E-mails trying to get you to check your credit report due to "problems" is probably a scam

I have heard people complain about getting unsolicited e-mails from Equifax telling them there are problems with their credit report and advising them to buy their credit report.  This is either a scam by some perp trying to obtain your personal information or a ploy by Equifax to get you to sign up for a credit monitoring service you likely don't need.  Either way, its something to avoid.

If you want to check your credit report, try http://www.annualcreditreport.com/, which is the website that federal law required the credit bureaus to establish to provide one free credit report per credit bureau to each consumer per year.  Better yet, print out and mail in the pdf request form found at http://www.annualcreditreport.com/ and get your credit reports for free without any arbitration clause taking away your right to a jury trial.  You see, http://www.annualcreditreport.com/ redirects consumers to the websites of Experian, Equifax and Trans Union to complete the process of obtaining the free credit reports.  One or more of the bureaus' websites require the consumer to agree to an arbitration clause to access the credit report.  Sending in the pdf form, though, does not activate any such arbitration clause.

Now the FBI is watching me "closely"

Got another scam e-mail today. Now the FBI is watching me "closely" because of all the "communications" I have had with all the "criminals" in Africa sending all that money to folks over here in the good ol' U.S.A. The e-mail starts off by recognizing that most of the promised payments from Africa are scams so the U.S. government has halted all such payments, that's why they need more information from me, so they can send my "legitimate" payment via "diplomatic" means? What? Is somebody going to show up at my house with one of those "diplomatic pouches" that ambassadors are allowed to carry around? The e-mail is from an e-mail address with a .co.za ending which I think means its from Zaire. Since when did the U.S. government start using a gmail account from Zaire to send official e-mails?

Here's the text of the e-mail.

"Hello

During the United Nations summit held last week at Geneva, The United Nations has stopped every paymentcoming from Africa and Europe to be made by all those corrupt African officials as they are using it to extortmoney from innocent citizens. Because of their habbit of requesting for more money after the other, Mostinnocent citizens have cleaned their life savings trying to receive their long awaited payments. This havebroken many homes in the United States, put alot of families homeless, taken alot of lives, causing severesickness to people e.t.c.

You are advised to stop every communications with any person or group of persons who are promising to getyour funds to you and receive your funds within 5 working days through a first class diplomatic means. Thisis the only approved payment method for proper records. Your funds are already sealed in a trunk box with ahigh diplomatic immunity coverage which is presently lying in the United Nations safe room in SeattleWashington U.S.A.The FBI is aware of this and are watching you closely incase you did not stop communications with thosecriminals.

Your funds will be shipped to your address as soon as we have an understanding with you.

You are advised to confirm the below details:

FULL NAMES:
DELIVERY ADDRESS:
CLOSEST AIRPORT:
DIRECT PHONE NUMBERS:
AGE:
OCCUPATION:

I have been officially assigned to handle this delivery.

Thanks for your understanding

John Harvey
US. Diplomat
206-333-1451"

Apparently, they should be spending this money they are always sending to us poor ol' Americans on grammar lessons so their e-mail scams might actually look more convincing.

New e-mail scam - this one offering a deal on a new Ford!

Here's the text of an e-mail I received today which is an obvious scam:

"Dear Mr/Ms,

Due to the World Economy Recession, Ford Motor Company, Inc undergo a statistic fall in Sales and result in a drastic financial crisis this last season.

The Government has given us the opportunity to bounce back on our feet, but unfortunately we have not achieved the fund necessary.Therefore, we offer you the opportunity to purchase a very good Auto at 35% discount of the price. We decided to pull the sales of 1.000 cars at a very low price for us to aquire the capital needed to bounce back in business and to use this medium to increase the scale of our valued customers.

The payment shall be made in installments through the bank at 1 month after signing the contract.The first payment for all documents necessary and lawyer is made within five work days or you have the opportunity to get 10% discount if you pay 100% payment.We will send you: the FORD SALES AGREEMENT between Seller and Buyer, and our payment department will contact you with the invoice to buy with confidence using our Payment Protection.The vehicle will be delivered to your location. It will be shipped within 5 days after the payment will be cleared the bank.

The shipping is free of charge and the vehicle is fully insured for damage during the transportation, inspection process and prior to the physical sale.You will have 7 days to inspect the vehicle upon delivery. You have the option to use an independent Inspection Authority to make sure that the vehicle is as described.If the vehicle is not as described or not passes your inspection, the vehicle will be collected and you will be fully refunded. Refund requests are processed within 3 days.

If you are interested in this offer please fill out the application form, A representative will contact you about this application within two business day.

Thanks for your understanding and we hope to serve you better.Sincerely,Jeffrey

K Thompson
Sales Director
Ford Motor Company
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, MI 48126
info@fordssistance.com"

Of course, if you fill out the form, they get your personal information, subjecting you to identity theft or other problems.

While I have not confirmed with Ford Motor Company that this is a scam, I do know a few things that make me think its a scam.

1. Ford is the only one of the American automakers that is actually making money. In fact, it was just announced that their recent profits were in the $2 Billion range (yes, with a B).

2. Ford is the only one of the American automakers that did not take any stimulus funds from the government.

3. Usually, Ford execs such as a sales director would have at least a third grader's grammar, unlike the fool that wrote this e-mail.

Fortunately for consumers, most scammers are as inept as whoever wrote this e-mail, making their attempted scams as easy to spot as this one. Also, if you are ever not sure if an e-mail you get is a scam or not (or if you get a "forward" that you just want to debunk), go to www.snopes.com, which will tell you if the e-mail is for real or not. While you are checking out snopes.com, I'm going to use the millions I have been told I won in the European lottery to buy something better than a discounted Ford.

Even attorneys can fall for scams

I received the below information from the Mississippi Bar today. I have received multiple e-mails similar to what the Mississippi Bar describes. Luckily, I did not fall for it.

"An internet scam targeting attorneys in states around Mississippi and across the country is prompting warnings from bar associations and federal authorities. Please exercise extra diligence when presented with circumstances similar to those noted below.

The scam works like this: a law firm receives a referral from someone posing as an out-of-state attorney to enforce a simple contract dispute or collect a debt from a local corporation owed to a foreign company. The firm, believing it is exercising due diligence, confirms that the prospective client is a real company, then enters into a fee agreement. It sends a demand letter, and later receives a cashier's check made payable to the law firm. The client is pleased and directs the law firm to wire the money, after deducting its fees and costs. The law firm deposits the money in its client trust account, waits for the check to clear the local bank, and wires the money to the client.

Things fall apart when the bank on which the check is drawn notifies everyone that the check is a counterfeit fraud - by which time it is too late to stop the wire transfer, and the law firm's client trust account is now out the proceeds, which the firm has to replace. The scam works because the law firm erroneously believes that the check is good when it clears the law firm's bank. That is not the case. The first clearance is only provisional. The bank on which the check is drawn has additional time under the law to verify the check.

If you suspect you have encountered a similar situation, independently verify the names and contact information provided to you and do not disburse the deposited funds until the bank on which the cashier's check is drawn clears the check. To report a scam, contact your local FBI office."