PCFormat Forum Archive

Dear Site Owner,

I am contacting you today in reference to a proposal for your website from one of my biggest clients. My client is a major entertainment website developer that is looking to expand their online presence by purchasing promotional ad space on select websites. Your website has been selected as a target for this advertising purchase, which will promote one of my client’s top online gaming websites. The advertisements will be in the form of simple text copy (no pictures or banners).

Please let me know at your earliest convenience if you’re interested in receiving more information about my client’s offer to you.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you and best regards,
Lisa Jones

Hi Lisa,

Please give me more details. Who's the client? And please forward me the actual ads so that I can have a look.

Furthermore, what kind of compensation can I expect?

Regards,
blah blah blah...

Good afternoon,

We are happy to hear from you. As per my prior email, my client is interested in purchasing text-based ad space on your website to promote one of their dish network websites. I believe that you’ll find their proposal to be mutually beneficial. The details are included for your review below.

My client would like to purchase advertising space consisting of 3 small text blocks of ad copy that contain 2-4 sentences and 2-4 links each. One ad block would be placed on each of three different sub-pages of your website. In exchange for this ad space, we are offering payment in the amount of $120 per year. Payment would be made via Paypal or Neteller within three business days of reaching a finalized agreement.

Further, if you own or operate other websites, we would be interested in reviewing them to see if they fit our criteria. After review, if they are approved, we would like to purchase additional ad space on these sites on a ‘links per portal’ basis.

I hope that you are interested in our proposal and that we are able to move forward with finalizing an agreement

In reality, the supposed enquiries are just rather clever variations of the long-running overpayment scam. If a website owner falls for the ruse by replying with advertising rates, the scammer will ostensibly "agree" to the price and send a cheque. However, the cheque will be for considerably more than the agreed price. The scammer will claim that the extra amount is to cover some third party debt and ask that the victim electronically wire the excess funds to a specified address. Alternatively, the scammer may claim that the overpayment was accidental and request that the victim wire the excess amount back to him as soon as possible.

Unfortunately for the victim, although the cheque may seemingly clear, the bank will later discover that it was stolen. By then the victim may have wired off the excess funds to the criminals responsible. The scheme is a method of laundering the proceeds of crime and will ultimately leave the victim out of pocket and possibly in legal trouble for receiving stolen cheques.

Hi there "Lisa Jones".

I really don't appreciate the way you're trying to screw me. I'm an honest guy, and if I wasn't the internet-savvy guy that I am, I may actually have fallen for this nonsense. What you're doing is theft. What if I were dirt poor and I ended up sending money back to you that I just couldn't afford to send back? What about my family?

Perhaps you should consider what other people may go through because of YOUR theft. Maybe the last guy you screwed didn't have money for food that month because he wired his last money to you? Maybe he was blacklisted?

Be a bit less selfish a bit more considerate, life will feel better that way.

Anyway, I'll keep you in my prayers.

Take care of yourself

Good afternoon,

this must be a misunderstanding. We are not thiefs and don't want money from anybody. We are interested in advertising on your website and for this we will PAY to YOU.

Please read the previous email correctly.

Regards,
Lisa

Okay, I'll make you a deal. If you take a photo of yourself holding a board/paper saying "DAE_JA_VOO, this isn't a scam", I'll consider it.

doo_much wrote:"Payment would be made via Paypal"

Isn't Paypal supposed to protect you from just such a scam as this?

That's funny Ettienne...However our business is serious and I don't see any reason why I should made an idiot of myself.

If you are not interested in advertising with us, ok it's your decision and I will respect it.


Thank you for your time,

Regards,
Lisa

DAE_JA_VOO wrote:@doo_much: Yeah, I think there's something like that in there somewhere. I don't know.

Anyway, no luck

That's funny Ettienne...However our business is serious and I don't see any reason why I should made an idiot of myself.

If you are not interested in advertising with us, ok it's your decision and I will respect it.


Thank you for your time,

Regards,
Lisa

Still sounds pretty legit, but I know it's a scam. She linked me to some pages that apparently have their advertising on, and the one link wanted to install malware on my system.

OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
TREASURY AND MINISTER FOR CIVIL SERVICE, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM.

Our ref: ATM/13470/IDR
Your ref:...Date: 07/05/2010

IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION

I am Hon Gordon Brown MP,Prime Minister British Government. This letter is to officially inform you that (ATM Card Number 0480001017665450) has been accredited in your favor. Your Personal Identification Number is 477.The VISA Card Value is £2,000,000.00(Two Million, Great British Pounds Sterling).

This office will send to you an Visa/ATM CARD that you will use to withdraw your funds in any Automated Teller Machine (ATM) CENTER or Visa card outlet in the world with a maximum of £5000 GBP daily.Further more,You will be required to re-confirm the following information to enable;Hon Gordon Brown MP Secretary of State for Foreign and Common wealth Affairs. begin in processing of your VISA CARD.begin in processing of your VISA CARD.

(1)Full names: (2)Address: (3)Country: (4)Nationality: (5)Phone : (6)Age:
(7)Occupation: (8) Post Codes

Forward Reply To: directgov1@w.cn

TAKE NOTICE: That you are warned to stop further communications with any other
person(s) or office(s) different from the staff of the State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to avoid hitches in receiving your payment.

You are to choose on the Options of delivery of your ATM Card:
1) DELIVERY BY DHL COMPANY
2) BANK TRANSFER

Regards,

Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
Prime Minister.

Attention,

The Federal Government of Nigeria through provisions in Section 419 of the Criminal Code came up with punitive measures to deter and punish offenders. The Advance Fee Fraud section deal mainly with cases of advance fee fraud (commonly called 419) such as obtaining by false pretence through different fraudulent schemes e.g. contract scam, credit card scam, inheritance scam, job scam, loan scam, lottery scam, "wash" scam (money washing scam), marriage scam. Immigration scam, counterfeiting and religious scam. It also investigates cyber crime cases. This is to officially announce to you that some scam Syndicates were apprehended in Lagos, Nigeria few days ago and after several interrogations and tortures your details were among those mentioned by some of the scam Syndicates as one of the victims of their operations.

After proper investigations and research at Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram office to know if you have truly sent money to the scam Syndicates through Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram, your name was found in Western Union Money Transfer database amongst those that have sent money through Western Union Money Transfer to Nigeria and this proves that you have truly been swindled by those unscrupulous persons by sending money to them in the course of getting one fund or the other that is not real, right now we are working hand in hand with Western Union and Interpol to track every fraudsters down, do not respond to their e-mails, letters and phone calls any longer they are scammers and you should be very careful to avoid being a victim to fraudsters any longer because they have nothing to Offer you but to rip-off what you have worked hard to earn.

In this regard a meeting was held between the Board of Directors of The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and as a consequence of our investigations it was agreed that the sum of Two hundred thousand US Dollars (US$200,000) should be transferred to you out of the funds that Federal Government of Nigeria has set aside as a compensation to everyone who have by one way or the other sent money to fraudsters in Nigeria. We have deposited your fund at Western Union Money Transfer agent location EMS Post office Lagos, Nigeria. We have submitted your details to them so that your fund can be transferred to you.Contact the Western Union agent office through the email address stated below about this notification letter and the transfer of your fund;

Contact Mr.Williams White
Email: westernunion90@123mail.cl
Total Claim (US$200,000)
+2347088319583

Yours sincerely,

Sarah ()
Assistant Investigation Officer.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.Nigeria
http://www.efccnigeria.org

*****************************************************************************************************************
Please note that some fraudsters are claiming to be Directors or staffs of The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have recently been sending phony e-mails/letters and also calling unsuspecting persons, with intent to defraud them. It is important to note that these fraudsters are criminal engaged in Advanced Fee Fraud known in Nigeria as 419. Every day, people throughout the world are falling victim to scams of one kind or another. But remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it is probably a scam. In the Circumstance, we unreservedly advice you to dissociate your self from all correspondence and transactions entered into based on evidently fraudulent and fictitious claims.

********************************************************************************************************************
This e-Mail may contain proprietary and confidential information and is sent for the intended recipient(s) only. If, by an addressing or transmission error, this mail has been Misdirected to you, you are requested to delete this mail immediately. You are also hereby notified that any use, any form of reproduction, dissemination, copying, disclosure, modification, distribution and/or publication of this e-mail message, contents or its attachment(s), other than by its intended recipient(s), is strictly prohibited. Any opinions expressed in this email are those of the individual and not necessarily of the Organization. Before opening attachment(s), please scan for viruses." All business handled under Standard Trading Conditions. Copy available on request.

provisions in Section 419 of the Criminal Code

Tribble wrote:Oooh here is a new scam

Attention,

The Federal Government of Nigeria through provisions in Section 419 of the Criminal Code came up with punitive measures to deter and punish offenders. The Advance Fee Fraud section deal mainly with cases of advance fee fraud (commonly called 419) such as obtaining by false pretence through different fraudulent schemes e.g. contract scam, credit card scam, inheritance scam, job scam, loan scam, lottery scam, "wash" scam (money washing scam), marriage scam. Immigration scam, counterfeiting and religious scam. It also investigates cyber crime cases. This is to officially announce to you that some scam Syndicates were apprehended in Lagos, Nigeria few days ago and after several interrogations and tortures your details were among those mentioned by some of the scam Syndicates as one of the victims of their operations.

After proper investigations and research at Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram office to know if you have truly sent money to the scam Syndicates through Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram, your name was found in Western Union Money Transfer database amongst those that have sent money through Western Union Money Transfer to Nigeria and this proves that you have truly been swindled by those unscrupulous persons by sending money to them in the course of getting one fund or the other that is not real, right now we are working hand in hand with Western Union and Interpol to track every fraudsters down, do not respond to their e-mails, letters and phone calls any longer they are scammers and you should be very careful to avoid being a victim to fraudsters any longer because they have nothing to Offer you but to rip-off what you have worked hard to earn.

In this regard a meeting was held between the Board of Directors of The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and as a consequence of our investigations it was agreed that the sum of Two hundred thousand US Dollars (US$200,000) should be transferred to you out of the funds that Federal Government of Nigeria has set aside as a compensation to everyone who have by one way or the other sent money to fraudsters in Nigeria. We have deposited your fund at Western Union Money Transfer agent location EMS Post office Lagos, Nigeria. We have submitted your details to them so that your fund can be transferred to you.Contact the Western Union agent office through the email address stated below about this notification letter and the transfer of your fund;

Contact Mr.Williams White
Email: westernunion90@123mail.cl
Total Claim (US$200,000)
+2347088319583

Yours sincerely,

Sarah ()
Assistant Investigation Officer.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.Nigeria
http://www.efccnigeria.org

*****************************************************************************************************************
Please note that some fraudsters are claiming to be Directors or staffs of The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have recently been sending phony e-mails/letters and also calling unsuspecting persons, with intent to defraud them. It is important to note that these fraudsters are criminal engaged in Advanced Fee Fraud known in Nigeria as 419. Every day, people throughout the world are falling victim to scams of one kind or another. But remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it is probably a scam. In the Circumstance, we unreservedly advice you to dissociate your self from all correspondence and transactions entered into based on evidently fraudulent and fictitious claims.

********************************************************************************************************************
This e-Mail may contain proprietary and confidential information and is sent for the intended recipient(s) only. If, by an addressing or transmission error, this mail has been Misdirected to you, you are requested to delete this mail immediately. You are also hereby notified that any use, any form of reproduction, dissemination, copying, disclosure, modification, distribution and/or publication of this e-mail message, contents or its attachment(s), other than by its intended recipient(s), is strictly prohibited. Any opinions expressed in this email are those of the individual and not necessarily of the Organization. Before opening attachment(s), please scan for viruses." All business handled under Standard Trading Conditions. Copy available on request.

We are getting stupider

Tribble wrote:You saw what THEY did there