Scam Alerts

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Elizabeth
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 11796
Location: East Coast Australia

Scam Alerts

Post by Elizabeth »

Internet Crime Complaint Center's (IC3)
Scam Alerts
This report, which is based upon information from law enforcement and complaints submitted to the IC3, details recent cyber crime trends and new twists to previously-existing cyber scams.

ROMANCE SCAMMERS CLAIMING AFFILIATION WITH THE IC3
The IC3 has received several complaints regarding a romance scam originating via a dating website. Generally, in romance scams, the subject claims to be out of the country for a business trip and in need of money. The subject asks potential victims to wire funds for various reasons including paying for a hotel, returning to the states, or paying for a lawyer.

Recently, the scammers have added a layer of supposed law enforcement involvement in an attempt to convince the victim the scam is legitimate. In one such IC3 complaint, the "investigator" says he is using his private e-mail because the IC3 database is under maintenance. To convince the victim to wire the requested funds, he claims to be assigned to the case and assures the victim that the subject has been "interrogated and investigated" and that he is a safe, "legit business man."

Other complainants reported having difficulty canceling their membership to the particular dating site, which reportedly offers a "3-day free membership" for their service. The membership is reportedly "automatically" renewed after the three days unless canceled. Complainants reported that the website renewed their membership and charged their credit card over $59 despite the complainant's attempts to cancel the membership. Some complainants said the company did not answer their calls, e-mails, or voice mail messages, while others claimed the company admitted the "error" and offered them free service, but refused to refund the charges.

PHISHING E-MAIL CLAIMS "YOUR FEDERAL TAX PAYMENT WAS REJECTED"
In October 2010, articles were posted online warning consumers about phishing e-mails purportedly from the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) claiming the recipient's federal tax payment was rejected. The IC3 has received over 150 complaints reporting this matter. Although different versions of this spam campaign exist, many complainants reported that the e-mails they received were titled "LAST NOTICE: Your Federal Tax Payment has been rejected." E-mails stated, "the problem is that system doesn't process your company ID on holidays and we moved your tax payment batch to a waiting list." Recipients were then directed to click on the link provided to obtain more details about their company's status and tax payment batch file. Some complainants reportedly use the electronic system to pay their estimated quarterly taxes, so the e-mail appeared relevant.

Other related phishing e-mails claimed, "the identification number used in the Company Identification Field is not valid." Recipients were directed to visit hxxp://eftps.gov/r21" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and "check the information and refer to Code R21 to get details about your company payment in transaction contacts section."

A recent complaint filed with the IC3 reported the same type of phishing e-mail except this time, the e-mail directed the recipient to open an attachment contained in the e-mail. The e-mail was titled "Your Federal Tax Payment Notice." Like the others, it claimed, "the identification number used in the Company Identification Field is not valid." To entice the recipient to open the attachment, the e-mail stated, "check the attached information and refer to Code R21 to get details about your company payment in transaction contacts section."

TELEPHONE SCAM OFFERING VIRUS REMOVAL SERVICES TO GAIN REMOTE ACCESS TO VICTIMS' COMPUTERS
The IC3 has received several complaints from victims who reported a telephone scam in which the caller purports to be an employee of a major online company, which develops, manufactures, and supports software along with other products and services. Victims reported that a caller with an Indian accent claimed their computers were infected with viruses. The caller advised the victims they were sending the viruses to others via the Internet, and instructed victims to go to websites such as hxxp://www.irssupport.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, hxxp://www.go4support.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, hxxp://www.teche4pc.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, and hxxp://www.ammyy.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. When the victims navigated to one of the websites, they were further instructed to click on live support or live connect for assistance in removing the viruses. Some victims were instructed to download a program once they were on the hxxp://www.ammyy.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; website. After the victim clicked on the link or downloaded the program, the caller gained control of the victim's computer. Victims watched as the caller explored personal files, pointing out files that were infected. Some victims reportedly believe the caller copied their files and obtained their personal information. In some cases, the caller tried to sell the victims' software. Many victims reported loud background noise during the call, indicating a possible boiler room-type operation. Some victims reported the scam to the online software company. The company has an alert on their website warning consumers about this matter.

For more information regarding online scams visit our Press Room page for the most current Public Service Announcements.

http://www.ic3.gov/media/default.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Elizabeth
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 11796
Location: East Coast Australia

Re: Scam Alerts

Post by Elizabeth »

Intelligence Note
Prepared by the
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
March 11, 2011
TIPS ON AVOIDING FRAUDULENT CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION SCHEMES
Recently several natural disasters, including tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes, have devastated lives and property. In the wake of these events that have caused emotional distress and great monetary loss to numerous victims, individuals across the nation often feel a desire to help these victims, frequently through monetary donations.

These disasters prompt individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization or a good cause. Therefore, before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, to include the following:

Do not respond to unsolicited (SPAM) e-mail.
Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.
Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.
Attempt to verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of the organization by using various Internet-based resources, which also may assist in confirming the actual existence of the organization.
Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
To obtain more information on charitable contribution schemes and other types of online schemes, visit http://www.LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

If you believe you have been a victim of a charity related scheme, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud by telephone at (866) 720-5721, or by fax at (225) 334-4707, or by e-mail at disaster@leo.gov.1 You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.IC3.gov" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

1 National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) was originally established by the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or man-made disaster. More than 20 federal agencies, including the FBI, participate in the NCDF, allowing it to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to relief fraud.

User avatar
Elizabeth
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 11796
Location: East Coast Australia

Scam Alerts

Post by Elizabeth »

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Utah corporation sole (“CHC”), detected an unauthorized network intrusion that affected personal data you previously provided. At this time, there is no evidence that any of your financial information has been impacted and there is no indication that the data has been or is likely to be used for fraudulent or other harmful purposes. We are notifying you and others worldwide whose data may have been affected, even where this is not legally required.
What Happened?
On March 23, 2022, we detected unauthorized access to certain computer systems. We immediately notified federal law enforcement authorities in the United States. We were asked to keep the incident confidential to protect the integrity of the investigation. This instruction was lifted on October 12, 2022.
Who Committed this Intrusion?
CHC cannot determine the identity of the unauthorized person who may have accessed or acquired your personal data. U.S. federal law enforcement authorities suspect that this intrusion was part of a pattern of state-sponsored cyberattacks aimed at organizations and governments around the world that are not intended to cause harm to individuals. The forensic investigators who assisted CHC in investigating the security breach have not detected any further unauthorized access or activity since April 3, 2022.
What Information Was Affected?
The breached CHC systems contain personal data, including basic contact information, of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The data accessed may include, if you provided it, your username, membership record number, full name, gender, email address(es), birthdate, mailing address, phone number(s), and preferred language.
What Are We Doing?
We have been working with external forensic experts, U.S. federal law enforcement authorities, and other cybersecurity professionals to investigate the incident and further enhance the security of CHC’s systems. We also have notified data protection authorities, including, for example, the supervisory authority in Germany, where CHC’s representative under Art. 27 GDPR is based.
What Can You Do?
We have no indication that any of your personal data has been misused or published. We recommend that you remain vigilant about the security of your personal data by monitoring your personal accounts, frequently changing passwords, selecting strong and different passwords for every account, and taking action on any suspicious activity. You should promptly report to law enforcement authorities any fraudulent activity, scam, or identity theft.
For More Information
If you have further questions or concerns, please call:
• In the United States: toll-free (833) 559-0435, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Mountain Time (MT); Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. MT (excluding major U.S. holidays).
• Outside the United States: toll +1 (346) 278-3020, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Mountain Time (MT); Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. MT (excluding major U.S. holidays).
o United Kingdom English toll-free number: +44 (0800) 408 1788, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (BT); Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (BT)
o Brazil English toll-free number: +55-0800-450-0035, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (BT); Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (BT)
o Philippines English toll-free number: +63-1800-13120083, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (BT); Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (BT)
o Australia English toll-free number: +61 (1800) 434165, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (BT); Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (BT)
o New Zealand English toll-free number: +64 800-445108, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (BT); Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (BT)
CHC has contracted Experian, an industry leader in data security response, to receive these calls. Be prepared to provide your engagement number: B058762.

We take protecting the personal data entrusted to us seriously and are taking every action to keep your information safe. We regret any inconvenience or concern this incident may have caused.

Sincerely,

Data Privacy Office
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "

Letfreedumbring
captain of 100
Posts: 267

Re: Scam Alerts

Post by Letfreedumbring »

Please call 1-800-NOT-SCAM. Operators are standing by to take your credit card numbers.

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