How Stupid Do They Think I Am?

One thing that I really dislike are cold callers that are trying to target senior citizens to scam off their Medicare, to get one that is callous as well as cold just really really — grrrrr!

Access Diabetic Supply is one such service that came to my attention this morning. Read about their cold calling here – Access Diabetic Supply cold call – and I do mean COLD.

Reading the notes at 800Notes.com makes me think they are specifically targeting seniors to get their Medicare information and have been doing so for some time now.

Oh boy! This is too good to be true!… no, really, it is. This is a scam. I’ve seen a lot of trouble with Western Union, and these guys will end up with your money, not giving you more. And let’s face it, since when have you seen $1.5 million written as “$1.5,000.000.00 thousand dollars” ???

I love that he wants to be sure I know his new e-mail.  ::snort::  I didn’t even know the old one.

The e-mail follows:

Subject: Your Payment Has been Release today through Western union.
To: 001@_____________.___  (Domain name removed by CyberCat)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have a new email address!You can now email me at: edwin_ken22@yahoo.com

- ttn, Dear, We have concluded to effect your payment $1.5,000.000.00 thousand dollars through western union today, but the maximium amount you will be receiving each day starting from tomorrow is $4,000.00 daily until the funds is completely transfered. Western union Agent: bar rogers TEL: E-mail: ( bar_rogers1@live.fr ) Though, Ms.Susan Banny $4,000.00 made in your name today so contact bar rogers and tell him to give you the mtcn, sender name and question/answer to pick the $4,000.00. Pls let me know as soon as you received all your funds $1.5,000.000.00 thousand dollars.Best Regards Mr.edwin ken

Okay, first off, if the FBI is going to tell me that I am “… adviced to comply urgently…” there is something seriously wrong with the educational system in the United States.  I got yet another letter that is supposed to be from the FBI warning me that I am going to be in sooooooo much trouble if I don’t send them what they want me to send them.  Well come on guys! You haven’t sent me Martin Fitzgerald and Danny Taylor yet, so why should I send you my personal information to a leo.gov e-mail address?

yup, it is from the FBI (crimesmornitoringunit@leo.gov) give me a break dudes, that is not the FBI’s e-mail address and they certainly would not be sending this to “undisclosed recipients” if they wanted to talk to me, they would know who I am and send Martin and Danny to  talk to me.  Right?   Right.

The scammy scummy e-mail this time is on perusal about the same as the last one, a poor effort to scare me into thinking the FBI is out to get me for being involved in a money transfer they fear might be connected to terrorism… oh, and they are screaming this at me of course.  I feel like I am sitting in a little room with Mulder and Scully playing good fed / bad fed while I have a bright light shining in my eyes.

“DON’T YOU KNOW THIS IS ILLEGAL?!?!”
“Maybe it’s not her fault.”
“THAT MONEY IS ON HOLD UNTIL YOU COOPERATE!”
“Just cooperate and we’ll leave you alone, and you can have the money.”

:::shaking head::::
I’m telling you guys, send in Martin and Danny – or at least have them be the ones to e-mail me, not “Faithfully Yours, FBI Director  Robert S. Mueller, III“.

The e-mail follows…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: “FBI” <crimesmornitoringunit@leo.gov>
Reply-To: fbicrimesmornitoringunit@live.com

To: undisclosed-recipients: ;

Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION/URGENT REPLY NEEDED

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONITORING CRIMES DIVISION
FBI HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON D.C.
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001

Date: 12/15/2008

ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONITORING CRIMES DIVISION

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL ADVICE FROM THE FBI FOREIGN REMITTANCE/TELEGRAPHIC DEPT. IT HAS COME TO OUR NOTICE THAT THE C.B.N BANK, NIGERIA DISTRICT, HAS RELEASED TO THE TUNE OF $10,500,000.00 U.S DOLLARS INTO THE BANK OF AMERICA IN YOUR NAME AS THE BENEFICIARY, COURTESY OF INHERITTANCE.

THE C.B.N BANK NIGERIA, KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH FACILITIES TO EFFECT THIS PAYMENT FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM TO YOUR ACCOUNT, USED WHAT WE KNOW AS A SECRET DIPLOMATIC TRANSIT PAYMENT (S.T.D.P) TO PAY THIS FUND THROUGH WIRE TRANSFER.

THEY ARE STILL, WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION FROM YOU ON THE ALREADY TRANSFERRED FUNDS, WHICH WAS MADE IN DIRECT TRANSFER SO THAT THEY CAN FINALLY CREDIT IT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

HOWEVER,SECRET DIPLOMATIC PAYMENTS ARE NOT MADE, UNLESS THE FUNDS ARE RELATED TO TERRORIST ACTIVITIES. WHY MUST YOUR PAYMENT BE MADE IN SECRET TRANSFER? IF YOUR TRANSACTION IS LEGITIMATE, IF YOU ARE NOT A TERRORIST, WHY DID YOU NOT RECEIVE THE MONEY DIRECTLY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT? THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ILLEGAL MODE OF PAYMENT?

RECORDS WHICH WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS METHOD OF PAYMENT IN THE PAST, HAS ALWAYS BEEN RELATED TO TERRORIST ACTIVITIES, WE DO NOT WANT YOU TO GET INTO TROUBLE AS SOON AS THESE FUNDS REFLECT IN YOUR ACCOUNT IN THE U.S. SO IT IS OUR DUTY AS A WORLD WIDE COMMISSION TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THIS FUND WILL BE CREDITED INTO YOUR PERSONAL ACCOUNT.

WE ADVICE YOU TO CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY AS THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN STOPPED AND ARE BEING HELD IN OUR CUSTODY, UNTIL YOU CAN BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH A DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY SEAL OF TRANSFER (DIST) WITHIN 3 DAYS FROM THE WORLD LOCAL BANK FROM WHERE THE FUNDS WERE TRANSFERED FROM, TO CERTIFY THAT THE FUNDS THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE FROM NIGERIA ARE ANTI -TERRORIST/DRUG FREE. OR ELSE WE SHALL HAVE COURSE TO CROSS AND IMPOUND THE PAYMENT.WE SHALL ONLY RELEASE THE FUNDS IMMEDIATELY WE RECEIVE THIS LEGAL DOCUMENTS
—————————————————————————–

We have decided to contact you directly to acquire the proper verifications and proof from you to show that you are the rightful person to receive this fund, because of the amount involved. we want to make sure that the money your about to receive is clean and legal. Be informed that the fund is now in the United States in your name, but right now, we have given an authourisation to The Bank of America not to release the funds untill we ask them to do so.This is because we have to carry out our investigations first before releasing the funds to you.

So to this regards, you are to re-assure and prove to us that what you are about to receive is clean money by sending to us, FBI Identification Record and also The Diplomatic Immunity Seal Of Transfer (DIST) to satify that the money you are about to receive is legitimate. You are to forward the documents to us immediately if you have it in your possession, if you don’t have it, let us know, so that you will be directed on how and where to obtain the document and send to us, so that in turn,we will re-authourize the Bank of America to credit your funds.

However,An FBI Identification Record and Diplomatic Immunity Seal Of Transfer (DIST) often referred to as a Criminal History Record or Rap Sheet, is a listing of Certain information taken from fingerprint submissions retained by the FBI in Connection with arrests and, in some instances, federal employment, naturalization, or military service.

THESE CONDITION IS VALID UNTIL
THE 18TH OF DECEMBER 2008, AFTER WHICH WE SHALL TAKE ACTIONS ON CANCELLING THE PAYMENT AND THEN CHARGE YOU FOR ILLEGALLY MOVING OF FUNDS OUT OF NIGERIA.

GUARANTEE: FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED ON CONFIRMATION OF THESE DOCUMENTS.
——————————————————————————–

FINAL INSTRUCTION:

1, CREDIT PAYMENT INSTRUCTION: IRREVOCABLE CREDIT GUARANTEE

2,BENEFICIARY HAS FULL POWER WHEN VALIDATION IS
CLEARED.

3,BENEFICIARIES BANK IN U.S.A, CAN ONLY RELEASE FUNDS
UPON CONFIRMATION FROM THE WORLD BANK/IMF OR UNITED NATIONS.

4,BEARER MUST CLEAR BANK PROTOCOL AND VALIDATION REQUEST
——————————————————————————–

NOTE: We have asked for the above documents to make available the most complete and up-to date records possible for the enhancement of public safety, welfare and security of the Society, while recognizing the importance of individual privacy rights. If you fail to provide the Documents to us, we will charge you for money laundering and take appriopriate actions against you for not prooving to this commission, the legitimacy of the funds you are about to receive.

The United States Department of Justice Order (556-73) establishes rules and regulations for the subject of an FBI Identification Record to obtain a copy of his or her own Record for review.

The FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division processes these requests to check illegal activities in the U.S.
An individual may request a copy of his or her own FBI Identification Record for personal review or to challenge information on the Record. Other reasons an individual may request a copy of his or her own Identification Record may include international adoption or to satisfy a requirement to live or work in a foreign country or receive funds from another country (i.e., Diplomatic Immunity Seal Of Transfer, letter of good conduct, criminal history back ground).
You are adviced to comply urgently.

Faithfully Yours,

FBI Director
Robert S. Mueller, III

My accented little stalkers called me back up today regarding my domain name and that fax they want to send to me. This time the fellow still had an accent, but he had much much much better English skills than the last two had possessed. I could understand what he said… I just could not write quickly enough to keep up with what he was saying they had to send me the fax for and have a poor memory (Note to my readers – never get old. ::sigh::) Anyway, as for the call….

The fellow identified himself as Mark Robinson and said that he was from Domain Registry Support and had to send me a fax regarding my domain. (Not this one, and I am not disclosing the name of the one he called about.) I asked him exactly what it was that he had to send me, and he yammered off something about a notice on my domain. I was not satisfied with why someone with an accent I hesitate to pinpoint exactly (wasn’t German, English Spanish or Oriental though) would need to send me a fax. I asked him if it was because my domain was about to expire or something (remember, this is the one I know has a year before I need to renew it), and he said something about it being “A notification that could range from the expiration date to…” I missed what “to” was all about because he seemed to talk faster from the moment he said “notification”. I don’t think he wanted me to know what he was sending me. lol

I asked him what hosting company my domain was registered through – he did not have that information. I asked what one he was calling for, since he was sending me something regarding my site and he said something about being able to give me a 1-800 number and I of course said “Yeah, gimme that!” ::snicker:: He gave me a number saying I was to call them and “ask about the hosting company of my domain” (like I really have to ask someone else who my hosting company is?!?).

I took the number, 1-800-591-7398, to Google and asked them to find it for me. That brought up a page of assorted phone number matches and near matches. One match was for followmeonline.com:

followmeonline.com
Call Toll Free: 1-800-591-7398 … Domain name included 1 email address at your domain name 24-hour toll-free phone … 9.95 $2.99 1 / year (save 70%) Reserve …
followmeonline.com – 14k – Cached

Ah ha. Another little gem I found (who I will link to) is HyperOrg.com – Domain Registry Support. Check that out, it’s a blog entry on these same dudes and a long list of comments by people that have encountered them. Some have very good advice, I was particularly amused by the one who in 2006 said to tell the guys to call 202-456-2461 (contact number for the White House).

Anyway, as for the fellow that has been calling me. I went to the Big G then and asked Google what they knew about the phone number that Mark Robinson had given to me. Yup, them guys get around – and they have a bad reputation based on the complaints I have seen so far.

Time for a little more digging, just to make sure you avoid them, don’t you agree?

Numbers reported by people at 800Notes are: 800-223-9113 and 800-224-8606
One fellow offered up the additional comment of: “Based on tracking it looks like it’s coming from an area called Pinellas Park Florida for anyone out there investigating. No caller ID information” (guess that’d include me? huh? lol)

This sounds familiar: “05/05/08 10:50AM PST – Call from woman with Indian accent saying she needs to update our website domain information. I said we normally get emails for that. She said that thier email server is down for an anti-virus upgrade and asked for my fax number. I said we will just wait for thier server to come back online and get an email. I then hung up on her.
Caller ID: 800-224-8606″

That was the exact same response I got from the gal just the other day, only I baited her on to waste her time and delay her trying to call the next poor fellow on her list. There were 6 pages of complaints (I linked to page 5), so I’ll move on and leave you to read more if you want to follow the link.

Statistics I have got for the guys:

At the Followmeonline.com URL they want you to register your domain with them (which seems to be hard to get back away from them once you have done it), then they’ll also sell you:
“Add email…. add website… private domain registration for an extra $9 a year to keep your information private (For just $9 they’ll protect you from people like them!)… starter web page with basic information until you’re ready to upgrade to a full package (AKA: they’ll sell you one of them ad filled spammy ‘holding’ pages until you agree to pay for a full website)… domain locking to prevent domain being hijacked (Ain’t that called letting the fox guard the hen house?)…” and the list goes on.

Basically it can cost you a minimum of an arm to get your domain hosted by them, throw in an optional leg and they’ll make sure no one else can do to them what they just did.

I also looked at domainregistrysupport.com, but I did not spend any time looking deeper into the pages – I’m already satisfied these guys are nothing but a spammy scam company that should be trounced off the Internet, no need to waste more of my time. If they call you ask them how stupid they think you are and hang up on them – unless you want to have some fun, then by all means feel free to act the part of the kitty and keep the little mice on the phone. Just be careful and don’t let any real information slip out about you or your sites. I’m going to go find some breakfast now.

Well, some people seem to try twice. Or at least their group tries twice. I got another phone call this morning, from some gal with the same accent as the guy that called me before, concerning the same domain name. The gal said that she wanted to send me a fax concerning the domain – She said that she was from “Domain Registry Support” and her name was “Tammi” (think that was name she gave, she evaded confirming when I tried to confirm what it sounded like).

Hmmmm.. Domain Registry Support is a rather vague nam, don’t you think? Particularly when the domain in question is registered in the United States and that is the second call I have received about it from people with definite foreign accents who are obviously trying to speak English as their second language. I’m elevating this from “possible scam” to “Oh yeah, these guys are fishing for something”.

As with the first call, I was asked if I had a fax. This time I quickly said that I don’t have one here, but I can see about getting a fax delivered to some place like Mail Boxes Etc. and pick the fax up there. She seemed uncertain but agreed she could call me back for the number of the place to send the fax to. It is soooooooo tempting to call the local Internet Scam dudes at my local police department – but since I am currently living with someone else and don’t know if the cops would need to be coming here or not, I am hesitant to subject the folks I live with to having to deal with the possibility of having police stomping through their house. If I was living in my own place — ohhhh yeah, I’d have been on the phone to my local PD the moment I hung up asking to speak to their Internet Crimes Division.

But, I really don’t expect her to call back anyway. I mean, hell, they’ve tried to snare me twice, they have to be getting the idea by now that even though I have a tasty looking domain sitting there – I’m not about to fall easily for some scammer trying to highjack my domain name out from under me.

Something I have learne, however, is that this is a more widespread problem than I had realized.

One site that caught my attention was Getting a stolen domain back (www.preventdomaintheft.com), a blog kept by Bjørn Kassøe Andersen of www.direction.dk. When Direction.dk’s .com domain (www.direction.com) was targeted by domain thieves, Andersen fought back. Find out why they fought back at the blog linked to above.

While I have not found any that are as famous as the sex.com, there are far more domain name thefts occurring than I would have guessed – and it is very easy for thieves to do. The story of sex.com can be found in a good article at eweek.com titled The Story of Sex.com, or check out Wikipedia’s entry for sex.com.

The scary part is, how easily so many of these thefts could have been prevented. One case highlighted in the 2003 TechWorld article titled “How to steal a domain name in easy stages“, the thief stole the domain DVDMovies.com after they created an obviously false driver’s license which they presented as verification that the domain was being transfered. Thankfully Arnold Jones, the owner of DVDMovies.com was able to sort it out and now has his real driver’s license on file with orders for none of his domains to be transfered without a perfect match on the license.

One other site that caught my attention today was www.DomainTheft.org, a site with the sole purpose of giving people a place to report domain name thefts. DomainTheft.org also brought another angle of this problem to my attention – credit card chargeback. This is where the thief buys the domain name from you legally on a domain name seller’s forum, then after they have it in their name – they chargeback their credit card to get the money they paid for the domain back – keeping control of the domain. DomainTheft.org has a list of recently stolen domain names, as well as reports on the identities of known scammers on popular domain name forums.

My best advice? Be careful and don’t give anyone any information about your domain. I know no one has to get anything on my domain, so I’m not about to fall for this scam these folks are trying to sneak past me. I hope you never fall for one either, but I’ll promise to have information here to help you get your identity (including your domain name) back if the worst should happen. And it can happen, even eBay guards against their valuable domain being highjacked and very recently PC Magazine covered the news that Pakistan launched an attack on YouTube.