Advance Fee Fraud: Richard Dolls Foundation
I felt that this one was worth noting, because I don't recall having seen a 419 disguised as a conference invitation before. The bait here is the part that says, "Richard Dolls Foundation has set up an Access Fund to support the travel costs for all qualified participants." Depending on their modus operandi, they'll either ask for money up front (and never send you anything in return), or send you a fake cheque, get you to bank it, and then send them money based on the proceeds -- leaving you to foot the bill when the cheque bounces.
How do I know this is a scam? Easy. For starters, it's spam. For seconds, it's from a Yahoo freemail account. For thirds, "Richard Dolls Foundation?" Where do they get these names? And last, but certainly not least, the originating IP address of the spam was 77.70.128.146, which is presently delegated to a service provider in sunny Nigeria. 'Nuff said.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Richard Doll Foundation <infor_dollfoundation@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: 19-Jul-2007 03:14
Subject: Call To Participate
To: doll_foundation1@yahoo.co.uk
Hello Delegate,
This is a Call for Participation in an INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NGOs holding from 20th August till the 30th of September 2007 in London, United Kingdom where as many as 200 participants from across the world including Health Practitioners, Professionals in relevant fields, Lawyers, Psychologists, Women and Youth Development Groups, Government Officials, Donor Agencies and participating NGOs will meet to discuss issues pertaining to the Welfare of NGOs...and also to meet others like yourself; to learn, teach, inspire and being inspired. This event will be exploring the potential of a practical approach that will unleash and nurture the human capacity to create, collaborate and change positively, the world at large.
What are the objectives of this meeting? The meeting will provide a medium where participating individuals and NGOs will convene to address and discuss ways of improving key Humanitarian issues and topics with much emphasis on Human Rights, Gender Equality, Peace and Security, Social and Economic Development, Youth and Children, Health Education, Ethics and Value and Environmental Protection. Participating NGOs will have direct access to grants by International Donor Agencies.
The opening Lecture will be held by Dr Mrs Artemisa Franco who is the President of the Center for Human Rights Research and Development, Maputo - Mozambique.The program will include:
* Thought-provoking plenaries
* In-depth breakout and dinner sessions for strategy-development
* Capacity and skills-building sessions; and
* Debates to stimulate discussion.
In addition to the main program, the meeting will also host book launches, artistic and cultural activities, exhibitions, plenty of space and opportunity for informal networking and alliance building.
All plenaries and selected breakout sessions will have interpretation into English, Spanish and French.
Who can participate? What happens if more than 200 participants apply? Anyone who is a member of an NGO, Professionals in related fields, Students Unions, Lecturers of Universities and Community based organizations, the Clergy as well as women and youth development groups can apply to participate.
If more than 200 people apply (as we anticipate), a global selection committee will select a representative 200 from among the applicants. This committee will ensure that the participants at the meeting are truly international and represent a diverse range of interests, issues, and regions.
The events shall commence on the 20th till the 30th of July 2007 at Abba Queens Gate Hotel London.
I can't afford the cost - Can you help? Richard Dolls Foundation has set up an Access Fund to support the travel costs for all qualified participants.
How do I apply, and when is the deadline? All Interested organizations should send an email to the Local Organizing Committee. Participants MUST be a group of 1-3 persons to qualify for registration.
Contact Person: Rev. George Solomon
Email: infor_dollfoundation@yahoo.co.uk
Regards,
Local Organizing Committee
Richard Dolls Foundation
Yahoo! Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Try it now.
20 comments:
Thank you for this article.We have got this email today also and only pasting to google has shown me, that
it is dangerous spam. Nice time!
Jindriska
these guys get more and more creative all the time.
i do something similar on my blog but for SEO cheaters.
http://thehapps.wordpress.com/
not trying to spam but thought you might be interested.
Thank you so much for the information that it is spam.
We got this email today, and thought it was for real.
If i hadnt pasted in google, wouldnt have realised it!!!!
thanks again.
Vishnupriya
Thanks to a correspondent for providing me with further information about this scam. If you apply for the fund, you will be approved, but "to convince us your readiness to participate in the conference, you are to book for hotel reservation with Abba Queen's Gate Hotel, which is the venue for the conference."
The cost of this reservation is not included in the fund, apparently, and they want you to send your reservation fee via Western Union money transfer -- the payment method preferred by ten out of ten Nigerian scammers. In order to lend credibility to the idea that you are communicating with the Abba Queen's Gate Hotel, the scammers have fraudulently registered the domain "abbaqueenhotel.com", and use an email address in that domain.
This is just a typical case of advance fee fraud: they lure you in with false promises, then ask for money to cover certain incidental costs. Never send any money in advance: it's just way too easy to be ripped off, and it happens all too frequently.
Thank you guys - we almost got in!
Anya
Digital Divide is Good ! How many will become the scape Goat ! Blistering Barnacles ! Thundering Typhoons !
Hemanta
Hi!
We´ve also received this but with different date and contact person :
Hello Delegate,
This is a Call for Participation in an INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NGOs holding from 21th November till the 31th of November 2007 in London, United Kingdom where as many as 200 participants from across the world including Cooperate Individuals, Health Practitioners Scientists, Professionals in relevant fields, Lawyers, Psychologists, Women and Youth Development Groups, Government Officials, Donor Agencies and participating NGOs will meet to discuss issues pertaining to the Welfare of NGOs...and also to meet others like yourself; to learn, teach, inspire and being inspired. This event will be exploring the potential of a practical approach that will unleash and nurture the human capacity to create, collaborate and change positively, the world at large.
What are the objectives of this meeting? The meeting will provide a medium where participating individuals and NGOs will convene to address and discuss ways of improving key Humanitarian issues and topics with much emphasis on Human Rights, Gender Equality, Peace and Security, Social and Economic Development, Youth and Children, Health Education, Ethics and Value and Environmental Protection. Participating NGOs will have direct access to grants by International Donor Agencies.
The opening Lecture will be held by Dr. Mrs Artemis a Franco who is the President of the Center for Human Rights Research and Development, Maputo - Mozambique.
The program will include:
* Thought-provoking plenaries
* In-depth breakout and dinner sessions for strategy-development.
* Capacity and skills-building sessions; and
* Debates to stimulate discussion.
In addition to the main program, the meeting will also host book launches, artistic and cultural activities, exhibitions, plenty of space and opportunity for informal networking and alliance building. All plenaries and selected breakout sessions will have interpretation into English, Spanish and French.Who can participate? What happens if more than 200participants apply? Anyone who is a member of an NGO, Professionals in related fields, Students Unions,Lecturers of Universities and Community based organizations, the Clergy as well as women and youth development groups can apply to participate.
If more than 200 people apply (as we anticipate), a global selection committee will select a representative 200 from among the applicants. This committee will ensure that the participants at the meeting are truly international and represent a diverse range of interests, issues, and regions.
The events shall commence on the 21th of October till the 31th of October 2007 at Abba Queens Gate Hotel London.I can't afford the cost - Can you help? Richard Dolls Foundation has set up an Access Fund to support the travel costs for all qualified participants.
How do I apply, and when is the deadline? All Interested organizations should send an email to the Local Organizing Committee. Participants MUST be a group of 1-3 persons to qualify for registration.
Contact Person: Fr.Charles Bowei
Email: dollsfoundation@ uymail.com
Regards,
Local Organizing Committee
Richard Doll Foundation
Thank you so much for this. We, the Cyprus Youth Council, have also received this.. It's amazing that you need to google everything before taking things seriously.
Thanks a lot...
Hi all,
This is becoming a more common form of advance fee fraud. I run a charity that does international conferences and we get quite a few of these, in various guises:
- - - - -
Dear Friend,
My name is Nataley Bashford,a female working with(WORLDYOUTH ORGANIZATION FOR HUMAN WELFARE) California, U.S.A. We are organizing a global youths combined conferences taking place from December 3rd-5th 2007 at California in the United States and in Dakar Senegal from December 8th-11th 2007.It is our request to invite people from various countries around the world,i went in search of e-mails on the web site as a means of contacting Youths and Organizations .As a result,I picked your e-mail from an I.N.G.O/ N.G.O`s website.
If you are interested to participate and want to represent your country,you may contact the secretariat of the organizing committee for details and information.You should also inform them that you were invited to participate by a friend of yours Nataley Bashford, who is a member of the American Youths For Peace and a staff of (WORLD YOUTH ORGANIZATION FOR HUMAN WELFARE).
I believe that we may have the opportunity to meet if you may be willing to participate in this event. You can also inform Youths & I.N.GO./ NGOs in your country about these conference.The benevolent donors of the Organizing Committee will provide round trip air tickets and accommodation for the period of participants Stay in the U.S.A If you are a holder of passport that may require visa to enter the United States you may inform the conference secretary at the time of registration, as the organizing committee is responsible for all visa arrangements and travel assistances.If you are interested kindly reply me so that i can let you have the contact of our secretary for further informations as regards this conference.
Looking forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Nataley Bashford
info_natbash@pc.nu
- - - - -
London-Uk: 10 September, 2007
Hello Delegate,
This is a Call for Participation in an INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NGOs holding from 20th November till the 30th of November 2007 in London, United Kingdom where as many as 200 participants from across the world including Health Practitioners, Professionals in relevant fields, Lawyers, Psychologists, Women and Youth Development Groups, Government Officials, Donor Agencies and participating NGOs will meet to discuss issues pertaining to the Welfare of NGOs...and also to meet others like yourself; to learn, teach, inspire and being inspired. This event will be exploring the potential of a practical approach that will unleash and nurture the human capacity to create, collaborate and change positively, the world at large.
What are the objectives of this meeting? The meeting will provide a medium where participating individuals and NGOs will convene to address and discuss ways of improving key Humanitarian issues and topics with much emphasis on Human Rights, Gender Equality, Peace and Security, Social and Economic Development, Youth and Children, Health Education, Ethics and Value and Environmental Protection. Participating NGOs will have direct access to grants by International Donor Agencies.
The opening Lecture will be held by Dr Mrs Artemisa Franco who is the President of the Center for Human Rights Research and Development, Maputo - Mozambique.The program will include:
* Thought-provoking plenaries
* In-depth breakout and dinner sessions for strategy-development
* Capacity and skills-building sessions; and
* Debates to stimulate discussion.
In addition to the main program, the meeting will also host book launches, artistic and cultural activities, exhibitions, plenty of space and opportunity for informal networking and alliance building.
All plenaries and selected breakout sessions will have interpretation into English, Spanish and French.
Who can participate? What happens if more than 200 participants apply? Anyone who is a member of an NGO, Professionals in related fields, Students Unions, Lecturers of Universities and Community based organizations, the Clergy as well as women and youth development groups can apply to participate.
If more than 200 people apply (as we anticipate), a global selection committee will select a representative 200 from among the applicants. This committee will ensure that the participants at the meeting are truly international and represent a diverse range of interests, issues, and regions.
The events shall commence on the 20th till the 30th of November 2007 at Abba Queens Gate Hotel London.
I can't afford the cost - Can you help? Richard Dolls Foundation has set up an Access Fund to support the travel costs for all qualified participants.
How do I apply, and when is the deadline? All Interested organizations should send an email to the Local Organizing Committee. Participants MUST be a group of 1-3 persons to qualify for registration.
Contact Person: Rev. Stephen Berg.
Email: steveberg47@yahoo.com
Regards,
Local Organizing Committee
Richard Dolls Foundation
- - - - -
Basically, when you are running a real conference, you would have already spoken to the people you invite, and you would certainly have given them more information - conference website, keynote speakers, venue, etc. etc., before you asked them to register for the conference. And you would have proof-read the email for errors of grammar, spelling and capitalization.
I find a little bit of skepticism about any email you receive goes a long way.
Cheers,
Matthew.
Thanks for the article, we almost got in ourselves. Sad to see how they come up with such novel ideas to rip people off. If only it would be real :/, it would really be a nice opportunity for NGO's.
Good job, guys. I got suspicious from very beginning (especially that part about hotel bill not covered, but som thausand pounds offered in the same time), but only now I am sure. Thanks, Gustav (Slovakia)
P.S. But how they got our E-mail addresses?
thank you for your website. I have just received this NGO scam and felt it was not ridgy-didge so googled the alleged foundation.
I am secretary of a small voluntary ngo.
Jphn L (March 2 -08
This trick spam has returned to one's old ways this year, and I've been on the point of falling. Fuck with these pig bastards. Dolls Foundation is a den of thieves.
Nice time¡
Sir Richard Doll is a famous epidemiologist, and so the mail may to health professionals at first sight seem interesting and convincing. But for the reasons you list it walks like a scam, talks like a scam, and looks like a scam, and so it must be a scam...
hi guys.....gr8 job
cld anyone pls verify this mail for me......
It is of utmost importance to inform you that after the screening and scrutiny of your
Curriculum Vitae with other verification procedures carried out, JULIAN HODGE BANK LIMITED (UK)
were able to resolve the status of your application.
On this note, we hereby congratulate you on the success of your application and as such we
have attached to you the Soft copy of Official Offer Letter/Terms of Agreement that transcends any
written document. You are therefore required to follow these procedures IMMEDIATELY so as to complete your employment formalities:
(1) You are to contact the (WALKER SOLICITORS IMMIGRATION) for a valid Work-Permit/Employment
Authorization Document IMMEDIATELY so as to enable you work in London legally.
Note that the procurement of your work-permit MUST not exceed the deadline as stipulated
in the offer letter as it would take Three (3) working days for the (MORGAN WALKER SOLICITORS IMMIGRATION) to procure your Work-permit & Resident-permit before the United kingdom high commission.
Below are the contact details of the (MORGAN WALKER SOLICITORs IMMIGRATION):
Name: UK Visa Services
Contact Person: CONTROLLER (Brian Mathew)
Contact Email: visa-workpermit@immisolicitor.com
Contact Telephone: Tel: +44 70 2402 2908
Designation: VISA, WORK/RESIDENT DEPARTMENT
(2) Do get back to us with developments and updates regarding the procurement of your valid work-permit.
(3) Once we confirm your works and residence permit from the MORGAN WALKER SOLICITORs IMMIGRATION, which
stipulates that you are ready to join the team, we will take care of your flight ticket and any money which you spend in the procurement of your Uk Valid papers will be reimbursed to you during your first month upfront salary.
NOTICE :All employees of JULIAN HODGE BANK LIMITED must procure the UK valid work/resident permit papers before they can be given first month salary,flight ticket and other monetary benefits which will enable them take care of their local expenses before they embark on their trip to LONDON.
You are required to contact the (General Manager) incase of any clarifications. Any clarification sent outside the General Manager Contact will not be treated and clarified.
Below with his contact information.
Contact Person:MR. D.M Austin
The Managing Director
Julian hodge Bank
Telephone:+44702 407 4959
E-mail:manager@julianhb.com
We hereby once more congratulate you on the success of your application amongst many that have applied and thereby instruct you to expedite all requirements as aforementioned so as to be able to meet the team before the deadline.
REGARDS
HUMAN RESUORCE DEPARTMENT
UNITED KINGDON (LONDON)
The scam is this: having been promised a job, they require that you obtain a work permit. The so-called solicitors to which you have been directed are just the same scammers again, and they will charge you a modest fee for the "work permit". It's advance fee fraud: they con you into paying them money for something that doesn't exist. Call their bluff: tell your so-called employers that they can pay the fee themselves, or there's no deal. If you've been offered a job, you should not pay anything in order to start work. It is your employer's sole duty to cover those incidental expenses, if they exist.
thanks for the advice you have given the public about the fraud that is going on the net. i received the same from one richard doll foundation calling for ngo top participate in internation meeting to be held in november in usa. thanks for exposing the scam and continue with good work
9th October 2008, I recieved this same email.
Lets think of some standard process to all delegates to verify in google first.
Thnaks for posting!
Hello,
I also got this 3 days back, i was tottally in.....who r that fuckers do u these type mischeaveous, cheating things, if they come in front i will really hang them....
thank for google...
dont ever enter in these type of things...
To day i got like this email, i found the real one through google search. thanks
Cos
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