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Variations on the Nigerian Bank Scam
"Friction" in a market is sometimes defined as the effort needed to bring buyers and sellers together. For example, the cost of advertising is an example of this "friction". The Internet hold out the promise of reducing some market friction by allowing sellers to cheaply avertise their products world wide. The internet also reduces the friction for scammers, looking for marks.
Nigerian Bank Scam, Version 3.0: The Shipping Fee Scam
I have been expecting that the Nigerian Bank will eventually die out as more and more potential marks learn about it. Of course scams never die, they just evolve into something else. One example of such a new species of scam is the shipping fee scam, described in the Wired news article Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.0 by Michelle Delio.
In this variation of the bank scam, the scammer poses as a buyer for an item advertised on the Internet. The scammer tells the mark that they will have someone overseas (outside of the scammers country) send the seller a cashiers check for the purchase price, plus an additional amount that the seller should wire the buyer for shipping. Such an arrangement will strike most sellers as odd, but many sellers will think that they are protected by waiting for the cashiers check to clear. The check clears and the seller forwards the shipping fee, as promised. They have now become a victim of the scammer. In Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.0 Michelle Delio writes:
The scam takes advantage of a little-known loophole in the U.S. banking system. Many people don't realize that when a bank says funds have cleared, it doesn't mean the check is good, according to Carol McKay, director of communications for the National Consumers League.
"Under federal law, depending on the type of checks deposited, banks must give consumers access to the money within one to five days. Longer holds can be placed on deposits over $5,000, but banks are reluctant to inconvenience their customers," McKay explained.
"Unfortunately, it can take weeks for fake checks to be detected in the banking system. And consumers are then left holding the bag for the money they've withdrawn. That's because it's the depositor, not the bank, who is responsible if a check turns out to be bad."
The seller has virtually no recourse, since the "shipping fee" has been forwarded to a foreign bank and the funds have disappeared.
The final quote in Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.0 pretty much sums up the issue:
"But the bottom line is this: No legitimate company will offer to pay you by arranging to send you a check and asking you to wire some of the money back. If that's the pitch, it's a scam."
Just because the check cleared does not mean that it was not fraudulent.
In his article The Perfect Mark, published in The New Yorker (May 15, 2006), Mitchell Zuckoff tells the story of John W. Worley who lost tens of thousands of dollars to Nigerian scammers and, as I write this, is serving two years in federal prison.
The Nigerian scammers passed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of forged checks through Worley's bank account. When these checks cleared, he forwarded the money to a Swiss bank account. Worley believed that this money was from investors who had contributed the money necessary to transfer the millions of dollars the scammers promised to Worley's US bank account. When it turned out that these checks were forgeries, Worley was left with both the financial and the criminal liability.
Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.1: Perform hawala services for people you've never met
These scams keep evolving. I got email from someone who almost fell victim of a variation on the cashiers check scam. Here is the scam "come on":
Dear friend,
I represent OANDO IMPORT AND EXPORT COMPANY PLC based in Australia. My company markets and exports Polymeric Polyol and other products for world trade.
We are searching for representatives who can help us establish a medium of getting to our customers in Europe and America as well as making payments through you as our payment officer. It is upon this note that we seek your assistance to stand as our representative in your country. Note that, as our representative, you will receive 10% of whatever amount you clear for the company and the balance will be paid into an account we will avail to you. Please, to facilitate the conclusion of this transaction if accepted, do send me promptly by email the following:
1. Your full names,
2. Contact address and,
3. Phone/fax numbers.
Thank you for your time.
Very Respectfully,
Mr. Steve Howard
MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO
OANDO PLC
Oando PLC is, in fact, a real company in Nigeria. They describe themselves as "second largest oil marketing company by revenues in Nigeria". As an established corporate entity, they would have relationships with international banks that can handle foreign currency transfer. Or, they could handle the transaction through their trading counterparts. They would not have to contact some random stranger to transfer money.
The person who emailed me provided their contact information. After all, it seems harmless. Not like providing bank account information. My correspondent writes:
In subsequent e-mail I was advised, that a check in the amount of $25,000.00 was in the mail to me from a company in Canada, and I was to deposit it into my bank, wait until the check had "cleared" and then send 90% of it on to Australia and enjoy the remaining 10% for myself.
Fortunately, this person's inner sense that something was wrong went off:
I could not figure out the scam, until I searched the web and found that little known US banking law, that a Bank must make my funds available to me in a few days, whether the check has actually cleared or not. That is when I stopped. Notice that we are not tossing around millions of Dollars! But when successful, the scammer in Australia will make over $22,000.00 per scam.
In many cases the people who are most tempted by these scams have strained finances. The story in the scam may seem like a life saver if you're not sleeping well at night because of the bills that are piling up. Ironically, people who are financially strained are exactly the people who can't afford to lose money in these scams.
I've been seeing more and more of these money transfer scams. Discounting their poor english, they scammers have a certain surface plausibility.
The financial-consulting company "Vision International People Group" is glad to greet you. We are a new financial company with the main office in Germany. Our company needs safe representatives of the payments.
In this letter you can read additional information about work in USA with Vision International People Group. Sales representatives (managers, financial assistants) for realization of financial and trading operations with our partners are required. Duties of sales representatives in USA include the reception of money resources from buyers and their sending to Germany. The full control of realization of financial operations and assistance in their realization. Daily hundred monetary operations from $400-$25000 passes through our company. You will have to receive the money resources from our buyers and send it on system Western Union to Germany within one day. The faster you work, the more money resources to you will receive and the more earnings you will get.
Please, do not send your resume, if you suppose you will be unable to carry out each operation within one day. Speed is one of the most important things for our company, however, we offer not 10% as usually but 20% from each carried out operation. Western Union fees are also paid by us. Working with our company is the most profitable work we offer in USA, you can receive as many money transactions as you will be able to carry out and earn 20% from the each transaction. Requirements. In order to start working with us, you need to follow the instructions below.
Send us your resume with these information:
1. Your personal information (First Name, Last Name)
2. Your home address
3. Phone number where you can be reached
The most important is your vigor, skill to communicate and desire to work in one of conducting financial companies. During work you will receive consultations from our managers (by E-mail, ICQ, Yahoo Messenger and phone).
At an initial stage at you will be a partial employment (not a full working day). As you will be typed experience volume of work and your salary will be increased. At first time you will receive to you up to $3000 per transaction. Your earnings depends on you only - the faster you will send the money to us, the more transactions you will receive.
Payment. From each carried out operation you will receive 20%. And you will leave to yourselves this sum. And you will be obliged to send other sum on system Western Union to Germany. We compensate for all your expenses. As we guarantee to you such amount of works that your payment from the very beginning will be not less 2000 USD per one month and it will grow in process of your promotion in our company. During 2006-2007 we plan opening a network of offices and representations for territories USA.
Best their sales representatives will be invited to work in these offices on higher posts. Vision International People Group Offers you to begin the career in the large international and known company.
If you want to believe in such a scam because you're finances are in desparate shape, consider this: if the money mentioned in the scam where real (which it is not), it would be illegal in the United States and most other countries to perform the transfer that the scammer requests.
On November 7, 2001, agents from the Customs, Immigration, the IRS and the FBI burst into the Dorchester, Massachusetts, offices of al-Barakaat, a Somali conglomerate with branches in forty countries, and arrested Mohamed M. Hussein, treasurer of Barakaat North America, on charges of operating an unlicensed money transfer business, or, as it was known a hawala. Al-Barakatt stood accused of raising, investing, laundering, and distributing money on behalf of al-Qaeda. Then-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill announced that its various companies were "the money movers, the quartermasters of terror." Meanwhile federal authorities were also conducting raids on suspected businesses in eight other American cities.
[...]
In July 2002, a federal judge in Massachusetts sentenced Mohamed Hussein, who had been apprehended in the offices of al-Barakaat, to eighteen months in prison.
Quartermasters of Terror by Patrick Radden Keefe, The New York Review of Books, February 10, 2005. A review of the book Blood from Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror by Douglas Farah, Broadway Books, 2004
Again, even in the wildly unlikely event that the money was real such a transaction could land you in real trouble. You have no idea who the people are in this transaction. They could be terrorists or illegal drug dealers. Performing such a a transfer could land you in federal prison. Regardless of whether you think that this "proposal" is real or not, it is a bad idea. Don't do it!
Here's yet another variation on the above scam. You should never act as a middleman in shipping packages. The claim about avoiding VAT taxes is suspicious. They are either after your money, or they are shipping something illegal, using you as an intermediate. Imagine trying to explain to the authorities that you really didn't know that the packages contained illegal drugs. Don't fall for this scam. No reputable business uses SPAM to advertise or to get "business partners".
My name is Mark Birman I'm job manager in RuAmerica corporation. We're searching for new partnerships in continental USA.
Let me say few words about our company. We're working for several years worldwide, providing the best service in Shipping and Transporting. We work with European countries for 4 years. Our partners are USPS, FedEx, DHL, Ebay, Amazon and many other shipping companies and shops. We're providing financial services too.
Let me say about the position we offer. It is called Correspondence Assistant/Representative. It is new position for us, and it is very valuable now. In August 2003, many European countries changes their rules for customs and taxes for merchandise, sent from countries, that don't belong to EU. This means, that package that is sent from a company - will be a subject for VAT in Europe, but the package that is sent from a person - doesn't have VAT. Because of that, prices for shipping services grow, and we try to reduce them. And we need YOU.
Your task - to receive packages that will be delivered to you, and redirect them, following our instructions. Packages will be delivered by courriers to your location. Then you will be given money for shipping fees. Your fee is 25 USD per package you receive. No start up fees! No out of pocket fees! Nothing to pay!
IMPORTANT. We put names of our customers on the packages, so names will be different from yours.
We will inform you about incoming packages. We pay you via PayPal, wire transfer, Check, Money Order or Western Union. Your commissions will be paid every two weeks. We will make agreement which you will sign and return back to us. In this document all responsibilities and duties will be conrirmed. If you are interested in this offer, or have more questions please fill application form refer to http://hiramjr.com/vacancies.asp.htm
Thank you for your time.
Best regards, Mark Birman Tel/Fax : (910) 401-1021
Bitter experience with the "shipping transfer" scam
I am happy to write that this web page has saved a few people from the thieves who run these scams and caused other who intially fell victim to think about what is happening. I got the following email (I've withheld the names and done some minor editing):
My name is XXXX and I have received one of these scams. I have actually fallen for it, and would have fallen for it completely, if it wasn't for a good friend who told me to research this because she remember hearing about this scam. Otherwise I would have not have found your website.
My story goes that Pedro Baretto needed help to get his family to America, and that the money was going to be sent to me to help establish accounts and investments. I have gone as far as signing the benificary paper. Also the funds were to be sent to me and I was to receive them through E PICXPRESS PARCEL SERVICES on Friday October 14 (2005). I even have a tracking number that was sent to me with the documents of shipment. Tracking # TRE4031EXS. Please help me I do not know how to get out of this if this really is a scam. I have a family and do not want anything to happen to me.
The person above forwarded me "Pedro's" email, which I've left uncorrected so that you can appreciate once again the english stylings of scammers:
Hallo,
They have finally doit the shipment of the boxes yesterday; the boxes have dispatch and will be deliver via London transit point to you in US. For security of reasons, the content of the boxes is declare as classified documents and insurance bonds instead of cash; hence do not disclose the actual contents of the boxes to the carrier company. I have attach the waybill of shipment to this email, so please print it out and go through it very carefully because it have all the important detail about shipment include the tracking number.
According to information from the transport company, the boxes will deliver to you in 3 working days which mean by friday, you should have receive the boxes. You must report to me as soon as your receive the boxes so that I can join you immediately and we can make to doit lodgement of monies into the banking system and doit neccessary investments. I have the secure combination codes to the boxes and I will give you later for security reasons.
I hope to meet you soon. God bless.
Pedro
I've included my response below. Just as many people have a hard time believing that the President of the United States repeatedly lied to them once they placed their confidence in him, many people have a hard time believing that they really have been taken in my scammers. I hope that my advice bore fruit in this case.
Dear XXXX:
This is definitely a scam. If you have signed any documents that affect your bank accounts or commit you to financial transactions you must cancel them immediately. Talk to your bank and anyone else in the United States. You are not alone in falling for these scams. They would not exist if people did not fall for them, after all.
If anyone threatens you or your family you must go to the police, the FBI and the Treasure Department (which has a branch than handles these Nigerian Bank scams).
Many people who get involved in these scams do not want to believe that it is a scam. The crooks count on this. The first step in helping yourself must be to come to the realization that these people are thieves.
Banks in the United States and Europe are international. They not only have branches abroad, but it is very easy to transfer money internationally. I was in Barcelona Spain in April and I had no problem accessing my bank account in the United States. If I had a Spanish bank account I could have easily transferred money to the United States. There is no reason that anyone not involved in criminal activity would need your help in opening an account and transferring money.
Although the only money transfered will be yours, to these crooks, if they really were going to transfer money it could get you into trouble with the US authorities.
The US has strict international money transfer laws, that became stricter after 9/11. It is illegal to transfer and deposit large amounts of money without declaring the source of these funds. If someone was transferring money into the US in a crate, it would be of great interest to the US authorities. If you were to deposit large sums of money, you would probably come to the notice of the banking authorities. You could be charged with a felony for doing this (after all, this is what drug runners do, move large amounts of money around).
But none of this is going to happen. There is no money, these people are liars. Yes, they have various way bills to make things look correct, but they are just stringing you along. They want to get access to your money. You must stop now before you lose thousands of dollars, as others have.
What is ironic is that these crooks tend to prey on the people who can least afford to lose the money. If your bills are piling up and you are struggling it is tempting to believe that some great good fortune has come along and offered you the way out. But when these people steal your money it will be that much worse.
There is only one correct choice, and I hope you make it. Stop now and do what you can to reverse any damage that these people have done to you. Yours,
Ian Kaplan
An Insurance Scam version of the Nigerian Bank Scam
In this version of the Nigerian Bank Scam, rather than basing the scam on unclaimed millions or money that is being smuggled out of the country, this version of the scam is based on an unclaimed insurance policy payment. Someone has died in a tragic accident and there is no next of kin. The scammer claims that an insurance payment can be collected with the recipient's help. An example is provided below. One would think that any self-respecting scammer would not use a Nigerian address. To make the scam e-mail spam generic, the scammer does not actually address the recipient by name, as would be the case if this were actually an attempt at "honest" insurance fraud. Like many of the Nigerian Bank Scams below, this scam invites the "mark" to commit fraud (in this case by supposedly posing as the heir of the insurance policy holder).
From: Mr.Arthur A.Adams
Goldbond Insurance PLC
Victoria-Island Branch,
Lagos Nigeria.
Dear Friend
Subject: Cash Accumulation Plan Policy(CAP)
My name is Mr.Arthur A. Adams,Agency Manager, Goldbond Insurance Company PLC. I am writing in respect of a foreign client(policy holder) of my insurance company [Mrs. Barbara Freeman and Jarold Freeman of America] who alongside perished in the plane crash of 31st of october1999 with (Egyptian Airline 990) with other passengers aboard as you can confirm it yourself through this website: http://www.cnn/us/9911/02/egyptair990 (a bad web link, but apparently there really was an EgyptAir 990 crash).
Since the demise of Mrs. Barbara Freeman, I personally have watched with keen interest to see her beneficiary, but all has proved abortive as no one has come to claim her benefit of (cash accumulation plan policy) of total sum amounting to us $9,860,000.00 (nine million eighthundred and sixty us dollars) only when added up the following bonus,basic allowance, waiver premium and accidental indemnity, which has been with our insurance company here for a very long time unclaimed.on this note. As no one has come to put up any claim as the beneficiary and the insurance ethic here in nigeria does not allow such claim to stay for over more than six years,because the company shall have power after six good years to discontinue the insurance and terminate the insured policy owners benefits.
In view of this I got your contact through my country's foreign trade mission, after i was convinced in my mind that your name could be used as the beneficiary to this policy holder claim.the request of a foreigner as the beneficiary to the insurance policy holder caim isoccasioned by the fact that the(client)policy holder was a foreigner and a nigerian cannot stand as the beneficiary to a foreigner in this claim.
I therefore propose that 25% of this above fund will be for you as a foreign participant in respect of your involvement, compliance and full co-operation towards the successful claim, while 5% will be for any expenses that might be incurred in the process of procuring satisfactory proof documents for back-up to enable the insurance company pay the lump sums and allowance benefits as set out under the cash accumulation plan policy (cap)scale of compensation and the rest fund will be for me.
Thereafter, I will visit your country for disbursement of fund as I am almost due for retirement. Upon the receipt of your reply, I will then send to you by fax or e-mail a draft application of beneficiary claim which you will in return forward to the insurance company head office as the beneficiary and also the next step to take. I will not fail to bring to your good notice that this deal is 100% hitch free, as the whole required arrangements has been carefully perfected for the beneficiary claim.
Please reply to email: arthur.adams@hotmail.ro
My highest considerations and regards as I await your reponse.
thank you.
Mr. Arthur A. Adams
"Friction" in a market is sometimes defined as the effort needed to bring buyers and sellers together. For example, the cost of advertising is an example of this "friction". The Internet hold out the promise of reducing some market friction by allowing sellers to cheaply avertise their products world wide. The internet also reduces the friction for scammers, looking for marks.
Nigerian Bank Scam, Version 3.0: The Shipping Fee Scam
I have been expecting that the Nigerian Bank will eventually die out as more and more potential marks learn about it. Of course scams never die, they just evolve into something else. One example of such a new species of scam is the shipping fee scam, described in the Wired news article Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.0 by Michelle Delio.
In this variation of the bank scam, the scammer poses as a buyer for an item advertised on the Internet. The scammer tells the mark that they will have someone overseas (outside of the scammers country) send the seller a cashiers check for the purchase price, plus an additional amount that the seller should wire the buyer for shipping. Such an arrangement will strike most sellers as odd, but many sellers will think that they are protected by waiting for the cashiers check to clear. The check clears and the seller forwards the shipping fee, as promised. They have now become a victim of the scammer. In Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.0 Michelle Delio writes:
The scam takes advantage of a little-known loophole in the U.S. banking system. Many people don't realize that when a bank says funds have cleared, it doesn't mean the check is good, according to Carol McKay, director of communications for the National Consumers League.
"Under federal law, depending on the type of checks deposited, banks must give consumers access to the money within one to five days. Longer holds can be placed on deposits over $5,000, but banks are reluctant to inconvenience their customers," McKay explained.
"Unfortunately, it can take weeks for fake checks to be detected in the banking system. And consumers are then left holding the bag for the money they've withdrawn. That's because it's the depositor, not the bank, who is responsible if a check turns out to be bad."
The seller has virtually no recourse, since the "shipping fee" has been forwarded to a foreign bank and the funds have disappeared.
The final quote in Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.0 pretty much sums up the issue:
"But the bottom line is this: No legitimate company will offer to pay you by arranging to send you a check and asking you to wire some of the money back. If that's the pitch, it's a scam."
Just because the check cleared does not mean that it was not fraudulent.
In his article The Perfect Mark, published in The New Yorker (May 15, 2006), Mitchell Zuckoff tells the story of John W. Worley who lost tens of thousands of dollars to Nigerian scammers and, as I write this, is serving two years in federal prison.
The Nigerian scammers passed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of forged checks through Worley's bank account. When these checks cleared, he forwarded the money to a Swiss bank account. Worley believed that this money was from investors who had contributed the money necessary to transfer the millions of dollars the scammers promised to Worley's US bank account. When it turned out that these checks were forgeries, Worley was left with both the financial and the criminal liability.
Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.1: Perform hawala services for people you've never met
These scams keep evolving. I got email from someone who almost fell victim of a variation on the cashiers check scam. Here is the scam "come on":
Dear friend,
I represent OANDO IMPORT AND EXPORT COMPANY PLC based in Australia. My company markets and exports Polymeric Polyol and other products for world trade.
We are searching for representatives who can help us establish a medium of getting to our customers in Europe and America as well as making payments through you as our payment officer. It is upon this note that we seek your assistance to stand as our representative in your country. Note that, as our representative, you will receive 10% of whatever amount you clear for the company and the balance will be paid into an account we will avail to you. Please, to facilitate the conclusion of this transaction if accepted, do send me promptly by email the following:
1. Your full names,
2. Contact address and,
3. Phone/fax numbers.
Thank you for your time.
Very Respectfully,
Mr. Steve Howard
MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO
OANDO PLC
Oando PLC is, in fact, a real company in Nigeria. They describe themselves as "second largest oil marketing company by revenues in Nigeria". As an established corporate entity, they would have relationships with international banks that can handle foreign currency transfer. Or, they could handle the transaction through their trading counterparts. They would not have to contact some random stranger to transfer money.
The person who emailed me provided their contact information. After all, it seems harmless. Not like providing bank account information. My correspondent writes:
In subsequent e-mail I was advised, that a check in the amount of $25,000.00 was in the mail to me from a company in Canada, and I was to deposit it into my bank, wait until the check had "cleared" and then send 90% of it on to Australia and enjoy the remaining 10% for myself.
Fortunately, this person's inner sense that something was wrong went off:
I could not figure out the scam, until I searched the web and found that little known US banking law, that a Bank must make my funds available to me in a few days, whether the check has actually cleared or not. That is when I stopped. Notice that we are not tossing around millions of Dollars! But when successful, the scammer in Australia will make over $22,000.00 per scam.
In many cases the people who are most tempted by these scams have strained finances. The story in the scam may seem like a life saver if you're not sleeping well at night because of the bills that are piling up. Ironically, people who are financially strained are exactly the people who can't afford to lose money in these scams.
I've been seeing more and more of these money transfer scams. Discounting their poor english, they scammers have a certain surface plausibility.
The financial-consulting company "Vision International People Group" is glad to greet you. We are a new financial company with the main office in Germany. Our company needs safe representatives of the payments.
In this letter you can read additional information about work in USA with Vision International People Group. Sales representatives (managers, financial assistants) for realization of financial and trading operations with our partners are required. Duties of sales representatives in USA include the reception of money resources from buyers and their sending to Germany. The full control of realization of financial operations and assistance in their realization. Daily hundred monetary operations from $400-$25000 passes through our company. You will have to receive the money resources from our buyers and send it on system Western Union to Germany within one day. The faster you work, the more money resources to you will receive and the more earnings you will get.
Please, do not send your resume, if you suppose you will be unable to carry out each operation within one day. Speed is one of the most important things for our company, however, we offer not 10% as usually but 20% from each carried out operation. Western Union fees are also paid by us. Working with our company is the most profitable work we offer in USA, you can receive as many money transactions as you will be able to carry out and earn 20% from the each transaction. Requirements. In order to start working with us, you need to follow the instructions below.
Send us your resume with these information:
1. Your personal information (First Name, Last Name)
2. Your home address
3. Phone number where you can be reached
The most important is your vigor, skill to communicate and desire to work in one of conducting financial companies. During work you will receive consultations from our managers (by E-mail, ICQ, Yahoo Messenger and phone).
At an initial stage at you will be a partial employment (not a full working day). As you will be typed experience volume of work and your salary will be increased. At first time you will receive to you up to $3000 per transaction. Your earnings depends on you only - the faster you will send the money to us, the more transactions you will receive.
Payment. From each carried out operation you will receive 20%. And you will leave to yourselves this sum. And you will be obliged to send other sum on system Western Union to Germany. We compensate for all your expenses. As we guarantee to you such amount of works that your payment from the very beginning will be not less 2000 USD per one month and it will grow in process of your promotion in our company. During 2006-2007 we plan opening a network of offices and representations for territories USA.
Best their sales representatives will be invited to work in these offices on higher posts. Vision International People Group Offers you to begin the career in the large international and known company.
If you want to believe in such a scam because you're finances are in desparate shape, consider this: if the money mentioned in the scam where real (which it is not), it would be illegal in the United States and most other countries to perform the transfer that the scammer requests.
On November 7, 2001, agents from the Customs, Immigration, the IRS and the FBI burst into the Dorchester, Massachusetts, offices of al-Barakaat, a Somali conglomerate with branches in forty countries, and arrested Mohamed M. Hussein, treasurer of Barakaat North America, on charges of operating an unlicensed money transfer business, or, as it was known a hawala. Al-Barakatt stood accused of raising, investing, laundering, and distributing money on behalf of al-Qaeda. Then-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill announced that its various companies were "the money movers, the quartermasters of terror." Meanwhile federal authorities were also conducting raids on suspected businesses in eight other American cities.
[...]
In July 2002, a federal judge in Massachusetts sentenced Mohamed Hussein, who had been apprehended in the offices of al-Barakaat, to eighteen months in prison.
Quartermasters of Terror by Patrick Radden Keefe, The New York Review of Books, February 10, 2005. A review of the book Blood from Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror by Douglas Farah, Broadway Books, 2004
Again, even in the wildly unlikely event that the money was real such a transaction could land you in real trouble. You have no idea who the people are in this transaction. They could be terrorists or illegal drug dealers. Performing such a a transfer could land you in federal prison. Regardless of whether you think that this "proposal" is real or not, it is a bad idea. Don't do it!
Here's yet another variation on the above scam. You should never act as a middleman in shipping packages. The claim about avoiding VAT taxes is suspicious. They are either after your money, or they are shipping something illegal, using you as an intermediate. Imagine trying to explain to the authorities that you really didn't know that the packages contained illegal drugs. Don't fall for this scam. No reputable business uses SPAM to advertise or to get "business partners".
My name is Mark Birman I'm job manager in RuAmerica corporation. We're searching for new partnerships in continental USA.
Let me say few words about our company. We're working for several years worldwide, providing the best service in Shipping and Transporting. We work with European countries for 4 years. Our partners are USPS, FedEx, DHL, Ebay, Amazon and many other shipping companies and shops. We're providing financial services too.
Let me say about the position we offer. It is called Correspondence Assistant/Representative. It is new position for us, and it is very valuable now. In August 2003, many European countries changes their rules for customs and taxes for merchandise, sent from countries, that don't belong to EU. This means, that package that is sent from a company - will be a subject for VAT in Europe, but the package that is sent from a person - doesn't have VAT. Because of that, prices for shipping services grow, and we try to reduce them. And we need YOU.
Your task - to receive packages that will be delivered to you, and redirect them, following our instructions. Packages will be delivered by courriers to your location. Then you will be given money for shipping fees. Your fee is 25 USD per package you receive. No start up fees! No out of pocket fees! Nothing to pay!
IMPORTANT. We put names of our customers on the packages, so names will be different from yours.
We will inform you about incoming packages. We pay you via PayPal, wire transfer, Check, Money Order or Western Union. Your commissions will be paid every two weeks. We will make agreement which you will sign and return back to us. In this document all responsibilities and duties will be conrirmed. If you are interested in this offer, or have more questions please fill application form refer to http://hiramjr.com/vacancies.asp.htm
Thank you for your time.
Best regards, Mark Birman Tel/Fax : (910) 401-1021
Bitter experience with the "shipping transfer" scam
I am happy to write that this web page has saved a few people from the thieves who run these scams and caused other who intially fell victim to think about what is happening. I got the following email (I've withheld the names and done some minor editing):
My name is XXXX and I have received one of these scams. I have actually fallen for it, and would have fallen for it completely, if it wasn't for a good friend who told me to research this because she remember hearing about this scam. Otherwise I would have not have found your website.
My story goes that Pedro Baretto needed help to get his family to America, and that the money was going to be sent to me to help establish accounts and investments. I have gone as far as signing the benificary paper. Also the funds were to be sent to me and I was to receive them through E PICXPRESS PARCEL SERVICES on Friday October 14 (2005). I even have a tracking number that was sent to me with the documents of shipment. Tracking # TRE4031EXS. Please help me I do not know how to get out of this if this really is a scam. I have a family and do not want anything to happen to me.
The person above forwarded me "Pedro's" email, which I've left uncorrected so that you can appreciate once again the english stylings of scammers:
Hallo,
They have finally doit the shipment of the boxes yesterday; the boxes have dispatch and will be deliver via London transit point to you in US. For security of reasons, the content of the boxes is declare as classified documents and insurance bonds instead of cash; hence do not disclose the actual contents of the boxes to the carrier company. I have attach the waybill of shipment to this email, so please print it out and go through it very carefully because it have all the important detail about shipment include the tracking number.
According to information from the transport company, the boxes will deliver to you in 3 working days which mean by friday, you should have receive the boxes. You must report to me as soon as your receive the boxes so that I can join you immediately and we can make to doit lodgement of monies into the banking system and doit neccessary investments. I have the secure combination codes to the boxes and I will give you later for security reasons.
I hope to meet you soon. God bless.
Pedro
I've included my response below. Just as many people have a hard time believing that the President of the United States repeatedly lied to them once they placed their confidence in him, many people have a hard time believing that they really have been taken in my scammers. I hope that my advice bore fruit in this case.
Dear XXXX:
This is definitely a scam. If you have signed any documents that affect your bank accounts or commit you to financial transactions you must cancel them immediately. Talk to your bank and anyone else in the United States. You are not alone in falling for these scams. They would not exist if people did not fall for them, after all.
If anyone threatens you or your family you must go to the police, the FBI and the Treasure Department (which has a branch than handles these Nigerian Bank scams).
Many people who get involved in these scams do not want to believe that it is a scam. The crooks count on this. The first step in helping yourself must be to come to the realization that these people are thieves.
Banks in the United States and Europe are international. They not only have branches abroad, but it is very easy to transfer money internationally. I was in Barcelona Spain in April and I had no problem accessing my bank account in the United States. If I had a Spanish bank account I could have easily transferred money to the United States. There is no reason that anyone not involved in criminal activity would need your help in opening an account and transferring money.
Although the only money transfered will be yours, to these crooks, if they really were going to transfer money it could get you into trouble with the US authorities.
The US has strict international money transfer laws, that became stricter after 9/11. It is illegal to transfer and deposit large amounts of money without declaring the source of these funds. If someone was transferring money into the US in a crate, it would be of great interest to the US authorities. If you were to deposit large sums of money, you would probably come to the notice of the banking authorities. You could be charged with a felony for doing this (after all, this is what drug runners do, move large amounts of money around).
But none of this is going to happen. There is no money, these people are liars. Yes, they have various way bills to make things look correct, but they are just stringing you along. They want to get access to your money. You must stop now before you lose thousands of dollars, as others have.
What is ironic is that these crooks tend to prey on the people who can least afford to lose the money. If your bills are piling up and you are struggling it is tempting to believe that some great good fortune has come along and offered you the way out. But when these people steal your money it will be that much worse.
There is only one correct choice, and I hope you make it. Stop now and do what you can to reverse any damage that these people have done to you. Yours,
Ian Kaplan
An Insurance Scam version of the Nigerian Bank Scam
In this version of the Nigerian Bank Scam, rather than basing the scam on unclaimed millions or money that is being smuggled out of the country, this version of the scam is based on an unclaimed insurance policy payment. Someone has died in a tragic accident and there is no next of kin. The scammer claims that an insurance payment can be collected with the recipient's help. An example is provided below. One would think that any self-respecting scammer would not use a Nigerian address. To make the scam e-mail spam generic, the scammer does not actually address the recipient by name, as would be the case if this were actually an attempt at "honest" insurance fraud. Like many of the Nigerian Bank Scams below, this scam invites the "mark" to commit fraud (in this case by supposedly posing as the heir of the insurance policy holder).
From: Mr.Arthur A.Adams
Goldbond Insurance PLC
Victoria-Island Branch,
Lagos Nigeria.
Dear Friend
Subject: Cash Accumulation Plan Policy(CAP)
My name is Mr.Arthur A. Adams,Agency Manager, Goldbond Insurance Company PLC. I am writing in respect of a foreign client(policy holder) of my insurance company [Mrs. Barbara Freeman and Jarold Freeman of America] who alongside perished in the plane crash of 31st of october1999 with (Egyptian Airline 990) with other passengers aboard as you can confirm it yourself through this website: http://www.cnn/us/9911/02/egyptair990 (a bad web link, but apparently there really was an EgyptAir 990 crash).
Since the demise of Mrs. Barbara Freeman, I personally have watched with keen interest to see her beneficiary, but all has proved abortive as no one has come to claim her benefit of (cash accumulation plan policy) of total sum amounting to us $9,860,000.00 (nine million eighthundred and sixty us dollars) only when added up the following bonus,basic allowance, waiver premium and accidental indemnity, which has been with our insurance company here for a very long time unclaimed.on this note. As no one has come to put up any claim as the beneficiary and the insurance ethic here in nigeria does not allow such claim to stay for over more than six years,because the company shall have power after six good years to discontinue the insurance and terminate the insured policy owners benefits.
In view of this I got your contact through my country's foreign trade mission, after i was convinced in my mind that your name could be used as the beneficiary to this policy holder claim.the request of a foreigner as the beneficiary to the insurance policy holder caim isoccasioned by the fact that the(client)policy holder was a foreigner and a nigerian cannot stand as the beneficiary to a foreigner in this claim.
I therefore propose that 25% of this above fund will be for you as a foreign participant in respect of your involvement, compliance and full co-operation towards the successful claim, while 5% will be for any expenses that might be incurred in the process of procuring satisfactory proof documents for back-up to enable the insurance company pay the lump sums and allowance benefits as set out under the cash accumulation plan policy (cap)scale of compensation and the rest fund will be for me.
Thereafter, I will visit your country for disbursement of fund as I am almost due for retirement. Upon the receipt of your reply, I will then send to you by fax or e-mail a draft application of beneficiary claim which you will in return forward to the insurance company head office as the beneficiary and also the next step to take. I will not fail to bring to your good notice that this deal is 100% hitch free, as the whole required arrangements has been carefully perfected for the beneficiary claim.
Please reply to email: arthur.adams@hotmail.ro
My highest considerations and regards as I await your reponse.
thank you.
Mr. Arthur A. Adams
Guide created: 11/18/06 (updated 03/05/08)
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