West African Letter Fraud - A Perfect Example

West African Letter Scam

In my book Invest Now I dedicated a whole chapter to Internet Scams. West African letter Fraud is a common form of Internet scam. You receive a letter in the mail convincing you to give out your personal information, and then scammers empty out your bank account. This type of scam can come from anywhere, in any form. It does not have to come from West Africa. Today I have a perfect example of West African Scam to post. I just got this email and picture in my mail box. First, I am going to give you an excerpt from Invest Now, and then I will show you the letter and picture I received.

The following is an Excerpt from my first book Invest Now. Invest Now is jam-packed with timely information and timeless advice for the beginning Canadian investor. Invest Now covers a broad range of topics including Internet Scams. To purchase a copy, visit Chapters Indigo or click here to buy online - Invest Now: A Canadian's Guide to Investing

The Excerpt

West African letter fraud: You meet a 20-something-year-old girl in a chat room. She sends you a few hot pictures. Then she mentions that her dad was a high-ranking government official or industrialist who left her millions of dollars. She explains that she is not able to move this fund from her dad’s account due to regulations, and she needs your help. All you have to do is to give her your bank-account information to transfer her money out of the country; in return, she will give you 40 or 50% of her 10 or 20 million dollars. Wait, even more incentives remain. Since you are such a nice guy, she even would not mind spending a couple of months in a resort with you. You don’t waste a second to grab this lifetime opportunity, handing over your banking information. A few days later, you find out that your bank account was emptied out. Your dream of spending quality time with a beautiful girl as a freshly minted millionaire is gone—and so is all the money in your bank account. Sometimes, the scammer claims to be from Nigeria, but it’s always the same scam. Be aware.

A Perfect Example

from Angie Keong <giveslife@yahoo.com>

reply-to giveslife02@yahoo.com,

to giveslife@yahoo.com,

date Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 3:37 PM

subject FROM MRS.ANGIE KK

mailed-by yahoo.com

signed-by yahoo.com

Images from this sender are always displayed. Don't display from now on.

hide details 3:37 PM (4 hours ago)

Reply

FROM MRS.ANGIE KK
THE CRY OF A WIDOW
Do accept my sincere apology if contacting you through this medium goes against your moral values and code of conduct. My name is Mrs. Angie KK, the wife of late Mr. Sherif Keong who happen to be an international business man dealing mainly in contracting.There is something I personally need your urgent attention and assistance in, hoping that you are living well with your family over there in your country. I want you to personal assist me to safeguard a reasonable sum to your country or any other place where you are familiar with for a productive investment. The fund were generated through a legal means by my late husband but due to some issue between my late husband and few foes, I am mandated to make this transfer and the onward investment on my own.

The fund in question is the sum of Twenty One Million United State of American Dollars which was deposited on a vault by late husband in a Financial Institute, and it is due to be transferred, but the major problem I was facing for quite a long time now is finding a capable person who will help me to make the transfer, and also negotiate some areas of lucrative investment down on-behalf of my son Franklin

Due to my medical condition(Cancer of the large Intestine which was not noticed at the early stage) and situation of things around me, I can't effect the conveying of the project on my own and for the safety of my son without an aid of someone. This was the major reason that drew my attention to contact you personally for an assistant regarding the execution of this project. I am in a critical position since the doctors have confirmed that the cancer was not noticed at the early stage and it is only a miracle that can heal me. Thus, I am doing all this because I want my son to have a future incase if anything happens to me.
I will give you all the necessary information you would require to know about this project when I read from you. I will be expecting to hear from you any moment from now
Regards
Mrs. Angie Keong

The Lesson

Do not give out any financial or personal information in an e-mail or chat room.

First Published: ADawnJournal.com Apr 24, 2008

Is CIBC Providing Free Credit Score?

CIBC Offers Free Credit Score Via Its App

Just about a year ago, Canadians had to pay $24-$25 if they wanted to access their credit score. However, the landscape of free credit score changed when FinTech loan companies like Borrowell.com, Mogo.ca, and Creditkarma.ca started offering free credit score.

Now, better yet, CIBC customers who have the CIBC mobile banking app on their phone will be able to access their free credit score without even signing up with any one of these three providers I mentioned.

CIBC’s free score is a result of partnership between CIBC and Borrowell and pulls Equifax credit score, which is a proprietary model of Equifax. Keep in mind that this is different than FICO credit score, which is a proprietary model of Fair Isaac Corporation. This credit score is a soft credit inquiry that does not negatively affect credit score.

Besides providing free credit scores, the mobile app has a FAQ section where clients can learn about how credit score works and so on. This is a good thing. Some recent research performed by CIBC shows that 69 percent of Canadians have do not know their credit scores and 45 percent have no idea where or how to obtain their credit score.

I have published a video review of CIBC’s providing free credit score and I also have showed how to access your free credit score on your app. Click on the above link to watch this video and you can follow step-by-step instructions to access your own credit score right away. You do have to have a CIBC account and mobile app to check your free credit score.

Simple Tips To Relieve Stress And Rejuvenate Yourself At Work

Stress Relief Tips

A long day of work can be stressful and draining. Follow these simple tips to relieve stress and rejuvenate yourself at work.

• Splash some water on your face to refresh yourself. This is a simple yet effective way to refresh yourself.

• Go out for a walk. A walk in the fresh air can give you renewed energy to stay up at work.

• Eat some fruits or drink their juices. Drinking coffee can give you instant adrenaline boost to feel revived but over time it causes exhaustion. Fruits and their juices can invigorate you without causing any side effects.

• Keep nature or other soothing photos on your desk. Nature photos can reduce stress and improve productivity.

• Avoid greasy fast food for lunch. Greasy food can make you feel tired and sleepy. Brown bag your lunch. Bringing lunch from home will not only save you money but also a lot healthier.
  
  First Published: Aug 30, 2007 ADawnJournal.com

Jumping Into The iPhone

Do You Really Need That iPhone?

All of the iPhone hype and anticipation is about to end. Apple will launch first model on June 29. 6.00 pm. iPhone is a combination of a cell phone, iPod and a wireless internet device. iPhone has lots of never seen before features but some of the features might not meet consumers' expectations and first generation product will always have flaws.

The following are some of the issues consumers should take a close look at before jumping into the iPhone:

• First model product is kind of a test product and will always have flaws.

• Touchscreen (no button keyboard) typing may not be a pleasant experience for many consumers.

• iPhone is not 3G compatible, instead uses a slower 2.5-generation network.

• There is no memory card slots.

• No 3rd party applications can be used. 

• Battery is sealed and can not be removed like other cell phones.

A prudent financial decision would be not to buy this first generation gadget. Wait till the hype dies down and all the first generation bugs are fixed. You will be paying a lot less and will be getting a lot more value for your money.

First Published: June 26, 2007 ADawnJournal.com

Beware Of No Name ATMs

ABM Scams & Tips

Canadians carry roughly 35 million debit cards and its no wonder scam artists are coming up with innovative technics to tamper ATM machines. ATM thefts are on the rise at an alarming rate. What can you do about it? My number one recommendation - Be extremely cautious using a No Name ATM machine.

What do I mean by No Name ATM? These are the machines not operated by well-known financial institutions such as TD, CIBC etc. Sometimes these are called White Label machines or Stand-Alone ATMs. No Name machines are privately owned and operated. You will see No Name machines in next-door grocery stores, bars, casinos, malls ... virtually everywhere. Follow these tips to protect yourself from scam artists:

• No Name ATM can cost you somewhere between $2 to $5 service fees, in addition to your own bank fess. Do you really need cash that desperately at this moment? How about walking a couple of blocks to withdraw from your own bank's ATM?

• Scam artists use hidden cameras, scanning devices, peep holes, card readers to copy your P. I. N. and card info to produce clones(same as yours). Later on, scammers will use those clone cards to purchase or simply they will empty out your bank accounts.

• Cover you key pad so the person behind you can't see your key-punch. Covering key pad will also prevent hidden cameras taking your key-punch shots from the top or from the side.

• If you notice anything unusual or suspicious, refrain from using the ATM. Examples of unusual or suspicious things are: slot does not feel right when you insert card, visible attachments to the slot or to anywhere on ATM, unusual messages on the screen or on anywhere on ATM, messages asking to use one particular ATMs, individuals standing nearby posing as technicians or customers.

• You should not have to force your card into the slot. If your card gets stuck in an ATM, call your bank immediately

It's a good idea to use ATMs which you are already familiar with. Pick a well-lit ATM in a good neighbourhood.  If you findanything suspicious(either individuals or anything your are not comfortable with), do not use the ATM and leave that place. Always take precautions and be vigilant when using an ATM. Be always safe.

First Published: Aug 10, 2007 ADawnJournal.com