UPDATES FOR FORUM FOR THE ERADIFICATION OF INTERNET CRIMES

        READ AND DO NOT FALL A VICTIM OF INTERNET CRIME

COPIED FROM http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/100311.aspx

Intelligence Note

 Prepared by the Internet Crime

Complaint Center (IC3)

March 10, 2010

Rental and Real Estate Scams

Individuals need to be cautious when posting rental properties and real estate on-line.

The IC3 continues to receive numerous complaints from individuals who have fallen

victim to scams involving rentals of apartments and houses, as well as postings

of real estate on-line.

Rental scams occur when the victim has rental property advertised and is contacted

by an interested party. Once the rental price is agreed-upon, the scammer forwards

a check for the deposit on the rental property to the victim. The check is to cover

housing expenses and is, either written in excess of the amount required, with the

scammer asking for the remainder to be remitted back, or the check is written for

the correct amount, but the scammer backs out of the rental agreement and asks for

a refund. Since the banks do not usually place a hold on the funds, the victim has

immediate access to them and believes the check has cleared. In the end, the check

is found to be counterfeit and the victim is held responsible by the bank for all

losses.

Another type of scam involves real estate that is posted via classified advertisement

websites. The scammer duplicates postings from legitimate real estate websites and

reposts these ads, after altering them. Often, the scammers use the broker's real

name to create a fake email, which gives the fraud more legitimacy. When the victim

sends an email through the classified advertisement website inquiring about the

home, they receive a response from someone claiming to be the owner. The "owner"

claims he and his wife are currently on missionary work in a foreign country. Therefore,

he needs someone to rent their home while they are away. If the victim is interested

in renting the home, they are asked to send money to the owner in the foreign country.

If you have been a victim of Internet crime, please file a complaint at

http://www.IC3.gov/.

Washington,

D.C. 20535-0001

 FBI National Press Office

(202) 324-3691

For Immediate Release

March 11, 2010

National Center for Disaster Fraud to Coordinate Haitian and Chilean Fraud Complaints

Shortly after the earthquake in Haiti last January, the FBI and the National Center

for Disaster Fraud (NCDF)

established a telephone hotline to report suspected fraud associated with relief

efforts. That number, (866) 720-5721, was initially staffed for the purpose of reporting

suspected scams being perpetrated by criminals in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake.

Since then with the recent earthquake in Chile our efforts have expanded to identify

similar fraud activity coming out of that disaster. Therefore the public is encouraged

to call this same number (866) 720-5721 to report suspected fraud from either disaster.

The telephone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Additionally, e-mail information can be directly sent to disaster@leo.gov.

The National Center for Disaster Fraud was originally established by

the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake

of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured

into the Gulf Coast Region. Now, its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud

from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 20 federal agencies, including the

FBI, participate in the NCDF, allowing the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse

of information related to Haitian or Chilean Relief Fraud.

The FBI continues to remind the public to apply a critical eye and do their due

diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of

Haitian or Chilean victims. Solicitations can originate from e-mails, websites,

door-to-door collections, mailings and telephone calls, and similar methods.

Therefore, before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain

guidelines, including the following:

    *  Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking links

      contained within those messages because they may contain computer viruses.

    *  Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or officials

      asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.

    *  Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same

      as those of reputable charities.

    *  Rather than following a purported link to a website, verify the legitimacy of non-profit

      organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming

      the group's existence and its non-profit status.

    *  Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached

      files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.

    *  To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions

      directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation

      on your behalf.

    *  Do not be pressured into making contributions, as reputable charities do not use

      such tactics.

    *  Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions.

      Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable

      to identity theft.

    *  Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by debit or credit card, or write a check

      directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.

    *  Legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services.

    *  Most legitimate charities websites end in .org rather than .com.

    *  There are scams targeting Haitian immigrants and their families offering assistance

      in getting family members and friends out of Haiti. These individuals charge a fee

      and then claim they will provide the necessary immigration paperwork or an airline

      ticket for disaster victims to leave Haiti. For official information pertaining

      to immigration from Haiti to the U.S., visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration

      Services (USCIS)

      website at www.USCIS.gov.