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Recently, one of our Indonesian members - who had posted her e-mail address in a forum message - received this e-mail:
Peaceful greetings to you, My name is Mr.Galvin Mangus I live in ft wayne Indiana US,I lost my wife months back, she left three years old boy for me so I need personal nanny for him and also house maid and a driver for my house as am working in Texas and do not return home until Friday , so I want this workers to handle my home and work together to enhance cordial relations ship within employees in my home. According to fact , I heard people from your country are the best to handle this position, am willing to pay $2700 each as salary and $150 weekly allowance . Accommodation and feeding is free provided by me if you are i need a nanny, house maid and a driver for my house as i work in Texas US and do not return home until Friday contact my email with your applications and resumes,my email is [email protected] Thanks
Luckily, the member in question was too smart to fall for the scam - when she asked some questions, "Galvin" said he got her contact information from the forum. She consulted the mod team and we have assured her this is nothing but a scam. The way it works is that he would play out the story for a while, tell her she had a job, and then SHE would have to transfer "agency fees" to a supposed placement agency that would get her a passport/visa to enter the US.
Don't let yourself be victimized by something like this! Some advice:
1. Be careful before you put your e-mail address anywhere on line (not just the forum). Automated systems trawl the internet looking for e-mail addresses that spam/scam/virus material can be sent to. If you feel the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, go ahead and do it . I do - my address is available on one or two websites - I am sure I pay a price in terms of extra junk, but it is worth it to me for the "real" emails that come in, and I trust myself to "practice safe hex." Make sure your decision to post your e-mail address in a public spot on the internet is equally considered. Alternatively, don't do it - tell people to contact you by PM, and then exchange e-mail addresses when you are corresponding in private.
2. Be VERY suspicious of offers like the one above. As a native English speaker, I can tell instantly that it is a 419-style scam, because they all sound alike; the writing style is very similar (I think everybody graduates from The Nigerian National University of Scam Artistry, which must include a course on "how to write an opening scam letter").
3. Never share personal details that could lead to identity theft, don't send photos, and never, EVER pay any money to anyone who contacts you this way.
If someone indicates that they found you through the LIIE forum, don't assume that makes them credible; it doesn't.
If you aren't sure whether something is a scam, look into it very carefully. Ask friends, post a question on an on-line forum, contact the mod team if it is related to LIIEF. Googling may or may not help you as a smart scammer will have covered his tracks fairly well. However, it is suggestive that this person gives his name as "Mangus", while "maghas" is Nigerian slang for the marks in 419 scams, and his email address is 420 (no doubt his little joke about how he is taking 419 to the next level). You can't count on finding clues like that, though.
Peaceful greetings to you, My name is Mr.Galvin Mangus I live in ft wayne Indiana US,I lost my wife months back, she left three years old boy for me so I need personal nanny for him and also house maid and a driver for my house as am working in Texas and do not return home until Friday , so I want this workers to handle my home and work together to enhance cordial relations ship within employees in my home. According to fact , I heard people from your country are the best to handle this position, am willing to pay $2700 each as salary and $150 weekly allowance . Accommodation and feeding is free provided by me if you are i need a nanny, house maid and a driver for my house as i work in Texas US and do not return home until Friday contact my email with your applications and resumes,my email is [email protected] Thanks
Luckily, the member in question was too smart to fall for the scam - when she asked some questions, "Galvin" said he got her contact information from the forum. She consulted the mod team and we have assured her this is nothing but a scam. The way it works is that he would play out the story for a while, tell her she had a job, and then SHE would have to transfer "agency fees" to a supposed placement agency that would get her a passport/visa to enter the US.
Don't let yourself be victimized by something like this! Some advice:
1. Be careful before you put your e-mail address anywhere on line (not just the forum). Automated systems trawl the internet looking for e-mail addresses that spam/scam/virus material can be sent to. If you feel the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, go ahead and do it . I do - my address is available on one or two websites - I am sure I pay a price in terms of extra junk, but it is worth it to me for the "real" emails that come in, and I trust myself to "practice safe hex." Make sure your decision to post your e-mail address in a public spot on the internet is equally considered. Alternatively, don't do it - tell people to contact you by PM, and then exchange e-mail addresses when you are corresponding in private.
2. Be VERY suspicious of offers like the one above. As a native English speaker, I can tell instantly that it is a 419-style scam, because they all sound alike; the writing style is very similar (I think everybody graduates from The Nigerian National University of Scam Artistry, which must include a course on "how to write an opening scam letter").
3. Never share personal details that could lead to identity theft, don't send photos, and never, EVER pay any money to anyone who contacts you this way.
If someone indicates that they found you through the LIIE forum, don't assume that makes them credible; it doesn't.
If you aren't sure whether something is a scam, look into it very carefully. Ask friends, post a question on an on-line forum, contact the mod team if it is related to LIIEF. Googling may or may not help you as a smart scammer will have covered his tracks fairly well. However, it is suggestive that this person gives his name as "Mangus", while "maghas" is Nigerian slang for the marks in 419 scams, and his email address is 420 (no doubt his little joke about how he is taking 419 to the next level). You can't count on finding clues like that, though.
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