Money Safe

I recieved a lot of mail about the recent story on Online Security. It's good to see that some of our viewers have heeded the warning, and are taking precautions to keep their money safe.

Susan writes in:

"Hi Bill: we miss you in the mornings. Enjoyed your piece today on the computer risks associated with online banking and other transactions. Inspired us to run full scans on all our computers, and check our security settings. All is well but your advice has been taken to heart here. Thanks for the great work.

Susan"

Knowledge is power in avoiding scams and ripoffs. I am contacted daily by viewers who tell me their experience with ripoff artists. Here are a few that I've received this week.

Gerri writes in:
"Hi Bill - just today we received an e-mail from "citi". It was a Security Alert saying our account had been blocked due to 3 failed login attempts. Then it said "To unlock your account, please Your Account" which I think was supposed to say please click on your account. We do not have an account with City Bank. We deleted the e-mail but it makes me very nervous."

Gerri, Renton

Dear Gerri:

Good for you in realizing right away that this is a scam. These crooks are sending out phishing emails like this, hoping that it will convincing enough to make you enter in your personal information. It seemed fishy to you because you don't have account with Citi. They will pick a major bank that millions of people DO have an account with, knowing that it could seem real to many of those customers. You would be surprised how many people just go ahead and fill in all of the blanks, giving out their bank account number and social security number. I received another scam email from another viewer this week purporting to be from Bank of America, with a return address of 'boa@gmail.com', saying that the account had been accessed by many computers, and they needed to confirm the account information. Your bank will not contact you by email. If you receive an email like this, DO NOT click on the link. If you are concerned about your account, contact your bank, but don't respond to these emails.

Hi Bill,
My name is Randi, and I received a piece of mail from Canada with a check for $3,825.00. When I first saw the check I couldn't believe it. The envelope from which I took the check from said Canada, however the check said Price, Utah and the letter I received said Trenton, NJ. What country or state is it really from?? The letter stated that I was selected to be a Mystery Shopper and shop for a part-time job for certain locations like, WalMart, Home Depot, J.C. Penny, Best Western Hotel, Days Inn, Western Union, and Money Gram. So I thought "WOW I get to do my favorite thing, SHOPPING!!" My boyfriend knew at that very moment that this just some person who is trying to steal my money. THIS WAS A SCAM!! There is a number on the bottom of the letter, my boyfriend called the number and got ahold of a REAL person. After my boyfriend told the man on the other side of the line that his "girlfriend" got a check and letter from BMA Monitoring and Research Group, the man on the other side of the line started to ask for me. My boyfriend gave me the phone, the man said, "just fill out the acceptance form, fax it to the number at the top, and deposit the check directly into your account." I told him that "on the letter it says Required funds to be sent is $3,150.00 and I'm not sending you a thing, I didn't sign up for anything" and of course to no suprise to me, he hung up on me. I smiled, looked at my boyfriend and said "it's definitely a scam". Can you please check this out for me, for the sake of everybody. I didn't deposit the check in my account, but people might not realize this is a scam, which could cost them a large amount of money they may not have. The economy is having a hard time, and these people are trying to make it worse for the american people.
Thanks,
Randi

Randi:
We've seen a lot of these fake check/ lottery scams around here. There's a story here on the blog entitled "Fake Check Scams', which is worth checking out.

Paul writes in:

"Here's what I believe is a scam for you (ha ha like I would actually fall for something so blatantly fishy):
This is the information contained in the email I received:
FROM THE DESK OF:
Brian Rooney
Independent Consultant,
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland Hillsborough, Ireland BT26 6DR ( 447)031915763

NOTICE!!!
Please permit me to write you irrespective of the fact we have not met before. I got your contact through network online hence I decided to write you. I would be very interested in offering you a part-time paying job in which you could earn a lot.Before I go further, I'll like to give you a brief profile about myself.

My name is Brian Rooney. I'm 35 years of age man married with 3 kids (a lovely girl and 2 boys). Due to the nature of my work, I travel alot. But my Family resides in Dublin, Ireland. I just resigned my job as a research scientist for ARINI (Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland but I still work as a freelance consultant for the institute which gives me very much time to do my own work which is basically being a freelance researcher who could be employed by research institutes/private organizations to do research projects anywhere in the world.Presently, I have just been granted a funding to head a research project in the tropical regions of West Africa regarding local plant species useful for fabric production and this would be commencing very soon.

This research program will be funded and sponsored by some of my American counterparts.But the only set back is that the American counterparts want to make payments for the research in form of US money orders / cashier's check only. And its a known fact that money in such forms cant be cashed outside the US.Getting an accountant in the states or opening an account would have been my best choice but I have a deadline to meet and taking any of those choices would cost me time and a whole lot of other requirements,which I am not ready to deal with. There is where I need your assistance and service.
WHAT I NEED YOU FOR!
-------------------
At this point, I will be glad if you could work with me as my representative in the US. You will be working as my payment assistant in charge of collecting and processing the payments from the Associates.Since they will be making the payment in Money orders /checks made payable only in the US, you will be collecting this payments, cash them at your bank, you'll be forwarding them via Western Union or Money Gram.And for this service, I agree to pay you 10% off each amount you collect from the Associates.

JOB DESCRIPTION?
-----------------
1. Receive payment (in form of money orders/checks) from My Clients/Associates.
2. Cash the Payments at your Bank
3. Deduct 10%, which will be your percentage/pay on Payment processed.
4. You will then forward the balance via Money Gram or Western Union Money Transfer according to my instruction.

HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN?
----------------------
10% from each operation! For instance: you receive 6000 USD via checks or money orders on my behalf. You will cash the payment and keep 10% to yourself before forwarding the balance! At the beginning your commission will equal 10%, though later it will increase up to 12%! For the research,I am expecting about the sum of $40000 in total from the clients (though the money will be sent in bits). You could make over $4000 for the little time we will be working together.

ADVANTAGES?
----------
You don't have to go out of your present daily activity in order to engage in this Job (i.e. you can do this Work easily without leaving or affecting your present Job). You will work as an independent contractor right from your home /office. Your job is absolutely legal. You do not need any capital to start (non of your personal funds is needed).

REQUIREMENTS?
--------------
18 years or older.
Legally capable.
Responsible, Reliable and Trustworthy
Ready to work 3-4 hours per week.
Able to check and respond to emails often.
Easy telephone access.
IS THIS LEGAL?
--------------
Yes it is. As a matter of fact, my lawyer checked all legal provisions to know if there is any domestic or international law against businesses or deals in this manner. And he said its allowed by all LAWS. So know that doing this work is safe and legitimate.Guess all is well understood,I would be glad if you accept my proposal.Mail me if you are interested. Please reply with the details stated below, by sending your information to comod5@live: Please note note that if you are interested in this job, before replying to this message, kindly add me to your address book so that any other email that I send to you does not go into the bulk or junk mail folder. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
E-mail: comod5@live.com
FIRST NAME:
LAST NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:
ZIP CODE:
COUNTRY:
PHONE NUMBER: (Mandatory)
GENDER:
MARITAL STATUS:
AGE:
NATIONALITY:
OCCUPATION/POSITION:

PS: Do not provide a P.O box address. A physical address is needed for delivery.

Thank You & God Bless,
Regards,
Brian Rooney.

it came for email address (or what shows in the email address line):
Commodities Trading cO

not sure but almost sounds like it might be involved with money laundering or possible terrorist funding...
**P.S. - Q13 is the only news station I watch and You are one of my and my wife's favorites Cordially, Paul Brown"

Paul:

As you so eloquently put it, It is a "blatantly fishy" scheme, and you are right to question it. I mean, if you had this great business going, would you be randomly emailing people to get them to join in? What kind of recruiter does that? This is a scam along with the "Sob Story Scams", which we have featured previosuly. You get a story about how they have inherited millions, or need thousands for a desperate operation. You have to wonder, why are they contacting you, a complete stranger, for help?

Keep 'em coming.

I have more viewer feedback coming your way soon.

I'm Bill Wixey, keeping your money safe.