Monday, January 14, 2008

Deaf Scams via AIM

Did anyone get an AIM message from someone claiming to be an FBI agent, law enforcement officer, etc? It most likely is a scam. They will often offer you something like this if you work for them online;

- cash every month or week, usually nearly $1,000
- a new vehicle
- pay for vehicle registration, typically a few hundred
- have you fill out an application which most likely you will send to a completely different address

They may say something about helping other deaf. Don't fall for this scam. You will most likely lose money and be a victim of ID theft. Report it to the people they were trying to fraudulently represent.

One other IM scam I've heard about is how the FBI IMs the so-called victims. Maybe the FBI/law enforcement does this from time to time when the victim requests but a lot of the time from what I've seen, they'll use snail mail or the phone. However, when one receives an IM from the "FBI," let them make the first moves. They should have all your info in front of them including your case number and related information.

My own experiences almost exactly mirror Dianarez's experience in her Scamming Deaf via Sidekick blog post. In my case, this other person tried to impersonate a police chief in Ohio. They were very interested in knowing who this person was when I contacted them. If you see ddaservice on AIM, that's the person. Another time it was a business.

One way they get your info is via DeafVP. That's a scammer's paradise right there since all IM info is out in the open. Make it so they have to email you for the info, like I do. When I removed my info, the IMs from them stopped.


Update 3/24/2009:

When posting chat logs anywhere, change your AIM name to something like [name_removed], and remove your personal info with [personal_info_removed]. This way, you're protecting yourself from worse things like ID theft.

Let's get this powerball4real8 idiot OFF the air!

7 comments:

Deaf Pixie said...

Quiet different than I recived a scam from FBI through my chatonline on hotmail.com which I did not realized it was my friend's name until it was different person.

I got nearly scam and went to bank after I recieved a mail from San Francsino and found that check was forged .. The business never have in Calfornia and it was actually in New York. I said to the man at Bank. I think it is scam and explained that I research it was in New york. It is not san franscio. The manger of Bank and looking at it.

He say you are lucky and you are soooo smart!

Dont depoisted and Good Bye you will be stuck.

Robert G said...

Pixie, first, let me commend you on doing your homework. You did good in taking it to the bank. Looks like you saw red flags popping up all over the place.

I wouldn't say luck is a factor here. It's just watching how they say and do certain things. That plus I've been on the internet long enough. With the Ohio business thing, they told me to download the application and send it off to a place in the UK. Nowhere on the business's site is any mention of them being in the UK.

Everyone's experiences have been different, but the basic scam is pretty much the same.

Unknown said...

xKlubXXKiDx (4:19:07 PM): hello.
officerfemi01 (4:19:26 PM): hello
officerfemi01 (4:19:36 PM): this is officer femi, We recover the sum of $800,000,000.00 from the scammers arrested and the EFCC/FBI and the Federal Government are willing to give all deafs that has been scammed,embarassed,or in any way loose money t any scammer in the world should be giving the sum of $70,000 each.Your SN(SCREEN NAME)appears in the microsoft and you are to be giving the sum of 70,000 each.We have arrested many of the scammers and they are in our custody..be honest with us, we dont like game and give us the right information about you so that we will be sure we are not giving the money to wrong person
xKlubXXKiDx (4:20:41 PM): ok, so what do I do?
officerfemi01 (4:21:26 PM): We need your Name,Adress,Age and Aim password , we will ask you again when we want to give you the money so no mistake and no games are allowed, so we can know if we are giving the money to the right person or not. Respect yourself as we respect you.We only want to be sure if we are not giving money to the wrong person
xKlubXXKiDx (4:22:04 PM): so why exactly would you need my password?
officerfemi01 (4:22:26 PM): we need your password for background check up
officerfemi01 (4:22:27 PM): ok
xKlubXXKiDx (4:24:36 PM): See, I hold a Federal Firearms Liscense, and I know how NCIC Background checks work, and they aren't run off of passwords. If you were actually running a background check you'd need my full name, SSN, DLN, and address.
officerfemi01 (4:25:59 PM): you need to give us what was ask from you
officerfemi01 (4:26:06 PM): so that you can get your money
xKlubXXKiDx (4:27:06 PM): Ok, inform me of what corperation you are affiliated with so I can assure you are who you say you are.
officerfemi01 signed off at 4:27:40 PM.
officerfemi01 is offline and will receive your IMs when signing back in.

Anonymous said...

i got messege via aim stating that i won over hundred thousand dollars from machine pick automated..also mentioned that it was from Robert Mueller, FBI director...before i got this..a woman name Renee (rlstrickland86)her email address paged me saying that she won and received cash by UPS..those two people told me I had to pay via WESTERN UNION $1,250.00 for transfer and lawyer fees to get the cash within 3 hours....they wanted to get all kinds of information like home address, occupation, credit card, etc....when I wanted to ask more question to Renee...she backed out of the conversation by saying she had to go to the rest room..
I would like to see them being stopped doing this to deaf people..

Anonymous said...

How can we stop these scammers?!?

Anonymous said...

this is how my attempted scammer tried me. i ended up just making some b.s. up at the end.



sultanwilliams07 (6:57:43 PM): hello
drodno7 (6:57:55 PM): hello
sultanwilliams07 (6:58:48 PM): Hello, My name is Robert mueller 111, We remember your Screen name on our list here and your money is available for you to claim, Let us know if you ready to claim the money and we Explain to you how we got your Screen name, You listen and read carefully.
drodno7 (6:59:29 PM): what list?
sultanwilliams07 (7:00:47 PM): Because, We recover the sum of $800,000,000.00 from scammers that we arrested and we(EFCC/FBI) and federal government are willing to give all the people that have been scammed before and anyone we found there sn on the scammer computer,so your sn was amoung that why you will get money,the sum of $30,000 each and The nigeria federal goverment said we should give the sum of $30,000 to each AIM,MSN and yahoo IM, we see on the scammers list ..and your IM is one of the SN we have to give the sum of $30,000...I am here with my staff ID card for you to know that i am a real member of EFCC/FBI cuz i know that there are many fake FBI online that scam people of there money..we have arrested many of them and they are in our custody..be honest with us, we dont like game and give us the right information about you so that we will be sure we are not giving the money to wrong person.
drodno7 (7:02:21 PM): prove that ur real
sultanwilliams07 (7:04:04 PM): We will bring the money to you at your home and i will like to know if you want a check or a cash money ... which one is preferable to you
drodno7 (7:06:55 PM): cash
sultanwilliams07 (7:08:26 PM): Alright,will need to fill a form for security reason and where we will keep your info so we not going to send the money to Wrong person,are you ready to fill out the form now?
drodno7 (7:08:59 PM): no, how do i kno this isnt a scam?
sultanwilliams07 (7:09:45 PM): this is real
drodno7 (7:10:07 PM): wat kind of info do u need?
sultanwilliams07 (7:11:12 PM): Full name------
Address-------
Age-----------
Marital Status------
Last 3 digit of SSN#---------
pager phone#---------
E-mail--------
Aim password--------
What do you do for living--------
Do you have bad credit----------
drodno7 (7:13:14 PM): y wud i give u the last 3 digits of my SSN
sultanwilliams07 (7:14:45 PM): yes will need it for securiety reason becouse will are going to ask you when will get to your house
drodno7 (7:16:24 PM): Danny Rodriguez, 20 y.o.a.,
drodno7 (7:16:36 PM): thats all im givin u til' u explain urself
sultanwilliams07 (7:17:50 PM): Address-------
Age-----------
Marital Status------
Last 3 digit of SSN#---------
pager phone#---------
E-mail--------
Aim password--------
What do you do for living--------
Do you have bad credit----------
drodno7 (7:18:43 PM): drodno7@hotmail.com
drodno7 (7:18:49 PM): explain urself
sultanwilliams07 (7:19:28 PM): what do you wnat me to tell again?
drodno7 (7:20:12 PM): explain 2 me who exactly u r
sultanwilliams07 (7:21:05 PM): am fbi
drodno7 (7:21:21 PM): n how do i kno this
sultanwilliams07 (7:23:18 PM): do you want me to give you my websie?
drodno7 (7:23:41 PM): yea
sultanwilliams07 (7:24:06 PM): www.fbi.gov/libref/directors/directmain.htm
drodno7 (7:25:58 PM): how can i contact u directly
drodno7 (7:26:08 PM): by phone
sultanwilliams07 (7:26:46 PM): you can contact me here online only
sultanwilliams07 (7:27:58 PM): will dont give numbers out
drodno7 (7:28:30 PM): why do u keep misspelling words n puttin in the wrong words?
sultanwilliams07 (7:29:24 PM): let me know are you ready to claim your money now
sultanwilliams07 (7:29:27 PM): or not?
drodno7 (7:29:57 PM): ofcourse i want my money but im a bit sketchy about givin this information out
sultanwilliams07 (7:30:11 PM): good
drodno7 (7:30:22 PM): especially my last SSN numbers
sultanwilliams07 (7:30:43 PM): fill the form out now dontv worry
sultanwilliams07 (7:31:03 PM): no plm
sultanwilliams07 (7:31:34 PM): did you check my site done?
drodno7 (7:31:44 PM): wat?
sultanwilliams07 (7:32:39 PM): i mean my websie
drodno7 (7:33:08 PM): why do you keep misspelling words? ur fbi right?
sultanwilliams07 (7:33:46 PM): yes i am
drodno7 (7:35:11 PM): http://rsgeo007.blogspot.com/2008/01/deaf-scams-via-aim.html
drodno7 (7:35:19 PM): checkout that website
drodno7 (7:37:54 PM): so y dont u already have my info if ur fbi?
sultanwilliams07 (7:38:08 PM): yes
drodno7 (7:38:22 PM): yes wat?
sultanwilliams07 (7:39:03 PM): pls am busy if you ready to fill the let me know
drodno7 (7:39:24 PM): ur full of shit
drodno7 (7:47:14 PM): yo i did it thru som1 else n got $1000 direct deposited in my account

bbsoundless said...

look like an scammer pretend to be my friend and I know this friend is away from home for two years and he doesnt have access where he is at right now I was quite surprised to recieve a message from him and when I ask him some personal questions it took him long time to answer or never answer it I knew its not my friend

heres the copy (notice that the conversation ends with a question he wouldnt answer it)

AIM IM with ftblguy67/1/09 10:11 PM

hello

hello?

how are you doing?

I am ok

this is Dante right?

yes

wow it has been awhile

yes just busy

when did you come home?

some days ago

oh

you heard about the good news,OfficerJoan Mattew,who help American deafs?

no

Officer Joan Mattew,He work for Federal agency.I'd talk to him on aim and he let me know about my money $30,000.00.B'cz they help Deafs. Did you got yours from him?

no

But i saw your sn on the list when he come deliever the money to me and let me know everyone on the list will get money.I think you should talk to him now so you can claim your money from him.

is this legit?

you need to talk to him niw
now
so that you can cliam your money from him too

you have not answer my question

what?

is this whole thing legit?

yes

did you know his sn?

OK I will google it before I do anything

no I dont

okay

this is his sn sultanwilliams07@aim
talk to him now

why is he giving out 30,000 dollars out to each deaf person?

because they bosted some scam and they find some screen name there computer

you know you are not the first person who told me about him how did he find all of these people?

you need to talk to him now he well explain to you better

here you go
http://rsgeo007.blogspot.com/2008/01/deaf-scams-via-aim.html
are you talking to him now

no

talk to him now

you are not really Dante

i am

where did you go on your mission?