Reports of frauds, deceptions and scams keep appearing, weekly even daily, on
major news channels and newspapers. Some of these frauds seem just too big and remote to be of immediate, direct relevance to our daily lives. But, we will eventually pay for the consequences and damages, in taxes, costs of goods and services, regulations, copy-cats etc.

I hope we can collect, in one thread, frauds and scams, reported or heard. We must become more aware and more educated to guard against frauds and scams
which impact upon the health, well being, and wealth of ourselves and our families.

Just had this standard text following an ad in Loot. Beware...

"Hello I'm interested to make an offer for of these item What's the present condition and how much do you want to sell it last? and I'm buying it urgently as a gift for my son's birthday.Kindly calculate the total cost which should include shipping cost by Royal Mail Service to Ibadan,23402 NIGERIA. I will be sending you money order by BidPay and I want you to ship upon receipt of my payment's approval from BidPay because of the urgency of this order.Kindly provide me with your full address and the name that will be on your Money Order if this is ok by you and if you agree to ship upon receipt of my payment's confirmation from BidPay. Thanks and God Bless as I await your swift response."

http://www.contractoruk.com/news/002109.html

Nigerian scam targets IT contractors

UK IT contractors are being warned to click clear of a bogus online job advert that demands candidates send their passport and $900 to an end-client in Nigeria, in the hope of earning $60,000 in six months.

(continues)

Here we go again:

Sir/Madam,
My name is Evgen Kuvaldin, Director of Softcom LTD.
We are a growing company in Ukraine. Our business nature is the
creation of financial and industrial software and sell them to
interested customers. We have 1 branch and several showrooms in Kiev,
Ukraine.

We have proved professional skills to our local customers and work on
international markets already, I mean Europe and the USA & UK.
Unfortunately we have faced some difficulties while receiving payment
for our software in the United States & United Kingdom as we do not have a bank
account to accept wire transfers and can't accept cashiers checks and
money orders as well.

At this time we are unable to open our own bank account in the US & UK.

If you are looking to make additional profit we will accept you as our
representative in your country. You will keep 12.5% of each deal we
conduct. We plan to forward our merchandise in exchange of wire
transfers and check payments. Your part is very important: accept
funds and forward it to us. It is not a full time work but a very
convenient and fast additional income. Being our agent may grow into
future branch opening in your area if you are interested and the
business will be on up and up.

Please respond ASAP and you will get additional details on how you can
become our representative. Joining us and starting business today will
cost you nothing, just some extra income for you.

contact us adamant@khalsa.com

Sincerely,
Evgen Kuvaldin,
Director of Softcom LTD. Marketing Dept



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The frequency of this types of scam make it look like part of the Curriculum from the School of Scams.

"OK, you hopeful villains. The project for this term is to devise a scheme to get people in the UK to send you some money ..."

I suspect the frequency of these scams implies more that there are people in Nigeria and other countries who sell would-be scammers a complete package of scam email, email addresses, mobile phone, and fake bank address...

Kayak, I think you are right. These late scammers probably lose out as people got wiser. In a way, it is a bit like stock market where the would-be traders were sold a complete package of ... :-) I suppose we are all mugs in one form or another, sometime we are lucky, sometime we got wiser, sometime we are still dreaming and often we just have not realised that we are victims!

Whistleblower
Wed 1 Jun, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm 60mins

Parking

For six months, two BBC journalists worked undercover, investigating the truth about parking enforcement. In the UK, a parking fine is issued every five seconds reaping local councils and private businesses more than 1billion a year in revenue. Motorists complain that they're ticketed, clamped and often towed for the slightest infringement of the rules - and sometimes no infringement at all. But what about the army of parking attendants enforcing those rules?

We've uncovered a shocking subculture of illegality well beyond a few questionable tickets. We've found parking attendants cancelling tickets for cash; we've uncovered the credit card fraud used to clear fines in return for backhanders; we've seen PAs accepting bribes from local businesses to turn a blind eye to their illegal parking. Within one local authority, we've followed a parking attendant as he's ticketed a motorbike left unattended and then set about trying to steal it - with the full help and knowledge of several of his colleagues. What's more, it's clearly a familiar racket. Whistleblower exposes the corrupt and criminal world of the parking attendant. Contains strong language. [S]

The other Kevin,

Fallen pop stars are at it too it seems!

----------------------------------------------


contact us adamant@khalsa.com

From http://business.timesonline.co.uk/....

June 16, 2005

KPMG 'faces criminal charges' over tax sales
By Times Online

KPMG is locked in "high-wire" negotiations with Federal prosecutors in the United States, who have built a case to show that the global accountancy giant obstructed justice and sold "abusive" tax shelters, it is reported today.

In a move that could decide the fate of KPMG, one of the top four global accountancy groups, American prosecutors are deciding whether to indict the firm, which would involve criminal charges, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Citing lawyers briefed on the case, the Journal claims that the issue of whether to charge KPMG has sparked a debate among top officials at the US Department of Justice. The newspaper reported this morning that indicting KPMG would put future of the company at risk.

The threat of these criminal charges could persuade KPMG to pay "substantial financial penalties" in settlement, the Journal wrote.

In April, KPMG paid $22.5 million to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the United States markets regulator, to settle charges that it allowed office equipment maker Xerox to manipulate its accounts. As part of its agreement with the regulator, KPMG agreed to eight specific reforms, including establishing a channel of communication for "whistleblowers" who might expose any alleged wrongdoing at the group.

KPMG did not immediately return calls from Times Online. George Ledwith, the chief spokesman for KPMG, told the Journal that KPMG has "continued to co-operate fully" with investigators.

KPMG disclosed two years ago that it was under investigation by the attorney's offfice for the southern district of New York for the alleged aggressive marketing of tax shelters to its wealthy clients during the 1990s. These tax shelters were subsequently deemed to be "abusive" by the Internal Revenue Service in the United States, according to the Journal.

It was also reported today that KPMG also faces possible criminal charges for allegedly misleading Revenue investigators and concealing evidence.

KPMG has argued that even an agreement to defer prosecution that would keep the group out of the courts would nevertheless do its reputation serious damage.

But it said the accountancy group's case may be helped by a series of recent legal setbacks in the war on corporate fraud in America. The newspaper reported that two weeks ago that the Supreme Court had reversed its conviction of Arthur Andersen, the former top accountancy group that collapsed after its role in the Enron scandal.

"The government has introduced a new initiative to protect consumers from 'cowboy builders'.

In an effort to combat an annual 1.5 billion in consumers' botched home improvement costs, the government will introduce a new database of building firms called TrustMark.

With over 111,000 complaints against builders filed with trading standards officers in 2004 and the figure continuing to rise, TrustMark will allow consumers registered with the service to search across a database of up to 14,000 registered firms for a reputable builder.

..."

http://www.clearlybusiness.com/cb/articles/nf_111903449410116.jsp

I have my doubts ...

I've been out of the construction industry a few years now but I seem to recognise this scheme - not sure if they've changed the name of it.

To be a member of scheme the government proposed 3 years ago they wanted 3% of the companies turnover as a fee to cover their overheads.

As you can imagine the scheme didn't get much support.

CC :-)

"... the government ... wanted 3% of the companies turnover as a fee ..."

sounds like

"... the credit card company ... charges 3% of the transaction as a fee ..."

"Call center staff 'sold ID data'

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- London police were investigating a newspaper claim on Thursday that confidential details of British bank accounts are being sold by criminals from Indian call centers.

The Sun said it had bought bank details of 1,000 Britons for just 3 ($5.50) each from a computer expert in Delhi who said he had obtained the information from contacts working in call centers.

...

The paper said its reporter had obtained addresses, passwords, phone numbers and details of credit cards, passports and driving licenses which could be used to raid unsuspecting victim's accounts.

...

The Sun said the institutions targeted included many of Britain's top banks such as HSBC, Barclays, and Lloyds TSB. It added the call center worker claimed he could provide 200,000 account details a month -- including those of U.S. citizens.

..."

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/06/23/call.center.probe.reut/index.html

" Companies House failing to combat ID fraud
by Susie Hughes at 08:05 22/06/05 (News on Business)
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has lodged a formal complaint about the ability of Companies House to combat corporate identity fraud.
In the letter to the Registrar of Companies, FSB National Chairman Carol Undy warns that a growing number of small businesses are falling victim to the corporate version of identity theft.

As previously reported on Shout99, the crimes follow a similar pattern. Gangs 'hijack' details of registered companies by filling in fake documents with Companies House. They then impersonate the companies, using their details to order goods. The first thing the genuine business owner normally knows about it is when the bills for the goods land on their doorstep.

Following pressure from the Metropolitan Police, Companies House has introduced electronic filing and email alerts to notify companies about the receipt of documents, but the FSB believes that the system is still fundamentally flawed. (See: Protect your company's ID - Shout99, June 2005)

..."

http://www.shout99.com/contractors/showarticle.pl?id=33431&n=250

Mr Blunkett, are you laughing at us?

Surely he must be!

He must be having a right laugh at us for us daring to have our criticism on him spending our money on a train ticket for his 'alleged girl friend' and fast tracking her visa application!

He's had a leisurely rest, pocketed 18,000 compensation for loss of office because he was a naughty boy and had to resign from office becaus of the dishonourable thing he had done, but is now is back doing the thing he was not able to do before, namely act as a goverment cabinet minister, and doesn't even have to repay his compensation.

Oh, and I'm sure you might have read too, how when he lost office, he didn't even have to move out of his 'grace and favour' London home!

Sheesh! Bloody politicians!

From http://news.scotsman.com/....

Pressure on Blunkett to give back his 18,000

JAMES KIRKUP
POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

DAVID Blunkett was last night under pressure to return an 18,000 pay-off he received upon leaving the Cabinet in December, only to return to government last month.

Mr Blunkett, now the work and pensions secretary, was not the only Labour minister to benefit from the rules on retirement payments and then return to the government payroll.

The furore over the severance payments, to which all departing ministers are legally entitled, yesterday put Downing Street on the back foot.

Beverley Hughes, who was appointed children's minister last month, quit as immigration minister last April. Based on her time on her old ministerial salary, she was therefore entitled to almost 9,500 in severance.

Other official figures from the Cabinet Office suggested that Alan Milburn, a close ally of Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, would have been entitled to more than 35,000 in taxpayers' money over the past two years.

In June 2003 Mr Milburn resigned as health secretary for personal reasons, which gave him the option to receive about 17,800 in severance. He returned to the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster last September only to quit again after the general election in May. The second resignation entitled him to 18,275.

The payments to ministers leaving the government derive from a 1991 law passed by John Major's Conservative government. It also compensates MPs who lose their seats. The severance payments were unearthed by Norman Baker, a Liberal Democrat MP who called the pay-outs to returning ministers "grotesque" and said Mr Blunkett should return the money concerned.

The Conservatives also attacked the pay-offs. Chris Grayling, the shadow leader of the House of Commons, accused Labour of abusing ministerial rules.

"This wouldn't be allowed in a commercial company, and shouldn't be allowed in government," he said. "When the last Conservative government introduced these redundancy payments for ministers, they were intended for those who actually left government, not for those taking a break and coming back again soon after."

A spokeswoman for Mr Blair yesterday failed to back Mr Blunkett.

"The rules and regulations apply to all members of parliament as well as to ministers," she said. But while the spokeswoman said she was not aware of any plans to review the rules, she was non-committal on whether Mr Blunkett should to keep the payment despite his rapid return to public office.

It was "up to individual members" whether they chose to accept the retirement payments, she said.

Mr Blunkett and his aides are understood to be furious that the Liberal Democrats have raised the issue of severance packages. The pay-off was justified to cover a "modest period of readjustment" following Mr Blunkett's departure from government, his office said.

"A plumber caught on camera relieving himself in a customer's loft has been fined 3,778 and ordered to do 150 hours community service.

Roy Williams, 46, from East Grinstead, Sussex, was captured urinating into a vase before pouring it into the water tank at a house in Leatherhead, Surrey.

...

He was also convicted of attempted deception after charging 173 for replacing valves that were not faulty.

...

Steve Playle, the Trading Standards officer who led the sting said Williams was among 25% of home maintenance traders "whose only aim is to rip customers off" and said he was very pleased with the conviction.
"

Plumber fined for taking a leak

Olympic London 2012 Lottery Scratch Cards -- So how much goes to the olympic Fund and how much goes elsewhere ??? Well if you buy an olympic Scratch card some 28 p goes to the olympic Fund and 12p on every ticket is collected by Gordon Brown-- another stealth Tax, and where does the rest go ?? are you going to be ripped off again ?? If you are a London Council Tax Payer you certainly will be.

Dianne Thompson, chief executive of the Lottery operator Camelot, said that 28p in every pound will go to the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund.

This is the body of an email i got today -i have never been to spain or a spanish restuarant etc etc its looks dodgy to me ...

Dear customer!

Your bank transaction number 3051770 (order number 9904716)
dating 30 July 2005 with total amount of 294.00 pounds
has been processed.

Your new account has been successfully created with the following details:

Login Name: ExeterCity
Password: 7982598

Please logon now in http://spanisheshop.com

If you have any problems or queries about logging in or your account,
please do not hesitate to contact our sales team by emailing
support@spanisheshop.com

Regards.

SpanisheShop Team.

I'm sure it is dodgy, fulhamken, if you hover your cursor over the link you will probably see that the address in the bottom left hand corner of the screen is different to the link address shown, and if you click it you will no doubt find that any password/combination will work, and that you will be taken to a screen confirming your credit card details including PIN number...

I have come across what I consider to be more of an annoyance than anything else.at Debenhams,they no longer ask for your Nectar card at the point of sale. At Sainsburys or at BP garages at the tills they always say "have you got a nectar card sir" Debenhams staff have been told not to ask for the card and only put the points on if the card is offered.This is not a very good service by Debenhams either they are in the nectar program or they are not,they should not pretend to offer something they don't.
So if any of you out there collect Nectar points,watch out when shopping at Debenhams.