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‘Second-offer’ E-mail Scam Spurs Warning

As per the news by Gazettonline on December 4, 2007, Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek is warning people against wiring money to strangers or to follow eBay-esque "second chance offer" links attached with mails as they could create havoc and would lead utter destruction.

The scam has already appeared in Johnson County and other regions of the US. The mail tantalizes the users and urges them about their second chance to win a vehicle which they wanted. Consequently, innocent users click the attached link and lands on an e-Bay look-alike website.

As per Sheriff's Office, the vehicle is usually sold for less than $10,000. The supposed purchaser is disillusioned and thinks that he has purchased a vehicle through e-Bay when actually he has wired money to some stranger involved in the swindle.

On investigating the case, Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek stated that it is impossible to trace the money as it goes into several hands. He also said that it becomes hard to file charge or prosecute and there is no hope left for the victim to get his money back.

Further, Sheriff's Office had also talked with the Des Moines Police Department and Linn County Sheriff's Office. Lonny also claims that there are many law enforcement agencies that have cases like this still going on.

Don Zeller, Linn County Sheriff, said that it seems people are habituated to hear these kind of news as almost every week there is an occurrence of these kind of news, as per the news published by Gazetteonline on December 4, 2007.

Although Linn County Sheriff Don Zeller had no such issues like Johnson County, even then Linn County is still working with the fraud department of e-Bay.

Constant complaints from victims who were traumatized in Johnson County provoked Sheriff to warn the users against online transactions. In past few weeks, Sheriff's Office has worked on around three cases which involve look alikes of e-Bay.

Security researchers have predicated that it may be a nationwide scam and suggested that users should take precautions and should not incline to open mails from e-Bay that promise a 'second chance offer'.

Related article: “Loopholes did not cause online banking thefts”: ICBC

» SPAMfighter News - 12/15/2007

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