On-line scams on the rise

Last January 2008, I receive an email from a certain “Barrister” based in Taman, Malinja, Bukit Baru,  Malacca, Malaysia. His email indicated that a supposedly “relative” of mine, by the name of “Mr. Alfred Clark Limtingco” was involved in the December 25th 2003 Benin plane crash.” The said “barrister” continued his letter by attaching this supposedly CNN crash website link= http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html. His letter further states that “I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at ($13.5million dollars) is lodged. This bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated but my client has no will. My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my late client, since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next of kin will be secured gradually and forwarded to you. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law…”

Upon reading this email and analyzing it very carefully, I have discovered a lot of telltale signs that this is a typical on-line scam or fraud just like the “Nigerian Scams of the 1990’s”. I immediately deleted this email and forget about it. However last couple of weeks, I received a text message from a friend that was victimized of an on-line scam and at the same time I watched a news report over the television of similar aWell, my friend told me that it would be better if I could write something about this and pray that those potential victims could somehow read and avoid being victimized. If you search the Internet there are a lot of website that you can   search and download so that you could be protected from scams and frauds.  Based on these sites, other forms of on-line scams and/or frauds could be:

•"Business opportunities," in which customers pay up front for start-up materials on home businesses that don't work or don't arrive;

•Investment promotions promising outlandish returns that never materialize; and

• Pitches for work and other immigration documents that are invalid.

Lets face it, with the Internet and boom of on-line businesses, a lot of new schemes both legitimate and potential scam pop up almost daily.  For your protection better inquire and make a due diligence and/or investigate. In our parlance, we call this “CI”. Better yet, refer them to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to inquire validity of said scheme before parting with your hard earned cash.

(Mr. Ed F. Limtingco can be reached at 0917-7220521 or at [email protected])