# Is this a scam?



## Mikii (13 October 2010)

Hey fellas,

To cut the story short, i advertised my car on carsales and got a reply from this guy.... i just cant believe this is coming from carsales.

Thanks for the prompt response.. I am ready to buy it for my uncle and i am at sea at the moment as i am a marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, phone calls making and visiting of website are restricted but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it. I really want this car to be a surprise for my uncle so i wont let him know anything about the car until it gets delivered to him, i am sure he will be more than happy with the car. Due to the nature of my work i am a very busy man working all day.i wont be able to come for inspection but all i really need from you is to be sure that the car is as describe online and if you can send some more pictures(engines inclusive) .i have gone through what you wrote on the advert and i am really satisfied with its condition I insisted on PayPal because i don't have access to my bank account online as i don't have internet banking, but i can pay from my PayPal account, as i have my bank a/c attached to it, i will need you to give me your PayPal email address and the price so i can make the payments asap for the car and

please if you don't have PayPal account yet, it is very easy to set up, go to www.PayPal.com.au and get it set up, after you have set it up i will only need the e-mail address you use for registration with PayPal so as to put the money through. have a pick up agent that will come and pick the car up after i have made the payments...i will be waiting to read from you.

But the scam is in reverse now, He is the buyer not us. and he no longer lives in nigeria, His on his way to australia and need a little bit more funds to reach here !!!!

LOL


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## gordon2007 (13 October 2010)

It's a known scam. Don't even bother returning any call back. Again, when something somes too good to be true...run


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## Twiddle (13 October 2010)

Yep definite scam. A friend got an almost identical reply a while back when trying to sell his car.


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## nunthewiser (13 October 2010)

Let me get this right...

The scam involves the buyer offering to pay by paypal... then asking the seller for money for some reason?

Or is it just the paypal transaction offer the scam?


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## matty77 (13 October 2010)

100% scam.

run to the hills.


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## snowking (13 October 2010)

Yeah a definite scam, I know multiple people that have been targeted. I am surprised they haven't tried something new by now


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## Mikii (13 October 2010)

nunthewiser - he wants my pay pal email address so he can send me his money.

But we know he wants the pay pal email address so he can hack into it or something.

I'v heard of scams asking for us to make payments, but not asking us for them to pay us lol. its different now.

Im suprised that they are on carsales now, theyr all over the place!


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## nunthewiser (13 October 2010)

Mikii said:


> nunthewiser - he wants my pay pal email address so he can send me his money.
> 
> But we know he wants the pay pal email address so he can hack into it or something.
> 
> ...




cheers.


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## sails (13 October 2010)

Mikii said:


> ...Thanks for the prompt response.. I am ready to buy it for my uncle and i am at sea at the moment as i am a marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, phone calls making and visiting of website are restricted but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it. I really want this car to be a surprise for my uncle so i wont let him know anything about the car until it gets delivered to him, i am sure he will be more than happy with the car. Due to the nature of my work i am a very busy man working all day.i wont be able to come for inspection but all i really need from you is to be sure that the car is as describe online and if you can send some more pictures(engines inclusive) .i have gone through what you wrote on the advert and i am really satisfied with its condition I insisted on PayPal because i don't have access to my bank account online as i don't have internet banking, but i can pay from my PayPal account, as i have my bank a/c attached to it, i will need you to give me your PayPal email address and the price so i can make the payments asap for the car and
> 
> please if you don't have PayPal account yet, it is very easy to set up, go to www.PayPal.com.au and get it set up, after you have set it up i will only need the e-mail address you use for registration with PayPal so as to put the money through. have a pick up agent that will come and pick the car up after i have made the payments...i will be waiting to read from you.




I don't like reading word jumbles like this with poor punctuation to boot.  However, I can't find where the seller pays the purchaser money.

Giving the email address seems to be legit with PayPal for people sending money - https://cms.paypal.com/au/cgi-bin/m...er-content&content_ID=marketing_au/send_money

I would also be very suspicious with such an email, however, I can't see where the seller is at risk.  The money comes into his account and said car gets picked up.

What have I missed in that jumble of words - lol ???


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## againsthegrain (13 October 2010)

He wants your paypal email address so he can send u a fake "money received" notification. I bet if you give him a email that is not attached to any paypal account you will get a email notification with spelling mistakes ofcourse that funds have been received.

Or he might try a charge back paypal scam, after the car is picked up and u try cash the funds he raises a paypal dispute saying he did not get the car or its broken etc etc

If you are brave and want to waste his time go along with it and when the courier or whoever comes to pick up the car tell them it has not been paid for, then the scamer will be stuck with the bill. But safest is just to ignore it

p.s paypal is probably the most unsafe way to sell things thesedays, they have power to pretty much freeze your money, reverse transactions and ask you to provide receipts, credit card statements etc. There is nothing you can do once your money if frozen as paypal is not a banking organization and does not have to comply to banking laws


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## nunthewiser (13 October 2010)

Thanks guys I use paypal a fair bit for overseas buying.

Havent had any problems yet with Paypal but only have a prepaid debit visa account attached to it which i place the right amount of cash in for the transaction each time.

Thanks for the information.


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## againsthegrain (13 October 2010)

Paypal is good for buying, especially from overseas. 

The problem is when you are receiving funds to your paypal, especially larger sums. The balance has to clear to your bank or credit card first, within this period if the money is frozen, reversed or refunded there is very low chances of speedy recovery, most cases go instantly in favour of the buyer as like with all credit card charge backs.

Say even once the money does clear into your account, bigger sums lets say 10k or 20k thats fine, but after if the buyer decides to notify paypal that they are not happy with the purchase or have not received it paypal will put your account in negative and ask you to give the money back while they investigate. Most people would just ignore this and say im not putting nothing back my item is sold bad luck. However with larger transactions of a few thousand paypal will no doubt try to recover the money through debt collectors etc which is a headache.

Now compared to making a sale through bank transfer, cash, you would never even hear about such obstacles, so dont bother receiving large sums of money through paypal.

Also this is a typical scamer story, they are always in a place that is hard to reach, limited communication and seeking to buy a gift urgently. nobody buys  car for a gift without inspection, if they are that rich not to care and take "your word" then they can afford a brand new car.


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## sails (13 October 2010)

Thanks, Againsthegrain.  I thought it was pretty safe using PayPal however can see from your post that things could go badly wrong as a seller of a valuable item.

For a while I was getting emails from "PayPal Payement On Ligne <service@paypal.fr>" to say "Accessing your account is restricted. unauthorized transaction".  When clicking on properties, the return path was "anonymous@srv.peopleware.pt" which was quite different to the "service@paypal.fr".

It was sent to an email address that has never been used with PayPal, so I suspected foul play with the spelling errors and the return path being unknown to me.  They were quickly marked as junk mail and dealt with accordingly! 

On one of the emails showed up as a PayPal look alike statement with a large button at the bottom labelled "Recouvery access to your account".  How easy that would be for an unsuspecting person to click on that button.

Have posted this in case it should alert someone to this deceit and maybe prevent a disaster...


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## stevenc (13 October 2010)

I received text messages for our car that we are selling, basically saying if the car is still for sale contact them by email. After selling many cars over the years I didnt think anything different so sent of a couple emails to the different enquiries only to get similar response as posted above re buyer is overseas blah blah. Of course straight away I knew these were scam emails and I contacted the trading post about it and seems like a big thing at the moment. 
Luckily I have a pre paid phone I only use for advertising things as well as a different email address for same thing. 

From what I have learned how the scams work is that they say that they have wired you more money then you need to do the sale and they ask you to wire back the difference. Obviously no money was sent in the first place and you have just paid somebody a few thousand for nothing.


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## Mikii (13 October 2010)

Thanks againsthegrain and stevenc - great explainations !

I knew it was a scam thats why i posted on here so everyone knows about it. they piss me off so badly. I hope others can also learn from this.

Stevenc -  thats a good idea to use a pre paid mobile when you sell things and another separate email... just to be safe that theres no harrassments...  Do you have another house for pickups too ? lol

these scammers are all over the internet, and they are thinking of new ways to scam every time. but its too obvious, anything too good to be true, is already suspicious. 

p.s - imagine he sent me too much fake money, and wants me to return back some, and i return too much fake money, then he has to pay me back - scamed a scam, I like to see that !!!


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## Huitzii (13 October 2010)

This is a copy/paste from a regular seller in adelaide on EBAY regarding his thoughts about paypal and how it effects the seller

" Pay Pal is not preferred for Australian Buyers / Bank Deposit is Commonwealth 

     please remember all items are registered post @ $3.00 extra cost to you ( already included in the postage quote ) the       buyer as there are alot of dishonest people out there who play up on the B*$l/S*^^t loophole refund policy that P/P offer to the buyers, this is when you have recived payment for something that you have sold on Ebay & the buyer has recived the item & they say they havnt & claim a refund,So P/P take YOUR money out of YOUR account so you the seller are left with no goods & you are out of pocket,must be a law against it out there somewhere,P/P you are a disgrace & so are those people,so it must be registered that is the only way a seller is covered"


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## stevenc (14 October 2010)

Mikii said:


> Stevenc -    Do you have another house for pickups too ? lol
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> Nah still working on that one , might have to use my inlaws house in the future. lol.


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## Dreadweave (14 October 2010)

I have had very bad experinces with paypal and will never use it again. I sold a mobile phone, the buyer simply claimed it never arrived, paypal took the money back from my BANK accont.

They say they they will never withdraw money from your account without your permission. They stick to their word and wait till the monthly transaction to transfer paypal fees and PIGGYBACK a huge lump sum with it to refund the buyer.
Even though i had a regestered post consignment number.

I'm left out of pocket, with no goods or money.

It gets worse. I launched an investigation through paypal hopeing to get my money back. After 3 months the investigation notes simply said "buyer provided sufficient evidence that the product was not as described"

So now its gone from never arrived to not as described.?

Further, you cannot contact anyone at paypal by phone or email, they simply do not respond.
I warn everyone steer clear.


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## Boggo (7 November 2010)

Not sure if this is anther scam or or not and I am not suggesting either, they have a full page ad in the Sunday rag in Adelaide today.

http://www.faststartfx.com/

Looks like the company was formed a few weeks ago...
http://www.search.asic.gov.au/cgi-bin/gns030c?acn=147_039_156&juris=9&hdtext=ACN&srchsrc=1

Did a google on Andrew Barnett, others should do the same and form their own opinions.
One of many returns...
http://www.smartexpos.com/smartexpo2008/KLNOV/speaker_bio.htm


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## nulla nulla (7 November 2010)

Mikii said:


> nunthewiser - he wants my pay pal email address so he can send me his money.
> 
> But we know he wants the pay pal email address so he can hack into it or something.
> 
> ...




Once he has your paypal details he'll probably go on a spending spree and you won't know about it until you receive your credit card bill. Then see how helpful paypal is in reversing the debits.


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## danbradster (13 November 2010)

Or he pays with stolen money.  Or he pays, then gets the car, then reverses the transaction since Paypal doesn't exactly work like a bank...



Mikii said:


> nunthewiser - he wants my pay pal email address so he can send me his money.
> 
> But we know he wants the pay pal email address so he can hack into it or something.
> 
> ...


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## tigerboi (14 November 2010)

i got an idea...dont buy stuff online.

i would only use your own bank service like pay anyone...my


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## pixel (7 June 2014)

The latest scam appears to originate from Telstra, or at least they're using Telstra's name.
Here is what happened to me on my mobile phone:

A call comes in *from an unknown number*: "This is Telstra. It is not a marketing call. We need to talk to Andrew Fraser. Please press ..."
I broke off the first call; ignored the second call because I was driving, which then left a voice recording on my message bank. Retrieving that message has then been charged to my account - GRRR!  
But I didn't ring their 1800 number.

As I'm not Andrew Fraser and don't know anyone by that name in my immediate circle of friends, I took the third call this morning to try and stop the calls. I tapped through those menu options - no, he can't come to the phone; no, I don't want to tell him to call 1800...; no, don't send me an SMS - until a call centre operator introduced herself. If I didn't want Andrew Fraser to be cut off, please get him to the phone right now. So I told her I wasn't Andrew Fraser, didn't know an Andrew Fraser, and her database must be wrong: "Sorry, I can't help you. Please take this number off your list and stop calling me!"

"If you're not Andrew Fraser, who are you? What's your address and phone number?"
"I am not Andrew Fraser. You got the wrong number."
"Sorry, I need to know who you are to correct my database."

yeah, right, girl: *Your computer *called *me *and now you would like to know my details.

I repeated that my name and address was none of her business; this number isn't even with Telstra; so knock it off and stop calling. She again repeated her request. I hung up. So far, no further call ... yet.

PS: It occurred to me that the voice mail that had been left earlier had come *on my second number*. (My mobile has dual SIM, but neither with Telstra.) What's the chance that "Andrew Fraser" had two contact numbers that happen to match both my numbers???
*
If anyone has been receiving similar phishy calls, please add your experience to this thread.
*


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## pixel (30 December 2015)

pixel said:


> The latest scam appears to originate from Telstra, or at least they're using Telstra's name.
> Here is what happened to me on my mobile phone:
> 
> A call comes in *from an unknown number*: "This is Telstra. It is not a marketing call. We need to talk to Andrew Fraser. Please press ..."
> ...




They're still looking for Andrew Fraser. 
I received two calls today again: one early morning, the second a few minutes ago. Both from an "unknown"  number. Same shpiel "This is Telstra, this is not a marketing call..." and they need to speak to Andrew Fraser (inserted by a second female robot voice).

I hung up both times, didn't even "press one"


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## SirRumpole (30 December 2015)

pixel said:


> They're still looking for Andrew Fraser.
> I received two calls today again: one early morning, the second a few minutes ago. Both from an "unknown"  number. Same shpiel "This is Telstra, this is not a marketing call..." and they need to speak to Andrew Fraser (inserted by a second female robot voice).
> 
> I hung up both times, didn't even "press one"




Why don't you say you are Andrew Fraser and see what they want ?


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## Gringotts Bank (30 December 2015)

SirRumpole said:


> Why don't you say you are Andrew Fraser and see what they want ?




lol, yes that's what I'd do.  Play them at their own stupid game, and win.  Be so annoying they will want to take you off their list.

"Hi it's Andrew again.  It's soooo good to have someone to talk to, you've got no idea.  You'll never guess what I had for lunch...".  Chew their ear off.  If they try to edge in with a question like "are you a guy who could do with extra cash?" you go straight back to your story as if nothing happened.

Have fun with it!


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## Tom32 (30 December 2015)

Website devoted to tricking scammers (there are several)

http://www.419eater.com

The real victims of these scams are the likes of Telstra. My folks genuinely believe Telstra gave their details out to the Indian call centres because the people said they were from Telstra. I tried to explain we get these calls which they saw as further evidence...

That said Telstra itself will ring and offer new deals. The difference is the real deal is never too good to be true.


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## Tisme (8 August 2016)

I feel so included now. I had missed call/message from a bloke with a strong Indian accent telling me I better call him back regarding my apparent tax evasion and fraud.

02 88804460

"to avoid consequences of tax evasion and tax fraud"

Gee what should I do..... I've already run around frantically with my underpants on my head.

*02 88804460*


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## pixel (8 August 2016)

Tisme said:


> I feel so included now. I had missed call/message from a bloke with a strong Indian accent telling me I better call him back regarding my apparent tax evasion and fraud.
> 
> 02 88804460
> 
> ...




gee, you're a bad boy 
Just wait till some web-savvy scammers get hold of your Census data and grill you about the "details that don't match up". Could facilitate a whole new "business model" and boilerroom script with questions about your account details, drivers license, etc.


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## pixel (1 September 2016)

Received a cold call last night. Caller number displayed as 02-followed by 7 (seven!) digits.
Pleasant voice - Pakistani or Indian accent - introduced himself, calling from AAC Insurance. Did I have a car accident the last two years? The counter party had admitted liability, but only given him my phone number.

I asked when and where that accident was supposed to have been?

He didn't know, would need to ask his supervisor. On came another voice, asking the same question, but now it was in the last 3 years, somewhere in WA. And it wasn't my fault.

Again I played dumb and confused, didn't know what it was about?
Answer: They wanted to settle my compensation for the damage *and needed my bank account*.

Yeah, right. I asked why didn't they settle with my insurance company?

Line went "toot - toot - toot"


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## Habakkuk (1 September 2016)

Can somebody "please explain".

How is a bank account number going to help a scam artist here or in Nigeria or anywhere else?

In this thread and elsewhere there are these little stories of people saying look how clever I was, not gonna fall for this, etc.
I'm not having a go at you, pixel or anyone else. Sorry if it comes across like that. I've always been puzzled. How can they extract money with just a bank account number?

I have my bank account number published in my eBay adverts and so do thousands of sellers. I could publish it right here, but I won't. What would it prove anyway?

When you have explained that, here is the next question: IF I was gullible enough to also hand out my login access code/password ( a real big no-no, of course ), how would you extract money with that? How do you get your hands on the actual money in my account? I understand that you could look at the balance. You could pay some of your bills with Bpay. That would be a nuisance, but traceable by the bank if they want to.
To use the 'Pay Anyone' function, you will need the answer to a 'secret' question. There is no way of guessing that.

I'm hoping that somebody can explain this to me.

If all you can say is that the account # would only be the first step, next they will ask for the password, yes, of course, at some point they will have enough information to do some damage. But is that really it? They're collecting information bit by bit with phone calls?

Again, I'm not having a go at people; it's just that I can't understand how an account number by itself needs to be protected.


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## pixel (1 September 2016)

Habakkuk said:


> Can somebody "please explain".
> 
> How is a bank account number going to help a scam artist here or in Nigeria or anywhere else?
> 
> ...




Good question, Habakuk.
And no, I don't take it as criticism. And by trying to report an experience in a more flippant, lighthearted tone, I don't intend to appear "clever", but express my contempt for the criminal perpetrators of such scams.

Regarding the question what can they do with your account number:
Have you ever given a biller the authority to auto-debit your account? If so, what did you have to provide, and to whom? 
In case you have not: Quoting your name, address, and account number *to the biller* is enough. They present it to your bank and withdraw any amount they think you owe them.

Also: Have you ever had to provide proof of identity? Not every institution is as meticulous as our Banks and requires photo-id. Often, it's sufficient to show a letter addressed to you, plus a verifiable account. And if the Bank doesn't reply quickly enough, the scammers can verify the info easily enough by transferring as little as one cent into the account. _*Identity Theft for Dummies.*_


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## Habakkuk (1 September 2016)

You're right about direct debit, that's all it takes. I'm not sure how responsible the bank is to check out the billers. In my case it's just the real estate agent and the utility companies.
 I hadn't thought of that.
Anyway, I can't imagine that those scammers would be prepared to totally waste their time if it was as difficult to get their hands on the money as I believed.
Thanks, pixel.

BTW, today's balance of my account that's shown on eBay is $2.50. I've just looked it up. I keep it under $20 most of the time.
Almost everybody uses PayPal with eBay.


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## qldfrog (1 September 2016)

received 2 emails in the last 24 hours using my Linked in title/details and sending me(aka my company) an invoice for $2000+ supposely from another australian company (whose details changes and are probably true) and a word attachment (I did not even open) with the details of the bank transfer I should do ASAP as i am 4 days behind

2k is probably overambitious as 200$ would net many more IMHO but, be aware especially if you do not handle your own accounting.


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## Craton (6 September 2016)

qldfrog said:


> received 2 emails in the last 24 hours using my Linked in title/details and sending me(aka my company) an invoice for $2000+ supposely from another australian company (whose details changes and are probably true) *and a word attachment* (I did not even open) with the details of the bank transfer I should do ASAP as i am 4 days behind
> 
> 2k is probably overambitious as 200$ would net many more IMHO but, be aware especially if you do not handle your own accounting.




These types of emails, stating we are late or behind on our supposed payment, are just another ploy or tactic at social engineering preying on our wish to stay credit worthy!

*At first glance this may "look" like a word doc but it is not.*

It is a nasty that will install itself unbeknown to the user and can and will do any number of malicious things, including downloading more nasties including key loggers and again, all unbeknown to you the user.

I get these type of emails with said invoice/quote/whatever attached and all "look" kosher. Always check the senders email addy and hover over any link in the email to ascertain the authenticity of the email. If it doesn't look or feel right, delete post haste!

@Habakuk. As I'm a little tech savvy, after giving away a false bank acc. # to see where this lead, I've had these grubs trying to elicit the access password or PIN. Oh the fun I had on those occasions.


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## qldfrog (6 September 2016)

Craton said:


> These types of emails, stating we are late or behind on our supposed payment, are just another ploy or tactic at social engineering preying on our wish to stay credit worthy!
> 
> *At first glance this may "look" like a word doc but it is not.*
> 
> ...



Thanks, do not worry, I am in IT and manage my own accounting so not an easy target but I would bet they are successfull, and would be even more if asking 200$ instead.
The other ones are from company telling you your website will be deregistered from...their SEO program (in fine print) so urgently send xxx $;
The sad bit here is that except for the print size it is nearly OK; pretend to try to sell you a service but play on the presentation to confuse and get you to understand a different meaning: even more twisted...


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## Craton (6 September 2016)

qldfrog said:


> Thanks, do not worry, I am in IT and manage my own accounting so not an easy target but I would bet they are successfull, and would be even more if asking 200$ instead.
> The other ones are from company telling you your website will be deregistered from...their SEO program (in fine print) so urgently send xxx $;
> The sad bit here is that except for the print size it is nearly OK; pretend to try to sell you a service but play on the presentation to confuse and get you to understand a different meaning: even more twisted...




Yep, I'm hearing ya. I guess by making it a couple of grand it pushes all the right panic buttons whereas a couple o'hundred...meh.

By any means necessary aptly applies to these grubs, and I'm not referring to their modus operandi either, oh to have some quality time in a deep, dark and dingy dungeon with these creeps... :whip


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## Tisme (7 September 2016)

Whale oil beef hooked! The Pakistani voice on the end of the phone flagged on the net as being a scam number was actually acting on behalf of the Taxation Dept.

A nasty cheap piece of paper, set out like a primary schooler designed it, arrived in the mail demanding payment for fines accrued on a company I lead dating back to the early 2000's. Of course it could not be real because it had a collection agency's name on it, but IT IS!!!!

The govt has outsourced it's policing and fining to three or so companies.  We double checked with the ATO direct.

It seems that correspondence advices given back then aren't necessarily binding when it comes to agencies grubbing for money. It also seems non compliance by the govt in failing to send out notices, determinations, paperwork, etc is also the fault of the victim.  We are supposed to request things without knowing that a request is required .... go figure.


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## pixel (7 September 2016)

Received an SMS "You have received an alert from ...westpac mobi"
reply to 048107****

As a Westpac customer, I know they wouldn't do such a thing. (They don't even know the number it arrived at,) So I treated it as a scam and deleted it unanswered - after forwarding it to Westpac's SPAM alert.

*PS: I just checked the website pfovided in the alert: It looks genuine Westpac. Alerts visitors to log in with Westpac access codes to avoid having their account locked.*
No, thanks.


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## DB008 (14 June 2018)

This is a good one to watch....


*Tracking Too-Good-To-Be-True 'Free Vacation' Mail Offer*
​
​


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## basilio (4 January 2019)

Ever been tempted to become an Amazon seller ? After checking this out you might re consider.

*How to Lose Tens of Thousands of Dollars on Amazon*
A growing number of self-proclaimed experts promise they can teach anyone how to make a passive income selling cheap Chinese goods in the internet's largest store. Not everyone’s getting rich quick.
https://www.theatlantic.com/technol...-peddling-secrets-getting-rich-amazon/578443/


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## basilio (6 February 2019)

Is this a scam ?


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## satanoperca (6 February 2019)

basilio said:


> Ever been tempted to become an Amazon seller ? After checking this out you might re consider.
> 
> *How to Lose Tens of Thousands of Dollars on Amazon*
> A growing number of self-proclaimed experts promise they can teach anyone how to make a passive income selling cheap Chinese goods in the internet's largest store. Not everyone’s getting rich quick.
> https://www.theatlantic.com/technol...-peddling-secrets-getting-rich-amazon/578443/




I love this stuff. Yes you can make millions on Amazon, if you are that one in a million. Amazon doesn't care, they need participants (both sellers and buyers) for their platform to work.

But interesting article :
"The couple had hoped to strike it rich—or at least quit their day jobs—buying goods from China and reselling them on the e-commerce site. Instead, they lost their savings" boo hoo, same with lots of small businesses, but most people don't think there business will get them rich, just provide an income.

"all they needed to do was pay $3,999 for three months of coaching that would teach them everything they needed to know about the business"

"In an email, Behdjou told me that nearly 1,000 students have paid to receive training from him, with only a “small handful of complaints.”

Why sell on Amazon, when you can gross $4M selling how to sell on Amazon, I guess it is a lot harder to make that much on Amazon.

Buyer beware.

PS. I develop IT software systems for selling/marketing products and services. I have reduced down my service offering to clients, due to the face, I have the knowledge and skills and make more money building my own businesses using tech, then providing the tech to other people.

Just like trading platforms, if you have one that works, why tell anyone, exploit it for your own richess


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## sptrawler (7 February 2019)

I can't believe how crazy some people are.

https://thewest.com.au/news/consume...s-500000-in-online-dating-scam-ng-b881096488z


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## qldfrog (7 February 2019)

Am i alone to think that people tgat stupid do not deserve having that amount of money, or be able to manage it?
I travel the world meet hundreds of people bright and slaving at work for a pittance..maybe there is karma?


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## satanoperca (7 February 2019)

qldfrog said:


> Am i alone to think that people tgat stupid do not deserve having that amount of money, or be able to manage it?
> I travel the world meet hundreds of people bright and slaving at work for a pittance..maybe there is karma?




Just because someone is stupid with their actions, doesn't mean they do not deserve the money they have earn't.  I agree, that when you read the article, it seems ridiculous, but love is a powerful emotion that can be exploited. We should not look poorly on the victim but rather hunt down the perpetrator and hang him by his balls


----------



## Belli (8 February 2019)

satanoperca said:


> Just because someone is stupid with their actions, doesn't mean they do not deserve the money they have earn't.  I agree, that when you read the article, it seems ridiculous, but love is a powerful emotion that can be exploited. We should not look poorly on the victim but rather hunt down the perpetrator and hang him by his balls




While it was certainly unwise of her I'm not in a rush to criticise the person handing over money.  I've been single for a number of years after my wife died.  It takes some effort to learn how to be alone, which shouldn't necessarily be equated to loneliness.


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## basilio (8 February 2019)

Romance scams are some of the most powerful and effective scams on the net. Again I havn't been personally affected but I have seen some of the examples and they can work.

One of the critical elements is that when your "in love"  you just believe or want to believe this new person is great, is for real whatever. You drop your capacity to be cautious.

Unfortunately romance scams are getting more and more clever. For example there is a site that offers Romance scam check - and then delivers you to sites they say are safe.. I don't think so
And then there are examples of how people are tricked/seduced into parting with packets of cash. 
Very difficult.

https://www.romancescams.org/
https://romancescamsurvivor.org/stories-from-victims/#story2


----------



## basilio (10 February 2019)

If you have the time/inclination this very involved story of a serial con artist jumps the shark.
Just amazing and bewildering.

*The Perfect Man Who Wasn’t*
For years he used fake identities to charm women out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Then his victims banded together to take him down


By the spring of 2016, Missi Brandt had emerged from a rough few years with a new sense of solidity. At 45, she was three years sober and on the leeward side of a stormy divorce. She was living with her preteen daughters in the suburbs of St. Paul, Minnesota, and working as a flight attendant. Missi felt ready for a serious relationship again, so she made a profile on OurTime.com, a dating site for people in middle age.

Among all the duds—the desperate and depressed and not-quite-divorced—a 45-year-old man named Richie Peterson stood out. He was a career naval officer, an Afghanistan veteran who was finishing his doctorate in political science at the University of Minnesota. When Missi “liked” his profile, he sent her a message right away and called her that afternoon. They talked about their kids (he had two; she had three), their divorces, their sobriety. Richie told her he was on vacation in Hawaii, but they planned to meet up as soon as he got back.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/04/our-time-com-con-man/554057/


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## basilio (12 February 2019)

Good program on 4 Corners showing how clever and sophisticated the romance scam industry has become.
*Bryan Denny is the face of military romance scams, and he wants it to stop*
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02...s-the-face-of-military-romance-scams/10786180


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## dutchie (12 February 2019)

To keep up with current scams go to https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/  or follow on twitter


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## bellenuit (9 August 2019)

I've just received a phone call that is obviously a scam, but a new one for me.

It stared saying it was relaying a recorded message and the message went something like this: "Hey guys, I lost my phone and now have a new number. The new number is xxxxxxxxxx. M."

It was a ladies voice, one I didn't recognise. The fact that it said "Hey guys" and signed off as "M." was a give-away as it implied no knowledge of our first names (assuming the number had been picked up from a directory) and a very vague name for who was calling that would probably match several people we know, except none of them would sign off as "M".

I suspect that if I called the number, I would be hit with huge phone costs.


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## SirRumpole (19 September 2019)

Yes this is definitely a scam and someone has been fleeced.

I post it here because I sometimes see ads featuring Twiggy Forrest appearing on this site.

Of course I know no one here would get caught, but just in case...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-19/woman-loses-$670000-to-andrew-forrest-abc-news-scam/11529654


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## moXJO (20 September 2019)

I often wonder how people can be so dumb. I guy I use to do some work for (who knew I was into shares) was telling me all about this chinese investment. That some company had offered to him by phone. I think I was only 18 at the time and said "Its a scam". 
He only got more defensive and ended up sinking about $180k

Another guy I know has been sending money to a "world lotto" all via phone for about a decade. Zero paperwork, ticket numbers, proof. I didn't even bother pressing him.

And another time I walk into my parents house my old man is on his computer and the phone with his credit card out. His computer has some bs scanning on the screen. 
What had happened was he clicked on to some website and it locked the computer so he couldn't do anything. A fake virus (this one was microsoft) scanner pops up and then tells you to call a number and then gets your details. I grabbed the phone and yelled at them for about 10 mins. Then held the power button for 10secs on the laptop and good to go. 

I've got a pretty long list of scammer stories.


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## bellenuit (20 September 2019)

SirRumpole said:


> Yes this is definitely a scam and someone has been fleeced.
> 
> I post it here because I sometimes see ads featuring Twiggy Forrest appearing on this site.
> 
> ...




I had seen that one on FaceBook and reported it as a scam. I even forwarded a public statement from Twiggy disassociating himself from that article. The reply from FB was that it did not contravene their policies. I mean at the least, apart from being a scam, it is clearly Fake News, which FB is claiming they are attempting to eliminate from the site.


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## bi-polar (20 September 2019)

An Oz uni has published in "Antiquity" Cam. that a wooden boomerang can slice bone , contrary to the test the author did at ANU .  I offered wooden bone-chisels to Dept Health Canberra but they won't buy it. So went to Australia Army flogging my wooden bayonet , no good.  Send me crowd-funds and its 50:50 profits for wooden kitchen knives.


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## SirRumpole (20 September 2019)

bellenuit said:


> I had seen that one on FaceBook and reported it as a scam. I even forwarded a public statement from Twiggy disassociating himself from that article. The reply from FB was that it did not contravene their policies. I mean at the least, apart from being a scam, it is clearly Fake News, which FB is claiming they are attempting to eliminate from the site.




I would think that Twiggy would have some legal recourse against Facebook for misrepresentation.

Big damages payouts are the best way to discourage this sort of thing.


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## peter2 (9 December 2019)

Now that I seeing the adds on ASF I can't help being amused. 
Is this a scam?  

Clear typo in the main ad is a dead set giveaway.






Then when you click on the ad it goes to a site that clearly states that it's a con. 




And if your still not sure and try to go to another page on the con site, the link address is another admission that you're about the be shorn.





I know Joe can't screen them all out but we can use some commonsense.


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## Joe Blow (9 December 2019)

peter2 said:


> I know Joe can't screen them all out but we can use some commonsense.




Thanks for the heads up Peter. I'll block that one and any associated ads.

If anyone sees any dodgy ads (Google doesn't have very good screening - not even sure if they care?), please let me know and I will block them from ASF. I do it on a regular basis but I don't see every single ad, so I'm sure quite a few slip through.


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## basilio (13 April 2020)

Just a general heads up on a particular company that you do not want to touch in any way shape or form . Its called AAA Transport.  A friend of mine  inadvertently  booked them with $2000 to move a vehicle.   Then did some research and realised this was not going to end well.  Naturally they won't return the money.

The principals of the company have a long history of  complaints in the hundreds.  Really makes one wonder what powers Consumers affairs should have to stop this sort of operation.

Check out the stories and the Current affairs expose. Consider noting this post for future reference.

As of May 2019, Auto Transporters is trading as All Australian Auto Transporters (AAATransporters) and MV Transporters.
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/auto-transporters

https://www.9news.com.au/national/a...ustralia/88942a51-164e-437f-8ac7-f5d4fce146c2


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## SirRumpole (13 April 2020)

This ad appeared on this very page.

Ad
Dick Smith Confirmed On News - Biggest Scandal Hit Aussies
This Scandal Puts Everyone In Shock and The Banks Are Terrified.

Dick's Facebook page disassociates himself from the scam.


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## basilio (13 April 2020)

SirRumpole said:


> This ad appeared on this very page.
> 
> Ad
> Dick Smith Confirmed On News - Biggest Scandal Hit Aussies
> ...




Horrific.  Just sweep them up, demand to see the justification for their BS stories and when they can't put in jail for 6 months on fraud charges.

This is pure and utter BS.  Total scam.

*HOWEVER... These are now desperate times for many people*. When people have lost their jobs and are facing financial ruin the theoretical hope offered by these scams is enough to say "have a go"

That's why they are successful. But that's why they should be stopped  dead in their tracks.


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## basilio (2 May 2020)

*Out of left field.*
Analysis of Gus Fring in Breaking Bad. The brilliant businessman who turns making meth into a  slick business.
The last 7-10minutes draws a very close parallel to both deliberate business scams as well as the  behaviour of the biggest players in our economic system.


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## basilio (22 July 2020)

*Any intel/observations on this company ?*
A friend of mine in Canada has been approached to work for this company and accepted a "position". I have strong reservations about it . I'm doing my own checking but thought there may be some experience on ASF

Thanks
https://arcadianltd.com/index.html


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## cynic (22 July 2020)

basilio said:


> *Any intel/observations on this company ?*
> A friend of mine in Canada has been approached to work for this company and accepted a "position". I have strong reservations about it . I'm doing my own checking but thought there may be some experience on ASF
> 
> Thanks
> https://arcadianltd.com/index.html



Their address is interesting:
https://www.coworker.com/united-kingdom/london/55-baker-street


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## basilio (22 July 2020)

So far I have failed to find any business registration for the "company" in the UK, the domain name was registered 13 days ago and none of the 18 bright shiny  staff show up anywhere on the net...

Not looking good..


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## bellenuit (22 July 2020)

basilio said:


> none of the 18 bright shiny staff show up anywhere on the net...




I was going to do a few checks myself when I get a chance (I like looking into scams), but the first thing that struck me was how "good looking" all the staff were. They looked like the sort of people that you would find in TV ads for products or companies.


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## basilio (22 July 2020)

bellenuit said:


> I was going to do a few checks myself when I get a chance (I like looking into scams), but the first thing that struck me was how "good looking" all the staff were. They looked like the sort of people that you would find in TV ads for products or companies.



And indeed they were..
Have a read of the story and ask yourself "How come I haven't heard of such a vibrant, creative operation ?" and tehn see if you can find any evidence of it in the real world ..


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## bellenuit (24 July 2020)

A friend who has two sons paying off mortgages asked me to check this out.

https://info.yourwealthguide.com.au...-fClSZSBx8O4UsGzk3nxoEdI6ENtB-Yc4hfOxQyi-kd64

After an hour or so of researching I am sure it is a scam.

Some of the things I found are:

It is supposed to be an article on the website https://info.yourwealthguide.com.au for "National Wealth Advisory". However, if you strip off from the URL everything but this address and go to that URL, you end up at the AFR website. There isn't a "yourwealthguide.com.au".

If you take their Quiz at the link it gives, they just ask for information concerning your salaries and existing mortgage and don't tell you if you qualify unless you give them your contact details allowing them to call you back. Typical set up for a bait and switch.

At the bottom of the quiz page, they have this:








However, when I Google search *"national wealth advisory" australia*, all the hits are just to different parts of their own website. None bring you to any of the above media or any other independent media.

I suspect what they are doing is trying to sell you over-inflated Gold Coast property and pay down your mortgage using the huge tax savings you will supposedly get. This was confirmed when I went to their case studies page:  https://nationalwealthadvisory.com.au/case-study/

All the examples related to property investing.

The case studies have examples of clients who bought 18 to 21 months ago, presumably on their advice. But when you check out the company's ABN, it has only been registered since 17th March 2020 and is not yet registered for GST (a requirement if the business income is over $75,000 p.a.)


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## unusua_life (29 July 2020)

bellenuit said:


> I was going to do a few checks myself when I get a chance (I like looking into scams), but the first thing that struck me was how "good looking" all the staff were. They looked like the sort of people that you would find in TV ads for products or companies.




I was also contacted by this company and I 100% believe this is a scam; I've reported it and wrote about it on Reddit -


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## JBWTrader (12 August 2020)

hey folks

watch out for this scammer

someone i know sent money to trade but they will not release money back to trader I know

https://ivytrusts.com/


*Tony DeRossi*

Senior Vice President

    +*61280743414*

    +*441205540216*

Tony.DeRossi@ivytrustsservices.com


 stay well clear folks...


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## SirRumpole (16 September 2020)

This is definitely a scam, fortunately the perp is now on the other side of the bars.









						Police officer jailed for stealing homes using obscure squatters' laws
					

A disgraced police officer becomes the first female member of the force to be jailed in Victoria after she was caught using obscure laws to effectively steal houses to boost her bogus property portfolio.




					www.abc.net.au


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## basilio (20 September 2020)

One of the really nasty scams at the moment is con artists trying to sell non existent dogs to desperate people.  One clever way this has occurred is getting a legitimate dogbreeder to forward them a picture of them and their dog and using this as bait for others.

Check out this story and  keep your wits about you.









						Every night Donna locks her gate, afraid another scam victim will arrive
					

Donna Dickson lives in fear of people coming to her house convinced she's cheated them out of thousands. But now she has found an unlikely ally.




					www.abc.net.au


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## basilio (21 September 2020)

Big story coming out of the US is a leaked investigation by US Treasury of Banks allowing trillions of dollars to be laundered around the world. 
The processes are used to support everything from tax evasion and tax fraud, international arms deals, drug cartels *and a plethora of company scammers.

There is a significant Australian connection in the report.* A Queensland guy specialized in setting up and selling shell companies which were the used by scammers confident that they  would not be traceable.

Check out the story and keep a note of the companies identified as suspect. Might save a bit of grief.

*The FinCEN files: Dirty little secrets of the world's banks revealed in mass US government leak*

Ian Taylor sells high-end jet skis from his four-bedroom waterfront townhouse in a quiet suburban cul-de-sac on the Gold Coast.

*Key points:*

_A leak of highly secretive US Treasury documents reveals the world's banks alerted watchdogs to about $US2 trillion ($2.7 trillion) worth of suspicious transactions in seven years_
_The documents were obtained by Buzzfeed News and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists_
_Ian Taylor is just one of the Australians mentioned by name in the leaked suspicious activity reports_
What the 43-year-old does not advertise is that his other source of income has come from setting up shell companies, which have been used by money launderers, arms dealers and Mexican drug cartels.

His business allowed customers to hide their true identity by providing nominee directors and shareholders to obscure who was really behind the shell company.

*....Shell companies sold 'like hotdogs'*
Despite regulations being tightened, *another New Zealand company linked to Mr Taylor has been running a foreign-exchange scam, taking millions of dollars from investors around the world.*





.
"The director appeared to be nothing more than a nominee — a person whose name would appear on the directorship in return for a fee," says private investigator Ken Gamble, who was hired by a Portuguese man who lost more than 3 million euros ($4.9 million).

"One would ask, 'Why is [Taya Burnett] on that company and what's she doing there?'" Mr Gamble says.

"And why is she still the director after the company has been involved in a very serious crime?"

"How can somebody be allowed to set up shell companies and sell them like hotdogs out of a stand at the back of a rock concert and yet not have responsibility for what those companies do?"

Mr Taylor was banned from being a director in the UK in 2015, after one of his companies was involved in a 3.2-million-pound ($5.7 million) land-sales scam where many investors lost their money.

In a phone call with the ABC, Mr Taylor declined to be interviewed but said he was no longer involved with shell companies and he was not aware his wife was the *director of Advanced Global Markets Limited.* Ms Burnett did not respond to questions.








						The FinCEN files: The world's banks' dirty little secrets revealed in mass US government leak
					

A leak of US government reports offers a rare insight into the secretive world of international finance. It shows how drug smugglers and scammers move dirty money via international banks — including through Australia's financial systems.




					www.abc.net.au


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## basilio (22 September 2020)

I came across  a new  technology that may be of interest for those investors interested in truly Blue Sky Opportunities ...
It is a nuclear powered battery that can charge your car, laptop, intergalactic rocket ship..

*Company*


*Together we’re building the future*

*About us*
NDB, Inc. is committed to the development and manufacturing of the Nano Diamond Battery (NDB) to provide a clean and green energy solution for the future.
We believe in the coexistence of innovation and environment. We believe it is our responsibility to implement innovations that improves living standards whilst being sustainable and environmentally friendly.
NDB, Inc. has a vast team of experts both in business and science to deliver the much-needed green energy solution, enabling NDB, Inc. to not only be part of the extremely large global battery market, but to also excel and pave the way for the future of batteries.

*The challenge*
The modern life is heavily reliable on mobile battery powered devices affecting daily aspects of our lives, ranging from telecommunication devices to transport vehicles and beyond earth in aerospace technology. There is an increasing demand for efficient and cost effective batteries from manufacturers, meaning a constant need for improvement on the current state of affairs. Conventional batteries have been riddled with numerous concerns and in the age of increasing consciousness about global warming and waste accumulation, production must be in line with sustainable development principles and process of qualitative change.

*The solution*
NDB is a high-power diamond-based alpha, beta, and neutron voltaic battery that can provide device life-long and green energy for numerous applications and overcome limitations of the existing energy creation/distribution solutions. It can be used to power fields such as automotive, consumer electronics, sensors, space machinery, and other electronics powered by a chemical battery. In brief, NDB is a safe, high-powered, green and versatile solution to the globally growing energy demand made from recycled nuclear waste.
One of the key innovations of NDB is utilization of a proprietary nanostructure that allows for an enhanced device performance and highly sophisticated safety features, which covers radiation, thermal and mechanical aspects.

*Culture*
At NDB we believe in teamwork, mutual respect and transparency. Diversity and inclusion are part of our core values at the highest level. Having diverse employees, business partners and community relationships is vital to creating products for our customers around the world.NDB’s commitment to diversity has translated into creating a work environment for all employees that is welcoming, respectful and engaging, with opportunities for personal and professional development. This in turn results in exceptional productivity, quality, creativity and innovation for the company and our partners.






						Company
					

NDB: Nano Diamond Battery is an innovative energy generator and storage that redefines and revolutionizes the battery as we know it.




					ndb.technology


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## basilio (22 September 2020)

RE Nano Diamond batteries.
It seems the idea  has legs..
The execution ? 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_battery








						Self-charging, thousand-year battery startup NDB aces key tests and lands first beta customers
					

Pleasanton-based green energy startup NDB, Inc. has reached a key milestone today with the completion of two proof of concept tests of its nano diamond battery (NDB). One of these tests took place at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and saw NDB’s battery tech manage a 40% charge, which...




					techcrunch.com


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## bellenuit (2 October 2020)

A friend received this today. It certainly is a scam so if you get the same ignore it or report it to Apple. I haven't included the full email as it has a few shady links that might be a problem if you click on them.


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## basilio (2 October 2020)

bellenuit said:


> A friend received this today. It certainly is a scam so if you get the same ignore it or report it to Apple. I haven't included the full email as it has a few shady links that might be a problem if you click on them.
> 
> View attachment 112528



Clever, dangerous, effective.

Thanks


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## blizben (7 May 2021)

bellenuit said:


> A friend who has two sons paying off mortgages asked me to check this out.
> 
> https://info.yourwealthguide.com.au...-fClSZSBx8O4UsGzk3nxoEdI6ENtB-Yc4hfOxQyi-kd64
> 
> ...



My experience with them this w


bellenuit said:


> A friend who has two sons paying off mortgages asked me to check this out.
> 
> https://info.yourwealthguide.com.au...-fClSZSBx8O4UsGzk3nxoEdI6ENtB-Yc4hfOxQyi-kd64
> 
> ...




My experience with them this week is they are a marketing and lead generation company. There is nothing special in what they do no secret sauce as they imply in all their marketing. They hand you off to a mortgage or investment property consultant to try and sell you a better deal of what you already have or a new property. I would steer clear


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## SirRumpole (23 January 2022)

Yes this is or was a scam, and how they caught the scammer makes an interesting story.









						This private investigator chased the Hollywood Con Queen for years. Then she made a shocking discovery
					

The strange and complicated scam stretched across multiple countries over seven years. But when police arrested the Hollywood Con Queen, her hundreds of victims were shocked.




					www.abc.net.au


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## basilio (9 May 2022)

How is this for a story ?  Anyone here had a similar experience ?

Booking.com demanded an extra €5,000 for our villa​Many months after we made the original booking, the website demanded the extra amount





Our correspondent felt Booking.com was trying to take advantage of a surge in demand. Photograph: Dado Ruvić/Reuters





Anna Tims
Wed 4 May 2022 07.00 BSTLast modified on Wed 4 May 2022 07.01 BST

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2...demanded-an-extra-5000-for-our-villa#comments
208
*Last May, 12 of us used Booking.com to rent a Greek villa for a fortnight in August. We paid the €4,435  cost in full and booked flights and hire cars. Recently Booking.com informed us that there had been a pricing error and the actual cost was €9,407. We were told that we must pay the difference or it would cancel the reservation. It is already re-advertising the villa for the dates we have booked. We feel that it is trying to take advantage of increasing demand for holidays at our expense.*

_*PJ, Stockport*_
Booking.com holds customers to strict terms and conditions when it comes to cancellations, but scuppers holidays itself without penalty. Last year, I reported on a family who arrived for their spa holiday in Cornwall to find the company had transferred their booking to the London suburb of Uxbridge. Your experience is similarly breathtaking in its audacity. The curt email from Booking.com arrived 11 months after your booking and gave you 24 hours to pay the extra. It stated that the villa owner wished to find “middle ground” and would reduce the new €9,400 price by €200. It added, graciously, that if you did not want to accept the offer it would cancel your booking “for free”. The company’s terms and conditions state that obvious errors, such as a €1 hotel suite, are not binding. If the €4,435 price was an “obvious error”, you’d expect the owner to have noticed last year. If it were not, you should have been able to rely on another clause in the terms and conditions which state that your payment constitutes “final settlement of the due and payable service”.

In the event, Booking.com cancelled and refunded your reservation while you were still discussing what to do. You and your family have now been left nearly €3,000 out of pocket after paying for alternative accommodation and rearranging flights and car hire.

I repeatedly asked Booking.com whether owners were required to sign cancellation terms so that customers could be confident that they would get what they paid for. It said evasively that it works “collaboratively” with owners who are responsible for pricing and availability and that it supports customers when errors occur. “We can see that in this instance it was an error on the part of the villa and are investigating why this occurred to make sure it does not happen again,” it said.

Scandalously, the story would have ended there if you hadn’t asked me to investigate. Only then did the company agree to refund the €2,930 costs of rearranging the holiday. Booking.com’s terms and conditions state that it handles all complaints internally and is not obliged to submit to alternative dispute resolution providers so, had it refused to compensate, your next step would have been a claim for your expenses via the small claims court.









						Booking.com demanded an extra €5,000 for our villa
					

Many months after we made the original booking, the website demanded the extra amount




					www.theguardian.com


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## Ferret (10 May 2022)

That story stinks.  Booking.com seem to be quite an unscrupulous organisation.

I've used them in the past and been stung by overseas transaction costs on my credit card when the charge went through Amsterdam or somewhere without any indication from Booking.com that this would happen.

I don't book through them now.


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## peter2 (7 June 2022)

*Scam alert*:  Something new (for me). 
Received email purporting to be from *myGov* alerting me to apply for refund of 436.98 AUD. 

Email uses similar colours to the myGov site. Reading the other sentences in the email you can tell it's a scam.


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## peter2 (7 June 2022)

Posting the email notice for your viewing pleasure. 





	

		
			
		

		
	
.


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## Garpal Gumnut (7 June 2022)

peter2 said:


> Posting the email notice for your viewing pleasure.
> 
> View attachment 142633
> 
> ...



And the spelling is not Real Estate Advertising standard. " Tree generations of the family have owned there house for 97 years "

I'm quite impressed. 

gg


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## basilio (21 June 2022)

The scammers are getting much better. A very scary story on the ABC of how a businesswoman was tricked into clicking a Google Bank ad link.  Well worth reading closely.

From text messages to fraudulent ads, how scammers are draining bank accounts​7.30
 / By Hannah Bowers and Alex McDonald
Posted 2h ago2 hours ago




 Helen Cahill accidentally entered her login details onto a bogus bank website.(ABC News: Kyle Harley)
Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article

Key points:​
Helen Cahill mistakenly logged into a fake Bendigo Bank website and had $30,000 stolen
There have been more than 35,000 reported attempts to gain the personal information of Australians since January
Scam victims are encouraged not to be embarrassed and to report it quickly

In the 25 years Helen Cahill has kept the books for her small business near Melbourne Airport, she's never had any trouble doing online banking.

So on a particularly busy afternoon on May 26, when she sat down at her desk, she thought it was strange it was taking so long to log in.
She'd googled "Bendigo Bank" and clicked on the first link that came up, which was a Google ad for the bank.

*She then keyed in her login details, including a two-factor authentication pin. *

What Ms Cahill soon discovered was that she had clicked on a malicious advertisement instead of the Bendigo Bank website, and that a scammer had gained access to her account.

*"It was probably within two minutes that I logged onto the genuine Bendigo Bank … and realised that $30,000 had been taken from my account," Ms Cahill told 7.30.*
"I just felt really violated … I thought, 'How can that happen?' I really feel like I'm a very cautious, careful person when I'm doing banking."










						One of these links was a scam. Clicking the wrong one cost Helen $30,000
					

In the 25 years Helen Cahill has kept the books for her small business, she's never had any trouble doing online banking. Until last month.




					www.abc.net.au


----------

