Spam: P.P. Bankcard Services

Here's a slightly interesting thing. This is spam, straightforwardly enough: it was sent to my Gmail account, and I have never corresponded with this party, let alone sent mail with the subject to which this is supposed to be a reply. So what's the motive behind the scam? Is it an actual business just trying to drum up custom through spam? More likely it's a kind of phishing, because the scammers are only interested in companies that do at least $300,000 a year in credit card or check sales. If anyone replies to this with an expression of interest, they've just marked their network as worth compromising, and they'll likely receive a reply containing attachments with malicious payloads, designed to leave back doors into the system for these miscreants to use.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John Tucker <bancardoffice@gmail.com>
Date: 26 Sep 2007 04:10
Subject: Re: Phone Call For Merchant Account
To: Owner <ideceive@gmail.com>


Hello this is John Tucker with P.P. Bankcard Services, we help businesses setup, reduce, and clarify credit, debit, check, and atm processing costs. Our company even works with businesses that are considered "high risk" by other Processors.

I'm not sure if it would make sense for a phone appointment at the moment so I sent this email to see if you had any of the following situations:

>> Are you currently seeking to setup processing?

>> Are you currently processing and are dissatisfied with your Processor?

>> Are you receiving bad checks?

>> Are you having issues with Accounts Receivable and aren't receiving payments on time from customers?

>> Or, are you seeking to setup an ATM or receive a higher surcharge income from your ATM Machine?

If you have any of the above situations give me a call at: 1-866-543-6268 to discuss creating a potential solution. You can also send me a fax to: 1-866-553-8246.

*** Very Important, due to the popularity of our company and our programs we can only see businesses who will do at least $300,000 a year in credit card sales or check sales.

(To comply with marketing regulations, if you are fine and would not like to be included in future emails give me a call or send me a email and our office will gladly comply.)

Thanks alot and I look forward to speaking with you.

Sincerely,

John Tucker
Account Manager
P.P. Bankcard Services and Systems
Direct Extension: 1-866-543-6268
Direct Fax: 1-866-553-8246

Job Scam: New money mule variant?

Here's a scam I haven't noticed before. Some dodgy West African wants to send you credit card details (stolen, of course) so that you can wire back money (ostensibly to a travel agency -- but we know it's just the scammer himself) via Western Union. Personally, if I were running a Western Union agency, I wouldn't accept payment by credit card -- especially not in "card not present" situations. Does this scam have a snowball's chance in Western Sahara of working?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: patrick clerk <patrick_clerks@yahoo.fr>
Date: 8 Sep 2007 01:13
Subject: I AM WAITING FOR YOUR SOONEST ANSWER
To: patrick_clerks@yahoo.fr

Dear Sir,
 
I am Patrick Clerks, at the time of the marriage of my son, I would like to reserve 2double rooms  and your restaurant or club bars for the day of September 20th, 2007.
I intend to regulate by remote credit card.
Then I would like to be in contact with the person in charge of the reservation.
the ammount that i can be able to spend is 10.000 euros which is planned for a cocktail and a dinner (of 18h with 23h).

Thus you will understand that I want the best for my only son that why i will try as much as possible to make this reception to have success.
Also I would like to make a reservation for 10 or may be 20 guests who will come to assist to the weeding of my son because those persons are his best friends and i want this day represent the most important moment in his life.That is the reason why i contact you in order to guarantee with you the success of this weeding.

I will ask you to help me sending a group of 4 persons three days before the weeding day as my representants close to you so that they can work with you and inform me in any organisation which will take place there,because this weeding is a challenge for me.
i want also to tell you that those person i will send close to you will help in the choice of the menu and the decoration and something else you will ask them to do before my arrival.

 

However I will consequently ask you to remove the reservation price and 5000€ by charging my the credit card that i will send you as soon as you give me your oK.
Not that this ammount of 5000€ wiil be used to regulate the plane ticket of those 4persons who will represnt me until my arrival.

Not also that i will need you to send the 5000€ to a member of NAKATA TRAVEL AGENCY which is located in Ivory Coast by western union because i used most of the time to take my travel ticket and i have a reduction there in each ticket.

 

I am currently in Morrocco for a congress and I benefitted from the occasion to take my son and his future wife with me for the choice of the weeding clothes they will need at the time of the ceremony that why i am not capable to make any transfer because the law of this country forbid this.
 
Thus I am waiting for your soonest response in  order to communicate to you my credit card number+ the scratch date for the payment.
MoreoverI ask you the disponibilty to help me resloving this matter.

 

Not that NAKATA TRAVEL AGENCY have problems with their machine so they cannot charge my credit card by themselve.

 

For your will to help me i will reward you with 500€ .

 

MY DIRECT PHONE NUMBER IS 0022504735052.

 

Respectifully yours.

Mr.Patrick Clerk

---

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Advance Fee Fraud: LIVE-PAYMENTS.COM

Some 419ers tell you they have a stash of cash they want you to repatriate; some tell you you've won the lottery; some want you to pretend to be next of kin to receive an inheritance; some pretend that you are owed money for contractual work in Nigeria. These scammers just tell you there's a payment waiting for you -- simple as that. The story changes, but the fraud remains the same: there is no stash of cash waiting for you -- they're just trying to blind you with dollar signs so that they can (a) take all your personal details, and (b) persuade you to pay a few small incidental fees on the way towards receiving this imaginary stash.

   Domain Name: LIVE-PAYMENTS.COM
   Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.
   Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com
   Referral URL: http://registrar.godaddy.com
   Name Server: NS1.SEDOPARKING.COM
   Name Server: NS2.SEDOPARKING.COM
   Updated Date: 29-jul-2007
   Creation Date: 29-jul-2007
   Expiration Date: 29-jul-2008

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gilmac Financial Services <cititiconsultant@gawab.com>
Date: 06-Sep-2007 00:14
Subject: Live Payment
To: ideceive@gmail.com

ATTN:

You have been sent a payment, here is your payment information:

PAYMENT NOMBER:      03115027
PAYMENT DATE:    05/09/2007
PAYMENT VALUE:   750,000 USD
In order to receive you payment please confirm you identity in our verification page:

Dr. P. Brook

Gilmac Financial Services
Weeps-The Netherlands.
Tel: +31-634-254755
Fax: +31-847-118266
Email: live_payment@gawab.com


1). Full Names:..................
2). Residential Address: ........
3). Occupation:..................
4). Sex:.........................
5). Phone/Fax Numbers:...........
6). Country of Resident:.........
7). Nationality: ................
8). Payment Value:.........
9). Payment Number:...............
10). Amount.................
11). A scan or Fax Copy of any Valid Proof of your

Identification like International Passport or Driver's
License:................

All participants where selected through a computer
ballot system drawn from over 20,000 company and
30,000,000 individual email addresses and names from
all over the world drawn from Europe, Asia, Australia,
New Zealand, Middle East, Africa, North and South
America. Do note also that every email addresses that
were used on this program were gotten without the
knowledge of each recipient. Be informed here that all
winnings must be claimed not later than the 15th Day
of September 2007 and that anybody under the age of
18yrs is automatically disqualified and hereby not
eligible to apply for a claim of this amount.

Congratulations from our management as we expect you
to make good use of your funds. Do note also that
every email addresses that were used on this program
were gotten without the knowledge of each recipient.
www.live-payments.com


Please follow the given instructions.
After we receive your confirmation, we will send you the payment.

Thank You
Live-Payments staff
Mr,Franck William

News: Monster.com data compromised

Here's an important heads-up for people with personal details on Monster.com. According to Symantec, a new piece of malware has been sucking out the personal details of job-seekers from that site, via compromised recruiter accounts. Consequently, we can expect some very targeted job scams aiming at monster.com users.

Advance Fee Fraud: Fondation de France

This is really just a variation on the "you won a lottery you didn't enter" scam. Only the cover story is different: you've been given a grant for which you didn't apply. This is typically advance fee fraud: they want money up front for some fee or other before you get to see any of your promised wealth. Sometimes they send a fake cheque or money order. Basically, don't get involved. Note that the FDF is a real organisation -- it's just that these scammers have nothing to do with it.

In addition to the contact address given in this spam, " fdf_org07@yahoo.fr", a correspondent reports one which uses "fdfgrantoffice967@atmail.org ". These are freemail addresses which anyone could register, anywhere, anytime, and they're probably not the only ones in use for this particular scam.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: THE FONDATION DE FRANCE(FDF) <[random address]>
Date: 02-Aug-2007 22:08
Subject: THE FONDATION DE FRANCE(FDF)
To: [redacted]



THE FONDATION DE FRANCE(FDF)
http://www.fdf.org.

The Fondation De France(FDF) would like to notify you that you have been chosen by the board of trustees as one of the final recipients of a  cash Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational, and business  development. The FDF, established 1977 by the Multi-Million groups and now  supported by the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS),  United Nations Organization (UNO) and the European Union (EU) was conceived with the objective of human growth, educational, and community development.

In conjunction with the ECOWAS, UNO and the EU, We are giving out a yearly donation of US$1,350,000.00 (One million, Three hundred and Fifty  thousand United states dollars only) each to 100 lucky recipients. These specific Donations/Grants will be awarded to 100 lucky international recipients worldwide, in different categories.

Based on the random selection exercise of internet websites and millions of supermarket cash invoices worldwide, you were selectedamongst the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of US$1,350,000.00 as charity donations/aid. Nevertheless, according to the federal and international law concerning the personal collection of prize winnings, your bonding fees, broker fees, and tarrif fees, have already been deducted from your donation.So congratulations once again.

You would be required to send down the following informations:

FULL NAMES:______________
ADDRESS: _______________
CITY:____________________
STATE:__________________
COUNTRY________________
SEX:_______________
AGE:__________________
MARITAL STATUS:___________
NATIONALITY__________
OCCUPATION:_______________
E-MAIL ADDRESS:____________
TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________

You are required to contact the Executive Secretary below, for qualification documentation and processing of your claims. After contacting our office, you will be given your donation pin number, which you will use in collecting the funds. Please endeavor to quote your Qualification numbers (FDF-444-6647-9163) in all discussions.

Executive Sec. Mr David Tinny
Email: fdf_org07@yahoo.fr

Tick a suitable mode for payment of your funding grant award as listed below:

1.Online Bank Payment
2.Courier Delivery

Do note that these funding grant are strictly administered by the EU, ECOWAS and UNO.

On behalf of the Board kindly accept our warmest congratulations

Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Martha C. Edmondson.
(Director of Human Resources )