No Good Deals Weblog

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Posted by admin under Uncategorized

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LATEST NIGERIAN SCAM EMAIL!

Posted by admin under All, Bad Deal, Bank, Email, Fraud, Internet, Scam, Spam

It is christmas. It is a great time to celebrate with the family and friends. However, the current economic crisis makes it a bit more difficult for Americans to give to their relatives and friends. Everyone is on a tight budget. Therefore, the following email could appear like a gift sent from heaven to a lot of people.

Well, it is not. It is one of the latest scam emails from Nigeria. Its purpose is to steal your money. There is nothing more to it. You should not be fooled by US$76,000,000.00 million and the no one to claim it gimmick. It is all a dishonest scheme. 

Mr.Akintola George,
Headquarter,
Central Bank of Nigeria.
Abuja, Nigeria.
REPLY THROUGH MY PRIVATE BOX:

Sir,

Compliment of the day and how is life general with you? Of course it is my humble wish to solicit and crave your indulgence to make this project request for a joint business transaction which I hope will not come to you as a surprise, hence I plead for your pardon.

I am Mr. Akintola George, the internal Auditor with Central Bank of Nigeria of Nig, I have an urgent and confidential business proposal for you.
On June 6, 2002, an Australian oil consultant/contractor with National Petroleum cooperation (NNPC) Mr. Peter Bush made a numbered time (fixed) deposit for twelve calender month valued at US$76,000.00(Seventy Six Million U.s Dollars) in my branch.

On maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarded address but got no reply after months we send a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employee (Nigeria national petroleum Corporation) that Mr. peter Bush died from an automobile accident.

On further investigation, it was clear that he died without making a will. All attempts by the Australian to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Peter Bush did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents including his deposit document in my bank. The total sum US$76,000,000.00 is still in my bank as dormant acct. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian banking law, after five years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian Government. If the account owner is certified death and nobody comes forward to claim it.

This is the situation , and my proposal is that I am looking for a foreigner who will stand in as the beneficiary/next of kin. This is simple. All you have to do is to immediately send me the details of a bank account anywhere in the world for me to arrange the proper money transfer document. The money will then be transferred into the account for us to share in the ration of 65% for me 25% for you while the remaining 10% will be set aside for expenses incurred within here and there.

There is no risk involved(whatsoever), I am using my position and connection in the bank here to do all the documentation work for the transaction. We shall employ the services of an attorney to draft the will and obtain all necessary documents and letter of administration in your favor for the transfer.

This transaction is risk free guaranteed, Note that this deal is very confidential, if you are interested please reply immediately and be rest assured that this transaction could be most profitable for both of us. Please do not expose this deal if you are not interested because if you do, it will take me out of job.
I am awaiting your urgent reply.

Best regards,

Mr.Akintola George.

Central Bank of Nigeria.

CONFIDENTIAL SATELLITE LINES:
TEL: +874 762 921580, FAX: +874 762 921581
PRIVATE PHONE: +234 70 33 55 99 00

The following are some protective tips that you could use in order to combat Scam/Spam E-mails like the above:

• Do not respond to unsolicited (SPAM) e-mail.
• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and open you to identity theft.
• Do not respond to email with misspellings, bad grammar, or poor punctuation.
• Look closely to email links. Deceptive links in phishing emails look like they are to a valid site, but deliver you to a fraudulent one. Many times you can see if the link is legitimate by just moving your mouse over the link.
• Look closely how the email is addressed. Many phish emails use generic salutations and generic information (e.g. “Dear Customer” or “Dear Account Holder”) instead of your name.
• If the email asks you to go to a website and verify your personal information, do not provide it or go to that website. Banks, Credit Card companies and other institutions will never ask for your Social Security or personal information through an email or phone call. Unless you are the one who contact the company(You call the bank or Credit Card company), the company will never ask for the above informations.

If you receive an email like the above one, forward it immediately to Spam@uce.gov and/or Reportphishing@antiphishing.com and don’t click on the links under any circumstances. They could have malware and viruses. If you are a victim to the above scam, you can also file a complaint here at IC3.gov.

The Ponzi Scheme is Part of the Everyday Wall Street Business!

Posted by admin under All, Bank, Fraud, Wall Street

The stock market is in hot waters because of the recession, the bubbles created by the mortgage financial institutions and the fear of the possible collapsing of the major US auto industries. In addition to the above, there is another problem that is coming to light and causing great fear in the Stock Market. The problem is the lack of regulations in Wall Street, which have brought a come back of the Ponzi Scheme.

According to Wikipedia, the Ponzi Scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that involves paying abnormally high returns to investors out of the money paid in by subsequent investors, rather than from the profit from any real business. It is named after Charles Ponzi. The term “Ponzi scheme” is used primarily in the United States, while other English-speaking countries do not distinguish verbally between this scheme and other forms of pyramid scheme.

Bernard L. Madoff is the latest Wall Street mogul to be accused of fraud and employing the Ponzi Scheme. According to Wikipedia, Until December 12, 2008, he had been the chairman of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, which he founded in 1960. The firm has been one of the top market maker firms on Wall Street, and also had an investment management business.

On December 11, 2008, he was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, acting on a tip-off from his son, and charged with fraud. Madoff’s assets have been frozen and a receiver has been appointed. It is alledged that he employed the ponzi scheme to defraud his investors of more than $50 billion over the current and past decades. To date, it is the largest investor fraud ever attributed to a single individual. Spanish, French, Swiss, Italian, Dutch and other banks have announced that they have lost over a billion U.S. dollars from the Madoff scandal.

In conclusion, it is imperative to be very careful when planning to invest these days. The economy is in a recession and there are very few companies that could yield returns in the stock market. Therefore, you should be very skeptical of anybody who promises you a return of investment regardless of the company or financial institution they might represent or work for. The latter scheme is the best example that no one is trustworthy in the stock market, nowadays. 

Video: 

LATEST VISHING AND SPAMMING ATTACKS

Posted by admin under All, Bank, Fraud, Internet, Phone, Scam, Spam, Technology, Vishing

Spammers and crooks are exploring all possibilities to either steal our personal information or infect our computers with viruses and malware. The New York Times reports, “The Internet Security is broken, and nobody Seems to quite know how to fix it.” Viruses and malware are currently not only affecting Windows Operating Systems, but Mac OS as well. The latter was only matter of time because of the increase popularity of the Macintosh Operating System.

This leads us to the latest attacks. According to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, there is a new technique being used to conduct vishing. Vishing, for those that don’t know, is a technique in which crooks spoof a victim’s telephone caller ID via what is called voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in order to gain access to the victim’s personal information. For example, the victim receives an unsolicited phone call from his or her local bank and the caller requests the victim’s social security or Personal Identification Number (PIN). The call appears legitimate to the victim because the caller ID reflects the bank’s name, but in reality, it is not a legitimate call from his or her local bank. The scammers have spoofed his or her caller ID to display his or her local bank name. This allows them to effortlessly steal the victims identity. 

The FBI states that the recent VoIP attack has been made possible because of a vulnerability with an Asterisk software. Asterik is a free and widely used software developed to integrate Private Branch Exchange systems with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), digital Internet voice calling services. However, early versions of the Asterisk software are known to have a vulnerability. The vulnerability can be exploited by cyber criminals to use the system as an auto dialer, generating thousands of vishing telephone calls to consumers within one hour.

The next attack involves spam. The FBI informs us of a fraudulent E-mail claiming to be from FBI assistant director, Kevin Favreau. The FBI states that the current spam e-mail claims to be an official order from the FBI’s Anti-Terrorist and Monetary Crimes Division. Recipients are told they have been named the beneficiary of millions of dollars; however, the e-mail claims the FBI has stopped the transfer of these funds due to suspicion that they are related to terrorism.

Recipients are also given directions on how to obtain a “Diplomatic Immunity Seal of Transfer” which must be provided or they will face prosecution. Assistant Director Favreau is fraudulently listed as the “veteran special agent” who authorized the “official” order.

In order to protect yourself from these scammers and crooks, your should follow the following tips from the FBI:

• Do not respond to these types of emails, they are a hoax.
• The FBI does not send unsolicited e-mails. Consumers should not respond to any unsolicited e-mails or click on any embedded links, as they may contain viruses or malware.
• It is imperative consumers guard their personally identifiable information (PII). Providing your PII will compromise your identity!
• Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• Avoid filling out forms in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
• Always compare the link in the e-mail to the link that you are actually directed to.
• Log on to the official website, instead of “linking” to it from an unsolicited e-mail.
• Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the e-mail to verify if the e-mail is genuine.
• Contact the actual bank that supposedly is calling you.
• Do not provide your PIN number to anyone over the phone. Your bank will not ask for it.
• If someone calls you and claims to represent your bank and asks for your Social Security or Personal Information, hang up the phone and call your bank direct. You should use the phone number written in the back of your bank card or branch phone number.

If you have been a victim of Internet crime, please file a complaint at www.IC3.gov.

Bad Deal For FireFox Greasemonkey Add On

Posted by admin under All, Bad Deal, Bank, Scam, Software, Technology, Virus

The Ars Technica website is reporting a new malware circulating the Internet and attacking specifically Firefox users. This malware has been identified and called Trojan.PWS.ChromeInject.A, according to Bitdefender researchers. The trojan installs itself in the Firefox directory and registers itself as Greasemonkey. 

The main purpose of this malware is to steal accounts login information stored in our computers and/or web browsers. After stealing above information, it sends them to a web address/domain similar to [removed]eex.ru. Crooks utilize above stolen information to login into our online bank accounts and steal our money or savings. According to Bitdefender, both the domain and hosting server are located in Russia. 

BitDefender Link
Ars Technica Link

FBI 10 Most Wanted Widget

Posted by admin under All, Technology

The FBI has developed a new widget with the Top Ten Most Wanted Criminals. You can post it on your blogs and help the FBI capture the most sought after criminals in America and abroad.

We have posted ours below, but you can obtain your widget by visiting FBI.gov or by clicking here.

IT IS A COPPER OF A HEADACHE

Posted by admin under All, Home

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (Latin: cuprum) and atomic number 29, according to Wikipedia. Moreover, it is a ductile metal with an excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. Nowadays, it is also becoming a hot commodity.

The resurgence of China and India has created an increase demand for copper. According to the FBI, as the global supply of copper continues to tighten, the market for illicit copper will likely increase. This has created an increase in the price of the metal by more than 500 percent from 2001 until 2008.

This could come as good news for the industries that sale copper. However, it is not good news for the infrastructure of the United States. This situation has created an illegal black market that it is affecting great parts of the United States. For instance, the FBI reports that a month earlier in Polk County, Florida, nearly 4,000 residents were left without power after thieves stripped copper wire from a transformer at an electric company facility. Estimated losses: $500,000. Not to mention the homeowner hassles.

An agent who specializes in major theft crimes states the following:

“On the surface, it could be a relatively small theft.” “But the public safety impact could be significant.” “And while copper thieves may not intend to compromise critical infrastructure, they can still be charged with more weighty federal crimes.”

In conclusion, the next time your electricity fails, it might not be the fault of the company in charge of providing your electricity. It might well be a thief stealing your electricity provider’s copper wires.

[Source]

NOT A GOOD DEAL: ONE VIOLENT BLACK FRIDAY!

Posted by admin under All, Bad Deal, Home, Videos

The Oxford Dictionary defines shopping as a noun or adjective, which means the purchasing of goods from retail stores. Black Fridays refers to the Friday after thanksgiving in the United States where the beginning of the traditional shopping season starts.

According Wikipedia, Black Friday is not an official holiday, but many employees have the day off, which increases the number of potential shoppers. Furthermore, retailers often choose the week from the 23rd to the 29th of November to decorate their establishments for the Christmas Season.

Black Friday has served as the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season since the start of modern Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924. The term “Black Friday” originated in Philadelphia in reference to the heavy traffic on that day. In the business industry, it is referred as black friday because it is the time where businesses are turning in their profits.

This Black Friday did cause heavy traffic. Even though the economy is in a recession, shoppers went shopping and in great numbers. However, retailers are waiting to see Black Friday sales totals.

Heavy traffic must equate to high profits for stores. However, this past Black Friday equated to violence and death. An employee was killed during a shoppers stampede in New York and two customers shot each other to death in California. Those are unfortunate events that should not have taken place. Our safety should be our first priority. Deals will not cease to exist during any Christmas season. For future reference, consumers should take a look at the following tips by MSNBC on surviving Black Friday:

1) It’s OK to do nothing, 2) You can always shop on the Internet, 3) If you must brave the crowds, be prepared, 4) Be a savvy shopper, 5) Distinguish between deals and duds, 6) Decide how early you’ll arrive, and plan accordingly, 7) Make friends with people in line, 8) Pick the right shopping buddy, 9) Shop with a list, and 10) Bring the ads you found.

NOT A VERY HOLY FOUNDATION!

Posted by admin under All, Fraud, Scam

The Holy land Foundation has been shut down for good, the FBI informs. According to Wikipedia and the FBI, the Holy Land Foundation was the largest Islamic charity in the US. It was also known as Occupied land fund, which could have indicated its purpose.

According to the FBI, they got involved in the Holy Land case nearly 15 years ago. In 1994, the FBI began looking into the organization’s financial ties to Hamas. During the investigation, agents from the FBI traveled the globe to conduct more than 100 interviews, to sort through hundreds of boxes of documents, to view hundreds of video and audio tapes in Arabic, and to review thousands of pages of bank records.

On Monday, November 24, 2008, the five former leaders were found guilty of funneling more than $12 million to the Palestinian Terrorist group Hamas. The five former leaders were Shukri Abu Baker, Mohammad El-Mezain, Ghassan Elashi, Mufid Abdulqader and Abdulrahman Odeh. Shukri Abu Baker, Mohammad El-Mezain and Ghassan Elashi incorporated the company. Mufid Abdulqader and Abdulrahman Odeh worked as fund raisers.

In the trial, the government presented evidence that the defendants provided financial support to the families of Hamas martyrs, detainees, and activists knowing and intending that such assistance would support the Hamas terrorist organization. Since 1995, when it first became illegal to provide financial support to Hamas, HLF provided approximately $12.4 million in funding to Hamas through various Hamas-affiliated committees and organizations located in Palestinian-controlled areas and elsewhere.

Controversy:

According to Wikipedia, after 19 days of deliberations, a jury in 2007 were unable to come to a definitive conclusion and the case ended in a mistrial.

On Nov. 4, 2007 the LA Times reported: “The nation’s biggest terrorism finance case ended so badly for the government that it has thrown into question the Bush administration’s original order to shut down the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development six years ago.”

It is imperative to conclude with the following statement from the Special Agent in Charge, Michael P. Lahey, who said, “Terrorist networks need money to be effective.” “The IRS Criminal Investigation will not allow exempt organizations to be misused for raising money that is ultimately used for terrorism financing.”

NOT A GOOD DEAL FOR ECO-TERRORISTS

Posted by admin under All, Home, Work

The FBI is re-launching its operation “Backfire” to prevent and combat further eco-terrorist activities. This operation began after the arson at the Vail Ski Resort in Vail, Colorado, in 1998, according to the FBI. The Vail Ski Resort arson caused an estimated $12 million in damages.

On January 20, 2006, eleven people were indicted with acts of domestic terrorism on behalf of the extremist Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and Animal Liberation Front (ALF). In addition to the above attack, the Defendants were accused of attacks on federal land and animal management sites, private meat packing plants, lumber facilities, and a car dealership with damages reaching $80 million.

However, four individuals have evaded justice. The four individuals are Rebecca J. Rubin, Justin Franchi Solondz, Joseph Mahmoud Dibee and Josephine Overaker. Therefore, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced an increase in the reward for the capture of these four fugitives.

Fugitives Resume:

• Dibee was indicted in 2006 on charges of arson, conspiracy, and animal enterprise terrorism. He is believed to be living in Syria with family members.
• Overaker has been on the run since 2001. She was indicted in 2004, with subsequent indictments in 2006, including for her involvement with the 1998 Vail arson. She is believed to have spent time in Germany and may have settled in Spain. She speaks fluent Spanish.
• Rubin was indicted in 2006 for the Vail arson and other domestic terrorism crimes. A Canadian citizen, she has strong family ties to Canada and may be living there.
• Solondz was also indicted in 2006 on charges that include arson, conspiracy, and animal enterprise terrorism. He was out of the country when he was indicted and has never returned. Solondz has traveled in Russia, China, and India.

The reward for the above fugitives have been increased to $50,000 for each individual. Arson is one of the primary crimes that are committed by eco-terrorists, according to the FBI. The Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Ward states that the supporters of animal rights or ecological rights movements will argue that violence is not involved. However, the FBI states that they have seen violence involved in the form of increase rhetoric, threats and arsons committed against facilities and homes of individuals involved in research dealing with animals.