without first checking with your financial institution. Scammers have also begun advertising very high-end cars (on the web) with an asking price that is too good to be true. Contact method in the ad is usually a Yahoo or MSN email address. Scammer then instructs buyer to wire, credit or mail a deposit to hold the car.

scam artists send out thousands of these solicitations in hopes of connecting with a less Internet savvy individual. Often the letters are written in broken English, contain misspelled words and are not appropriate for the ad they are responding to. They always offer far more for the purchase than the stated price.

Tips to Help in Preventing Scams

Take your time deciding; be firm in the face of pressure.

Protect your privacy.

Provide personal information only if you know who's collecting it, why, and how it's being used.  

If you accept an offer, please take the check to the bank to verify its authenticity before releasing cars, parts, or excess funds. Most financial institutions require at least 10-15 business days before the check will clear; it is important to wait the full 15 days. An honest buyer won't mind the slight delay and will understand your desire to be cautious.

Read before you sign. Fully understand the contract, and make sure it matches what the salesperson told you.
Don't believe it just because you saw it on the Internet. Obtain the company's physical address and phone number and check the company out with your Better Business Bureau.

If asked to purchase goods sight unseen, compare the prices and warranties with those offered by local firms. Remember that you run a risk of getting inferior merchandise when you order products from unfamiliar businesses without being able to inspect them first.

The best protection is to use common sense - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. never refund an amount from a payment made in this manner for any reason! be suspicious of offers of more money than asked for, especially when the "buyer" has not asked enough questions regarding the item to warrant such an offer

The following are emails received at one time or another by me or other members see if you can pick out the signs:

Return-path: <akstcacumenpresciencemnsdgs@acumenprescience.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 22:02:10 +0000
From: service@wellsfargo.com
To: development@classiccarmall.never
Subject: Update your online Account.
 

Dear Wells Fargo Customer

 

We are constantly working to improve the account security of our customers. In order to ensure the integrity and security of our online banking system, we periodically review accounts. We were unable to contact you by phone during the last check, so please verify the information at your account file and make sure it is right.
CLICK HERE To confirm your identity and remove your account limitation.

 

Thank You.

Sincerely,

Wells Fargo Online Customer Service.

---

Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, WellsFargo will periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements. Visit our Privacy Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.

https://www.wellsfargo.com/help/

(c) 1999 - 2008 Wells Fargo. All rights reserved. Member FDIC.

83.229.29.125

SENDERS IP TRACED TO AMSTERDAM

From: Internal Revenue Service

Sent:  Sun 4/30/2006 05:27

To:      development@classiccarmall.never

Subject: Get Tax Refund on your VISA or MasterCard

From: bravo_sam_111@yahoo.com [mailto:bravo_sam_111@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2006 02:30
To: admin@classiccarmall.never
Subject: About your ad...1929 FORD MODEL A COUPE

Classified ad these comments concern: ./classified2-401.htm

Hello,

My name Is Mr. Bravo Sam Jr. ...., I am very glad to Find the Ads online.... Am really Interested in the Purchase of it , Once again. Am sure is Still available for sale? If is still available..

Kindly email me and let me know the selling cost for it. Once again, I have made all arrangement with the associate of mine, in regards to the shipment. The shipment will be in the means of Picking Up in your place after you have the payment. I mean it will be pick up by my shipping co. Once the payment has cleared My means of payment will be by USD Certified Check Or Money Order which will surely clear fine... {100% Valid} for the payment..

The check will be for the payment and shipment .. Once the check get to you.. Go ahead and deposit the check for clearance... Once the check cleared.. I shall forward all the shipment arrangement and instructions about the picking in your place to you...Am sure the condition of it is doing fine? Kindly advice me about the condition of it.. Ok...If you are satisfy with the content of my email. Kindly email me back and explain to me about the condition..

NOTE: Kindly email me with the Information of where the check will be send out to for the payment.. The Information is asking below Thurs :

FULL NAME ...............
FULL ADDRESS........
STATE..........................
CITY...............................
ZIP CODE....................
COUNTRY...................
PHONE ...CELL #................. 

Try and answer to this message with all details requesting so that I can make all arrangement in sending the check out for your payment...

Thanks and will look forward to read from you..

Best of Regards... 

Mr. Bravo Sam Jr.
159 Broadhurst Gardens,
Arlington Square
London.NW6 3AU, United Kingdom
Home Land Line:  44 {0} 7031901960
Mobile:  44 {0} 7031946240
Mr. Bravo Sam Jr.

bravo_sam_111@yahoo.com

From: YUKOS COMPANY [mailto:yukos_oil_company2@msn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 12:50
Subject: YOUR WORD

   ATTN:

I HOPE THIS MAIL REACHES YOU IN GOOD HEALTH. I AM SUSAN WILBERT, CONSULTANT TO THE LEGAL DEFENSE COUNSEL OF MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY,A RUSSIAN BUSINESS MAN, OIL MAGNATE AND CEO OF YUKOS OIL COMPANY. MR. KHODORKOVSKY WAS ARRESTED ON OCTOBER 25 2003,ON CHARGES OF TAX EVASION AND VLADIMIR PUTIN'S GOVERNMENT HAS FROZEN MOST OF HIS ACCOUNTS AND PERSONAL SHARES IN YUKOS OIL COMPANY DUE TO TRUMPED UP TAX EVASION CHARGES, HENCE THE NEED FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE ARISES. HE HAS BEEN UNJUSTLY SENTENCED SINCE MAY FOR A TOTAL OF NINE YEARS IN PRISON.

THE HEAD OF KHODORKOVSKY'S DEFENCE TEAM BARR. GENRIKH PADVA HAS MADE A DETERMINATION TO RETRIEVE MOST OF MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY'S MONEY IN DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS AROUND THE WORLD, WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. HENCE ITS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AND DISCREET NATURE. THE FIRST ACCOUNT IN QUESTION IS THAT IN CHINA TRUST COMMERCIAL BANK, CHINA. FIXED DEPOSIT OF $108,000,000:00 (ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) TO BE RETRIEVED.

PROPOSAL:

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE REPRESENTATION FOR EFFECTIVE WITHDRAWAL OF DEPOSITED FUND AS A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE OF MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY FOR INVESTMENT IN OIL AND NATURAL GAS IN KUWAIT AND VENEZUELA. FUND WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO A DESIGNATED BANK/SECURITY DEPOSIT COMPANY IN WESTERN EUROPE BY CHINA TRUST COMMERCIAL BANK. NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTATION WHICH PUTS YOU IN A POSITION TO CONTROL THE FUNDS AND EFFECT COLLECTION FROM THE DESIGNATED BANK OR SECURITY DEPOST COMPANY SIGNED AND SEALED, SHALL BE PROVIDED. ONCE THIS IS DONE, YOU WILL BE GIVEN 10% OF THE CONTRACT SUM ( $108,000,000:00) WHICH WILL BE STATED PRECISELY AND EXCLUSIVELY IN THE AGREEMENT AS DRAFTED BY HIS LAWYER.

YOU SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO TRAVEL TO RUSSIA OR CHINA AT ANY POINT IN TIME. AN OFFICIAL OF CHINA TRUST COMMERCIAL BANK, HONG KONG BRANCH SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SMOOTH TRANSFER OF FUND. THEREFORE THE TRANSFER SHALL BE EFFECTED TO EUROPE FROM HONG KONG. FOR REASONS OF EXPEDIENCY AND CONFIDENTIALITY BARR. GENRIKH PADVA'S LEGAL ASSOCIATE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL HANDLE ALL LEGAL WORK IN WESTERN EUROPE AND AMERICA.

PLEASE DO REPLY TO MY PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS GIVEN BELOW FOR FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE.

BEST REGARDS            

SUSAN WILBERT

Email:swconsulting@consultant.com

******NOTE*** This email is intended only for the individual or entity named

above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that

any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly

prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please delete original mess

Security Measures

From: Sifter I. Leigh [mailto:pw-service@usaa.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2005 01:56
To: Accounting
Subject: Security Measures

Dear USAA Member,

During our regular update and verification of the accounts, we could not verify your current information. Either your information has changed or it is incomplete.

As a result, your access to online banking on USAA has been restricted. To start using fully your online account, please update and verify your information by clicking the link below :

http://www.secure-usaa.com

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Regards,
USAA Inc.

From: PayPal [mailto:service@paypal.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 03, 2005 2:38 AM
To: Iamnotdumb@isawucomeing.com
Subject: Your PayPal Account Could Be Suspended

From: tomgreene@kaixo.com [mailto:tomgreene@virgilio.it]
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2005 16:47
Subject: Official Notification.

From:Tom Greene

Tel:44 704 011 0287

Fax:44 870 130 6123

This is an

official notification of funds deposited in your name.

We arrange for the safekeeping of special and valuable packages and baggage in trust for reputable clients that are honest and trustworthy. A benefactor whose identity can not be disclosed because of the Non Circumvention and Non Disclosure Agreement that was signed with the said benefactor when the funds were being deposited, made you the beneficiary of a package containing some amount of money. The Non Circumvention and Non Disclosure Agreement signed with the benefactor mandates us to fully divulge and disclose the benefactor's identity 18 months after you, the beneficiary, has received the funds. The funds totals US$7.5M (Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) and we confirm that these funds are fully free of any liens, or encumbrances and are clean, clear and non-criminal origin and are available in the form of CASH. You are hereby advised to reconfirm your Full Contact Information for verification with information contained in our database in the format stated below. After verifying the details with the information we have in our database, you will be contacted to personally claim the funds in the Finance and Security Firm in Europe where its being kept with the Consignment Deposit Information (C.D.I) that will empower you to do so.

This Consignment Deposit Information (C.D.I) is what is needed to claim the funds and will only be sent to you after all your information has been verified and confirmed to be true. The information should therefore be sent in the manner stated below so as to ensure that no mistake is made.

Your Full Name:

Your Complete Address (Physical Address with Zip Code) :

Date of Birth (Day/Month/Year):

Direct Telephone/Mobile Number:

Fax Number:

Complete the above and send back to me as soon as possible.

Congratulations in advance.

Thank you and I sincerely remain

Tom Greene

William Cho Representative Needed 

From: William Cho [mailto:williamcho@cmiec1003consultant.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2005 10:36
Subject: Representative Needed

Hello, 

It is my pleasure to write you in respect of our organization. We are experts in the sale of raw materials and we export into Canada/America and some parts of Europe. We are searching for reliable representatives who can help us establish a medium of getting to our customers in the Canada/America/Europe as well as legally receiving cash and all forms of payment on our behalf from them as our Representative. Please if you are interested in transacting business in view of helping us, so our clients could be making payment to you being our representative, we will be very glad. Compensations will be given and other benefits.

Contact us for more information, If this proposal is acceptable to you. Please get back to us, so that a remuneration can be worked out for your services as our representative in Canada/America/Europe as your location shall determine. For further information's and enquiries,

You are to write to: Mr. LEN CHENG    lencheng@linuxmail.org

Consultant. China Metallurgical Import & Export Corporation Henan Company

(CMIEC HN) We anticipate your earliest response in this regard.

Thanks,
Mr. William Cho
Secretary.
China Metallurgical Import & Export Corporation Henan Company
(CMIEC HN)

Delivery Notification

From: Dr.Derrick Springs [mailto:drderricksprings500@kaixo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 10:17
Subject: Delivery Notification.

From:Dr.Derrick Springs

Tel :44 704 011 0287
Fax :44 870 130 6123

Your funds of Seventy Five Million United States Dollars (US$75 Million) has been converted into a Certified Bank Draft and will be brought to you on Monday 17th October,2005 by Diplomats who will accompany you to your Bank to deposit the funds and all relevant documentations needed to prove the source of the funds will be submitted in your Bank when the funds are being deposited so as to authenticate the fact that the funds are clean and has no links whatsoever with any form of illegality.
The Ticket Fee of the Diplomats that will bring the funds to you in your country of residence will be paid by you and in other to properly monitor the transaction, the tickets must be bought from an approved travel agency in Europe.
Upon the receipt and confirmation of the payment, copies of the international passport and flight schedule of the Diplomats that will deliver the funds to you will be forwarded to you so that you can recognize them at the Airport when they arrive.
The Diplomats will remain in your country until the Funds clear into your account before they will return to Europe.
In your reply to this mail, Endeavour to send the following information stated below:

1)Your Full Name.................................................

2)Residential Address and City Of Residence..................................................

3)Date Of Birth (Day/Month/Year)........................................................

4)Telephone,Mobile and Fax Numbers and Name Of The Closest Airport To Your City Of Residence....................................

It is pertinent you provide your Telephone and Mobile Numbers because you will be contacted by the Diplomats immediately they arrive your Country.

Regards

Dr. Derrick Springs.

Please Restore Your Account Access

From: service@paypal.com [mailto:service@paypal.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 20:53
To:***********@*********.com
Subject: Please Restore Your Account Access

PayPal is committed to maintaining a safe environment for its community of buyers and sellers.  To protect the security of your account, PayPal employs some of the most advanced security systems in the world and our anti-fraud teams regularly screen the PayPal system for unusual activity.

Recently, our Account Review Team identified some unusual activity in your account.  In accordance with PayPal’s User Agreement and to ensure that your account has not been compromised, access to your account was limited.  Your account access will remain limited until this issue has been resolved.  This is a fraud prevention measure meant to ensure that your account is not compromised.  We requested information from you for the following reason:

A recent review of your account determined that we require some additional information from you in order to provide you with secure service.

Case ID Number:  PP-041-528-9656

This is a second reminder to log in to PayPal as soon as possible.  Once you log in, you will be provided with a step to restore your account access.  We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure account safety.  In accordance with PayPal’s User Agreement, your account access will remain limited until the issue has been resolved.  Unfortunately, if access to your account remains limited for an extended period of time, it may result in further limitations or eventual account closure.  We encourage you to log in to your PayPal account as soon as possible to help avoid this.  

  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run