How to recognize phishing scams and fraudulent e-mails?
Sender: “Mark James”
Subject: WESTERN UNION PAYMENT UPDATE
Message:
Dear Sir/Madam, There is an issue with the WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER in the amount of $500,000.00 USD directed in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03, at the owner of this email address. The International Monetary Fund contacted us for your compensation a couple of hours ago due to your allocated security code. They said that they choose to send it to an email address instead of a name. We are unable to complete a transfer directed at an email address,so we require some more information in order to complete this transfer. FULL NAME: FULL CONTACT ADDRESS: MOBILE PHONE NUMBER: OCCUPATION: MARITAL STATUS AND AGE: In order to resolve this problem,please email us immediately. As soon as this information is received,and you have complied with the requirements of payment of the western union charges, payment will be made to your nominated bank account or at the counter directly from The Western Union Transfering Bank. When emailing,please use reference number 250-147 for our mutual convenience. THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER,OFFICE NIGERIA BRANCH. Sincerely, Mr Mark James. Western Union Payments Direct Email : markjamesx@ubbi.com
Here’s another scam email targeting unsuspecting internet users. I received this e-mail yesterday. I’ve been receiving similar e-mails before but I didn’t pay any attention to them. At first glance, I already knew that it was one of those phishing scams aiming to get valuable information from victims.
Why Western Union?
- Because Western Union Money Transfer has been used widely to transfer funds and payments due to its convenience and secured transactions. Even Google, the search and advertising giant are now opting payments through Western Union. Scammers took it as an advantage to attract victims.
Why is it a scam?
- The format of the addressee as Dear Sir/Madam. Phishing e-mail messages are usually sent out in bulk and often do not contain your first or last name. The phrase “at the owner of this email address” also depicts similar pattern.
- The phrase “please email us immediately.” conveys urgency so that you’ll respond immediately without thinking.
- An amount of $500,000.00 USD is no joke, thus information for claim should not be sent through ordinary e-mails instead, it should have been sent via registered e-mail.
- “They said that they choose to send it to an email address instead of a name.” Why should it be the case?
- A respected organization such as the International Monetary Fund or IMF should opt to channel any important information, instead it should have directly contacted the intended recipient.
- The sender’s e-mail address is hosted by a dating site.
- The general format of the letter. A formal business letter should be written in full block.
Scam Help and Resources:
Vancity.com provides some tips on how to spot phishing scams and fraudulent e-mails.
Microsoft has tips to recognize phishing scams and fraudulent e-mails.
Scam Resources. Use these “preventive” resources to protect yourself from being taken in by the latest scams (if it’s too late, these same resources will help you get justice). If you want to know if a company is a scam then check these resources.
Tags: Internet, Tips
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Nov 10, 2007 at 14:43:15
Can’t believe Phishing scams are getting much more elaborate
Nov 13, 2007 at 02:07:38
somebody must be falling for these emails!
even though they often look like they were put together by a child
i often check
http://www.scamemail.co.uk to ee which fake emails are doing the rounds - some of them are starting to look almost genuine these days!
brian
Nov 27, 2007 at 01:23:50
Well, I just got ‘yet another scam letter’ from a Mr Mark James. with nearly the exact syntax, with the exception the dollar mount had been changed. What really tipped me off was the (i gotta laugh) the message was copied 3 times into the same email!
Oh that was rich! Anyways, FYI, here’s the header information….. (as you look through it, you may note some great discrepancies! bugus account info, etc.)
I have this letter as well as a host of others on my local server: http://nj.sytes.net/scammers.html there you can search for any criteria. This is my own contribution.
As you should on any unknown/suspicious email - delete them OR GOOGLE the Company Name, Email Address and make sure they match. Red Flag anything that’s got SPAM or NIGERIA within the first 10 GOOGLE SEARCH LISTINGS. Best of luck!
X-Apparently-To: junodr@yahoo.com via 209.191.86.179; Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:32:09 -0800
X-Originating-IP: [212.135.6.53]
Authentication-Results: mta511.mail.mud.yahoo.com from=zoom.co.uk; domainkeys=neutral (no sig)
Received: from 212.135.6.53 (EHLO apache2-wm.uk.easynet.net) (212.135.6.53)
by mta511.mail.mud.yahoo.com with SMTP; Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:32:06 -0800
Received: from apache2-wm.uk.easynet.net (localhost.uk.easynet.net [127.0.0.1])
by apache2-wm.uk.easynet.net (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id lAQBPddO067067;
Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:25:40 GMT
(envelope-from k.wonday0004@zoom.co.uk)
Received: (from www@localhost)
by apache2-wm.uk.easynet.net (8.13.8/8.13.8/Submit) id lAQBOSnb066994;
Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:24:28 GMT
(envelope-from k.wonday0004@zoom.co.uk)
X-Authentication-Warning: apache2-wm.uk.easynet.net: www set sender to k.wonday0004@zoom.co.uk using -f
Received: from 196-1-176-180.nitelnet.com (196-1-176-180.nitelnet.com [196.1.176.180])
by webmail.zoom.co.uk (IMP) with HTTP
for ; Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:24:28 +0000
Message-ID:
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:24:28 +0000
From: good luck
Reply-to: goodluck21212@yahoo.com
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam,
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
User-Agent: Internet Messaging Program (IMP) 3.2
X-Originating-IP: 196.1.176.180
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Apr 2, 2008 at 07:26:10
YOU PEOPLE ARE VERY STUPID, WHO TOLD YOU PEOPLE THAT ALL THIS IS SCAM, IS REAL! DON’T MIND THEM, JELOUSY HUMAN BEIN.
GO TO HELL YOU BACKMAILERS.
ME BILL, AM FROM LONDON.
YOU CAN CALL ME OK
May 11, 2008 at 05:12:03
How’s this for a Western Union scam:
I’d sent money to a recipient in Russia.
Western Union phoned me 5 (yes FIVE) days later to inform me they could not deliver the money.
The reason they gave was that my recipient has a ’suspicious’ name.
The reason they gave for the five day delay was that they had to conduct an ‘investigation’.
They also said I had to provide an address for the recipient.
There was no space for recipient’s address on the form I had to fill out when I sent the money originally. The agent that took the money to be sent, including a substantial Western Union fee never asked me for an address, or informed me that such a problem might arise.
What irked me most was firstly the five day (yes, FIVE DAYS for something billed as an ‘instant’ service to tell you they decided not to put it through, but to run an ‘investigation’ instead) and secondly how their agents who phoned me and the supervisor I managed to talk to made it out to be normal and somehow MY fault for not providing the address.
I repeat, there is no space for recipient’s address on ’send money’ form, nor was I informed by the agent that such information even MIGHT be necessary. I would have happily provided the address.
So it seems the whole Western Union company is a scam. Beware
Jul 20, 2008 at 10:49:30
i have been recieving this scam emails. please dont fall on this people who just want to rob you and make you look like stupid
Dec 19, 2008 at 21:47:39
CHRISTMAS BONANZA FROM IMF AND WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFERFriday, December 19, 2008 12:43 AM
From: “WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER” Add sender to Contacts To: undisclosed-recipients Welcome to Western UnionSend Money Worldwide Available at Brookshire’s locations, Western Union is a convenient way to send money fast. It’s easy, reliable and you have a choice of great options. Use the right money transfer service for you to get money there fast, nationwide and worldwide. Dear Winner, There is an issue with the WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER in the amount of USD$260,000.00 directed in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03, at the owner of this email address. The INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND contacted us for your payment a couple of hours ago due to your allocated security code. They said that they choose to send it to an email address instead of a name. We are unable to complete a transfer directed at an email address, so we require some more information in order to complete this transfer. Here are the informations needed for you to fill out:1.Full Name:…………………………..2. Full Address:…………………………3. Marital Statue:………………………4.Occupation:………………………….5.Age:………………………………….6.Sex:…………………………………7.Nationality:………………………….8.Tel.Number:………………………….9.Country Of Residence………………… Kindly contact the payment officer via email for the Western Union Solicitors Fund Verification Department:Payment Officer:James MarkEmail: wn.verificationoffice@gmail.com As soon as this information is received, and you have complied with the requirements of payment of the western union charges, payment will be made to your nominated bank account or at the counter directly from The Western Union Transferring Bank. Note: That this is not one of those Nigerian/African scams that all they are after is to ripe you off your money and at the end you will not receive your funds, but note that this is no scam and is directly from the Management of Western Union Money Transfer African Head Office.You would be responsible for any payment that is needed for the transfer of your funds into your nominated bank account or at the counter directly from the Western Union Transferring Bank. Yours Sincerely,Miss Theresa Knapp.THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER AFRICAN HEAD OFFICE. © 2001-2008 Western Union Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved ReplyReply All Move…Go to Previous message | Go to Next message | Back to Messages Select Message Encoding ASCII (ASCII)Greek (ISO-8859-7)Greek (Windows-1253)Latin-10 (ISO-8859-16)Latin-3 (ISO-8859-3)Latin-6 (ISO-8859-10)Latin-7 (ISO-8859-13)Latin-8 (ISO-8859-14)Latin-9 (ISO-8859-15)W. European (850)W. European (CP858)W. European (HPROMAN8)W. European (MACROMAN8)W. European (Windows-1252)Armenia (ARMSCII-8)Baltic Rim (ISO-8859-4)Baltic Rim (WINDOWS-1257)Cyrillic (866)Cyrillic (ISO-8859-5)Cyrillic (KOI8-R)Cyrillic (KOI8-RU)Cyrillic (KOI8-T)Cyrillic (KOI8-U)Cyrillic (WINDOWS-1251)Latin-2 (852)Latin-2 (ISO-8859-2)Latin-2 (WINDOWS-1250)Turkish (ISO-8859-9)Turkish (WINDOWS-1254)Arabic (ISO-8859-6, ASMO-708)Arabic (WINDOWS-1256)Hebrew (856)Hebrew (862)Hebrew (WINDOWS-1255)Chinese Simplified (GB-2312-80)Chinese Simplified (GB18030)Chinese Simplified (HZ-GB-2312)Chinese Simplified (ISO-2022-CN)Chinese Simplified (WINDOWS-936)Chinese Trad.-Hong Kong (BIG5-HKSCS)Chinese Traditional (BIG5)Chinese Traditional (EUC-TW)Japanese (SHIFT_JIS)Japanese (EUC-JP)Japanese (ISO-2022-JP)Korean (ISO-2022-KR)Korean (EUC-KR)Thai (TIS-620-2533)Thai (WINDOWS-874)Vietnamese (TCVN-5712)Vietnamese (VISCII)Vietnamese (WINDOWS-1258)Unicode (UTF-7)Unicode (UTF-8)Unicode (UTF-16)Unicode (UTF-32) | Full Headers
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THIS IS MS. ELLA PLS HELP ME TO PREVENT MY EMAIL ADRESS TO THE SCAMMERS THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS…
ella villanuevas last blog post..What is the Getmodule30.exe, Getmodule30, Getmodule32.exe, Gadcom.exe?
Dec 27, 2008 at 13:57:20
I RECEIVED THE SAME EMAIL FROM MR. MARK JAMES.
PLEASE CAPTURE THIE SCAMMER. HE SHOULD BE PUNISHED BY FBI.
THANK YOU