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Beware of Fraud: eBay purchase for Nigeria using BidPay (Western Union)
IMPORTANT UPDATE: On 2005-12-31 BidPay shut down its auction payment service. Any BidPay payment notification that you receive after this date can not be genuine. In February 2006 we came across very similar emails using fake MoneyGram emails. The following scam targets eBay sellers, who may be tricked into shipping goods to Lagos, Nigeria without any payment. First the criminal contacts the seller (usually via a new eBay account) and offers a high price for an item on sale. He or she will request that the item be shipped to Nigeria via a parcel service (FEDEX, DHL, UPS, EMS) and explains that the buyer will pay via "Western Union Auction Payment (Bidpay)". This is a legitimate company, but that doesn't matter in this case, because it's not actually involved. The way the scam works is that the seller is told the money will only be released by Western Union / Bidpay when the buyer supplies a tracking number, i.e. when he has already shipped the parcel. To get the seller to ship the parcel, the criminal himself poses as Western Union, sending an email from a free webmail service to the victim using an email address which mentions Western Union or BidPay, for example "onlinebid-pay@accountant.com" or "westernunionmoneyorderpayment@banknotes.com", assuring the seller that Western Union has received payment from the buyer and will release it as soon as he submits the tracking number as proof of shipping. A seller believing this message to be sent from Western Union will lose his merchandise and the shipping costs.
The PayPal version of the scam
The Western Union MTCN version of the scam
The "Ukcitibank" version of the scam We have received reports from buyers who backed out of Nigerian mail order deals who received threatening emails supposedly from the FBI but actually sent via a free webmail address (e.g. "w.u_fbi_investigation@public.usa.com"). The scammers told the sellers they were being investigated by the FBI for fraud for not shipping the goods to Nigeria. Don't let yourself be intimidated, contact the police if you have any doubt! If you receive a fake Western Union / BidPay or PayPal message, look at the email address this was sent from (for example, westernunionmoneyorderpayment@banknotes.com or onlinebid-pay@accountant.com) or any addresses of a "BidPay agent" to contact for questions. If you take this address and replace the left part with the word abuse you get the email address to which to forward such scam emails (for example, abuse@banknotes.com or abuse@accountant.com). Ask the email service to suspend the email account used for this fraud. See below for examples of such scams. If you have received any such offers, send us copies. Please mark the subject line: [419] Lagos: eBay Here is an amusing letter that shows how to creatively deal with such scammers:
Example notification (from "bedfordsuperstore"): Here is another one by the same scammer:Dear seller, I really want to buy this item and i need a seller who is ready to sell,i will be paying 750euro for this item and you will ship it to my client in Nigeria. (1)I will be paying you by western Union Auction Payment(Bidpay). (2)You will ship the item by FEDEX,DHL,UPS,EMS. (3)You will ship the item to my client immediately you recieve my payment approval from the western union. If you agree with these stated terms,send me your full name and address so that i can go to the western union office immeidately to make payment for the item. please please scammers stay off!!!!!!!!!! Robert Dallas dear seller, i want to really buy this item and i want you to ship the item to my client in Nigeria. i will be paying 600euro for the item and i want you to calculate the shipping cost and the item price together. i will be paying with Western Union Auction Payment(bidpay) and i want you to ship the item via UPS,FEDEX,DHL OR EMS. you will ship the item to my client immediately you recieve my payment approval from western union. if you agree with these terms,send me your full name and address for immedaiate payment at the western union office. Scammers keep off Dallas Robert When contacted by email (bedfordsuperstore@nyc.com) the scammer replied: Dear seller, Immediately i go to the western union office to make payment for the item,they will send you a notification that my payment has been approved and they will send you a number which you will use to rack your money,the payment will be delivered to the address you will provide. And once you have track your money and you have seen that your money is confirmed then you will give me the tracking number to the item. Or would you like it if i pay you by MONEY GRAM? If you still want to sell to me send me your full name and address so that i can go and make payment for the item as soon as possible. Hope to hear from you soon. Visit New York City online. Special offers on hotels, shops, attractions, and more. Plus FREE @nyc.com or @newyorkcity.com E-Mail! http://www.NewYorkCity.com http://www.NYC.com Here is the fake "Western Union" money notification which is actually sent from a free webmail account instead of from Western Union: Dear B. E. Trueger, Bidpay®Online Payments hereby congratulates you and also want to inform you that the ® Money OrderSM sent to you from Robert Dallas has been Approved. Item information ®Money OrderSM :750 EUROS Auction Item :Keyboard YAMAHA PortaSound Model PS-3 Auction site : Ebay Seller Contact Address: Name: victimname Addresses: victimstreet postal code: victimzip city: victimcity country: victimcountry Identification Number: 42-782-719.M Shipping information Via DHL: NAME:SEGUN ABIODUN ADDRESS:25,ABIMBOLA ODUNSI STREET,OFF COKER RD ORIMOLADE BUS/STOP,IFAKO,OGBA CITY:LAGOS COUNTRY:NIGERIA This money order has been approved and will be sent out TODAY to the address provided by the buyer and you should expect it in 4-7 business days after postage has being confirmed. You CAN NOW send the items to the buyer,Moreover the above ® Pin Number will be asked for before the delivery of the Money OrderSM, you will also identify your self with your ®drivers licence or your ®Social security number. N.B NOTE THAT THE MONEY ORDER WILL NOT GET TO YOUR RESIDENT IF SHIPMENT TRACKING NUMBER IS NOT SENT TO US IN THE NEXT 24HRS FOR SHIPMENT VERIFICATION IN OTHER TO SECURE BOTH THE SELLER AND THE BUYER. And if you have any question, feel free to contact our customer service at (westernunionbidpayment@personalmanager.com). TO CONFIRM YOUR PAYMENT CLICK BELOW https://netsage.finali.com/netsage?customer=wuap&iid=esell-appr& num=22813469&status=appr&date=20050330country=UK If the Link above does not work: Type in or copy and paste this link into your Web browser,Make sure you copy this link exactly and do not add extra spaces. Thank you for using Western Union ® Online Payments. We look forward to serving your online payment needs in the future. Sincerely, Western Union Online Payments. More instructions from the scammer: Dear seller, I have paid for the item and i know by now you should have recieve my payment from the western union. I want you to please remove the invoice of the item when shipping it and also you should declare the item as a EASTER DONATION. Also you shouldnt write down the exact amount of price i bought the item from you,This will reduce the rate of custom charges when the item get to my client,they wont charge him much. And also i will like you to give me the tracking number for the item since your money has been approved. Hope to hear from you soon and also to do more business with you.
From: <westernunionbidpayment@personalmanager.com> To: emailaddress Subject: APPROVED MONEY ORDER(8180658433 ) REPLY TO THIS EMAIL Reply-To: westernunionbidpayment@personalmanager.com X-Mailer: SeeqMail 4.0 (authenticated westernunionbidpayment@personalmanager.com) X-Origin: 213.181.81.125 X-Uidl: 1112178921603078762 Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 02:35:21 -0800
WHOIS details for sending network (IP 213.181.81.125): inetnum: 213.181.64.0 - 213.181.95.255 org: ORG-BL4-RIPE netname: NG-BROADBANDTECH-20000327 descr: BT Limited descr: PROVIDER Local Registry country: NG admin-c: IO243-RIPE tech-c: IO243-RIPE status: ALLOCATED PA notify: bt@micro.com.ng mnt-by: RIPE-NCC-HM-MNT mnt-routes: BT-LIMITED-MNT mnt-lower: BT-LIMITED-MNT changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20000327 changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20001003 changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20010507 changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20010704 changed: lir-help@ripe.net 20011214 changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20020419 changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20020423 changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20020613 changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20030211 changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20040406 source: RIPE organisation: ORG-BL4-RIPE org-name: BT Limited org-type: LIR address: BT Limited address: 8B Ademola Street, address: Off Awolowo Road, address: S. W. Ikoyi, address: Lagos, Nigeria. phone: +234 1 2693192 fax-no: +234 1 2693192 e-mail: bt@micro.com.ng admin-c: IO243-RIPE admin-c: IO243-RIPE mnt-ref: BT-LIMITED-MNT mnt-ref: RIPE-NCC-HM-MNT mnt-by: RIPE-NCC-HM-MNT changed: hostmaster@ripe.net 20040415 source: RIPE person: Israel Oyeleke address: BT Limited address: 8B Ademola Street address: Ikoyi S.W. address: Lagos, Nigeria phone: +234 1 2673532 fax-no: +234 1 2673203 e-mail: i.oyeleke@moneynett.com nic-hdl: IO243-RIPE notify: i.oyeleke@moneynett.com changed: ifiok@btlimited.com 20010605 changed: ifiok_moses@yahoo.com 20030917 source: RIPE
GOOD DAY SELLER, Message headers: Received: from [81.199.84.22] by ws5-1.us4.outblaze.com with http for 1richkid@fastermail.com; Thu, 23 Jun 2005 15:20:55 +0800 From: "Richard Black" <1richkid@fastermail.com> To: emailaddress Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 15:20:55 +0800 Subject: eBay-object: IBM THINKPAD R51 Model X-Originating-Ip: 81.199.84.22
WHOIS details for sending network (IP 81.199.84.22): inetnum: 81.199.84.0 - 81.199.87.255 netname: CIDR-COMMUNICATION-01 descr: Internet service provider country: NG admin-c: TECH7-RIPE tech-c: TECH7-RIPE status: ASSIGNED PA mnt-by: AS12491-MNT source: RIPE # Filtered person: Tech Supernet300 address: 21 Mobolaji Bank address: Anthony Way Ikeja address: Lagos address: Nigeria phone: + 234 1 4976493 e-mail: admin@supernet300.com nic-hdl: TECH7-RIPE source: RIPE # Filtered
See abuse contact list for whom to notify of criminal use of such email addresses.
Fake PayPal payment notifications from Nigeria See abuse contact list for whom to notify of criminal use of such email addresses. Example:
Fake PayPal payment notification:
Fake PayPal payment notification:
MoneyGram scam:
From: "Moneygram Moneytransfer" <immediatelycash@thetransfer.net>
From a "Ukcitibank" version of the scam
Hello, Here is an amusing letter that shows how someone creatively dealt with such scammers:
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