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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 1:49 pm 
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Posts: 291
Location: WI
admin wrote:
russellj84 wrote:
They could question every single transaction, but that would be a waste of time and money or they can let the consumer make an educated decision.


This is why I still believe that there needs to be more education to the general public about these scams . . . public service announcements.


I totally agree with you on this one. The only thing is how many people actually watch commercials any more? With TV shows being brodcast on the web and with DVR's/TIVO people can easily fast forward through these types of things. If the PSAs are done through snail mail then they will get thrown away and emails will get marked spam.

If you want the word on fraud to get out then they should track some of the scum bags down, bring them to the USA, and put them on national TV and have them explain everything about the fraud while they are being tortured and then gutted. Best time to do it is half time of the Super Bowl. I guarantee it will get the message out. :twisted:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 4:13 pm 
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Posts: 51
@russellj84

Ouch!! :lol:

Why would Western Union want to do anything? They are making money off every transaction made to the scammers. I've been trying to get two money orders for $500 each refunded by Western Union for almost a year now. I sent the money to a relative whom I owed. He had moved recently and I ended up sending it to the wrong address. The money orders haven't been cashed and the money is still there in the WU system. I can call an automated phone service at WU and check on the status of the money orders but I've sent the receipts to their refund address almost a year ago and no reply yet. I called a number not long ago and got a person but he couldn't help and referred me back to the automated number. I'm beginning to believe WU is just as bad as the scammers who use their service.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:18 pm 
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Location: WI
MattNW wrote:
@russellj84

Ouch!! :lol:

Why would Western Union want to do anything? They are making money off every transaction made to the scammers. I've been trying to get two money orders for $500 each refunded by Western Union for almost a year now. I sent the money to a relative whom I owed. He had moved recently and I ended up sending it to the wrong address. The money orders haven't been cashed and the money is still there in the WU system. I can call an automated phone service at WU and check on the status of the money orders but I've sent the receipts to their refund address almost a year ago and no reply yet. I called a number not long ago and got a person but he couldn't help and referred me back to the automated number. I'm beginning to believe WU is just as bad as the scammers who use their service.


Have you ever thought that WU is part of the fraud and receives some sort of kick back for every transaction plus their regular fees?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:28 pm 
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Posts: 2921
back to the topic of education . . . I agree, a lot of people may FF through commercials, but SOME might see them . . . and print ads in magazines and newspapers may grab some more. There is also a new TV show about scams . . . Fraud Squad

http://www.fraudsquadtv.com/

Every little bit helps. Look how far we have already come since 2002 when this site was started.

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:43 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:50 am
Posts: 291
Location: WI
admin wrote:
back to the topic of education . . . I agree, a lot of people may FF through commercials, but SOME might see them . . . and print ads in magazines and newspapers may grab some more. There is also a new TV show about scams . . . Fraud Squad

http://www.fraudsquadtv.com/

Every little bit helps. Look how far we have already come since 2002 when this site was started.


I have seen a couple of TV commercials about checks. I think it is for a company called badcheck.org or something like that. I had not heard about the TV show but I will have to check it out. I like the idea of print ads in magazines.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:00 pm 
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Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
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maybe you mean http://www.fakechecks.org/

This site us put together by the National Consumer's League along with the US Postal Inspection Service. I was actually at the taping of some of the vicitms interviews, which you can see here

http://www.fakechecks.org/prevention-vi ... iew02.html

I was also interveiwed for a larger documentary piece being put together by this same group.

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:55 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:50 am
Posts: 291
Location: WI
admin wrote:
maybe you mean http://www.fakechecks.org/

This site us put together by the National Consumer's League along with the US Postal Inspection Service. I was actually at the taping of some of the vicitms interviews, which you can see here

http://www.fakechecks.org/prevention-vi ... iew02.html

I was also interveiwed for a larger documentary piece being put together by this same group.


That is it. I haven't checked out the site yet, but plan to do so. I am glad you are helping to spred the word. Now if only you could get the dating sites to put up warnings on their pages with the signs of a romance scam so people there could be protected.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 1:26 pm 
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Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
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russellj84 wrote:
I am glad you are helping to spred the word. Now if only you could get the dating sites to put up warnings on their pages with the signs of a romance scam so people there could be protected.


Well, back in 2003/2004 I personally contacted many site that sell classic cars (since that was where scammers were going and how we personally got hit) and a LOT of them started to put up warnings, or even add a warning into the email that goes to every new person that signs up to use their site . . . maybe I should do this same thing with dating sites to show them how much it has helped to cut down on the people getting scammed on classic car sites.

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 2:54 pm 
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Gold Member

Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:50 am
Posts: 291
Location: WI
admin wrote:
russellj84 wrote:
I am glad you are helping to spred the word. Now if only you could get the dating sites to put up warnings on their pages with the signs of a romance scam so people there could be protected.


Well, back in 2003/2004 I personally contacted many site that sell classic cars (since that was where scammers were going and how we personally got hit) and a LOT of them started to put up warnings, or even add a warning into the email that goes to every new person that signs up to use their site . . . maybe I should do this same thing with dating sites to show them how much it has helped to cut down on the people getting scammed on classic car sites.


It wouldn't hurt to send a request to the dating sites. Even if it helps 50% of the people that might be scammed then I think it was worth while. It would be nice if Western Union would put up some sort of warning about sending money to people overseas that you don't know, but that will never happen because all these scams are how WU makes money.


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 Post subject: THEY JUST KEEP SCAMMING !!!! Nov 10 !!!
PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:14 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:02 am
Posts: 1
:x

THANK YOU ALL FOR POSTING HERE !!!

I Googled the name (Rev Hamilton Ralph), and saw a link to this site.
This way I did not have to waste more time on a scam.

I requested more pictures...
I got the response you can read below (the price has gone up to 700 e).

Thanks for your email and it is my gladness to hearing from you.I am Rev Hamilton Ralph ,the owner of the house you are making enquiry of.Actually I resided in the house with my family,such as m y wife and my only daugther before and presently we had packed due to my transfer from my working place and now situated in the Valencia Spain,and presently my house is still available for rent for 700 Euro Cn including the utilities like hydro,washer and security,it is furnised.Moreso Now, i went for a Crusade in the West Africa and i will like you to get in touch with my wife in the state for more discussion as She is with the keys and the document to the house.Pls i want you to note that,i am a kind and honest man and also i spent alot on my property that i want to give you for rent,so i will solicit for your absolute mentenance of this house and want you to treat it as your own,is that taken,it is not the money the main problem but want you to keep it tidy allthe time so that i will be glad to see it neat when i came for a check up.i do that once in a while.I also want you to let me have trust in you as i always stand on my word.Where are you located and where do you see our advert also let us know if you need more pictures.

Email my wife Camila. on ( lathycamila@gmail.com )and she will attends to you better.
God bless you
Rev. Hamilton Ralph



I guess the old saying is true: " If something seems too good to be true, it probably is."


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:21 am 
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Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:18 am
Posts: 1
Just got my very own version after inquiring about an apartment I saw listed on Craigslist. The price was too good to be true - $600/mo when similar apartments go for $1300 - so I was suspicious from the start. Once I got the letter, though...well, see for yourself!
Quote:
from: stevens.hook@yahoo.com
Hello Dear,

Thanks for the email. I own the apartment and also want you to know that it was due to my transfer to West Africa, Nigeria that makes me and my wife to leave the house and also want to give it out for rent and looking for a responsible person that can take very good care of it as we are not after the money for the rent but want it to be clean all the time and the person that will rent it to take it as if it were its own. So for now, We are here in West Africa and will be staying here for the next 4 years in our new house and also with the keys of the apartment for rent, we try to look for an agent that we can give this documents and the keys before we left but could not find, and we as well do not want our house to be used any how in our absence that is why we took it along with us. I and my wife came over to Africa for a missionary work, so i hope you will promise us that you will take very good care of the house. So get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home. Hope you are okay with the price of $600 per month with hydro,heat laundry facilities, air condition and so on.This is the address of the Apartment (1311 28th Street Southeast, Washington DC 20020 )

SO IF YOU ARE REALY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE
RENT APPLICATIONS FORM BELOW
RENT APPLICATION FORM
Pls let me get this answer.
1)Your Full Name
2)Your Full Address & Phone Number
3)How old are you?
4)Are you married?
5)How many people will be living in the house?
6)Do you have a pet?
7)Do you have a car?
8)Occupation?
9)What is your religion?
Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that i can have it in my file incase of issuing the receipt for you and
contacting you.Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the document and the key to you,please we are giving you all this base on trust and again i will want you to stick to your words,you know that we do not see yet and only putting everything into Gods hand,so please do not let us down in this our property and God bless you more as you do this.
Thanks and you are welcome
Regards.

I am planning to reply and tell them it is illegal to ask someone's religion when you are talking about housing in the United States. I will refer them to HUD's page on this and I will post what response I get, if any!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:40 pm 
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Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:36 pm
Posts: 1
Just had a similar thing after emailing about an apartment on Craigslist for in Toronto, Canada. This is the email I got back after inquiring about it:

Quote:
Hello John,
I Greet you in the Name of God Before i introduce my self to you , you can go at anytime to check on my Apartment .My name is Pastor John Peterson ,a God Fearing man that believes so much in God's Work.I left the Canada to preach the word of God to the people in Nigeria .whereby i will spend almost 1 year before i will be going back to Canada .The Africans need more prayers and blessing from God so that they can be saved.

That makes me to leave the house and also want to give it out for rent
and looking for a responsible,God Fearing and a neat person that can take very good care of it in which i am not after the money for the rent but want it to be clean at the
time and the person that will rent it to take it as if it were its
own.
So for now,i am here doing the Work of God and also with the keys of the house,i try to look for an agent that i can give this document before i left but could not see and i dont want my house to be used any how in my absent that was why i took it along
with me here and for your Information my wife is dead and i lost my 2 kids in a car accident and i am here for a mission of God .

I hope you will promise me you will to take very good care of the house.So get back to me on how you could take care of our
house or perhaps experience you have in renting home.Hope you are okay
with the price .The house is well arrange with hydro,heat laundry
facilities,air condition
and so on.and available for rentage based on the agreement .
I look forward to hearing from you ASAP so that i can forward you an
application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for rent
also are you ready to rent it now ?

Finally , You have to know that i need a very seroius person that is interested in the house because i have so many people that love to rent the house from us .
Thanks,
You can Contact me with this Phone Number:+xxxxxxxxxx
Await your reply.
Pastor John Peterson.


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 Post subject: Re: Rental scam
PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2008 11:27 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 11:20 pm
Posts: 1
Omg i feel so stupid right now, I was almost about to buy this scam until I noticed the guy screwed up his own scam and decided to email me his original response from another email and he started to rush into things wanting the money the very next day, and thus he wouldn't answer my questions, I actually ended up giving him my personal information, house address phone number ugh What can i do???
This is his first message:
Hello ,
It is a great pleasure that you are interested in my Flat. Thanks for your email,It's my pleasure reading it.
I am MR. kabar,the Owner of the house you are making enquiry of.
Actually I have been living in the House for Seven years now with my Wife,Kids and Family Members,due to the nature of my kind of work as a Bulilding Contractor, I was transfered with my Boss to West Africa Nigeria for the Constructions of Bridges and roads,so presently i'm in Nigeria.
But my House is yet to be rented,so it's still vacant.And the fee is just $700 including the Utilities like Hydro,Washer, Security, it is fully Furnised.I know you will like it.
Please i want you to note that,i am a kind and honest Man and als o i've spent alot on my property.So i will solicit for your absolute mentenance of this house and want you to treat it as your own,is that taken?
Money is not the matter here,but I want you to keep it tidy all the time,so that i will be glad to see it neat when i come around for a check up.I do that once in a while.I also want you to let me have absolute trust in you.
100_0022 ...Washroom - Basement
Washroom, 2nd floor toiletLiving room



SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENTAPPLICATIONS FORMS BELOW
RENT APPLICATION FORM
Also,Pls let me get this answer.
1).Your Full Name
2).Your Full Address & Phone Number
3).How old are you?
4).Are you married?
5).How many people will be living in the house?
6).Do you have any Pet?
7).Do you have a Car?
8).What's your Occupation?
9).Are you born again?
10).Will you keep the House good?
Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that i can
have it in my file incase of issuing the receipt for you and contacting
you.Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the
document and the key to you,please we are giving you all this base on trust and again i will want you to stick to your words,you know that,,so please do not let us down in this our property .
Thanks and you are welcome. You can reach me with my phone# +23480 664 02584

Address 11740 Southwest 116th Terrace, Miami FL 33186
Regards


After I answered the questions I asked him some other questions and this was his "robot" response

Hello ,
i really want to know what is going on with the payment because the keys and the document are registered in DHL Company,so all they are waiting for now is the payment to be comfirmed for you to have the Documentation of the apartment in your hand.here is the keys that will be send to your address you delivered to me....


Go Ahead and make the Payment Today.
Thanks And Remain Bless.

my boyfriend kept telling me it was a scam and i wouldn't believe it until now. i would never send anyone money anywho, but still pisses me off how these fuckers are playing games with the wrong people!

THIS GUY NEEDS TO BE STOPPED!!


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 Post subject: Re: Rental scam
PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:23 am 
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Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
Don't feel stupid . . . feel glad that you did not become a victim!

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


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 Post subject: Re: Rental scam
PostPosted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 10:35 am 
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Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 10:18 am
Posts: 1
Hello,

I was about send them money..but the Western Union thing and the DHL was too bizarre. They have infos on me, my adress...

Thanks for posting all these posts!!!!!!!!

FIRST MAIL
Hi ...,

Thanks for showing your interest in our apartment we have for rent.. My husband Billy is not at home at the moment so I will let you know every detail about the apartment. First it is good you know that we are not in town at the moment as Billy decides to relocate here in Victoria Island, Lagos because of his new business. So now we are looking for a good tenant to keep the apartment clean and safe for a short term or long term rent period as we will not be around to check on you from time to time.

The apartment is fully furnished and has all the basic appliances that you will need at home. There are 4 closets in the bedroom but 1 is locked up with all the apartment documents and other important documents that came with the properties inside the apartment as we can not travel along with such documents. So you still have 3 open closets to use for your stuffs.

There is a cotton stick duster that can be used to dust the glass and the pictures and frames as they mean so much to us. All the utilities as water, phone, electricity, laundry (washer dryer), oven, Internet and heat are included in the monthly rent of 500. We have a car park in the premises and it can only take cars and mini trucks.

If you are still interested in the apartment then you should be ready to pay 1 month rent as advance rent deposit and another 1 month rent as security deposit and it will be refunded back to you at the end of your rent period. The deposit you pay will reserve the apartment for your move in date before you receive the keys thru DHL at your present address.

Before we accept the 2 months rent deposit and send you our keys it is good that we sign the Rental Agreement first to protect your interest and ours. There should be a signed Agreement stating the amount paid as deposit and the lent of period you will be occupying the apartment and other terms as well.
So provide your answers to the questions bellow to complete the rental agreement before we forward a copy to your email as PDF attachment after I get your answers. I don’t know if it is possible to get a scanned copy of at list your driver license or any ID? Our apartment address is: 24 Boulevard des Belges 69006 Lyon France.

Provide your name:
Provide your phone number:
Provide your present address where DHL can easily deliver keys:
Provide move in date:
Provide move out date:

Do you have a car?

Do you have a pet?

After I get your answers I will discus with my husband and we will sign and forward your copy to you as soon as possible.

Talk soon,
Ellyse

SECOND MAIL :

Hello Emilie,

Thanks for the detailed information you have provided for the Rental agreement and it made it a bit easy for me to do the editing and completion of the Agreement. U just finished signing the Rental agreement and I have attached your copy to this email. You only need to print out the copy before you sign and scan only the first and the last pages that has our contact details and signatures and forward to me as attachment file. If you don’t have a scanning marching then fax the 2 copies to us at 206-202-7680.

I spoke with Billy and he said you can inform us a month ahead when you are about moving to New York so that we can make arrangements to find another tenant or reserve it for your return. We are still very interested to see a copy of any ID you have on hand is ok with us. The picture you sent with your last email was beautiful.

We would also want to confirm if the keys are going to be sent to the address you have provided. Billy wants me to confirm your address with Western Union when receiving the deposit before I go to DHL to post the keys to that address, so you have to provide a sure address if this address will not be easy for DHL to locate.

I just spoke with a Western Union customer care over the phone and she said you need to take the details bellow along to any Western Union to send the deposit. She said it will cost you some charges and it will take about 10 minutes to do the payment.

Sender
Name:...Address: .....
Phone:...

Receiver
Name: Ellyse Hewitt
Address: 22 Ministers Lane, Victoria Garden city, Lagos, 23401 Nigeria

Receiver
Name: Ellyse Hewitt
Address: 22 Ministers Lane, Victoria Garden city, Lagos, 23401 Nigeria
Phone: +234 702-770-1451

Text question: Good
Text Answer: Morning
Amount: 1000 EU / 1,358.95 USD

What I will expect from you in your next email are:

Scanned copy of any ID from you:
The scanned first and last pages of the signed Rental Agreement:
The 10 digits MTCN number that is provided by Western Union confirming the deposit payment:

I am a little tied so I will go back to work now, I will be expecting your reply stating when you need the keys to be posted.

Thanks,

Ellyse


Then ,they called me!!

I am so worried they got my infomrations...so glad i didn't them the money...


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