| In the first article posted, we covered James's | | | | Now, lets go back to James and PW and their |
| activities in concert with those of his 'benefactor' and | | | | negotiations. Notices, 'legal' documents and transfer |
| 'business partner' PW. Warning signs #1, #2 and #3 | | | | information flip-flopped across the Atlantic, while an |
| were totally ignored by James, as you have no doubt | | | | account at the Clydesdale Bank, Guernsey was set up |
| guessed. Here are some more excellent 'no-nos'. | | | | for us. I was a bit suspicious when we were told that |
| First, we need to review the Top 10 important warning | | | | an initial deposit of 2,500 pounds Great British Pounds |
| signs. Here they are: | | | | Sterling was required to activate the account, (at that |
| Top Ten Warning Signs | | | | time we didn't know about activation fees). I was also |
| 1. You never get anything for nothing (beware of any | | | | puzzled as to why this amount was to be sent via |
| proposal coming from a non-specific server, e.g. or | | | | Moneygram to a contact in the Bank's Head Office in |
| gmail.com). | | | | London. Why not bank to bank transfer? However, |
| 2. Never let your business partner choose the bank | | | | lulled by the thought of a possible windfall of US |
| where you will do business. | | | | $49,000,000.00 coming our way, I agreed that James |
| 3 .Never believe that a reputable bank is a reputable | | | | should send the money and this part of the transaction |
| bank. | | | | went through quite successfully. |
| 4. Never pay any money up front. | | | | WARNING #5: NEVER SEND MONEY VIA |
| 5. Never send money via MoneyGram or any other | | | | MONEYGRAM OR ANY OTHER ELECTRONIC |
| electronic money transfer system to pay for the | | | | MONEY TRANSFER SYSTEM TO PAY FOR THE |
| millions you expect to receive. | | | | MILLIONS YOU EXPECT TO RECEIVE. |
| 6. Never believe that your business partner has put up | | | | There was no problem for us transferring money via |
| any money to secure this deal before getting you | | | | Moneygram to Clydesdale and everything went |
| involved. | | | | according to plan in the transactions with PW. |
| 7. Never accept any document as being "an official | | | | However, in two subsequent transactions James lost a |
| document". | | | | considerable amount of money because he sent |
| 8. Never agree to pay any legal fees to a lawyer, no | | | | up-front fees via a money transfer organization. These |
| matter for what. | | | | organizations accept only cash payment, and send the |
| 9. Never believe that the person on the other end of | | | | money to their office in a designated city anywhere in |
| the phone is who he claims to be. | | | | the world. It is up to the sender to provide the recipient |
| 10. Never forward any personal information to anyone. | | | | with the code to collect the cash on arrival. |
| WARNING # 4: NEVER PROVIDE UP-FRONT | | | | All the scammer has to do is to take the claim number, |
| MONEY, ESPECIALLY AN ACTIVATION FEE OF | | | | which we have kindly supplied them by e-mail or fax, |
| ANY SORT. | | | | present it at the office and walk away with the |
| This is where the scammers get their money, if they | | | | money. |
| can. An activation fee is the amount of money | | | | In the current PW story, the money was sent, |
| required to open a bank account before any other | | | | received and banked. In two subsequent nightmares, |
| sum of money is deposited. The activation fee varies | | | | the money was 'stolen' according to James's senior |
| from scam to scam. | | | | 'business partners'. We know very well that the money |
| Normally, if an account is opened at a bank, the | | | | was not stolen but pocketed by the scammer and we |
| deposit made to that account, large or small is the initial | | | | could do absolutely nothing. |
| deposit. There is no 'activation fee' required before you | | | | The 'business partner' never has a bank account |
| make your initial deposit, but the scammers do require | | | | (because he has no money) to enable bank to bank |
| that fee. Some will only charge a paltry $1,500, while | | | | money transfer. That is why we had to use |
| others will go up to $24,000 depending upon the type | | | | Moneygram. How stupid could we get! |
| of account you want. You may suggest, logically, that | | | | Back to our story about the Clydesdale bank and PW; |
| your 'business partner' take the activation fee out of | | | | it never occurred to me to ask why the account |
| the millions he is going to give you. That is definitely a | | | | couldn't be opened with the initial deposit of $123 million |
| no-go. If you cannot pay the activation fee the | | | | coming from PW! After all, I had done due diligence |
| scammers drop you like a hot potato. | | | | and just accepted that activation fees were part of |
| If you pay the amount required, the scammers thank | | | | the off-shore bank operation. |
| you, send you notice of a transfer of funds to your | | | | The equivalent of £2,500 British Pounds at that |
| nominated bank and you never hear from them again. | | | | time was approximately US $5,000, and fees for |
| The money never arrives in your nominated account. | | | | Moneygram were added. Somehow we scraped this |
| You lose all the money you paid them and your | | | | amount together and sent it off to the bank. The |
| reward is absolutely nothing. It is a no win situation. | | | | following day, we accessed our account, and sure |
| This is all made possible because the scammers | | | | enough there was a credit of 2,500 British Pounds |
| choose a well known bank and operate a sub-set of | | | | registered in the account. The impossible now really |
| that same bank. The real bank authorities either don't | | | | looked possible! |
| know, or don't care, so it would appear. | | | | See what happens to James in the next article post. |