African scam - Buy from you for Katrina
 

Well, this is an new version of the Nigerian money scam ... eventually it should lead to "What is your bank account number so I may deposit funds after purchasing _____" What would be the case instead, most likely is access to your account to steal money FROM you.

Well, that's what I'm guessing.

This was the e-mail early hours this AM:

This was my reply and then theirs:
I replied CASH - and 'What do you plan to do with the trailer?"

I just noticed that the link to redcross.org is not that website. It looks like that website, but just prior to that coming up ... there is a redirect.

I do that on my BnB site. www.blessinghouse.com is actually whatever I put at this site: http://home.gci.net/~blessing/

Notice also that their spelling and capitalization is off. That is also another 'clue' that it might be a scammer ... and isn't the rule, never really believe e-mails that come to you unsolicitied? This is a good hook, I bet they catch a lot of money for themselves. Bastards!

Well, I'm going to alert the Alaska State Realtors group ... as they will be getting such e-mails ... and so will the individual Realtors in your State

I think it should be reported to the FBI or someone else, too; but I don't know who that contact would be. Yahoo should be alerted:

http://store.yahoo.com/redcross-donate3/ is the fake www.redcross.org
Most of it looks the same; but they had to change something - like who gets the money!

Best places to report money scams are

Federal Trade Commission

www.ftc.gov


Internet Crime Complaint Center

www.ic3.gov

The second one is backed by the FBI.

These scams come in several different ways. "Phishing" is the term used for the use of bogus e-mails to get personal information. I ocassionally get one from someone who would like me to be a coorespondant for them in the United States. These are usually somewhat well written and from a person claiming to be from a third world country. Bogus emails can also be sent to the actual website. In other words, most legitimate organizations have a group that investigates these e-mails.