Nigeria Scams run from Clearwater Fla

Rocky

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I'm not sure if any of you have been getting calls about a free government grant program, but just so you all know, it doesn't cost money to get the info.

about 6 months ago, I received one of the Netherlands Lotto Winner emails out of Nigeria, and I gave them a little info, I was thinking I was OK by giving them wrong acct #s etc to stay protected.

within a few days afterwards, I received a call from "Disneyworld Vacations", out of clearwater Fla, I saved the number somewhere at home, but by now I'm sure it's disconnected. They not only had access into the banking system records, but also DMV... They said I had won a free trip for my family... but when they read me my banking info I knew this was a scam group...

Lately I've been getting calls from 800#s about the guaranteed grants I have been approved for. They read me my banking info and addresses to confirm it was right and I told them I wasn't interested.

yesterday I opened the mailbox and found a stack of bounced notices from my bank, they just start charging random amounts against the account. some of the charges came from country code 49...

the group out of Florida is calling from 727.287.1913

lucky they've been calling my cell so I have their number when they call...


has anyone else been getting these calls?
 
I NEVER reply to any email that asks for my personal information. They go straight to the trash!!! Also NEVER click a .zip file attached to email.
 
I am getting about 40 email scams a day. I don't open them. I delete them immediately. I am in the do not call list and I tell them I will report them. The only thing I am having trouble with is faxes in the middle of the night although my fax machine is on the do not call list too. Don't know how to stop it as their are no phone numbers.
 
Immediately call your bank Rocky.

First off they will riemburse any fraud charges ..
Secondly they should reccomend you shut that account and open a new one.

With the info you have gathered you also may be able to help the DA track them down ..
 
Now that I think of it, I received a call about 4 months ago for a free Disneyland vacation. I later looked up the number and the area code was in SanDiego. The said they needed some information from me. Well, I told them they shouldn't need any information from me, just send me the tickets and the hotel confirmation and hung up!!
 
well the email they contacted me on is my name, and public records show address.

with that info they can look anyone up through the banking system screens, the part that caught me by surprise was they had access into DMV records...

I already contacted my bank and they have already turned it over to Feds for tracking down, but I know many law enforcement drop by our site each day and thought I'd leave a message here.

I've watched how they are attempting to track the scams inside Nigeria with very little luck other than arresting one of the Princes for being a leader in what was going on.
 
Rocky said:
well the email they contacted me on is my name, and public records show address.

with that info they can look anyone up through the banking system screens, the part that caught me by surprise was they had access into DMV records...

I already contacted my bank and they have already turned it over to Feds for tracking down, but I know many law enforcement drop by our site each day and thought I'd leave a message here.

I've watched how they are attempting to track the scams inside Nigeria with very little luck other than arresting one of the Princes for being a leader in what was going on.
I think most likely they are working with people at the DMV who are looking the info up illegally, same for the bank.
 
I got a call recently from a gal I used to work with who said her boyfriend was inheriting money from an uncle who had died in a car wreck in Lagos Nigeria. The Nigerian government owed him money for a contract he had completed with them, and in order to get the 11 million dollars he needed papers to show that he had a biuisiness license in Niigeria. All the papers from the banking matters had been completed and all they needed was the money and they would wire the funds to her boyfriend within 2 days.

My friend said she had all but $2600 and would I loan her the money. I said I'd think about it. She faxed me all the paperwork which looked fine. I called the police where his bank was and asked if the boyfriend had been in trouble. No. I called the bank and talked to the manager who said he had an account there for over 6 mos.

So I called and said OK. I knew nothing about scams like this. She was going to pay me $10,000 when the money was deposited in his account. She came and got a cashiers check from me, he wired it to this attorney in Lagos that evening. I called Western Union the next morning and it had been received.

No money has ever come through! For the first several weeks it was that the manager of the bank was on vacation and he needed to sign the paperwork. Then it became some deal where they needed more money. I looked the attorney up on the web and he's right there with the word SCAM in the title of the article.

My friend said she talked to this attorney almost every day. Now I can't even get her on the phone. She has no money to pay me back. So I'm screwed, blue and tatooed! Plus I just know I'll never see the money. I was so stupid and gullible, even though I did have him sign a promissory note.

Live and learn.

Scandi
 
Scandi - I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I don't lend money or borrow money. If I needed money, I would go to a family member or the bank and would tell my friends to do likewise.
 
Rocky said:
the part that caught me by surprise was they had access into DMV records...


There are websites which provide DMV information for a small monthly fee.
 
Hi Nanandijm,

I should have known better and will never do it again. I think I'm going to file against him in small claims court or where ever I can with my promisory note. I need to protect myself and start being smart. I just feel so bad for being so srupid.

And the fact my friend is shining me off because she had no money to pay me with right now really makes me angry! Threatening her won't do any good. She knows I've called several times to tell her I need my money. I just haven't decided yet what the best thing is for me to do.

Scandi
 
Aww Scandi, that is terrible :( it cost you all this money but has it cost you the friendship too? This woman needs to pay you back, even in other ways if she can't give $$ like cleaning your house or running errands, something to start making things right.
 
FBI
http://www.fbi.gov/

cyber complaint center:
http://www.ic3.gov/

Internet Crime Complaint Center
The Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) was established as a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) to serve as a means to receive Internet related criminal complaints, research, develop and refer the criminal complaints to law enforcement agencies for any investigation they deem to be appropriate. The IFCC was intended, and continues to emphasize serving the broader law enforcement community, to include federal, as well as state and local agencies, which are combating Internet crime and in many cases participating in Cyber Crime Task Forces.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rocky, many times internet complaints get lost or delayed by local LE because they don't have the resources for proper investigation, esp when it is an out of the country scam. FBI has been working a number of similiar scams and may even be working on this ring. I would advise making a complaint.
 
Hi Casshew,

It is so bad, but I should have at least checked on line. I must have been suspicious by making those calls about the boyfriend. I should have researched it more, but I think I figured if he was above the law and I had a note I would at least be paid back if the money never came through.

It also taught me Cassie about greed! If I hadn't been tempted to earn $10,000 in a week for shelling out $2,600 I never would have said yes. The boyfriend is a carpenter so will be back at work when the weather clears up this spring. Together they had started a little security company with a national well known corporation. I've thought of calling them but decided against it as it might be dicey for me if my call causes them to lose their contract.

So I don't think she will help me in any way like cleaning for me. LOL I'd love it! No, I think my recourse is with him now as he signed the note. As stupid as I was I would be even more stupid not to file a claim for payment on the note thropugh the court system. That's what I'm thinking, but of course am open for ideas. I don't even know if they have done anything about the scam! We were friends thru work and never partied together.

Scandi
 
Scandi, that mention of Nigeria makes me wonder. Could it be possible that he got caught in some kind of scam also? Not sure why she would duck your calls though, unless it is from embarrassment that she is unable to pay you back and unsure of when she might get some money to repay you.
 
When the money had not been deposited into their account 3 days after it was due, I got on the web and plugged in the 3 banks and attorney's name and low and behold I saw each one of these somehow involved in Nigerian scams. I called her and told her I thought they had been scammed, but she said they talked to the attny every morning about 1am our time, so at that point I don't think they believed it was a scam. The last time I talked to her she had been told by him that more money was needed. Then she knew it was a bogus and very well organized deal.

She did tell me that everything came to them by email - letters, documents and the original letter from the attorney in Lagos informing the boyfriend he was the lone heir to this estate. They certainly could pursue putting this organizatiion into oblivion by contacting this organization mentioned here.

It was so well organized. They have the correct letterhead although not all the addresses are correct. A letter from the High Court in Lagos. I mean who would ever believe this was orchestrated to rip people off!

I had asked her how she would pay me back if it didn't go thru and she said she would sell some accounts with this national security co they are reps for in Portland. What really hurt is there were 2 sales she was paid on, told me she'd give me a thousand the next monday from that check, and when I called the house, the babysitter told me they had gone out of town for a few days. So she got some money and gave me nothing - shine on! I can more or less laugh about it now, but I will follow thru. People shouldn't be allowed to treat people like this!

Scandi

PS: I would print the names of the banks and barrister involved, but don't know if I should do that here. It would be nice for people to know who this group is! They got the first email about this last July. The money was suppose to be here the Monday after Thanksgiving.
 
scandi said:
Hi Nanandijm,

I should have known better and will never do it again. I think I'm going to file against him in small claims court or where ever I can with my promisory note. I need to protect myself and start being smart. I just feel so bad for being so srupid.

And the fact my friend is shining me off because she had no money to pay me with right now really makes me angry! Threatening her won't do any good. She knows I've called several times to tell her I need my money. I just haven't decided yet what the best thing is for me to do.

Scandi
If you can get the address of the guy to be served, you can go to small claims. If nothing else, perhaps, you can get a lien against his property. It sounds like he was scammed by the Nigerians and borrowed money from you to give to them. :(

ETA: Scandi - Have you tried contacting the boyfriend and trying to arrange a payment plan for the loan? Sometimes, a payment plan seems less daunting. See if he can pay you $250 a month until the debt is paid off. If he is willing, keep good records!! If he isn't willing, I would take him to court.

I would also think that legal documents/information concerning an inheritance would come via certified mail with an official seal. I would never believe that this kind of information would be sent to me in an email.
 
Wow...I am so glad that I read this thread. I have gotten 3 calls about the Disneyland Vacation. Now, I no longer feel guilty for hanging up on them. Also, I have noticed that alot of my junk mail comes from Clearwater. These scams are scary!
 
I was a credit card fraud investigator for years with bank that issued Mastercard and Visa. These Nigerian cells (they may as well be called gangs) have been active for at least 20+ years and were the first to come up with the idea of identity theft. As credit card fraud and the accompanying id theft was under the juristiction of Secret Service (and they were busy with other things) it was allowed to grow. The knowledge was actually spread to very well known gangs (asian, black, hispanic and white) for a price. Thus there is the tremendous problem - now enacting federal laws such as HIPPA to combat the problem is like closing the barn door after the horse is out.

I just ask that you all be aware ... if anything is even mentioned about money and Nigeria in the same sentence RUN! Do not even play around, thinking you are safe. These people are so intelligent and cunning ... I can't even begin to explain it to all of you. I always found myself kind of filled with admiration for their creativity while being determined to try and break a cell and get (at least some of) them arrested.

If any of you know experienced fraud investigators either in law enforcement or the private sector, just ask them about Nigerians and fraud. I guarantee you'll be facinated!
 
I watched a special on television which covered these Nigerian scams. A reporter actually got involved and insisted on handing the money to the Minister of Justice of Nigeria or whoever they claimed to be who had the inheritance. It was amazing how many people were involved and the lengths they will go to get your money. It also seemed very dangerous to try and trap this people.
 

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