Credit Fraud – Classmates.com rebranded MyLife.com Scam Email

An Internet scam formerly known as Classmates.com has been rebranded MyLife.com and continues to defraud people who respond to its spam solicitations, a class action claims in Federal Court. Victims who respond to a message that “someone is looking for you,” are offered a “trial subscription” for $5, but are billed $60 or more, billed again monthly, billed again for canceling, and have their computers’ address books electronically pilfered for more victims, according to the complaint.

The class claims CEO Jeffrey Tinsley, who calls himself a “serial internet entrepreneur … has been running essentially the same spam-and-scam operations since at least 2002, when he founded the company under the name Reunion.com. The company later operated using the names Wink.com and Classmates.com, before taking on its latest alias, MyLife.com, in February 2009. False solicitations that ‘someone’ is looks for you have been the core of the business plan for these entities for some time.”

FDA impersonators extortion scam

The FDA warned the public last month about an ongoing extortion scam run by FDA impersonators. Consumers should continue to be on the lookout for the scam as it continues to thrive.

The scammers call the victims and state they are FDA special agents or law enforcement officials. (In a lot of cases, the victims have previously purchased drugs over the phone or the Internet.) The scammers tell the victims that buying drugs over the phone or internet is illegal and that lawful actions will be taken against the victim unless they pay a “fine.” The “fines” range from $100-$250,000 and must be paid via wire transfer. If the victim does not agree to pay the fine, they are threatened with arrest, property searches, or physical harm.

The scammers not only illegally impersonate the FDA, but they also continually change the phone number they call from in order to appear as though they are here in the United States.

Credit Fraud – iWorks Inc. to scam consumers through fraudulent credit card charges

The Federal Trade Commission is accusing a Utah pilot and philanthropist of using his companies to scam consumers out of millions of dollars through fraudulent credit card charges.

iWorks Inc. owner Jeremy Johnson of St. George and nine others were named in a civil complaint filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas.

Federal investigators say Johnson’s company lured consumers into product memberships for government grants and other moneymaking programs, then charged credit or debit cards for ongoing services.

Investigators say hundreds sought to have the charges reversed, landing Johnson in hot water with credit card companies.

To get around the problem, investigators say Johnson and others formed more than 50 shell companies to expand their merchant accounts.

Debt Fraud – Morgan & Associates law firm phone scam has been reported in Great Falls, this time targeting confidential information

Dave Berman, who moved to Great Falls just recently, tells us he received a phone call this week from a man claiming to be a representative of the Morgan & Associates law firm.

The number showed up as a San Antonio, Texas call, and the man had a foreign accent.

The caller knew the Berman’s Social Security number, date of birth, address and place of employment, and told Berman he would go to jail for credit fraud, money laundering, and check fraud if he didn’t pay off his $1,499 loan.

Berman did not have any such loan, but the caller persisted, threatening to contact his employer.

MORE >>>> http://www.krtv.com/news/great-falls-man-warns-of-threatening-phone-scam-attempt/

Investment Fraud – Twin River Lending Group : Advance Fee Loan Scam

Twin River Lending Group in Rhode Island advertises fraud that it will give consumers loans regardless of their credit history. They require an upfront fee of $100. Complaints have been flooding in to BBB from consumers who say that they paid the fee, but never received their loan.

When a local TV station tried to get in touch with them, the phone number was out of service and the address listed for the company did not exist. Don’t get scammed by a company like this! Paying a fee, especially by wire transfer, in advance for a service that has not yet been performed is not recommended. Once the fee has been wire transferred, it is almost impossible to track.

Identity Fraud – Another McDonald’s Email Scam. There’s an email scam going around that claims to be from McDonald’s. Fill out a survey, and the scammer says you’ll get $90.00. It’s really someone trying to steal your personal information.

Source: http://www.bbb.org/us/article/beware-another-mcdonalds-scam–23298?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+US-BBB-Alerts-and-Scams+(US+BBB+Alerts+and+Scams)

Fraud Report – Postal Service Warns Telemarketing Fraud Scam

With scam calls bombarding the United States from abroad and identity theft on the rise, the United States Postal Service has taken the unusual step of mailing a warning brochure to every single home in the nation.

Last week, ABC News reported on an unprecedented telemarketing fraud scam that has siphoned $20 million from American victims, most of them seniors. The scheme, which originates from Costa Rica, involves calls to victims announcing sweepstakes winnings, often from such trusted charities as the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The scammer then asks the victim to pay taxes or insurance on the winnings in advance.

SOURCE:: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/postal-service-mails-fraud-warning-128-million-us/story?id=11983909

Fraud Report Website has information from the BBB that there’s a scam floating around that’s being distributed in the form of an email. The email claims to be from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has the subject “Now Hiring!!”

The BBB says this email is not from them, but a scam. The email also claims that you can make money by simply driving your car … that an advertiser is wanted for the Better Business Bureau and that you’ll earn no less than $200 weekly to advertise on your car.

The scam tries to get you to email your personal information and says that they will get back to you. What you’ll want to do is stay clear of this bogus offer.

Source: http://www.bbb.org/us/article/warning-fake-bbb-email-scam-offers-to-pay-you-200-per-week-23065?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+US-BBB-Alerts-and-Scams+(US+BBB+Alerts+and+Scams)

A Wasatch County woman who prosecutors said bilked thousands of dollars from a couple by posing as a wedding planner in the Park City area pleaded guilty Monday to several felony charges in 2 separate fraud scam cases.

Tania Clark, 37, entered the pleas in 3rd District Court after prosecutors agreed to waive several of the charges against her.

“She’s got sentencing coming up,” Summit County Attorney David Brickey said about the hearing scheduled for Clark Dec. 20.

Clark pleaded guilty in one case to unlawful acquisition, possession or transfer of a financial card and theft by deception, both second-degree felonies.

She stole about $28,000 from an Arizona couple by posing as a wedding planner in the Park City area, Brickey said.
Investigators claimed Clark was supposed to use the money “for room reservations, a photographer and alcohol to be served during the wedding in September.”

She instead used a stolen credit card to pay the Canyons for the room reservations, according to prosecutors.

MORE >>>> http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_16379099

Fraudsters are hijacking Facebook accounts to send bogus “invites” to win an Apple iPad. But the only thing that will earn you is an scam invitation to be harassed by spammers and telemarketers.

Today, I received an invitation to an “Free! iPad! Event!” allegedly from someone in my Facebook friends list.

That Facebook invite links to an external site operated by “Better-Gifts.net”, which in turn is owned by a group called “Worldwide Commerce Associates.” (Google them, and you’ll find scores of similar sites.) These guys make money by rounding up offers from different affiliate marketing programs and selling your information to telemarketers.

More >>>> http://www.pcworld.com/article/203946/friends_dont_invite_friends_to_bogus_free_apple_ipad_events.html