Checklist for evaluating work-at-home opportunities

• WHOIS LISTING - VERIFY THE REGISTRANT IS VALID. CONTACT THE HOSTING COMPANIES AND INQUIRE

• STAY AWAY FROM DOMAINS THAT ARE "WHOIS PROTECTED" ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT OFFER YOU WORK AT HOME OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

• EMAIL ADDRESSES - FREEBIES and MULTIPLE EMAILS ARE GOOD SIGN BUT VERIFY THE SENDER IS LEGITIMATE BY INQUIRING ABOUT HIS/HER LOCATION. VERIFY THE HEADER INFOR

• EMAIL ADDRESSES - MULTIPLE E-MAILS ADDRESSES OR HAS THE ADDRESS CHANGED SINCE THE POSITION WAS ADVERTISED OR POSTED

• ARE YOU REQUIRED TO WIRE MONEY VIA WESTERN UNION OR MONEYGRAM OR TO HAVE FUNDS DEPOSITED INTO YOUR PAYPAL OR BANK ACCOUNT

• ARE YOU BEING PAY A COMMISSION OF THE CHECK CASHED i.e. 5% - 10%

• ARE YOU REQUIRED OR BEING ASKED TO SHIPPED MERCHANDISE OVERSEAS

• CHECK OUT WHAT THE FBI SAYS - Note: This is a pdf file. Takes about 60 seconds to load

• POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES

iDeceive - A NEW KIND OF MONEY MULE

MoneyMule - Explained

We at ScamFraudAlert.com recommends DNS tools, reports and Hosting tests, advanced network and domain name tools. WHOIS. They can find most hidden web addresses out there. We have also found WHOIS. SC to be very resourceful: http://www.whois.sc/

Check Cashing Scam ALERT

September 3, 2002

UT Police has received reports of an apparent check cashing scam aimed at University students. Two males, description unknown, are asking students to cash checks for them.

The scam works like this:

The suspects come in contact with a victim and relate a sob story of having not yet established a local bank account, and thus they cannot get access to their money.

The crooks write a check to the student for a specific sum, the student then deposits the check into his own account, and then immediately withdraws cash in the same amount, handing it over to the bad guys.

The student has, in essence, cashed the check for the thieves. The problem is, oftentimes the check is no good, but by the time the bank catches it, it is too late for the student.

Usually, the crooks approach the victim when the bank is closed, so the student is forced to access their account via an ATM.

The UT community is urged to NEVER cash a stranger’s check. If you are approached, please get a description of the suspects, and contact UT Police at 419.530.2600 immediately!

Check Cashing Scam ALERT

Awesome Job or Devious Scam?

Anyone who has ever looked for a job has certainly seen countless ads that simply sound too good to be true. What do these ads look like? They probably included phrases such as:

Make $4,000 A Week From Home -- No Sales!

*No Experience Necessary!
*Earn $35,000 - $50,000 a year working part-time
*Sounds great, right? Well, like most things in life, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.!

From envelope-stuffing schemes to mystery shopper promotions, the world of scam ads is wide and complex. The problem with many work-at-home schemes is that they require the worker to spend their own money to get started, and once they do, there's often no return on investment. In many cases, you will have to foot the bill for supplies, starter kits, training and more. Other situations that claim to be "easy money with no sales" often do involve a great deal of sales work in challenging environments.

Sheila Adkins, spokesperson for the Council of Better Business Bureaus, says that while there are some credible work-at-home opportunities out there, many of these ads are not the real thing. "It's very hard to find a legitimate work-at-home opportunity through an ad like these."

Adkins says there are clues that can help you figure out if an ad is a great opportunity or a dangerous scam.

1. Be Alert for Red Flags.
"One sure red flag is when you review the ad and it does not say specifically what the work will be," she says. Another, is the phrase "no experience necessary," especially when coupled with the promise of big money. Promises like these should tell you right away that the opportunity is not legitimate. Be cautious, too, of any companies that operate outside the country.

2. Do Your Research.
If you are trying to sort the good from the bad, Adkins says you have to do a little investigative work. She suggests checking with the Better Business Bureau, your state's Attorney General, and other state business offices to see if the company is licensed and registered to do business in your state. Most fraudulent companies will not go through the work of filling out the paperwork and registering with the appropriate organizations.

3. Insist on a Face-to-Face Meeting.
If the company representative wants to conduct all business with you via e-mail, phone and fax, look out. Adkins says you should always ask for a face-to-face meeting before taking on a business opportunity.

4. Don't Give out Personal Information.
Many con artists use business opportunity schemes to gather personal information for identity theft. You should never give out information like your Social Security number or bank account number, especially over the phone or online.

5. Look Out For "Pay to Play" Opportunities.
"Beware of any company that requires money to be sent or involves large startup costs," Adkins says. Yes, there are some work-at-home opportunities that are legitimate and require an initial investment, such as selling Mary Kay cosmetics or Avon products. But Adkins points out that these are established companies that have been around for years and have positive reputations.

6. Ask lots of questions.
If you have found a possible opportunity and have scheduled a face-to-face meeting, Adkins says you need to be prepared to ask many questions, including:

# Who will be paying me?
# How often will I be paid?
# What exactly will I be doing?
# Is this contract-based or permanent work?
# Where is your company's physical location?
# Does your company operate under any other names?
# What is the total cost for me to participate in this program?
# What is your company's privacy policy?

If you are not satisfied with answers to any of these questions, then simply walk away. Even if you are, take time to verify what they told you.

Yes, many people do earn a living working from home. But it is important to understand that most of these individuals are working in a field in which they already have experience. Establishing a home-based business takes a lot of work, dedication, contacts and time. If a company tells you that you can make it to the top immediately, you are probably better off moving on to the next opportunity.

Copyright 2005 CareerBuilder.com

The Careers & Jobs channel » Propeller

If you have posted your resume on job sights be aware that fraudulent parties can contact you and begin to victimize you by making you an accomplice in their fraudulent check rings!
Below I have included an example of an e-mail I received that I believed, and then proceeded to send them my information. I did this because in both cases that 3 different scam rings approached me, they used the names of a real company, but these people were really just criminals. Since I had gone through the process, and had already given them my information I began to receive checks immediately. I called the banks because I thoguht it was sort of strange that the checks were to be cashed through my bank account, and wired to them. When I received the checks, they looked odd. I suggest checking out these items on the checks if you receive any:

1. The check had no watermark when held up to the light.
2. They wanted it done immediately, urging payment ASAP.
3. The ink on the check was not of the quality of a real cashier's check.
4. When I called the bank to verify the check it was fake, and I faxed them a copy to turn the creeps in.
5. Another tip-off is the back of the check, is it the endorsement area left aligned or centered? How is the print quality on the back, and can you see through the document?

If this happens to you and you have already sent them your information, they will send you checks immediately! So, report these criminals, or you will be their next victim. Call the bank the fake check is form, fax them a copy of the check and the correspondence from the criminals, contact the local, natioanl, and international authorities providing all of your documented information as proof.
If however you haven't yet sent them your information, ignore the job posting and e-mails, because any large, reputable, international company should be able to get money wired internationally through banks. When I called the bank in question, they told me that was one of the services to their customers.

**If you have already sent them your info, make sure to print out the e-mails sent to you, with the instructions for the dispersement of the check, the peoples information, and document all correspondence. This way you will have a well presented case when you turn them in!

***If you haven't sent them your information, don't! Block their e-mails, because they will continue to try to reassure you that getting 10% and cashing fraudulent checks to send to bogus companies (their criminal accomplices) is totally legit, and that you should trust them! IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT LEGIT!!!


Here is an example of one of the e-mails I received, ans received a fraudulent check for a large sum the following day:
Hello,
How are you doing? Sorry concerning the slow correspondence. I am sorry for that. It is because I have been very busy trying to arrange things for myself. Actually I am trying to put up

a fabric plant so I have been very busy trying to get people and having to go through the feasibility study on that. Anyway Myself and my family are doing very good. I have now communicated properly with the already owing clients who bought my art works on credit at the last exhibition and I already instructed them to make out payments to you in your name. I am presently in Scotland for an exhibition and also seeing to the completion of my Fabric Plant . I trust you 100% and I am happy to have you working with me.

YOU WILL BE GETTING PAYMENTS TODAY VIA UPS COURIER.

You are to get cashier's check right away and wire some money to my assistant after deducting your 10% commision . So now you are to expect cashier's checks via ups courier and when you receive them you will take the casher's check to your bank and fill a deposit form and deposit the check/money orders and then fill a withdraw slip for my balance of ($4300)
immediately after depositing. I am presently on an exhibition in Scotland so you are to send the money to my assistant in London and someone building warehouses for us. I would let you know what to do with the balance later.

You are to wire money to my representatives in the galleria. Please use Western Union because I have found out it is the fastest way to send and recieve money.

Please send it out via western union in this manner and keep receipt for record purpose.

You would be sending $2000 to Mr. MARK ****** and the remainder you would send to WARREN **** my representative in Africa who is building one of our largest Warehouses. which means you would be sending $1850 to SULLIVAN and $2000 to GIBBS

Here are their details for sending Western Union Money Transfer:

NAME: M. S.
ADDRESS: 100 MARINA AVE
CITY: APAPA
STATE: LAGOS
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
ZIPCODE: 23401

and

NAME: W. G.
ADDRESS: 203 OLUSEUN ST
CITY: APAPA
STATE: LAGOS
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
ZIPCODE: 23401


You are to wire the money today via WESTERNUNION money transfer and get back to me with the following details via email.

1. Money Transfer Control Number

2. Test question and Answer :
Use this as the test question and answer for all transactions
Question: USE FUNDS FOR ?
Answer: GETTING WAREHOUSES

3. Total amount sent after deducting sending charges
4.. sender's name

Also remember that you are to deduct sending charges from my 90% and not from your 10%. Western union charges about 6% so use it.
Please get accross to me via email as you cannot reach me on phone immediately. Also, I should be visiting America after my next exhibition.
PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS ACCORDINGLY and also make sure you reply to this email box or drop message at the website only.
Regards from everyone around me here.
God bless[/font]

When I 1st received this e-mail the sender was a scientist, as I am in school to be a scientist, so he could lure me in saying it was grant money. Now he is saying that he is in the textile industry, but if you notice he mentions he owes money to people he says purchased his artwork on credit. So, why does he owe them money (SHOULDN'T THEY OWE HIM??). Then he says the money is to be sent to 2 of his associates in Africe, people who are helpin in his textile business, building his warehouses. He never mentions his business name, won't give a contact number, and went through 3 professions in just two e-mails. I took the 2 names from the African receipients out as I am not trying to put their names out there, I just wanted to give you an idea of what these scams can look like. I hope this helps, and remember don't be fooled, be smart about your job search.
No job gives you something for nothing!!! Be aware of internet predators, contact authorities, and be sure not to buy into it. Best wishes, and remember that pople will try to tkae advantage of you if you let them--so don't let them. I took it upon myself to continue my correspondence with these criminals to catch the thieves, however, I wouldn't suggest this to everyone. Just please be careful, I would hate for anyone esle to be a victim. Alsways remember that you can contact the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, or the individual banks before you sign on or give your information out for any of these positions!!

October 16, Bank Safe Online Money mules: The Hidden Side of Phishing.
The dramatic rise in phishing and identity theft attacks includes a well−organized offline component −− the not−so−innocent "money mule" recruited by scammers to launder stolen money across the globe. The ads appear innocently on all the major employment listing sites, offering stay−at−home positions titled "shipping manager," "private financial receiver" or "sales representative." These, however, are active attempts at enlisting people −− mostly in the U.S., UK, and Australia −− to transfer illegal funds from credit card thieves operating out of the former Soviet Union, according to an investigation by iDefense. "This is the other side of phishing that most people never see or hear about. But, it's probably the most important part of the attack," said Ken Dunham of iDefense. Using hijacked PCs in well−stocked botnets, crime rings have hit pay dirt via adware installations, spam runs and phishing e−mails that attempt to trick users into entering log−in credentials on fake sites. Once the phish is successful and the malicious attacker has access to credit card and bank log−in details, there is a desperate need for a money mule in the same country as the victim to handle money transfers or to reship items to the scammer.
Source: Money Mules: The Hidden Side of Phishing

December 01, Honolulu Advertiser — Victims Stuck with $80,000 Scam Loss.

Two Windward Oahu, HI, residents who thought they had been hired by legitimate foreign companies to distribute checks were victims of a scheme that's left them responsible for $80,000. One victim is a Kaneohe businessman who negotiated a contract with a Japanese company. The other is the wife of a Kaneohe Bay Marine who filled out an online application with a Chinese corporation claiming to be a subsidiary of oil giant Sunoco Inc. Both believed they would be acting as "check distributors" for companies. After being "hired," they agreed to receive checks from these companies and keep a percentage while wiring large sums to accounts in China and Japan, police said. Unwittingly, both the man and woman were about to cash fraudulent checks 4 and wire the money back to the perpetrators.
The checks from the "foreign companies" initially cleared the local banks, and the residents were each able to wire $40,000 to accounts in Japan and China as instructed by their employers. But federal regulators discovered that the checks deposited by the residents were counterfeit, and the banks are holding the residents responsible for the funds. This is a new twist on the Nigerian letter fraud. Source: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ap...0362/1010/NEWS