yet another email scam

[Careyp74]

Received this email in my junkmail folder, take a look.

Hello,
Are you interested in earning more income from Home? My Name is Das
Jeremiah from GLOBAL CERAMICS & TILES LTD. We are one of the Largest Tiles
and Ceramic Dealers in England.
I have a Local Job Position in USA/CANADA that can fetch you between
$300-$600 weekly. If interested do get back to us with your *. Full Name, *.
Address (Inclusive Street No. & Name , City, State and Zip Code , NO P.O
Box), *. Cell Phone And Home Phone *. Age, *. Current Job, *. Sex ..No
Phone Calls,No Start-up fee and no Advertisement required. For more information
visit our career offer page.

www.globalceramicsandtiles.co.uk

The link goes to their website, they spent some time on it, I will tell you that. Here is info about the position.


Location: USA and CANADA
Salary: 10% on every Transaction
Company: GLOBAL CERAMICS AND TILES
Job type: Part Time
Job Availability: Still Open

Description: Part-time Job Position

Are you interested in earning more income from Home? As we have just expanded to USA and Canada, we have a Local Job Position available that can fetch you $300-$600 weekly.

We are currently looking for someone to work for our company as Representative/Bookkeeper in the USA. This is in view of our company not having an office presently in the USA/CANADA. You don't need to have an office and this certainly will not affect any form of work you have at the moment. No tax or start-up fee.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR US?

My Company needs a Financial Representative in the USA who will serve as our Agent in processing any of our funds made out to us by our USA customers. Our Customers make Payment with Money Orders because this Legal Entity takes a long period of time to clear in our Banks in UK so this is the reason why we need a Representative. Due to vast growing of Supply of our products we do not meet our demand due to this failure and that is why we seek your time and assistance.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Receive payment from our esteem Customers in USA

Process Payment in your Bank
Deduct 10% of Total amount received

Forward balance after deducting 10% of every Payment you receive.

HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN?

First month you will have 5-7 transactions on 3000.00-5000.00 USD so you may calculate your income. After establishing a close relationship with us you'll be able to operate with larger orders and you'll be able to earn more. Payments will be issued out in your name and you can have them Cash in your Bank

DO YOU NEED TO PAY FOR THE TRANSFER FEE FROM YOUR PERCENTAGE?

No you do not have to, all necessary transfer fees will be deducted from our 90% after you must have cashed and deduct your 10 % of total money received after cashing. This is a not money laundering operation and will not breach the law; it complies with USA Patriot Act Section 314(b).

ADVANTAGES

You do not have to go out as you will work as an independent contractor right from your home / office. Your job is absolutely legal. You can earn up To $3000 - $4000 monthly depending on time you will spend for this job. You do not need any capital to start. You can do the Work easily without leaving or affecting your present Job. The employees who make efforts and work hard have A Strong Possibility to become managers. Anyway our employees never leave us.

MAIN REQUIREMENTS

20 years or older, legally capable, Responsible, Ready to work 3-4 hours per week with PC knowledge e-mail and internet experience (minimal) and MUST have a BANK ACCOUNT to process our Payments

If you are interested in the Part-time Bookkeeper position, then e-mail information as requested below;

Warning: Personal Information {BANK DETAILS, CREDIT CARD DETAILS} that can be of adverse effect are not required.

[Jack by the hedge]

Sounds like a report I heard on the radio news this morning. Slightly-too-good-to-be-true job offer translates as "we would like to borrow your bank account for a few days to launder some dirty money, thanks".

[Careyp74]

Sounds like a report I heard on the radio news this morning. Slightly-too-good-to-be-true job offer translates as "we would like to borrow your bank account for a few days to launder some dirty money, thanks".

I was thinking it was the "we get your money before the bank bounces the check" scheme.

[Jack by the hedge]

Re-reading it, I think you're right: You receive a "customer's" cheque, then you send the bad guys 90% of its value in real cash, then the cheque bounces...

[bluesjnr]

Registration and VAT No. do not check out. Phone number does not exist and address doesn't check out either. I can't see what could possibly go wrong with taking them up on this extremely generous offer. :D

I've passed details to HMRC and Companys House.

I expect Meathook Mike from Global Ceramics will be round to discuss the matter with me soon. The things I do for you guys.

[Careyp74]

Registration and VAT No. do not check out. Phone number does not exist and address doesn't check out either. I can't see what could possibly go wrong with taking them up on this extremely generous offer. :D

I've passed details to HMRC and Companys House.

I expect Meathook Mike from Global Ceramics will be round to discuss the matter with me soon. The things I do for you guys.

Thanks, I don't have the resources to combat what is obviously a scam. I post them here as a way for others to recognize a scam and not get duped.

[bluesjnr]

You did good Careyp74. The site is very convincing and is aimed at overseas recruits to the "business". I could name half a dozen of my mates that would be thinking this one over simply because it appears to be coming out of the UK so must be legit.

The biggest give away is the inability to actually order online or even see any pricing.

[Stray Cat]

The biggest (and most immediate) red flag is when you Google: "GLOBAL CERAMICS & TILES LTD", the only return you get is this thread.

So for a company that claims: "We are one of the Largest Tiles and Ceramic Dealers in England."

They don't seem to have much of an internet presence :)

[bluesjnr]

If you Google from within the UK they are right there at no 2, right after the Tile Association web-site. Given that they have a website it follows that they have a web presence.

ETA - Amazingly I've just heard from an official source that this crowd were reported in the US back in Sept. I'm surprised that this web site hasn't been pulled.

[bluesjnr]

Here is the story (http://blog.drivinglaws.org/2009/09/14/san-angelo-texas-police-warn-community-not-to-fall-victim-to-scams/)

Last week an individual in the community received a letter from “Global Ceramics and Tiles,” a supposed company in the United Kingdom, asking the recipient to cash two money orders of $920.00 each ($1840.00 total), keep 10% of the amount ($184.00) as a commission, deduct $134.00 for wire transfer charges, and wire $1522.00 to a provided address in the United Kingdom.

[Marduk]

I love these scams, I often find myself with lots of free time, I once received the usual "relatives of a bank customer have died in a plane crash and I need your help to smuggle the money out of the country using your bank account scam"

I wrote back being honest and friendly and expressing dismay at how gullible did the scammer think I was, I told him that these scams are so well known that no one I knew would ever fall for it and suggested that local knowledge of the country being scammed would be of great benefit to his business in future. He showed great interest. I then informed him that I wasn't about to go into details for one person but if he could have 4 of his friends mail their addresses I would send the information to all of them

of course as soon as I received the e mail addresses I began by saying, "for me to trust you with this valuable information you will have to show that you trust me first by sending me your bank account details. I will then forward you the information I mentioned.


needless to say they didn't take me up on the offer

another time I wrote back saying
"This is the Ministry of Justice"
"you are being detained for international fraud"
"we have traced your IP address to your current location and are monitoring its usage"
"in fact we know that you are online right now"
"please wait by your computer for the police to arrive, they should be with you in about 5 minutes"

After I started playing with these people I noticed that I no longer receive weekly mails from burkino faso bank managers and I havent won the online lottery for aaaages
:D

[I Ratant]

Someone across the ocean can take up on this win.
I'd call, but the long-distance charges! :)
"Hello,
You have won 801,613.00 euro in the 2009 IrishLottery draw. Call (+44)7031953564 for detail or reply immediately to process your 801,613.00 euro to you in your country.

Congratulation.
Mrs. B. Wood
P/R/O"

[bluesjnr]

For hours of fun go here (http://www.419eater.com/) to see some brilliant scam baiting. I've not been there in a while but some of the stories are hilarious. They have, in the past, persuaded the scammers to have photos taken of them with a dead fish on their head and another time a loaf of bread. Those two examples are years old now but maybe still on the site.

Remember, I'm sure I do not need to remind you to be VERY careful if you decide to take these guys on. Never arrange to meet or give any personal info and NEVER phone them on any number listed especially if it is a UK number and you are UK based. Don't forget, these people are criminals; otherwise have at them and enjoy!

[Stray Cat]

If you Google from within the UK they are right there at no 2, right after the Tile Association web-site. Given that they have a website it follows that they have a web presence.

ETA - Amazingly I've just heard from an official source that this crowd were reported in the US back in Sept. I'm surprised that this web site hasn't been pulled.

I did Google from within the UK :eye-poppi

Aaaahh... I see why now... I always use quote marks around search strings.
And using the & symbol. If you do the same search with the word 'and' instead, you do get some results. :)

[I Ratant]

These things occur locally also, on smaller scales.
Sweet Thang deposited a "cashiers check" from an acquaintance who was "hiding money in a divorce", with the promise that she could keep a goodly portion of it.
A lot of the money was withdrawn before the transaction had been thru the banking system.
The check was bogus, and her account was eliminated when the bank tried to get their money back.. In reality there wasn't anywhere's near the amount of the check in the account.
Her credit rating now is probably -800. :(

[Lothian]

I did a whois and sent an e-mail to the host.

[Careyp74]

These things occur locally also, on smaller scales.
Sweet Thang deposited a "cashiers check" from an acquaintance who was "hiding money in a divorce", with the promise that she could keep a goodly portion of it.
A lot of the money was withdrawn before the transaction had been thru the banking system.
The check was bogus, and her account was eliminated when the bank tried to get their money back.. In reality there wasn't anywhere's near the amount of the check in the account.
Her credit rating now is probably -800. :(

a bogus cashiers check? That must have been some operation. If the bank accepted it, I don't see how you are held accountable. It isn't the same as a personal check, the funds are supposed to be verified before cashing.

[patchbunny]

I wrote back being honest and friendly and expressing dismay at how gullible did the scammer think I was, I told him that these scams are so well known that no one I knew would ever fall for it and suggested that local knowledge of the country being scammed would be of great benefit to his business in future. He showed great interest. I then informed him that I wasn't about to go into details for one person but if he could have 4 of his friends mail their addresses I would send the information to all of them

of course as soon as I received the e mail addresses I began by saying, "for me to trust you with this valuable information you will have to show that you trust me first by sending me your bank account details. I will then forward you the information I mentioned.

:dl:

[shandyjan]

I cannot get over the lingo used or the grammar when it is a British one.
How many English speaking people would say their job 'fetches' money? Thats localised but not a company word. Then switching form 'My' to 'Our' in a paragraph. Then overuse of words. Not to do down literacy when people type as they talk. But it gives no credibility as a company director :D
(I know..it does to the people who fall for it.)

Linky....

http://blog.drivinglaws.org/2009/09/14/san-angelo-texas-police-warn-community-not-to-fall-victim-to-scams/

[quarky]

How about dropping 200 grand for a B.A. in philosophy? Its happened. There's unscrupulous scammers out there, for sure.

[Careyp74]

How about dropping 200 grand for a B.A. in philosophy? Its happened. There's unscrupulous scammers out there, for sure.

there's one born every minute :)

[bluesjnr]

Linky....

http://blog.drivinglaws.org/2009/09/14/san-angelo-texas-police-warn-community-not-to-fall-victim-to-scams/

Ahem - Got that covered for ya' (http://forums.randi.org/showpost.php?p=5315544&postcount=10) all the way up there ^

;)

[Careyp74]

Well, I guess I didn't act early enough to a previous request, so I better jump on this one:
Dear Friend,
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? I hope this mail meets you in a perfect condition. I am using this opportunity to thank you for your great effort to our unfinished transfer of fund into your account due to one reason or the other best known to you.

But I want to inform you that I have successfully transferred the Cheque out of the company to someone else who was capable of assisting me in this great venture.

Due to your effort, sincerity, courage and trust worthiness you showed at the course of the transaction I want to compensate you and show my gratitude to you with the sum of $900,000.00 (Nine hundred Thousand United States Dollars) I have authorized the finance house where I deposited my money to issue you international certified bank draft cashable at your bank.

My dear friend I will like you to contact the finance house for the collection of this international certified bank draft. The name and contact address of the Person with your Cheque Dr Musa Morris is as follows.
I want to draw to your notice that Dr Musa Morris inform me that a young man name(daniel Foster) is claiming you sent him to collect this cheque from him.Do inform him if you really send this person to collect the cheque.I will be out of the country for more than 4 years.

CONTACT NAME: Dr Musa Morris
EMAIL:infocent@administrativos.com
musamorris@live.com
Tel:+2348028163825

At the moment, I am very busy here because of the investment projects which myself and my new partner are having at hand. Finally, remember that I have forwarded instruction to the finance house on your behalf to send the bank draft to you as soon as you contact them without delay.You are to contact him with the following information.

1.Your Full Name;

2.Your Home Address:

3.Your Telephone Number:

4.Your Place of Work and Address:

5.Your Email Address:

6. Age:

7.Sex:

Please I will like you to accept this token with good faith as this is from the bottom of my heart. Thanks and God bless you and your family. You should also know that you will be paying for the delivery of your cheque.

Hope to hear from you soon.
Your's Faithfully,
Mrs. Chinyere Okeke


ETA: BTW, can anyone explain why this feature is a part of every scam email I get? Is there a law that says a scam has to include it? :)

"I hope this mail meets you in a perfect condition."

[SphereGuy]

I get half a dozen scam e-mails a day, probably because I've had the same e-mail address for almost a decade, and I reply to many of them in an ameteur attempt at scambaiting someone but in all these years I've never had a reply to my reply. I've tried many different replies but nothing. I often wonder if they don't reply to the replies how on earth can any of them work?

I'm wracking my brain here and think I may have gotten a reply once but not a reply to the reply's reply or I may be remembering replying to something else as I reply to many things including replies to my replies.

[Careyp74]

I get half a dozen scam e-mails a day, probably because I've had the same e-mail address for almost a decade, and I reply to many of them in an ameteur attempt at scambaiting someone but in all these years I've never had a reply to my reply. I've tried many different replies but nothing. I often wonder if they don't reply to the replies how on earth can any of them work?

I'm wracking my brain here and think I may have gotten a reply once but not a reply to the reply's reply or I may be remembering replying to something else as I reply to many things including replies to my replies.

Well first you are going to have to distinguish between the replies and the replies' replies. A good way to do this is with gmail. You can create different email addresses that are all just the same address, that go to your main address, but distinguished between others by additional info added on to the email address. :) For instance, if your gmail was starthinker@gmail.com, you can also use starthinker.one@gmail.com. That would go to your main account, but be addressed with the .one on it, so you know where the mail is coming from, see where I am coming from?

[pakeha]

20 years or older, legally capable,

Why 20, I wonder.
Anyway, off to see the scam the scammers site.

[CynicalSkeptic]

I get half a dozen scam e-mails a day, probably because I've had the same e-mail address for almost a decade, and I reply to many of them in an ameteur attempt at scambaiting someone but in all these years I've never had a reply to my reply. I've tried many different replies but nothing. I often wonder if they don't reply to the replies how on earth can any of them work?

Really? I got a couple of bogus checks actually sent to me. I followed up with the bank on one of them, and they were already aware that the account had been compromised. It wasn't that difficult, I just acted interested and naive.

[Lothian]

I got a reply from the hosts saying they will investigate the site. It looks like they have pulled it.

[SphereGuy]

Really? I got a couple of bogus checks actually sent to me. I followed up with the bank on one of them, and they were already aware that the account had been compromised. It wasn't that difficult, I just acted interested and naive.

I usually reply with something along the lines of "I'm interested in helping you, please send more information." I don't recall seeing one like the one posted here that asks for all kinds of details. Yet.

[rjh01]

Well first you are going to have to distinguish between the replies and the replies' replies. A good way to do this is with gmail. You can create different email addresses that are all just the same address, that go to your main address, but distinguished between others by additional info added on to the email address. :) For instance, if your gmail was starthinker@gmail.com, you can also use starthinker.one@gmail.com. That would go to your main account, but be addressed with the .one on it, so you know where the mail is coming from, see where I am coming from?

I have been trying to do that for ages. I have a gmail account. However I got a mail delivery error when I added the .one to my e-mail address as per the above. It also did not work when I tried my other e-mail address. Have you got this to work yourself with gmail?

[shandyjan]

Ahem - Got that covered for ya' (http://forums.randi.org/showpost.php?p=5315544&postcount=10) all the way up there ^

;)

I thought it was slightly different..more localised than what I read, and was an example of a letter rather than an email... that was my reasoning, I always think elderly relatives need warning of postal scams..they fall dor them a hell of a lot more than us with our emails! if I got it wrong and just repeated yours, apologies :)

[pakeha]

An awesome place, that.
Thanks for the heads-up!

[Careyp74]

I have been trying to do that for ages. I have a gmail account. However I got a mail delivery error when I added the .one to my e-mail address as per the above. It also did not work when I tried my other e-mail address. Have you got this to work yourself with gmail?

I will try again, I have done it out of curiosity of how it works. Perhaps the order is wrong, let me look and update afterwards.

ETA: I figured out what I said wrong. The period can be placed anywhere in your account name, as many times as you like to separate letters and numbers that already exist there.

I could use careyp74@gmail.com, carey.p.74@gmail.com, c.a.re.y.p.7.4@gmail.com..........etc

To ADD to your name, you would use a + sign, so my initial instruction was wrong, you would use a plus sign instead of a period.

E.G. careyp74+jref@gmail.com, careyp74+atheist@gmail.com

[rjh01]

Great thanks Careyp74. That works on my gmail account. However it does not work on my e-mail account provided by my ISP. That is a very useful tip.

From now on I will use my gmail account to any company that needs it. If I get spam I will know who sold the address.

However I do not get my full quota of spam. Could be because I do not download "free games" and the like.

[I Ratant]

Just passing this on, for those in need of holiday funds.

"United Nations has awarded a prize donation of 950,500.00USD Provide your information to Dr Extrada E:mail: unitedgrants11@yahoo.cn
Tel:44:7011148748
Sincerely,
Dr Packer Extrada."

[I Ratant]

Great thanks Careyp74. That works on my gmail account. However it does not work on my e-mail account provided by my ISP. That is a very useful tip.

From now on I will use my gmail account to any company that needs it. If I get spam I will know who sold the address.

However I do not get my full quota of spam. Could be because I do not download "free games" and the like.
.
I use different names when subscribing to magazines. Easy way to determine who is selling it.

[Lothian]

.
I use different names when subscribing to magazines. Easy way to determine who is selling it.Changing or adding an inital is a simpler way.

[malbui]

I cannot get over the lingo used or the grammar when it is a British one.
How many English speaking people would say their job 'fetches' money? Thats localised but not a company word. Then switching form 'My' to 'Our' in a paragraph. Then overuse of words. Not to do down literacy when people type as they talk. But it gives no credibility as a company director :D
(I know..it does to the people who fall for it.)

You'd be surprised about the literacy thing. Last year I received a letter from one of the big High St banks in the UK that was so extraordinarily badly written that I contacted the branch and their central customer service function to question whether it was genuine or not. It turned out that it was and that the branch manager, who had written it, had the literacy levels of a ten-year-old.

[EvilBiker]

Great thanks Careyp74. That works on my gmail account. However it does not work on my e-mail account provided by my ISP. That is a very useful tip.

From now on I will use my gmail account to any company that needs it. If I get spam I will know who sold the address.

However I do not get my full quota of spam. Could be because I do not download "free games" and the like.



Here's a site I've used for years: http://www.sneakemail.com/ - you register your real address on the site, and you can then generate any number of throwaway addresses that link to it. You can set the status of the various accounts in many ways - my personal favourite, being able to bounce email back as undeliverable.

It's got a nice little interface that allows you to keep tabs on what email addresses you've used to subscribe to what sites.

It's free, although I would recommend paying the miniscule amount suggested for the service. Credit where credit due.

[Careyp74]

Here's a site I've used for years: http://www.sneakemail.com/ - you register your real address on the site, and you can then generate any number of throwaway addresses that link to it. You can set the status of the various accounts in many ways - my personal favourite, being able to bounce email back as undeliverable.

It's got a nice little interface that allows you to keep tabs on what email addresses you've used to subscribe to what sites.

It's free, although I would recommend paying the miniscule amount suggested for the service. Credit where credit due.

I like this idea, just like I like the idea that my credit card company can give me one time use only account numbers to use for online purchases. Different number than what is on my account, but linkeed to it. If anyone tries to use the number again, it is shot down.

[AndyD]

I got a reply from the hosts saying they will investigate the site. It looks like they have pulled it.

Indeed, well done.

[ve2vfd]

It amazes me that anyone could be gullible to respond to *ANY* email spam considering how incredibly debunked those have been on TV, the news and all over the place.

I mean come on, you have to have been living under a rock for the last 10 years to believe anything that arrives in an unsolicited email or post.

Pat

[Careyp74]

It amazes me that anyone could be gullible to respond to *ANY* email spam considering how incredibly debunked those have been on TV, the news and all over the place.

I mean come on, you have to have been living under a rock for the last 10 years to believe anything that arrives in an unsolicited email or post.

Pat

It only takes a small percentage of marks to make this scam profitable. I am waiting for this scam to become the next MLM :)

[patchbunny]

I like this idea, just like I like the idea that my credit card company can give me one time use only account numbers to use for online purchases. Different number than what is on my account, but linkeed to it. If anyone tries to use the number again, it is shot down.

Really? Yow! I had someone lift my credit card number from an on-line order just recently.

What company is it?

[ve2vfd]

It only takes a small percentage of marks to make this scam profitable. I am waiting for this scam to become the next MLM :)

True enough...

I guess a handful of people out there could lack that kind of information :(

This scam doesn't look too convincing... on the other hand the last phishing spam trying to get my bank account details I got was a good one. Looked official as heck and I can see how someone could be taken. Only problem is that it was for the wrong bank :) (We only have 6 or so major banks in this country so the scammers had roughly a 1 in 6 chance of getting a mark).

Pat