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Import/Export Scam Circulating via E-Mail

June 21, 2005
Yet another form of Internet scam is circulating via e-mail. This one's called the Import/Export scam and while it takes several forms, it generally asks recipients for help in clearing checks from overseas.

One such e-mail message claims to come from the President of “ALPHA Import and Export Company” from several destinations, such as the UK, China or Australia. It asks the recipient to help clear checks coming from customers of the company; in return the recipient will allegedly receive 10% of every check they help clear as the “representative” of the company.

"This e-mail message presents itself as a business opportunity. It is not. It is nothing more than an evolving form of the ‘Nigerian Scam’ that has been spread around for years," said New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid. "It’s what’s called an 'advance fee scam.' If you receive an e-mail like this, please don’t even bother to finish reading it. Simply delete it."

A sample of the e-mail message reads (incorrect grammar and punctuation included deliberately):

Dear Sir/Madam,

I represent ALPHA Import and Export Company based in the Australia.

My company exports cocoa and other goods/services for world trade. We are searching for representatives who can help us establish a medium of getting to our customers in Europe and America as well as making payments through you as our payment officer.

Most of our customer pay out in cheques and we do not have an account in your country that will clear thismoney. It is upon this note that we seek your assistance to stand as our representative in your country.

Note that, as our representative, you will receive 10% of whatever amount you clear for the company and the balance will be paid into an account we willavail to you. Please, to facilitate the conclusion of this transaction if accepted,do send me promptly by email the following:

(1)Your full names,
(2)Contact address and,
(3)Phone/fax numbers.

Thank you for your time.

Very Respectfully,

Mr. HILLS JACOBS,
President,
ALPHA Import/Export co.
Goods for Import/Export
Freight Fwdg. Svcs.

"E-mails from senders you do not know are often opportunities that can be costly to you. If you choose to read the message, please think very critically about the offer before responding to it. Looking at this particular message, ask yourself why would this business, if it is a legitimate business trading goods worldwide, be contacting you? Why would they want to entrust complete strangers to handle large checks and sums of money for them?" Madrid said.

Attorney General Madrid’s office has learned that this e-mail is a check fraud scam. Becoming involved in it can cost a victim thousands of dollars. The names of some actual companies have been used by the scammers to represent themselves as a legitimate business. More often than not, the names of companies and people used in the e-mail messages are false. In most cases, the scammers are actually from Nigeria.

The unsuspecting “representatives” are mailed fake checks, which they deposit in their bank account. Afterwards, the “representative” is instructed to wire money to an address of a destination country, supposedly that of a “supplier”.

Because of the international banking system, the victim does not discover until sometimes almost a month later that the check sent to him by the company has bounced. And since the bounced check has already been deposited into the victim’s account and because the victim has already wired the money, the victim has lost the full amount of the money sent to the destination address.

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