London Internet Scams Falling Down
Just got this stupid e-mail from an Internet spammer who apparently didn’t read my August newsletter warning about the scam (or has a sick sense of humor and sent the e-mail because of the article).
From: Mary Stone [mailto:gabsgrami@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 6:50 AM
To: gabsgrami@yahoo.com
Subject: Sad News!!!Hello
I am in a hurry writing this mail to you, I had travelled to the UK to visit a new researchers complex in Wolverhampton (Imperial College, Gallery Section, UK) and unfortunately for me the hotel i lodged got razed by fire. I am so confused right now, I don’t know what to do or where to go. I didnt bring my phones here and the hotel telephone lines were disconnected during the incident. So I have access to only emails.Please can you lend me £960 today so I can return home. As soon as I get home I would refund it immediately.all you have to do is to transfer through Western Union Money Transfer to my name.below is the details you require.
NAME-MARY STONE
ADDRESS-FOX HOTELS(118 SCHOOL STREET)HARBOUR VIEW RD.
CITY-WOLVERHAMPTON
COUNTRY-UK
ZIPCODE-WV30NROnce again i want to assure you that your money will be refunded as soon as i get back home.immediately you have the money transfered,please help me scan or write out the MTCN Number given to you at the western union outlet.i will be waiting anxiously for your positive response.
Please I need you to get back to me as soon as possible.I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks and Regards,M.E. Stone
Note that this scam is now being used on Twitter and Facebook. Accounts on social networking sites are being hacked and same type of requests are being made to online friends. If you get a request for money, double or triple check ID before sending anything. Chances are you’ll discover your friend is nowhere near the location where the ‘tragedy’ occurred and that it is just a con artist trying to steal from you.
Speaking of con artists, just waiting for the day when this crime gets tweaked with a hidden continuity program. And if one pays the initial amount will there will be an additional upsell soliciting more funds.
About the Author
With an advanced international law degree from Georgetown University and more than 15 years of real world legal experience, Attorney Mike Young is President of the Internet Ethics Council and creator of Website Legal Forms Generator software. He helps entrepreneurs protect and grow their businesses online.
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This exact same scam has been used in my name. I used to work for this company a couple of years ago called Mango Tree in Uganda. Someone stole the company email account and has been asking for money and says to send it in my name to this same UK address you gave in your article.
Here is the message:
On Thu, 3/9/09, Mango Tree wrote:
From: Mango Tree
Subject: Re: Sad News!!!
To: “CHRIS BARTON”
Date: Thursday, 3 September, 2009, 8:04 AM
Dear Chris
Thank you so much for your concern towards my situation here.please this is not an hoax!!i only came here on a visit before all this happened to me.i am really stranded right now as i do not have any means to even go to the Embassy to explain my ordeals.i want you to help me.
Please i will explain better to you when i get back home.i have lost all i came here with to this inferno.all imy money got destroyed in the room.please i need you to help me raise some money so i can proceed to arrange for my light back home.right now everyone at the hotel have been evacuated which means i will have no place to lay my head.i know no one here so you can understand my ordeal.all you have to do is to locate a western union outlet and get the money transfered to this details below
NAME-CYNTHIA McMILLAN
ADDRESS-FOX HOTELS(118 SCHOOL STREET)HARBOUR VIEW RD.
CITY-WOLVERHAMPTON
COUNTRY-UK
ZIPCODE-WV30NR
Once again i want to assure you that your money will be refunded as soon as i get back home.immediately you have the money transfered,please help me scan or write out the MTCN Number given to you at the western union outlet.i will be waiting anxiously for your positive response.
Thanks
Mango Tree
Plot 1479, Naalya Road Kiwatule-Ntinda,
PO Box 25312 Kampala, Uganda
Tel: 256-312-263-263
Mobile: 256-782-089-165
http://www.####.org
— On Wed, 9/2/09, CHRIS BARTON wrote:
From: CHRIS BARTON
Subject: Re: Sad News!!!
To: “Mango Tree”
Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2009, 2:50 PM
Hello,
sorry for your problem
Please send me more information of your name and bank account details.
— On Fri, 28/8/09, Mango Tree wrote:
From: Mango Tree
Subject: Sad News!!!
To: mangotreeug@yahoo.com
Date: Friday, 28 August, 2009, 5:05 PM
Hello
I am in a hurry writing this mail to you, I had travelled to the UK to visit a new researchers complex in Wolverhampton (Imperial College, Gallery Section, UK) and unfortunately for me the hotel i lodged got razed by fire. I am so confused right now, I don’t know what to do or where to go. I didnt bring my phones here and the hotel telephone lines were disconnected during the incident. So I have access to only emails. Please can you lend me £960 today so I can return home. As soon as I get home I would refund it immediately. Please I need you to get back to me so I can let you know how to send the money to me.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks and Regards,
Mango Tree
Plot 1479, Naalya Road Kiwatule-Ntinda,
PO Box 25312 Kampala, Uganda
Tel: 256-312-263-263
Mobile: 256-782-089-165
http://www.####.org
Thanks, Cindy, for sharing your experience and backing it up with copies of the scam e-mails. It truly is a shame that so many scammers get away with running these Internet cons. Until the punishment (risk) outweighs the reward (money), they’ll continue.
Best wishes,
-Mike
Here’s a story about a Facebook victim of the same scam: Cape Girardeau woman loses $4000 to hacker on Facebook. Once again, if a “friend” asks you for money online (by e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, etc.), be sure to verify that it is really your friend before sending anything.
Have y’all seen the site 419eater.com? They tricked one of those scammers into getting a tattoo that reads “Baited by Shiver” on his arm. They have pictures of the guy getting the tat and everything.
DOMICILIO SOCIAL:
La Lotería Nacional (Biblioteca Nacional),
Biblioteca Nacional CASA, Prince Consort Road,
London EC4Y 1AE,
REINO UNIDO.
Tel: +44 702 401 9539, Fax: +44 705 361 9514
Esta loteria me envio un mensaje ganador, y me indica que me presente a esta direccion a reclamar el premio, pero como es un gasto muy grande, quiero saber si es verdad que he ganado este premio,la forma de ganar segun ellos fue en forma aleatoria de correo electronico.