Nigerian Spammers & Other Online Scammers Target Mourning “MJ” Fans

As per the reports published in news.com.au in the 2nd week of July 2009, Nigerian online scammers target grieving fans just hours after the memorial service of Michael Jackson.

It is known that one of the e-mail scams, which represented Jackson Foundation, solicited for charity from all the Michael Jackson fans to help the motherless, sick orphans in Michael Jackson Organization.

The scam mail contains text that says they are asking for charity to continue the good work of Michael Jackson.

The e-mail further says that the amount of charity is irrelevant for Michael who helped the deprived people throughout his lifetime and solicits users to send the donations to "West Africa Michael Jackson Organization and Charity."

It is learnt that charities are asked to be sent through Western Union or Moneygram to one Mrs. Joan Adun in an address of Nigeria, as reported by thetimes on July 13, 2009.

Meanwhile, Internet fraud watch groups have reckoned it a scam. The South African Police Service commercial crime unit is also probing the mail.

According to security experts, it was not only the Nigerian e-mail scammers who engaged with MJ'S memorial service and his death to generate fast money but many other online scammers and phishers also came forward on the web to sell collectibles of the late "King of Pop."

SmartMoney.com (a financial publishing site) declared that at one instant, almost 53,000 Jackson-related items or collectibles were put on sale on e-Bay, an increase from 20,000.

Some items put on sale were - a framed "artist of the year" award for $5,900, a Michael Jackson-autographed Rolling Stone magazine for $61, an autographed fedora hat sealed in a glass case for $5,155 and a Thriller LP in factory seal for $455.

Because of online scams of these kinds, FTC (Federal Trade Commission) came forward and tracked activities on the web and other forms of media for possible fraud.

FTC further said - if by chance customers feel that they have been hit by such forged online scams, they may contact FTC on their helpline numbers- 1-877-FTC-HELP.

Related article: Nigerian Scammers Secure Huge Money from Australian Victims

» SPAMfighter News - 7/29/2009