|
Bank
Account Scam
The
e-mail or fax usually begins URGENT ASSISTANCE HIGHLY
NEEDED or BUSINESS PROPOSAL. It goes on to tell
you a hard luck story such as
"With
a humbled heart I commit myself this day to write and
ask for your benevolence and kind consideration of my
plight for assistance. I am making this contact on behalf
of my family not minding the consequences but hoping that
you would understand our predicament and come to our aid
and assist us. I would also kindly apologize for any inconvenience
or embarrassment this might cause your person, as we neither
know each other personally nor have had any previous contact
or correspondence."
Usually
the author of the e-mail says he or she is an ex-official
of an African country and has millions of dollars they need
to put in a bank account—your account. Just send them
your account number and they will transfer the money because
you are such a good person. Also note that in many cases,
the person sending the solicitation is not from Africa.
This
is only the start of the story. They will continue but need
a few thousand to make the transfer. Yup, they want you
to send them this money.
There
are new versions of this old scam showing up everyday from:
To
one of my favorites:
-
"We
discovered an abandoned sum of US$15,000,000:00 (Fifteen
Million United States Dollars) in an account that belongs
to one of our Foreign customer Mr. [John Doe], who died
along with his entire family, a wife and two children
in [date specified], in a plane crash."
According
to the FBI, when greed enters the picture, logic goes out
the window. This scam has bilked millions from its victims.
Don't be a victim. When you receive such an e-mail or fax,
throw it away. It's a scam.
We
received this email from Mr. Joseph Martini ofthe business
law firm of Pepe &
Hazard.
U.S.
Department of the Treasury Warns of "New Twist to Nigerian
Fraud Scheme"
In
an e-mail sent in August 2001, I alerted you to the resurgence
of an old scam, often referred to as the Nigerian Advance
Fee Fraud. Not only is the scam alive and well, but the Department
of the Treasury has just reported that it has taken on a new
look.
Simply put, the fraud is perpetrated by Nigerian nationals
purporting to be Nigerian government officials or representatives
of Nigerian banking institutions. These individuals begin
their scheme by faxing or mailing letters to individuals and
businesses in the United States and other countries. Often,
these letters inform the target that the writer is seeking
a reputable foreign company or individual into whose account
he can deposit millions of dollars that the Nigerian government
has overpaid on some sort of contract.
The Treasury Department has announced that in its newest twist,
the perpetrators attempt to add legitimacy to the scheme by
sending their letters on imitation U.S. Government letterhead
with the forged signature of James F. Sloan, the Director
of Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network ("Fence").
In addition, this letter indicates that pursuant to the USA
PATRIOT Act and an Executive Order, any money being wired
into the country requries a fee to be paid, which would be
applied to rebuilding the World Trade Center.
Treasury has warned that the information contained in these
letters is false and the letters themselves are fraudulent.
FinCEN has never issued such a letter, there is no such fee
required under federal law and Director Sloan's signature
is falsified.
In addition, the Treasury Department has advised that if a
financial institution has received an Advance Fee Fraud letter,
but no action has been taken and no loss has occurred, the
letter should be forwarded to the U.S. Secret Service (USSS)
using one of the following methods:
-
Email
to: 419.fcd@usss.treas.gov
-
Fax
to: (202) 406-5031; or
-
Mail
to: United States Secret Service
Financial Crimes Division
ATTN: 419
950 H Street, NW, Suite 5300
Washington, DC 20223
If a
financial institution has already been victimized by one
of these schemes, all written documentation should be forwarded
to the mailing address listed in item (3) above or the institution
should call the USSS at (202) 406-5850.
OTHER
SCAMS
|
