It’s been a while since I have posted any information regarding e-mail scams. Frankly, I just got a bit sick of the same old scams arriving in my inbox all the time and I shut off the e-mail account that was attracting most of it.
Just today one of my other e-mail accounts picked up a scam message of the type I have not seen that often. This one is from someone claiming to be representing “A.H.A. International.” Here is the message I received:
From: A.H.A INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD [aha005@rediffmail.com]
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Subject: CAN YOU WORK FOR A.H.A INT’L?30 OCTOBER, 2006.
Dear sir/madam
We hereby introduce A.H.A INTERNATIONAL CO.,LTD,an international export/import company deals principally on Pharmaceuticals & Medical Products,Rubber and Plastic Products,Electrical Products Light Industrial Products,Hardware,Metals and Mineral Products,Textile and Garments,Auto Parts & Accessories and export into the Canada/America and Europe,Its turnover in 2004 reached US$192,000,000
We are searching for agents who can help us establish a medium of getting to our customers in the Canada/America and other nearby countries as well as making payments through you to us. You do not have to leave your present job for this one because this job offer will be on a part time basis as it comes once in a while and remuneration is on a percentage basis of 10% of the total amount you receive from our customers at any time on our behalf.
A.H.A has built up business relationships with more than 56 countries and regions around the world, forming both a global network of information, distribution and services and a pattern of diversified marketing across the five continents. Protected by laws, the insignia of A.H.A and trademarks of the products related have been registered in a great number of countries and regions.
Please contact us for more information,Subject to your satisfaction you will be given the opportunity to negotiate your mode of which we will pay for your services as our representative in Canada/America and Europe. Now we already have customers who are ready to remit cash to us.
Please to facilitate the conclusion of this transaction if accepted,do send us promptly the following information below:
FULL_NAME:
COMPANY_NAME:
AGE_:
GENDER_:
MAILING_ADDRESS:
STATE_CITY_ZIP:
CONTACT_PHONE:
CONTACT_FAX:
CONTACT_EMAIL:
OCCUPATION_:
SUBMIT_:Thanks In advance.
ziu cheng
Managing Director.
A.H.A INTERNATIONAL CO.,LTD.
Sha Tin, New Territories
Hong Kong
Tele\Fax:+852-301-59699
From what I have heard regarding messages like this is that they are simply scammers who try to fool you with bad checks. Or, in some cases, it is possible that they might actually be offering you a real job. Don’t get too excited, I’ll elaborate on that in a minute!
In the first type of scam, the scammers try to get you to believe that you will simply be transferring money for them. They will claim that due to the circumstances of their business, they need people in your country to simply accept money and then transfer it to others while keeping a percentage for yourself as your compensation.
The next phase of the scam begins when they send you a phoney check to deposit in your bank account and then transfer the amount of the check to someone else while keeping your percentage.
The problem arises when the bank discovers that the check is a phoney and if they don’t catch it before the check is cleared and you have sent the money to fulfill your part of the agreement, you are in serious trouble.
The other possibility with scams of this nature is that it may be a real job you are being offered. However, and this is a big however, you are being hired by a criminal enterprise, and as such, I suspect you could find yourself in a lot of trouble in the long run.
There are various overseas criminal organizations that make money in this country through illegal means. One of their big problems is getting their illegal profits out of this country and into their hands.
One of their solutions was to work out various schemes which involve hiring people here in the U.S. to transfer this money overseas to the criminals. Definitely something you don’t want to be involved with!
The best policy is to simply delete any e-mail messages you get that talk about any kind of job that involves the transfer of money. These types of messages are extraordinarily likely to be scams or criminals looking to hire people for illegal purposes.
If you think about it, what are the odds that some random person overseas is going to send you an e-mail message with the offer of an actual, legitimate job opportunity? About the same as some stranger handing you a $100 bill when you are walking down the street, I suspect.
Leave a Reply