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Monthly Archives: August 2015

Heir Hunters Scam

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“Heir Hunters” is a real TV show in Great Britain. Because it’s a popular show, scammers like to use the show’s name to try to con people out of their money. This message, which claims to come from the Heir Hunters program, in fact comes from a scammer. If you take the bait and reply, you’ll discover that you have to pay “transfer fees” or “bank charges” before your supposed fortune can be released to you:

Reply-To: gregorygregory445@gmail.com
From: “Gregory” minta099@hotmail.com
Subject: Second Notice$. ::
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2015

Greetings,

Kindly Accept & Acknowledge my Proposal!

I understand that through Internet is not the best way to link up with you to inform you about this notification but because of the confidentiality which my proposal demands. However, I have already sent you this same letter one month ago, but I am not sure if it did get to you since I have not heard from you, hence i am constrain to reach you through the Internet which has been abused over the years. I wish to notify you again that your name was mentioned as heir to the sum of 5,600,000.00 sterling pounds. In the last testament of our deceased client name now withed. I and my team of the Heir Hunters Company in the United Kingdom are detectives assisting distant relatives of people who have died with or without making any official will.

As the heir hunter’s team of detective, the race is now on for us to track down the often distant relatives in line for a windfall. We came across your profile and email while searching through genealogy database. Note as the heir hunters our aim is to assist people claim there lost relative fortune instead of the government or Bank MDS to use the money to in reach their treasury. Please send an acknowledgment email to enable us process your inheritance with all due verification process.

I look forward to hearing from you.

If you make the bigger mistake of paying these supposed fees, the scammer will then disappear with your money, never to be heard from again. It’s just a new version of the old advance fee fraud that’s been around for many years. (Read more about advance fee frauds.)

Here at The Scam Hunter (not the Heir Hunter!) we document scam messages like these to help people around the world avoid online scams and frauds. Share our scam alerts with your friends today and help them stay safe too.

Benutzer Foundation (scam alert)

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Brief “mystery scam” messages like the one below have become more common online in recent months. Why should a scammer bother to send a long and elaborate message if a short one will do just as well? (See more examples of mystery scams.) Here the imaginary “Benutzer Foundation” claims to have a donation ready for you and asks you to reply.

Messages of this kind are just a new version of the old advance fee fraud. Like a sleazy salesman, the scammer figures if he can just get you to answer, he can “make a sale” — that is, cheat you out of your money.

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2015
From: Benutzer Foundation Willi.Kretzschmar@t-online.de
Subject: ATTN
Organization: benutzerberatung
Reply-To: iracurryevelyn@gmail.com

You have a personal donation of five hundred and fifty thousand dollars From a Mega Million winner reply immediately for more information.

We collect and document scam messages like these here at the ScamHunter.org website in order to help people around the world avoid online scams and frauds. Share our scam alerts with your friends and neighbors today.

ATM Card Scam

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One type of email scam that is becoming more common is the ATM card scam. It is a variation on the good old advance fee fraud that has been around for years. The scammer claims to have an ATM card ready to deliver to you, and all you need to do is provide your contact information and then it will be in the mail.

If you make the mistake of replying, you’ll discover that you also have to send “transit fees” or “customs taxes” before the card can be delivered. If you make the bigger mistake of sending these supposed fees, your contact will disappear and will never be heard from again. There really is no ATM card and no funds transfer in progress. There’s only a scammer trying to con you out of your funds.

reply-to: dhlofficebeninservice@barid.com
date: Fri, 28 Aug 15
from: mrs linda davis gigenaedgardo@speedy.com.ar
subject: registration code of (HDA8119Z)

you have a registered visa ATM CARD of ( $4.5m) with DHL Express courier Company customer service with registration code of (HDA8119Z) Having review all the obstacles and problems surrounding the transfer of your ($4.500,000.00 USD) four Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars, We the Board of Directors (UBA BANK PLC) has ordered our Foreign Payment Remittance Unit to issue you a CORPORATE VISA CARD where your payment will be uploaded and today we got notice that your Payment has been uploaded into CORPORATE VISA CARD, only waiting you to provide the name and address that will place on the card.

MOST IMPORTANT: Please send us your current contact details and delivery address immediately you get this message.

YOUR FULL NAME:__________________
YOUR HOUSE ADDRESS:______________
YOUR HOUSE PHONE:____________
YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER:______________
NATIONALITY:_____________________
YOUR OCCUPATION:_______________

Email those information to Mrs linda davis, with this email address as stated below.

CORPORATE VISA CARD CONSULTANT;
Contact Person: Mr jerry williams,
E-mail: DHLOFFICEBENINSERVICE@BARID.COM
direct line:+229 99312676
Thanks

Mrs.LINDA DAVIS,
UBA BANK OF AFRICAN

We document messages like these here at ScamHunter.org so people around the world can learn to recognize online scams and frauds. Share our scam alerts with your coworkers and friends today.

African Bank Transfer (scam alert)

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This is a classic African “419” scam message, promising a fortune but designed only to pick your pocket. (Read more about African email scams.)

reply-to: wwestern_unionoffic12@outlook.com
date: Thu, 27 Aug 15
subject: TRANSFER
from: “Alfred Nna” sotm@speedy.com.ar

Attn: Beneficiary

There is an issue involving ( $2.5 Million united state dollars ) which was called to to the knowledge of our Bank ( AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK PLC ) from the Federal Ministry OF Finance Benin concerning your outstanding payment of ( $2.5 Million United States Dollars ) The fund has been released and forwarded to our Western Union Transfer department and an instruction was passed to us directly from the Federal Ministry Of Finance new boss (Dr. Ali Urma) we were asked to start sending your fund install-mentally at the rate of $10,000 per day through our Western Union transfer. This means that you will be receiving $5,000 twice per a day in two different MTCN until your total ( $2.5 Million united state dollars ) is completely transferred to you.

Today, our bank has effected some process of your first payment of $5000 through Western Union now you have to Contact us immediately with the information requested below so that we will know where to send your first transfer to and then release your first payment MTCN to you, Right now we are only waiting for your email or call so that you will start receiving your funds with out any further delay, Here are the details required from you, send it to the below email:

Contact Person: James Mark
Email: wwestern_unionoffic12@outlook.com
Tel; +229-6812-9682

Your Receiver Name………(Where you want us to send the transfer)
Private Telephone;……………………
Country………………………..
Text Question……………….
Answer………………………..

We await your update with the above information’s so that we will start transferring your funds to you.

Yours in Service.

Alfred Nna

We document messages like this here at ScamHunter.org to help people around the world protect themselves from online scams and frauds. Share our scam alerts with your friends and coworkers today.

Mohammed Bello Adoke (scam alert)

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This is a classic example of a Nigerian “419” scam. (Read more about 419 advance fee scams.) In this case, “Mohammed Bello Adoke” says your money is waiting for you in the bank of Nigeria, and you just need to contact him to get it transferred. He assures you it won’t cost anything (of course), and he’s just trying to help you and clean up the corruption in the system.

Sound too good to be true? You can be sure it is!

reply-to: mohammedchamers1@gmail.com
date: Mon, 24 Aug 15
subject: “From the Desk of Mohammed Bello Adoke.”
from: luquiv@speedy.com.ar

From the Desk of Mohammed Bello Adoke.
Attorney General of the Federation
& Minister of Justice (Barrister)
PHONE: +234-7084-235374

Dear Fund Beneficiary

This is to inform you that in the course of my investigation as director of payment verification / implementation committee I came across your name as unpaid fund beneficiary in the record of the central bank and other banks that are suppose to get your funds released to you. My committee was set up by the payment reconciliation committee to verify and scrutinize all outstanding debts owed to our foreign beneficiaries in accordance to the information received from the United States government and other countries over unpaid huge debts owed to Foreigners. Please open the attached documents and view my ID and International Passport.

Having seen your file and my further questioning to the officials of the central bank and ministry of finance as to why your payment is still pending reveals the rot and corruption in the system. The bank officials told me that the reason why you haven’t received your payment is due to your inability to pay for the required charges for transfer of funds to your account. When I asked them why they didn’t deduct the said charges from your principal sum, I was given the flimsy excuse that you never authorized them to do so. When I put the question across to them if they ever advised you that such charges could be deducted from your principal fund, the answer I got was no. Now, if you do not tell this beneficiary that such charges could be deducted from his or her principal fund, how will he or she know that such options are available for such beneficiaries.

You are advised to re-confirm to us the below information or call me immediately for more details.

Your Name:
Your Address:
Your Phone:
Your Mobile:
Your Email:
Your Occupation
Your Sex
Your Age.

From my investigation I discovered that these bank officials deliberately refused to let the charges be deducted from your principal fund because they want your fund to remain trapped in the bank, while they continue to extort money from beneficiaries under some flimsy excuse. You do not need to pay any money to any official, all you are required to do is swear to an affidavit at the federal high court of Nigeria, authorizing the bank to deduct all charges from your principal fund and transfer the balance of funds after deduction to your bank account. If you have spent any money in the past in your quest for payment, kindly let me know so that I can follow this up. You can reach me on my phone or email for directive on how you can get the deduction done as soon as possible and get your payment also.

Yours sincerely,

Mohammed Bello Adoke.
Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice (Barrister)

Here at ScamHunter.org we document scam messages like these to help people around the world protect themselves from online scams and frauds. Share our scam alerts with your coworkers and friends today.

Compensation for Scam Victims

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The email below, now circulating around the Internet, is an example of what I call a meta-scam — a scam message about scam messages. (See more examples of meta-scams.) “Elliott Harris” wants you to know that the United Nations is addressing the issue of online scams, and has arranged to provide compensation for scam victims. If you’ll just send him some information, you will be paid for any losses you may have incurred.

Alas, it is “Elliott Harris” (or maybe “John Creflo”) who are the real scammers. There is really no UN Investigation Unit, and no compensation fund. They are just trying to get their hooks into you so they can pick your pocket.

Reply-To: jcreflo7989@gmail.com
From: “Elliott Harris (UN)” office@intru.ro
Subject: Re: US$1.5M COMPENSATION PAYMENT FOR YOU !!!
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2015

Hello Beneficiary,

This is to acquaint you on the outcome of our 1 day meeting with U.N International Financial Investigation Unit and the Association of Better Business Bureau to compensate scam victims upon due verification, we have jointly approved US$1.5m (One million, Five hundred thousand United States Dollars) for every confirmed victim. Your E-mail address was generated through the computer ballot system as one of the selected victim to receive this compensation.

However, adequate arrangement has been put in place to upload the approved payment compensation into a Platinum Card that can be accessible at any inter-switch cash machine anywhere in the world.

Finally; for the purpose of proper verification of your claims, it is imperative that you furnish us with the following of your details necessary to process release/remittance of your payment:

Your Full Name(s):
Your Direct Telephone Number:
Contact Address (FOR ATM DELIVERY)
Age:
Profession:
Photocopy of any I.D you may have:

You are expected to forward the above information to the Authorized Payment Center in South Africa below:

Paying Bank: FIRST NATIONAL BANK, S.A
Contact Person: JOHN CREFLO
E-mail: jcreflo7989@gmail.com
Phone: +27-63-351-0573

You are advised to contact the above bank with your information to enable your fund processed and released to you within the stipulated time frame.

Cordially,

Elliott Harris.
For, United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
+1 (636)-345-5001

Here at ScamHunter.org we collect and document messages like these to help people around the world avoid online scams and frauds. Help fight against scammers and share our scam alerts with your friends and coworkers today.

Mrs. Linda Agogo (scam alert)

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This is the latest version of the good old “dying widow scam.” In this example, “Mrs. Linda Agogo” has no children and wants you to help dispose of her fortune for charitable purposes. (See more examples of dying widow scams.) Alas, there really is no fortune and no dying widow; there’s only a scammer trying to separate you from your money:

reply-to: mslinda_agogo1@yahoo.es
date: Thu, 20 Aug 15
from: massi@speedy.com.ar
subj: Letter of Intent

Greetings Dear One,

I am Mrs Linda Agogo, A widow to the Late Mr. James Agogo, I am 63years old, and I am now a new Christian convert, suffering from long time,cancer of the ear. From all indications my condition is really deteriorating and it’s quite obvious that I won’t live long according to my doctors.

This is because my cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage. My late husband was killed during the U.S raid, against terrorism in Afghanistan when he traveled to Afghanistan to monitor a Hospital/a Humanitarian Found at (HHF) he was setting up for the benefit of the Afghan masses as of then; whose majority and 99 percent of them are Muslims/Islamic scholars and loyalists. During the period of our marriage we couldn’t produce any child. My late husband was very wealthy and after his death, I inherited all his businesses and wealth, and when I noticed that my condition is not improving rather it gets worsen by the day I decided to divide part of this wealth, to contribute to Charity and the development of the churches in Africa, America, Asia and Europe. I selected you after visiting the internet and I prayed over it. I am willing to donate the sum of $3.2 Million to you for charity, Evangelical work, the less privileged, churches, orphanages and widows, Propagating the word of God and to ensure that the house of God is maintained.

I took this decision upon myself because I don’t have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don’t want my husband’s hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers. Because I have come to find out that wealth acquisition without Christ is vanity upon vanity. Please I want you to note that this fund is deposited with A Christian Security Firm For safety purpose. And upon my instruction, you will file in an application for the Change of Ownership of the fund in your name with the Christian Security firm. May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and your family.

I Await Your Urgent Reply to this email,

Yours in Christ

Mrs Linda Agogo

Here at The Scam Hunter we document and post examples of scams like these to help people avoid getting caught in the fraudsters’ traps. Share our scam alerts with your friends and coworkers today.

Ms. Gu Kailai (charity scam)

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Very short scam messages — what I call “mystery scams” — are becoming more common. (See more examples of mystery scam messages.) They are all just versions of the good old advance-fee scam that’s been around for years:

Subject: Hello ..
From: gkailai@lockservice.cn
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2015
Reply-To: michael.wayne@ssotudis-tn.com

Hello,

I want to make a Donation for Charity, reply to this email for details.

Ms. Gu Kailai

Like a sleazy salesman who figures if he can just get you talking, he can make a sale, these scammers send a short message to just get you on the hook. Then they’ll take weeks or months to reel you in. In reality there is no charity and there is no “Ms. Gu Kailai,” there is only a scammer trying to separate you from your money.

Alhaji Abdullahi Bukar (investment scam)

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This is a standard investment scam message, probably sent randomly to thousands or tens of thousands of people around the world. (See more examples of business investment scams.) “Alhaji Abdullahi Bukar” is willing to give you a cut of the money he’s siphoning from his company, as long as you can keep it a secret:

Reply-To: alabdubakar1@gmail.com
From: Alhaji Abdullahi Bukar alabdubukar1
Subject: INVESTMENT!!
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2015

Dear Friend

I have a Mutual/Beneficial Business Project for you worth millions dollars.

1. Can you handle this project?
2. Can I give you this trust ?

Please note that the deal required high level of maturity, honesty and secrecy because this Involves moving or Siphoning some money from my office, on trust to your hands or bank account. Also note that i will do everything to make sure that the money is moved as a purely legitimate fund, so you will not be exposed to any risk. I request for your full co-operation. I will give you details and procedure when i get your reply, To commence this transaction, I require you to immediately indicate your interest by a return reply

Best Regard,
Alhaji Abdullahi Bukar

Alas, there really is no siphoned money and “Alhaji” is just a scammer trying to get your money. Here at The Scam Hunter we document scam messages like these to help people around the world avoid online frauds and scams. Share our scam alerts with your friends today.

Prince Alwaleed Donation (scam alert)

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Please share this scam alert with your friends on social media.

This is an example of a “mystery scam” message that promises you have just won a fortune from an organization you’ve never heard of. Alas, it’s just another version of the good old advance fee fraud.

Subject: Congrat Reply Now
From: FINANCIAL DONATION UK
Date: Sat, 8 Aug 2015
Reply-To: ukpro9@gmail.com

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS WON PRINCE ALWALEED FINANCIAL DONATION OF $25,000,000 USD

If you make the mistake of replying to ask for more information, you’ll discover that you have to pay “taxes” or “transfer payments” or “bank fees” before the (imaginary) fortune can be delivered to you. And then if you make the bigger mistake of paying, the scammer will disappear with your money and you’ll never hear from him again.

We document messages like these here at ScamHunter.org in order to help people avoid Internet scams and frauds. Share these scam alerts with your friends today.

UPDATE: It looks like “Prince Alwaleed” really wants to give his money away. The message above came yesterday, and today this new version is making the rounds:

Subject: Great News To You.
From: Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal
Date: Sun, 9 Aug 2015
Reply-To: charityinquire@outlook.com

Message from Saudi Arabia Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal for his charity donation and You have been selected as recipient/benefactor for $2.5 Million Dollars from Al-Waleed Philanthropic Foundation Grant. for more information contact us.

Best Regards
Ahmad Sadiq Azizi HR

Scam messages like these are blasted to tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of random people around the world, so the chances that you’ll get multiple copies are often pretty good. It’s just another sign that the messages are fake to begin with.