There are scammers who are using
a variety of names and seem to be targeting massage,
acupuncture, yoga, practitioners
and similar
businesses in Europe. Although this might change.
They are claiming to be employees of Lewis Conquer Consultancy Services Ltd.
This is completely untrue.
Unfortunately there is nothing that Lewis Conquer
Consultancy Services Ltd can do to stop this other than advise anyone who enquires
or who look on the website.
Typical first email.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Datum:
Fri, 14 May 2010 02:15:56 -0700 (PDT)
Von: Pete Owen <mark.00johnson@yahoo.com>
An: Betreff: MASSAGE RESERVATION
Hello,
I am Mr.Pete Owen of Lewis Conquer Consultancy Services. We will be coming for massage treatment and we are in number 8 adults, and we are to
spend 7 day's. Please get back to me with the rate per person; please also get
back to me with 30 minutes daily session. Your professional advice needed.
Arrival date: 20 July 2010. Departure date: 27 July 2010. Please check the
availability and get back to me with the
Total cost. Mode of payment: credit card or cheque.
Regards,
Mr. Pete Owen
A variety of names are used: Pete Owen, Mark Owen,
William Edward, Allan Bradock. None of whom are employees of
Lewis Conquer
Consultancy Services Ltd
Note the use of a yahoo email address that does not match the name.
They are nearly always from a free account, like hotmail, gmail or yahoo.
No legitimate business would use this type of account!
If you receive an email like this ignore it
If you reply you will
probably get something like
Hello,
Thanks for your reply and assistance so far.After our meeting in preparation for
our coming, We concluded to use your spaces FOR MASSAGING TREATMENT and also we
have concluded about the payment.
However, a Certified Bank Check of 9,000 Euro has been issued to cover both our
MASSAGE TREATMENT , car rental and other logistics that includes meals,camping
etc.I am sure you do not provide such services in your MASSAGE CENTER so we
engaged the services of a logistics agency.
I have now been instructed to send you the check, so that when you receive it
you will cash it deduct the cost of your services 1,120 Euro and wait for
instructions on how to use the refund of 7,880 Euro.
So,confirm this and provide me with the followings:
(1) YOUR FULL NAME (name on check)..............
(2)ADDRESS (for check delivery)................
(3) PHONE NUMBERS.............,
for payment to be delivered to you.
Please remember that the integrity of our agency is involved, so this business
requires prompt response.
I also hope that our stay will be made comfortable.
Best Regards,
Williams Edward
15 Groove Gardens Hendon
London NW4 SB4
Phone Number:+447011140476
The cheque (check) will be drawn against a
non-European bank and will almost certainly be a forgery good enough to fool the
average bank clerk. However due to the long delays in clearing international
payments of this type it may be some time before this is found out.
You will then be asked to transfer some of the
money to a third party or refund it. DO NOT DO THIS!!
Otherwise you will lose substantial
amounts of money!!
I have been asked why I don't phone and try and stop
them using my company name. The phone number given is a personal number that
will divert to who knows where. Most of the other contact information is
false. The email addresses could be anywhere I traced one to California.
At least while they are using my company name, sensible people like you will check
them out and not be taken in by them!
More information
here