Rosie Q
26-11-04, 11:31 AM
ANOTHER FRAUD SCAM TO INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT:
Dear All,
Some Local Authorities have experienced a recent spate of S419 e-mails recently.
S419 fraud (named after the relevant section of the Nigerian Criminal Code) or alternatively known as Advance fee fraud fraud is a popular crime with the West African criminal element. There are a myriad of schemes and scams - mail, faxed and telephone promises designed to facilitate victims parting with money. All involve requests to help move large sums of money with the promise of a substantial share of the cash in return.
Victim's individual monetary losses can range from low thousands into multi-millions. True figures are often impossible to ascertain, because many victims, embarrassed by their naiveté and feeling personally humiliated, do not report the crime to the authorities. Others, having lost so much themselves, become "part of the gang" recruiting more victims from their own country of residence. There are tragic cases of victims being unable to cope with the losses and committing suicide.
Remember: "If it sounds too good to be true, then it is!"
If you receive an email, phone call, letter or fax in relation to this scam, where you are being asked for help in international transfers of goods or monies you must:-
NOT REPLY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES !
THROW IT IN TNE BIN! WHERE IT DESERVES TO BE!
INCONVENIENCE THEM BY FORWARDING E-MAILS TO THE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
(eg, abuse@hotmail.com abuse@yahoo abuse@compuserve.com
Please remember that it is important to include the message's full header information)
E-MAIL fraud.alert@met.police.uk
(only if your letter/e-mail contains details of the fraudsters bank accounts/addresses/telephone numbers OR there has been a loss)
The complete instructions can be seen at the London Metropolitan Police website section concerning Nigerian 419 Advance Fee Fraud: <http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm>
----Original Message-----
From: Andy Brown [mailto:Andy.Brown@gmp.police.uk]
Sent: 25 November 2004 07:09
Subject: Serious Credit Card Fraud Info ....
Dear all
Just for your information...
Passed to me, please pass on
Please tell everybody about this.
I received the following information from a member of staff and having
Had a need to talk to visa last week on a similar incident, I can confirm that this is happening. At this time of year approaching Christmas, please take note and be aware.
"Please pass on to all people on your mailing list. I got this from a
contact in the Halifax Visa team so it is happening!!
Visa and MasterCard Scam. A friend was called on the telephone this
week from 'VISA' and I was called on Thursday from 'MasterCard'.
It worked like this: Person calling says, eg 'this is Carl Patterson (any
name) and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual
purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. Did you purchase an
(any expensive item) for £497.99 from a marketing company based in (any town?)
When you say 'No'. The caller continues with, 'Then we will be issuing a credit to your Account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from £297 To £497, just under the £500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (they give you your address), is that correct?'
You say, 'Yes'. The caller continues. . 'I will be starting a fraud
investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 0800
number listed on your card and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control number. They then give you a 6-digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?'
Caller then says he 'needs to verify you are in possession of your
card' (this is where the scam takes place as up until now they have
requested nothing!). They then ask you to turn your card over.
There are 7numbers; the first 4 are 1234 (or whatever, as they have your number anyway).
The next 3 are the security numbers that verify that you are in
Possession of the card' (these are the numbers they are really after as these are the numbers you use to make internet purchases to prove you have the card).
'Read me the 3 numbers.' When you do he says 'That is correct. I just
needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?
Don't hesitate to call back if you do.'
You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the
Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we telephoned back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA security department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of £497.99 WAS put on our card. Long story made short.
We made a real fraud report and closed the VISA card and they are
reissuing us a new number. What the scam wants is the 3-digit number and that once the charge goes through, they keep changing every few days. By the time you get your statement, you think the credit is coming, and then it's harder to actually file a fraud report.
THE REAL VISA/MASTERCARD DEPARTMENT REINFORCED THE POINT THAT THEY WILL NEVER ASK FOR ANYTHING ABOUT THE CARD SINCE THEY ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!!!.
What makes this even more remarkable is that on Thursday I got a call
From 'Jason Richardson of MasterCard' with a word for word repeat of the VISA Scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up. We filed a police report (as instructed by VISA), and they said they are taking several of these reports daily and to tell friends, relatives and co-workers so please pass this on to your friends................"
Regards
Dear All,
Some Local Authorities have experienced a recent spate of S419 e-mails recently.
S419 fraud (named after the relevant section of the Nigerian Criminal Code) or alternatively known as Advance fee fraud fraud is a popular crime with the West African criminal element. There are a myriad of schemes and scams - mail, faxed and telephone promises designed to facilitate victims parting with money. All involve requests to help move large sums of money with the promise of a substantial share of the cash in return.
Victim's individual monetary losses can range from low thousands into multi-millions. True figures are often impossible to ascertain, because many victims, embarrassed by their naiveté and feeling personally humiliated, do not report the crime to the authorities. Others, having lost so much themselves, become "part of the gang" recruiting more victims from their own country of residence. There are tragic cases of victims being unable to cope with the losses and committing suicide.
Remember: "If it sounds too good to be true, then it is!"
If you receive an email, phone call, letter or fax in relation to this scam, where you are being asked for help in international transfers of goods or monies you must:-
NOT REPLY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES !
THROW IT IN TNE BIN! WHERE IT DESERVES TO BE!
INCONVENIENCE THEM BY FORWARDING E-MAILS TO THE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
(eg, abuse@hotmail.com abuse@yahoo abuse@compuserve.com
Please remember that it is important to include the message's full header information)
E-MAIL fraud.alert@met.police.uk
(only if your letter/e-mail contains details of the fraudsters bank accounts/addresses/telephone numbers OR there has been a loss)
The complete instructions can be seen at the London Metropolitan Police website section concerning Nigerian 419 Advance Fee Fraud: <http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm>
----Original Message-----
From: Andy Brown [mailto:Andy.Brown@gmp.police.uk]
Sent: 25 November 2004 07:09
Subject: Serious Credit Card Fraud Info ....
Dear all
Just for your information...
Passed to me, please pass on
Please tell everybody about this.
I received the following information from a member of staff and having
Had a need to talk to visa last week on a similar incident, I can confirm that this is happening. At this time of year approaching Christmas, please take note and be aware.
"Please pass on to all people on your mailing list. I got this from a
contact in the Halifax Visa team so it is happening!!
Visa and MasterCard Scam. A friend was called on the telephone this
week from 'VISA' and I was called on Thursday from 'MasterCard'.
It worked like this: Person calling says, eg 'this is Carl Patterson (any
name) and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual
purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. Did you purchase an
(any expensive item) for £497.99 from a marketing company based in (any town?)
When you say 'No'. The caller continues with, 'Then we will be issuing a credit to your Account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from £297 To £497, just under the £500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (they give you your address), is that correct?'
You say, 'Yes'. The caller continues. . 'I will be starting a fraud
investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 0800
number listed on your card and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control number. They then give you a 6-digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?'
Caller then says he 'needs to verify you are in possession of your
card' (this is where the scam takes place as up until now they have
requested nothing!). They then ask you to turn your card over.
There are 7numbers; the first 4 are 1234 (or whatever, as they have your number anyway).
The next 3 are the security numbers that verify that you are in
Possession of the card' (these are the numbers they are really after as these are the numbers you use to make internet purchases to prove you have the card).
'Read me the 3 numbers.' When you do he says 'That is correct. I just
needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?
Don't hesitate to call back if you do.'
You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the
Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we telephoned back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA security department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of £497.99 WAS put on our card. Long story made short.
We made a real fraud report and closed the VISA card and they are
reissuing us a new number. What the scam wants is the 3-digit number and that once the charge goes through, they keep changing every few days. By the time you get your statement, you think the credit is coming, and then it's harder to actually file a fraud report.
THE REAL VISA/MASTERCARD DEPARTMENT REINFORCED THE POINT THAT THEY WILL NEVER ASK FOR ANYTHING ABOUT THE CARD SINCE THEY ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!!!.
What makes this even more remarkable is that on Thursday I got a call
From 'Jason Richardson of MasterCard' with a word for word repeat of the VISA Scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up. We filed a police report (as instructed by VISA), and they said they are taking several of these reports daily and to tell friends, relatives and co-workers so please pass this on to your friends................"
Regards