E-Mail Scams Trapping Gullible Victims

A sucker is born every minute -- P.T. Barnum the 19th century showman.

There is nothing called a free lunch -- Nobel Laureate in economics Milton Friedman.

In the end everyone should remember is that nothing in life comes easy. If it is too good to be true then it is not. While people have wised up to the Nigerian email scams and some other phishing attempts which are all too obvious, some other are much harder to detect. I will list some of the scams later in the message. However, quite often many of us law-abiding citizens like you and I are guilty of this by just forwarding blindly anything that comes our way without even bothering to read the contents or attempt to verify its integrity. For example, remember that email, "Why I am proud to be an Indian"? While the overall contents are harmless and not caused any damage other than making Government of India look like an idiot for posting it on its website but then GOI does not need much effort in looking like an idiot. The guy who created that letter must have sent it to a few of his friends who blindly forwarded it to a few of theirs and hence it became the "truth".

A few of the scams.

1) An email from Citibank, Bank of America, Citizens Bank, US Bank, etc. asking to verify your account because it has been compromised, not doing so will result in your account being closed, yadda, yadda. They will ask for your account number and PIN (Personal Identification Number). Previously, the bad grammer was a giveaway that it was coming out of Eastern Europe. However, recently the English has gotten much better and it is harder to detect that it is a fraud. A few things to remember:

a) Banks will not contact you directly thru emails other than send you promotional materials, telling you your statement is ready, you have received an e-bill from xxx Utility, etc. In the event there has been some unusual activity in your Online account then they will either call you personally or send you a letter. In the event they do contact you thru your email on any unusual activity they won't mention the activity but will ask you to logon to their website, call their toll-free number or visit their branch. So in other words they are inviting you to initiate the procedures.

b) When such email comes they have the logo of the bank to make it look genuine. I don't know how exactly it works but it is a frame they have put inside the email with the bank logo. At times I tried to forward these scam emails to the respective bank, FDIC, FBI to report them and the logo would not appear since it was a linked frame.

c) However, the most important thing to remember is that no matter how or who initiated a contact with a bank; whether it is in person, online or over the phone; a bank or its representative will never ever ask you for your PIN. If anybody ever asks you for your PIN it is not genuine.

2) The second scam that comes in is from FBI or some other reputable government agency saying that you have visited some unauthorized sites or committed some illegal activity. I don't know how they do it but even the email address will look like at fbi.gov or something like that.

Remember that at least in the US the government will not contact you directly thru email about a personal matter unless they have already met you in person and both of you had a chance to establish your credibility with each other. Even then the government limits its email contacts. For example, as a CPA I have met many IRS auditors and worked with them on client cases. Any issue they call me directly or send a letter but won't communicate thru an email.

While I hope that nobody here has to deal with the government in such circumstances as visiting an unauthorized website or committing an illegal act; if ever the government does have a problem then they will contact you directly in person. Not just send an email.

Gill Sahib,
You seem to be getting more than your fair share of such e-mails. In the rare occasion that I receive such information by regular mail, I respond with an offer to invest their "inherited" money in Enron stock.

Salim_Chauhan: #3
Yes you're right. I had submitted the article on August 18 and since then I received more than 10 such e-mails. In case you're interested to see another specimen, here it is in the following:

"Mrs.reyna Baros" Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert

To: reynabaros58@easymail.hu
Subject: Dear Beloved,
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 07:07:59 +0200


Dear Beloved,

Please, I have a little problem which I'm seriously searching for someone
who will help me out. I am a widow and a devoted Christian, my name is
Mrs. REYNA BAROS from UNITED KINGDOM.

Since my husband died, I have been suffering from arthritics and lately
doctors have diagnosed me with terminal cancer which left me with approximately one months to live.

I am currently on wheelchair and being looked after by a nurse and some
of my late husband's relatives in turns. Before my husband died, he left
some money to the tone of US$4, 800, 000, 00(Four million, eight hundred
thousand dollars) and he made me promised him that it should be used
for humanitarian work, because we have no children. This money is currently
in a vault with a security company .

If you will promise me that you will use this money to achieve the wish
of my husband and me, then I will instruct the security company to
release the content of the vault in your name. Reply me through my
private email address: reynabaros58@yahoo.com for us to discuss so that you can go and claim this money before I die.

May God/Allah bless you as you walk in the light and glory.
Thank you.
Yours in Vineyard
MRS. REYNA BAROS
reynabaros58@yahoo.com
______________________________________________________ ____

Mohammad Gill

Gill sahib,

Please read all about a
with much respect,
thinking storm

links didn't work....I have a wonderful email posted on my ilog, do read and let me know if I am being mislead ...
with much respect,
thinking storm

New scams in Pakistan come with Job Offers to submitted resumes where they want to submit 75% of your first salary into an "overseas account" before you start : ), I have yet to find such a wonderful "advance paying" job...

Gil Sahib #3

At least they are referring to you as "Dear Beloved." LOL
What did the security company need to open the vault? Past rent of $40,000 in cash?