Current Status

This blog is not frequently updated because most case-by-case scam reports are now listed in subordinate blogs. At this point in time, most of my efforts are targeted at documenting employment scams in the Suckers Wanted blog.

2005-12-16

Job Scam: fastjobseek.org

Here's another job scam that's doing the rounds. I'm a tad late with this one, because it got trapped in a spam filtering system. Text of the spam follows.

 Greetings.

Are you really looking for a job? Maybe you looking for just additional
money you can earn? Or you are in need of money real bad? You're a
student and you need a good job ? You found it!

Our company welcomes people who wants to work, with enthusiasm, all
over the world. You will not have any problem with money ever if you will
workwith us. If you're ready then start right ahead and you will get paid
with a stable salary.

Employee requirements:

1. Age 18-45 y/o.
2. Enthusiastic/Workaholic.
3. Little computer kowledge.
4. NO school degree required.

If you're satisfied with requirements then you can start right ahead
and make a registration on our website, you will get your own working
account . http://www.fastjobseek.org click "Register" . After
registration we will contact you and our advisors will provide you with
information and your account information, login and password.

Few words about our company:

2TRADE FINANCE COMPANY Established in 1995 in Croatia Republic, during
all this time achieved big results in sales field and marketing. First we started working just
within our country. Later on we axpanded all over the world when we started working in
marketing field, and we are doing really good these days, almost at the top if it comes to financial
sales of worldwide market. And now we are glad for our achievements and we work
worldwide. We always hiring new and new good workers and financial assistants in countries
where we just started expanding.

Our vacancies:Now clients of our company conduct financial operations all over the world including
Austrlia and New Zeland, but due to sufficient perfection in Banking Service we have some difficulties in translation and reorganization of our business, therefore we are planning to open branches in which
we require Australians and New Zelands. Now we are looking for financial assistants who will be
responsible to accept payments from our clients. At this moment we provide and offer work at
home, after opening offices in Australia and New Zeland, you will have an opportunity for working in
our offices as well.

Today we are looking for financial assistants that will be responsible to accept payments from clients
through bank transfer, because of imperfection of bank system. Australia and New Zelands partners of our
clients have some difficulties with sending bank translations and cheques to East Europe. You can make 10 % commission from every transfer you will receive through relative to our business. The rest needs to be
transferred to our company's representative by Western Union; all Western Union fees are paid by us.
On average you will be making 2,000 NZD per week.

We believe that you can get good future and achievements in our business..If our offer is interesting to you,
please feel free in sending a mail to our HR office. For more information our crew of Human Resources is
ready to answer all your questions.

Best Regards
In Trade co.
contact@fastjobseek.org

2005-12-12

Advance Fee Fraud: Miss Odette Amon

This is a relatively new form of advance fee fraud that's starting to proiferate. Instead of the all-too-common story about millions of dollars that need discreet repatriation, we have a random young lady showing an interest in my profile. If I reply to this, I'll commence communication with a virtual nymph who wants to travel to my country, but needs financial assistance (and more financial assistance, and more financial assistance, and so on). She'll even send me a photo -- it will be a photo of a model lifted off the Internet somewhere, not a photo of "her".

This is noteworthy in that the address to which it was sent is the one I have on my personal home page, and that address is protected by Javascript. That is usually a very effective way of keeping unwanted harvesters from noticing the address, but in this case the address isn't a harvested one: the sender obtained it manually. The message was sent through Yahoo! mail on Mon, 12 Dec 2005 12:24:19 +0000, and the sender was at 213.136.127.190 (Adsl-213-136-127-190.aviso.ci -- West Africa strikes again). According to my web server logs, I've had a visitor from that address. The visitor arrived through a totally unrelated web search, read my web page for a while, then clicked through to my personal home page. The 419 arrived some 25 minutes after that.

You have to hand it to these 419ers -- they can take a really personal interest in defrauding you.

            Dearest one,

  My name is Miss Odette Amon, I am 21 years old. I do went through your profile and I like it, I will be very happy, if you can contact me through my private mail box: odetteamon3(at)yahoo dot com, because I have something very important to share with you, if you don't mind. Or provide me your mail address to enable me pass the message to you and I also promised to send you my pictures immediately I confirm your mail.

  Thanks and remain blessed

  Miss Odette Amon.

Maybe I should reply to "Miss Odette Amon", even if he is a naughty scammer from the Ivory Coast.

Update 2005-12-13 09:56

This is starting to look like the more traditional 419 now. The reply I have received is as follows.

Dearest Beloved One,

Many thanks for your prompt response to my message; I appreciate your kind gesture to find time to give response to my message.

I am very sorry for coming to you in this way and inconvenience this mail may cause you but I believe firmly that through the basis of humanitarian assistance my plea will be threaten with favorable attention.

I am MISS ODETTE AMON the only daughter of late MR and MRS ABUDL AMON whom was killed by the rebels that attacked our country Cote d 'Ivoire (West Africa) and took over our town (BOUAKE).

I ran to Abidjan the economical capital of Cote d 'Ivoire from were I am contacting you. Before the death of my father he told me that he has a sum of US$4.5, 000,000 (Four million five hundred thousand united states dollars) kept in a Local Bank here in Cote d' Ivoire in my name as the next of kin.

Sir, in the capacity of the next of kin, I am contacting you with due sense of humanity and responsibility and with few awareness that you will give it a sympathetic and mutual consideration.

Now permit me to ask these few questions: -
(1) Can you honestly help me as a guardian?
(2) Can I completely trust you?
(3) What percentage of the total amount in question will be good for you after the money is in your account?
(4) To make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my educational career and to secure a residential permit for me in your country.

(5) To provide good investment plans for the fund and to manage the fund.

Furthermore, you can indicate your option towards assisting me as I believe that this transaction would be concluded within a stipulated period of time you signify your interest to assist me.

Anticipating hearing from you immediately.

Thanks and God bless.

Yours Sincerely

Miss Odette Amon

It hardly seems worth replying.

2005-12-02

Job Scam: 2Trade Finance Company

Just another money laundering job: you receive stolen money and forward it on to the theives, then the police trace the money to you. Simple, no? Lousy long-term prospects, though. This one was received from 213.4.19.84 on Mon, 28 Nov 2005 14:43:36 -0000. I'd have reported it sooner, but there's an additional spam-catcher on that particular account, and it caught it, so it wasn't brought to my attention quickly.

 Greetings.

Are you really looking for a job? Maybe you looking for just additional
money you can earn? Or you are in need of money real bad? You're a
student and you need a good job ? You found it!

Our company welcomes people who wants to work, with enthusiasm, all
over the world. You will not have any problem with money ever if you will
workwith us. If you're ready then start right ahead and you will get paid
with a stable salary.

Employee requirements:

1. Age 18-45 y/o.
2. Enthusiastic/Workaholic.
3. Little computer kowledge.
4. NO school degree required.

If you're satisfied with requirements then you can start right ahead
and make a registration on our website, you will get your own working
account . http://www.2tradecompany.com click "Register" . After
registration we will contact you and our advisors will provide you with
information and your account information, login and password.

Few words about our company:

2TRADE FINANCE COMPANY Established in 1995 in Moldova Republic, during
all this time achieved big results in sales field and marketing. First we started working just
within our country. Later on we axpanded all over the world when we started working in
marketing field, and we are doing really good these days, almost at the top if it comes to financial
sales of worldwide market. And now we are glad for our achievements and we work
worldwide. We always hiring new and new good workers and financial assistants in countries
where we just started expanding.

Our vacancies:Now clients of our company conduct financial operations all over the world including
Austrlia and New Zeland, but due to sufficient perfection in Banking Service we have some difficulties in translation and reorganization of our business, therefore we are planning to open branches in which
we require Australians and New Zelands. Now we are looking for financial assistants who will be
responsible to accept payments from our clients. At this moment we provide and offer work at
home, after opening offices in Australia and New Zeland, you will have an opportunity for working in
our offices as well.

Today we are looking for financial assistants that will be responsible to accept payments from clients
through bank transfer, because of imperfection of bank system. Australia and New Zelands partners of our
clients have some difficulties with sending bank translations and cheques to East Europe. You can make 10 % commission from every transfer you will receive through relative to our business. The rest needs to be
transferred to our company's representative by Western Union; all Western Union fees are paid by us.
On average you will be making 2,000 NZD per week.

We believe that you can get good future and achievements in our business.If our offer is interesting to you,
please feel free in sending a mail to our HR office. For more information our crew of Human Resources is
ready to answer all your questions.

Best Regards
2Trade Company Inc.
contact@2tradecompany.com