The following guidelines are for your first reference to become Cyber smart.
Cyber Crime CasesCyber Crime Cell, Detective Department has been receiving huge complaints increasing day by day related to lottery scams, job scams, Identity theft (asking for monetary help by means of hacking of one’s e-mail ID) etc where prevention is more important to avert such crimes from the root of the society.
Nowadays, almost every net-user receive e-mails or SMS’s from unknown sources which are purportedly originated from some reliable e-mail ID containing message as noted below:
EMAIL SWEEPTAKES BRUSSELS
LOTTO EURO
Ref. Number: BRULT/ 024A/576/533/7D,
Batch Number: 5455-98114-FG7K
Sir/Madam
We are pleased to inform you about the result of the LOTTO EURO Programs, BRUSSELS, held on the 17th of September, 2004. Your e-mail address attached to ticket Number ES 7686605 with serial Number 6774-582 drew lucky numbers 7-16-98-22-20-45, which consequently won in the first category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of EUR 1,000,000.00 (One Million Euro) in cash credited to file Reference Number BRULT / 024A/576/533/7D. This is from total prize of EUR 50, 000,000.00 (Fifty million Euro) shared among the fifty international winners in this category.
CONGRATULATIONS! Following the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your Winning information confidential until your claims have been processed and your money remitted to your account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 companies' and 30,000,000 individuals' email addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes place every three years. The software corporation to encourage some few individuals with web site and email addresses promoted this lottery.
We hope that with part of your winning, you will take part in our next year international lottery. To file for your Claim, please contact our Claim Manager:
BENJAMIN RANDY (TEL; [deleted])
Email:[deleted]
All winning must be claimed not later than 15th of October, 2004. After this date, all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. To avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondences. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do Inform our agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thanks for being part of Lotto Euro Programme.
Note: Under the age of 18 is not eligible.
Sincerely yours,
MRS WELLMA VAN RINCART
(Lottery Co-ordinator)
Samples of Fraud Email "Winner Notification" Emails
There are plenty of examples of actual fraudulent emails sent out.
Some examples are as under:
Other UK Lottery Scams
Tips to Remember
- Delete all e-mails and SMS from any stranger luring you with billion dollar lottery prize, jobs in UK and huge wealth.
- Delete all e-mails/SMS/Phone calls that ask for your personal information such as user name, passwords, PIN, Credit Codes
- Install a trusted Internet Security Suite and update it regularly.
- Never leave your Wi-Fi Network unsecured. Use a strong password.
- Never share your passwords with anyone and change them frequently using a combination of letters, numerical and special characters.
- Never forget to sign out of your email or any other accounts.
- Never reveal your personal information to any stranger in online chatting.
- Never make online transactions in unsecured sites. Watch for 'https' in the address bar.
- Never follow links to your banking website from another website or e-mail. Type it yourself in the address bar.
- Never open spam mails as they contain either virus or spyware. Enable spam filters in your mail boxes.
- Never post sensitive information in social networking and marriage sites.
- Never be greedy for free downloads. They might infect your computers.
- Never let credit cards go out of your sight while paying.
- Never visit sites that contain pornography or terror links.
Cyber Crime CasesCyber Crime Cell, Detective Department has been receiving huge complaints increasing day by day related to lottery scams, job scams, Identity theft (asking for monetary help by means of hacking of one’s e-mail ID) etc where prevention is more important to avert such crimes from the root of the society.
Nowadays, almost every net-user receive e-mails or SMS’s from unknown sources which are purportedly originated from some reliable e-mail ID containing message as noted below:
EMAIL SWEEPTAKES BRUSSELS
LOTTO EURO
Ref. Number: BRULT/ 024A/576/533/7D,
Batch Number: 5455-98114-FG7K
Sir/Madam
We are pleased to inform you about the result of the LOTTO EURO Programs, BRUSSELS, held on the 17th of September, 2004. Your e-mail address attached to ticket Number ES 7686605 with serial Number 6774-582 drew lucky numbers 7-16-98-22-20-45, which consequently won in the first category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of EUR 1,000,000.00 (One Million Euro) in cash credited to file Reference Number BRULT / 024A/576/533/7D. This is from total prize of EUR 50, 000,000.00 (Fifty million Euro) shared among the fifty international winners in this category.
CONGRATULATIONS! Following the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your Winning information confidential until your claims have been processed and your money remitted to your account. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 companies' and 30,000,000 individuals' email addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes place every three years. The software corporation to encourage some few individuals with web site and email addresses promoted this lottery.
We hope that with part of your winning, you will take part in our next year international lottery. To file for your Claim, please contact our Claim Manager:
BENJAMIN RANDY (TEL; [deleted])
Email:[deleted]
All winning must be claimed not later than 15th of October, 2004. After this date, all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. To avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondences. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do Inform our agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thanks for being part of Lotto Euro Programme.
Note: Under the age of 18 is not eligible.
Sincerely yours,
MRS WELLMA VAN RINCART
(Lottery Co-ordinator)
Samples of Fraud Email "Winner Notification" Emails
There are plenty of examples of actual fraudulent emails sent out.
Some examples are as under:
- British Online Lottery - "Award Notification Team, Uk GAMING HOUSE", "Barrister (MRS) MARGARETE SPENCER"
- UK-ONLINE-LOTTERY International program, Manchester, "Sherry Williams", "Mr Alfred Williams"
- UK National Lottery Online Free Draw, "Richard Lord", "[email protected]"
- THE UK NATIONAL LOTTERY ONLINE, Sir Steve Smith
- UK National lottery online program - "Williams Chester", "Mrs. Cherry Rings"
- PREMIER LOTTERY UK ONLINE, "MR.ARET FRANKLIN", "MR. LARRY BROWN"
- MICROSOFT OFFICE UK - "Mr John Jeftha", WINDOS VISTA LAUNCH BONANZA WINNER, "NET DISPATCH COURIER SERVICE LTD"
- British Online Lottery - ONCE PROMO 2008 promotions - "Mrs. Steffan .K. Lloyds", "Mr. Williams Ford"
- BRITISH ONLINE GAMES LOTTERY - Stan Phillip, Peter Edwards/Advocate Andy Vanbell
- British National Lottery (Online Program) - "Mr. Ashley Baker", "our fiduciary agent"
- British National Lottery British Gaming Board - "Mr. Kings Robert", "Sir Steven Smith" or "Mr. Richard James"
- BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY ONLINE PROMO PROGRAMME - "LOTTERY BOARD at [email protected]", "Richard Carpenter"
- NATIONAL LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS - Elizabeth Hanks
- UK LOTTERY ORGANIZATION - "Mrs. Marilyn James", "MR. FESTUS LANDER"
- THE UK NATIONAL LOTTERY ONLINE PROMO PROGRAMME - "Sir Steven Smith", "Mrs Deborah White"
- The UK National Lottery, Online Sweepstakes International Lottery Program - "Mrs Scott Voke", "Mr Terry Cole"
- UK NATIONAL LOTTERY Online Sweepstakes International Program - Mr. Mark Benson
- UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program - "Ben Alan and SIR GEORGE HARRIS", "Mr.John Richards and John Scott"
- UK NATIONAL LOTTERY - "online Sweepstakes International program" - "SCOTT DAVIS", "Mr James Keegan"
- UK NATIONAL LOTTERY Sweepstakes' International Program - Mr. Makin
- THE UK NATIONAL ONLINE LOTTERY DRAWS - Carl A.Allison, Donald Leonard
- UK Online Lottery Result Headquarters - "Mrs Grace Parker", "Mr Felix Btown"
- UK LOTTERY, Online Sweepstakes International program, "JEN AND KELSEY KOWAL", "MRS JANELL CHARLTON"
- UKONL 2007 Lottery Program - "Marian Jones(Mrs.)", "Gray Moore"
- UK ONLINE 2007 Lottery Program - "Mrs.Justina Ernest", "MR STANLEY MC NOWILL"
- UK Online Lottery - Sir. Stephen Smith, Paul Dyer
- UK Online Lottery - "Joy May", "Joan Clack"
- UK Online Lottery, at The Marina Offices of St Peters Yacht Basin
- UK Online Lottery, at The Marina Offices of St Peters Yacht Basin - more versions
"Mr Matthew Rings" - United Kingdom National Lottery wishes to inform you that the results of the E-mail address ballot lottery international program by Great Britain - Mr Fred Martin - Mrs. Dianne Thompson
- UK National Online Lottery Sweepstakes Promotion - Henry Preston
- UNITED KINGDOM ONLINE PROMO AWARDS, Steve Burt, Lucy Baines, Peter Taylor
- UNITED KINGDOM ONLINE PROMO AWARDS, Barrister. Luis Santiago ESQ, Mrs. Deborah Moore
Other UK Lottery Scams
- Lottery International - Free Lottery On line Sweepstakes International Program - and or - The Free Lottery International
Such Victims typically are notified that they have won a lottery, yet have to pay transfer fees, taxes or provide proof of their identity and/or details of their bank accounts or credit cards in order to receive the "winnings". The names of these organizations change all the time (they just make up a new name when one is exposed as a fraud), although many of the notifications use similar wording. The recipient of the message — the target of the scam — is usually told to keep the notice secret, "due to a mix-up in some of the names and numbers," and to contact a "claims agent." After contacting the agent, the target of the scam will be asked to pay "processing fees" or "transfer charges" so that the winnings can be distributed, but will never receive any lottery payment. Many email lottery scams use the names of legitimate lottery organizations, but this does not mean the legitimate organizations are in any way involved with the scams.
During investigation of such cases, it has been found that all such e-mails/SMS’s are being sent with fraudulent intention to cheat the common members of public. The Bank A/C’s & other contact details provided by the fraudsters are all fictitious. Investigation also reveals that most of the e-mails were originated from abroad (Nigeria, U.K & Canada).There are hundreds of examples but we can all protect ourselves by being skeptical. - Identity theft (Nigerian fraud)
In recent days’ cyber crime cell, D.D. has been receiving complaints usually from high profiles (doctors, professors, high officials) alleging that their e-mail I.D. has been hacked by unknown and their friends and other contacts are getting mails from his/her hacked I.D. asking for monetary help. In some few cases, being induced some of those contacts have dispatched money in good faith to an unknown bank account of abroad.
Enquiry made into such allegations reveals that the victim prior to commission of such offence received e-mail messages which were designed to steal his identity, such type of mails appeared to come from well known websites or social networking sites. Such phising mails must include official looking logos and other identifying information directly copied from any legitimate website. The scamsters may place a link that appears to go to a legitimate website but actually takes the victim to a scam site. By this way the fraudsters manages to collect the password and other details of the victims e-mail I.D.
Later on gaining the e-mail I.D. of the high profile victim, the fraud sends e-mail to the friends and relatives of the victim (e-mail I.D. obtained from the contacts) asking for monetary help as the victim was in distress and in helpless condition during a foreign tour. It has noticed in all type of internet scams that public awareness is only the way to stop happening such crimes. Prevention is better than cure is the rule here.
Some of the preventive measures are:- Never reply or act accordingly to an unsolicited e-mail/ SMS
- Never share personal information online without verifying the authenticity.
- Use strong password having alpha-numeric character and change it frequently.
- If e-mail I.D. is hacked, the contacts are required to be intimated about the same immediately and report it to police to stop its further misuse.
- Job Scam/Advance Fee Fraud or 419 Fraud A job scam is a form of FRAUD where certain persons (scammers), posing as recruiters (agencies) or as employers offer really attractive employment opportunities (which seem too good to be true); subsequently, the jobseeker (candidate looking for a good job) is required to pay them [the scammers] money in advance, usually under the guise of work visas, air travel expenses, and out-of-pocket expenses. Usually, the job scam form is called Advance Fee Fraud or 419 Fraud.
The Modus-operandi of this scam:
The job seeking youth are usually posting their curricula vitae on different web-sites in search of job. The fraudsters collected the details of the victim from one of those sites. They find the email addresses of job seekers through various means. Then they email them acting like an company employer. They make the letter they send to the job seeker look all official, making it look and sound like an employment contract. The impostor basically tells the job seeker that they're going to be hired on to the company. They list all the details about the job, the pay, the location, and things of this nature to make it look legitimate. Then what they do is they tell the job seeker that if they want the job all they have to do is sign the employment contract and fax it to their office. But they also tell them that they require an application fee, or processing fee of anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. They assure the job seeker that the job is 100% guaranteed and waiting for them to start on, but that they need to have the money to cover costs and things of that nature. So victims unknowingly send in there money and sign this fake employment contract. Then they basically never hear from the fraud again.
Tips to Remember
- Be very skeptical of overseas employment opportunities that sound "too good to be true."
- Never send cash as proposed in the mail, and be extremely cautious with firms that require a money order. This could indicate that the firm is attempting to avoid a traceable record of its transactions.
- Do not be fooled by official-sounding names. Many scam artists operate under names that sound like those of long-standing, reputable firms.
- Avoid working with firms that require payment in advance.
- Do not give your credit card or bank account number to telephone solicitors.
- Do not make a hasty decision. Instead, take time to weigh all the pros and cons of the situation. Be cautious of demands that "you must act now."
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