The Latest Scams

The scammers stay many steps ahead of those trying to catch them

We have been warned in Oregon by our Attorney General - and I'm sure it is elsewhere as well [in the USA] :

The scams about the stimulus money are here!

Please be careful if you get calls, emails or snail mail asking for personal information "necessary" for you to get your share of the stimulus package money....

If you are due any money - you will get it -

The scammers are out to get to your bank accounts and credit/debit cards to take your moey AWAY from you...

Also be very aware in this bad economy to not fall into the get rich quick schemes that are abounding. My email has been getting hit hard every day with more of those "we have your money waiting for you" and the otehr ones I have written about over time - only now they are coming at a faster pace due to the bad world wide economy.

Stay safe and if in doubt - call your Attorney General's Office to ask. There is no such thing as a silly question about money these days.

New scam using IRS as "bait"

This came today...

After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $109.30. Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 6-9 days in order to process it.

A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons. For example submitting invalid records or
applying after the deadline.

To access the form for your tax refund, please click here :

http://www.xxxxxxxxxxx

Regards,
Internal Revenue Service

© Copyright 2007, Internal Revenue Service U.S.A..

If you get this DO not fill out the form..they want your VISA, MC number, expiration date and code...to get your "refund"

The IRS does not have your email address - if you were getting a refund - you would get a notice in the MAIL saying that and stating why the refund!

Beware - there are new scams every day - I keep being asked to fill out forms for banks that I don't use...guess the scammers hope to hit a live one...

Update on the 23rd...

Now I have received 3 or 4 of these IRS refund notices...so be more aware - they are ALL scams - the IRS does not hound you about refunds...it sends them out!

The scams get funnier by the day

There seems to be a cycle to the banking scams. Of late the ones I get all indicate that they "received" my information and are just confirming it before they actually "send" the millions.

Today's version indicates they are about to send "my" money to a particular person and indicate that person's name and banking information and ask me if that is actually "my" representative.
[I have removed the name and bank info they used.]

The funniest part is that the sender uses this as his "title:"

Paymaster General of the Federation,
Federal Ministry of Finance

Sorry but no legitimate banking people would be offering to break all manner of law to send me any money...or to send you any money either. And what exactly is a senate committee for foreign over due fund transfer?

Beware of these scams - laugh at them and delete them...or post them here for all of us to read : - )

Attn: Honourable Beneficiary,

Re: Your Over Due Contract/Inheritance Funds Approval.

This is to notify you that your over due contract/inheritance funds has been gazette to be released, via key telex transfer (KTT) -direct wire transfer to you or through any of our correspondent bank nominated by the senate committee for foreign over due fund transfer.

Meanwhile, a man came to my office few days ago with a letter, claiming to be your true representative. Here are his information for you to confirm to this office if this man is truly from you or not so that the Federal Government will not be held responsible for paying into the wrong account.

Name: [removed]
Bank Name: [removed]
Bank Address: Henderson,NV, USA 89014
Account Number: [removed]
Routing Number: [removed]

Please, do reconfirm to this office, as a matter of urgency if this man is from you. You are requested to fill and send this information for verifications purposes so that your fund valued U.S$12.5 Million Dollars will be remitted into your nominated bank account as follow:

(1) Your Full Name And Address:
(2) Your Age And Marital Status:
(3) Your Occupation:
(4) Your Telephone/Fax Number:
(5) Your Nationality:
(6) Your Bank Account Detail:

As soon as we receive the above requested information, we will commence with all necessary procedures in other to remit your money/funds into your account.

However, we shall proceed to issue all payments details to the said Mr. [removed], if we do not hear from you within the next seven working days from today. We are sorry for any inconvenience the delay in transferring of this fund must have caused you.

Best regards,

Dr. Jubril Bello
Paymaster General of the Federation,
Federal Ministry of Finance.