Job scam quick guide: it's a scam if...

  • they want you to collect and forward money in any way (a "money mule" job). You'll wind up engaged in money laundering, personally defrauded via expertly forged cheques, money orders, etc, or defrauding someone else who pays for goods that never arrive.
  • they want you to receive packages and reship them somewhere else. The goods will have been obtained fraudulently, and they're just using you to make the shipping address appear local. You will be aiding fraud.
  • they want up-front payment (either to them or someone else) of any sort for anything before you can get the job. This is advance fee fraud: there is no job -- it's just a big con to extract money from you.
  • they want you to buy any kind of "membership" or "kit" in order to start. Forget it -- it's not a real job at all: they're trying to sell you something, and they're probably making a bunch of other false claims about it if they're pitching it as a "job".
  • it's a job offer, and it's spam. There are LOTS of these scams about, as you can see.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

VarteksGroup

Text on the website of this scam makes it clear that they are seeking both money mules and reshippers, so these guys appear to be into serious organised fraud. The job descriptions have also appeared under the name of "Patrex Ltd." in times past, dating back to late 2006. Searching on the term "Patrex Ltd" reveals that these guys advertise extensively on many job sites. I've included some of the past domain names in my summary below (for reference), even if the sites are now defunct and can be found only in the Google cache or Internet Archive.

   Domain Name: VARTEKSGROUP.COM <-- scam
   Registrar: ESTDOMAINS, INC.
   Whois Server: whois.estdomains.com
   Referral URL: http://www.estdomains.com
   Name Server: NS1.RU-WEB.ORG
   Name Server: NS2.RU-WEB.ORG
   Updated Date: 04-may-2007
   Creation Date: 04-may-2007 <-- new
   Expiration Date: 04-may-2008

   Domain Name: PARTLTD.COM <-- scam
   Registrar: EASYSPACE LTD
   Whois Server: whois.easyspace.com
   Referral URL: http://www.easyspace.com
   Name Server: NS4.EASYSPACE.COM
   Name Server: NS5.EASYSPACE.COM
   Updated Date: 25-apr-2007
   Creation Date: 25-apr-2007 <-- also quite new
   Expiration Date: 25-apr-2008

The above domain name was probably registered in reaction to the deletion of older domain names, listed below. I speculate that the two domain names above were registered through separate registrars to reduce the chances of them both being deleted at the same time, as evidently happened with the following.

   Domain Name: PATREXLTD.COM <-- scam
   Registrar: EASYSPACE LTD
   Whois Server: whois.easyspace.com
   Referral URL: http://www.easyspace.com
   Name Server: NS4.EASYSPACE.COM
   Name Server: NS5.EASYSPACE.COM
   Status: redemptionPeriod <-- deleted in the last 30 days
   Updated Date: 19-apr-2007 <-- probably deleted on this date
   Creation Date: 14-feb-2007
   Expiration Date: 14-feb-2009 <-- a two year registration is uncommon in scams

   Domain Name: COMPLUSE.COM <-- scam
   Registrar: EASYSPACE LTD
   Whois Server: whois.easyspace.com
   Referral URL: http://www.easyspace.com
   Name Server: NS4.EASYSPACE.COM
   Name Server: NS5.EASYSPACE.COM
   Status: redemptionPeriod <-- deleted in the last 30 days
   Updated Date: 19-apr-2007 <-- probably deleted on this date, as per the above
   Creation Date: 11-dec-2006
   Expiration Date: 11-dec-2008 <-- also two years

Research shows that the USA contact number for this scam (in the spam below, and on their website) is actually an Internet dial access number for the ISP "Road Runner" in Mount Sterling, KY. I'm not sure whether the alleged "Russian" number is meaningful.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: [redacted] <[redacted]@yahoo.com>
Date: 09-May-2007 13:27
Subject: Want good job? It's in Your hand
To: [redacted]@ hawaii.rr.com
Cc: [three hawaii.rr.com addresses redacted]
5 We need people who want to earn good money. Who ready to do it fairly and purposefully. Who ready to be trained and overcome difficulties. If it concerns to you, we are ready to learn you to work and earn so much - how much you want. Our requirement from you is only one thing - desire to work. Visit our site VarteksGroup.com and you can learn all independently. If you interest in any questions, you can contact our support by phone (9.00am-7.00pm) or e-mail at any time.

Phone: Usa: tel (859) 499-0232
fax (859) 499-0232
Russia: tel (495) 831-14-61
fax (495) 831-14-61

E-mail: support@varteksgroup.com

__________________________________
©2000-2007 VarteksGroup.com
6
Posted by Spotter at 14:20

2 comments:

Spotter said...

Thanks for that, and please be careful with the job hunting because there are a LOT of scams like this going around. Many of them are advertised in "legitimate" channels, not just by spamming.

10:36 am, May 11, 2007
Anonymous said...

Patrex emailed me because I am looking for online work. I though it was strange that a established company would not its own inner financial services and backing. Further it raised my suspicions when they sent me the application form and I read the proceedure and waiver, which they want you to fill out and not sign. Also, they wanted a scanned copy of your drivers license and bank account info. Strange when you read the waiver which removes all liability from the company. BE WARE of these lazy leaches who do not want to get real jobs but prey of peoples vulnerability.

7:59 pm, August 06, 2007

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