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.

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Songyen Exports Co

There's no trace of a real company by this name, although it is possible at a stretch. This is a common money mule scam. The only real contact detail provided is an Yahoo! freemail address.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: SONGYEN EXPORTS COMPANY <songyen@exportshome.org>
Reply-to:
songyencoyltd9@yahoo.com.hk
Date: 08-Apr-2007 20:30
Subject: REPRESENT US FROM YOUR REGION!!
To: ideceive@gmail.com

SONGYEN EXPORTS COMPANY LTD.
No. 18 Hu Kou Street
Taipei 100-47
Taiwan
We are exporters based in the Taiwan. We export raw materials into America,Europe,Asia and Australia.Our company, Songyen Exports Company was established in the year 2004. We are interested in employing your services, to work with us as our foreign payment receiving officer, who can help us eastablish a medium of recieving payment on our behalf for Goods and raw materials we supply to our clients in America,Europe,Asia, or Australia.
Subject to your satisfaction with this proposal, you will be made our foreign payment receiving officer in your region. If you decide to work for us, please forward to us immediately via email to: songyencoyltd9@yahoo.com.hk
YOUR COMPLETE NAME..................................
YOUR COMPLETE CONTACT ADDRESS...........
AGE:................................................................
STATE/COUNTRY......................... ...................
TEL/FAX NUMBERS....................... .................
COMPANY NAME.......................... ..................
OCCUPATION..................................................
We anxiously await your response.
Sincerely,

Yong Lee,
General Manager;
Songyen Exports Co. Ltd
Taiwan

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Starco Uk

This email suffered from broken formatting, and I've removed the excess line-breaks. There are lots of companies called "Starco", but in this case "Starco Uk industry" is just a name made up to create an excuse for a money mule scam. It's not clear where this one originates, or which variation on the scam they are conducting: I'm undecided as to whether this is cheque fraud or direct transfer fraud. If I can find out, I'll post a comment about it.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mrs Helen Rossini <admin[@]company.uk.org>
Date: 05-Apr-2007 21:28
Subject: ONLINE JOB OFFER
To: ideceive@gmail.com

My name is Mrs Helen Rossini Of Starco Uk industry.

Starco Uk industry is a Consortium of Export/Import
industries Based in the United Kingdom but with
Branches and Payment officers and offices all around
Asia and Africa,USA,Canada,Israel and Russia.
We are currently recruiting payment officers in your
Locality.

Your responsibility will be to:
a.Process payments and disburse to payment officers
under you.

b.To maintain and update the payment website under
which you man.

c.To send weekly reports on status of payments of
transactions.

Job Requirement:
a. You Must Have a Bank Account with any financial
institution.

b. You  Must have access to the Internet at least
twice (2) a Day to
enable you give us proper update on payments.

c. You Must have a Direct Cell Phone to enable our
customers call for verification before payments are
made in your Favor.

d. Your Loyalty and Anxiousness toward this Job would
attract increment in your Commission Charges.

If you already work and need something else to bring
more funds,this is
the offer too!

If you would like this send an email to the address
below stating your interest and possible
qualifications.starco_industry01@yahoo.co.uk

starco_industry01@yahoo.co.uk
Hope to Read from you asap.

Regards
Mrs Helen Rossini.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Henan Hongye Chemical Company (impostors)

These scammers churn through company names at an incredible rate. How many chemical companies are there in China to impersonate? I've lost track of them. The real Henan Hongye Chemical Company does seem to use the domain name www.hongyechem.com, but the person sending this email has a yahoo.com.hk freemail address and not much else. This is a money mule scam, probably involving forged cheques.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: VNICKEL@nc.rr.com <VNICKEL@nc.rr.com >
Reply-to:
hongyechem01@yahoo.com.hk
Date: 03-Apr-2007 20:12
Subject: HELLO FRIEND
To:

Henan Hongye Chemical Company Ltd
Address: Puyang City, Henan, China.
International trade department:
Tel: +862156030910
Fax+86-393-4637731
www.hongyechem.com
I represent the above named Company based in China. My
company
manufacture, supply and export Chemicals Products 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 them as payment officers.
Most of our customers pay out in cash, cheques,money orders,wire
transfer and we do not have an account in U.S.A And Canada
presently
that will clear this money. It is upon this note that we seek your
assistance to stand in as our representative in your country.
Also, as our representative, you will receive 10% of whatever
amount
you clear for the company and the balance will be paid to the
company's
account officer.
Please reply through the email address below and use for further
correspondence with us. Best Regard,
hongyechem01@yahoo.com.hk
Mr Frank chang

Monday, April 02, 2007

China Chemicals Limited (not)

Another money mule job. I've seen quite a few of these being sent from bellsouth.net in recent times -- not that it means much. In case it's not obvious, this email is a pack of lies from start to finish.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mr. Jackie Wang Chow <info_winner07@bellsouth.net>
Reply-to:
jackie_wang2000@yahoo.com.cn
Date: 01-Apr-2007 01:27
Subject: ONLINE JOB OFFER
To: info[@]china.com.cn

China Chemicals Limited
2027 Nanshan Road,
Changping District
Beijing , PRC
Tel/Fax: 00852-301-01004
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am here to bring to your notice a Job offer which I know it will be a
great interest to you.
My name is Mr. Jackie Chow am the Personel Officer of the China
Chemical in China the biggest Chemical and raw materials industry in
Asia. Presently, we are running out of Finance due to the high volume
of money (running in Millions of US dollars) that some companies in
Europe North and South America own to our Company, we have confronted
these companies and the company in question has agreed to begin
installmental
payment.
Right now we do not have international licence to operate in your
Country so Our Company CEO has said that we employ agent in this
Countries who will represent our Company and help in the collection of
this outstanding bills. As the personell Officer I was giving the
responsibility to employ agents in these Countries so they can help in
the collection of the funds. My offer is this, we will want you to
represent China Chemical in your Country and help to collect these
outstanding bills.
If you are willing to assist, you would be paid 10%of the total sum you
collect on behalf of our company. To Begin, all you have to do is send
to us your full name, detailed mailing address, tell and fax numbers.
Once you have done this, I would inform you what to do and give you a
breakdown of the way to get your approval from our Company.
Note that this is a not money laundering operation and will not breach
the law, each transfer will be processed and will follow your Country
laws and taxes will be deducted from our part of the funds.
If interested forward information below to us .

1.Full Name..2.Residential Address..3.Sex..4.Age..5.Phone Number..6.Fax
Number(If Any)..
7.Occupation ..8.Company Name..9.Company
Address..10.Nationality..11.Present Country..
12.State/Province..

kindly reach me at this E-mail address:jackie_wang2000@yahoo.com.cn
Regards.
Mr. Jackie wang chow
PERSONNEL MANAGER

come.extrain@gmail.com

A position called "bank courier" obviously means "money mule".

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: MRWaller <[redacted]@aki-sugimoto.com>
Date: 02-Apr-2007 01:40
Subject: Successful Company Giving Away Opportunity! READ.
To: [redacted]@[redacted].au


DEAR AUSTRALIANS! Want to make 2000-2500 a WEEK!?
Really great opportunity, don't miss. Position called "Bank Courrier".
Successful company in Sweden offers Australians 2000-2500 AUD a week
spending only 1-2 hours a day, 4 times a week, Mon-Thu. You have to be 18+
y/o, you have to have your personal bank account, you have to be
responsible and be able to check your e-mail 3-4 times a day. For more
information reply to: come.extrain@gmail.com. Currently hiring!!!