Computer "work-from-home" scheme...

**countybear** · 03-30-07, 04:05 AM

Recently, we recieved a call from a local Credit Union regarding a female attempting to cash suspicious money orders. The manager delayed the transaction for our arrival.

Upon questioning, we determined that the customer (who had an account at the Credit Union), was indeed attempting to cash fraudulent money orders. The instruments themselves were very convincing, however the issuing entity shown at the top of the money orders does not sell money orders. This fact was verified by the company.

Further questioning of the customer revealed the following information: The customer had replied to an internet ad for "work-from-home" employment, was sent an application via email, completed it and was 'hired' to 'process installment payments' for her 'employer'. She recieved instructions that a packet of payments would be forwarded to her for processing. Upon recieving the money order 'payments', she noticed that they were made out to her. There were instructions for her to cash each one at her financial institution, keeping a percentage as her 'fee', and then forwarding the remaining proceeds via Western Union to a numbered reciept account (found to be located in Nigeria).

The matter was submitted to our State AG's office for follow-up. As I understand it, similar scams are becoming more prevalent.

**BEB** · 03-30-07, 05:37 AM

I know this will be an unpopular view, but I'm going to share it anyway.

Law enforcement and others with common sense have been warning people for years, and yet, it hasn't registered. Why keep pushing that rock back up the hill?

I say the same here as I said about education - LET people fail. Allow them that learning experience. Quit sheltering people from the consequences of their mistakes at an earlier age and most will learn before they have a chance to really screw up their life. Allow people to learn at a young age how horrible it feels to fail. And let them learn making a mistake carries consequences. Finally, let them learn that at the end of the day nobody is going to stand over their shoulder to make life fair.

So yes, I say let people get scammed. And then let them run crying to the media. I'd rather consequences were learned earlier in life, but if not then, let them be learned eventually. Maybe more willing fraud examples crying on Oprah will get the damned point across.

If nothing else it saves the rest of us time and bother.

Edit - changing phrasing.

**Vendetta** · 03-30-07, 05:43 PM

We have seen the same thing recently. Our comes from Russia and they find people on monster.com

**gozling** · 03-30-07, 05:49 PM

geesh havent heard of this one yet...
i agree let many make their mistakes, however it is really sad when some 85 year old person gets scammed... they just dont understand... and when i go to those calls i get really mad.

praying on the elderly is sort of my hot button

**Hannibal** · 03-30-07, 06:11 PM

My brother in law just got a letter from some unknown party with a check enclosed for $44,000. The letter gave him specific instructions on how to deposit the check into his account, call the number given when he deposited it, and for his trouble he could keep 10% and send the other 90% back.

Yeah, he took it to the local PD instead.

**Willowdared** · 03-30-07, 06:33 PM

Despite the many warnings, there are still people out there that have never heard them.

This one's a new twist though...I'll pass it on.

**Virginian** · 03-30-07, 09:41 PM

http://www.419eater.com/

**ohionarc** · 04-17-07, 04:26 PM

If anyone in OHIo gets any of these, PLease contact me via PM. There are tons of variations on the "Nigerian Scams" out there.

Cheech · 04-17-07, 04:37 PM

Almost anything from Nigeria is a Scam.

**bmcgonag** · 04-19-07, 02:55 PM

They should have screwed with the people.

Said the money is in the account, but had to wait 1 week for clearance. See what the reply is...and go on as long as possible.

I hate these bastages and wasting their time would give me such satisfaction.

or say you'll have to send it to them in smaller increments...send 1 dollar. That's worth the dollar.

**Blueline32** · 04-19-07, 03:01 PM

Hell my next vacation is to Nigeria. I want to go meet this rich man that has died and left me hundreds of thousands of dollars and thank him or his family for thinking of a poor LEO in Louisiana.

**bmcgonag** · 04-20-07, 09:01 AM

If you could print out, afford to ship, and get all the email sh** that these guys sent out, I'd use the 100 thousand just to go dump it in his lap!

**4everlate** · 04-29-07, 05:01 AM

Actually, it's so bad that Nigeria isn't really even a country, it is part of an elaborate scam that has been going for years. It is such a great scam that most of us actually think there is a country out there called Nigeria.

Go ahead and scratch your head for a moment longer.

**Twan007** · 04-29-07, 07:23 AM

yeah, this scam has been hitting our area like a plague... mostly internationals (and i don't mean illegals)... they hit them up on a website saying something about a sick relative, or some crap, send them money orders, have the vic cash the money order and write a check back to them =/

go figure how these idiots fall for it hand over fist =/

**Retmilleo909** · 04-29-07, 11:47 AM

Professor, this has been going on for decades. Nigeria is the scam and scheme capitol of the world just as Bogota is the drug capitol.
Incidently, I'm still waiting for that website Re the civil war. Thanks in advance.

**Doc_Holliday** · 04-29-07, 12:05 PM

funny thing is, its not just there....I tried to sell my XBOX 360 on craigslist, got a reply form some dickweed in nigeria who wanted to pay me asking price PLUS 200 if I would cash their "money order" and give whatever was left to a "sick relative". freakin byotches, wasting my money..oh wait, craigs is free, well wasting my TIME...time that could have been spent coming up with new and better "3 words after sex".