By: Andy Zhang
Edited: Katherine Chiu
I'm an International student from China doing my second year in Accounting. My family comes from a farming background where there was no money. And even if there was they'd try and save some for me.
I came to RMIT with not much money in my bank account. So I really needed a job. I was that desperate. Where did I look? Online of course
Online there was a job ad for "Work at home" And I thought it was perfect for me as I didn't have much time for a part time job. The job involved transferring money to another bank account which I did not know at that time it was illegal. I went to RMIT orientation days and sessions and they didn't give me much tips about scams and job scams. Instead they just covered the very basics.
This was what I got as my letter from an online scammer.
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED.
From: mr.i.amascammer
Sent: 6th of March 2012 at 8:30PM
DEAR FRIEND,
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I KNOW THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE.
I AM THE BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER IN BANK OF AFRICA (BOA),
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO. I HOPED THAT YOU WILL NOT
EXPOSE OR BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THAT I AM ABOUT
TO REPOSE ON YOU FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF OUR FAMILIES.
I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF
(USD$20M) TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHIN 10 TO 14 BANKING DAYS.
THIS MONEY HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR YEARS IN OUR BANK WITHOUT
CLAIM. I WANT THE BANK TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE
NEAREST PERSON TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER (THE OWNER OF
THE ACCOUNT) DIED ALONG WITH HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN IN AN
AIR CRASH SINCE JULY, 2000.
I DON’T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK TREASURER
ACCOUNT AS AN ABANDONED FUND. SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY
I CONTACTED YOU SO THAT THE BANK CAN RELEASE THE MONEY
TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER.
PLEASE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP
SECRET AND DELETE IT IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED.
UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL GIVE YOU FULL DETAILS ON
HOW THE BUSINESS WILL BE EXECUTED AND ALSO NOTE THAT YOU
WILL HAVE 40% OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED SUM IF YOU AGREE TO
HANDLE THIS BUSINESS WITH ME? AND 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR
ANY EXPENSES THAT WARRANT ON THE PROCESS BEFORE THE FUND
GET INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT SUCH AS TELEPHONE CALLS BILLS
(ETC).
PLAESE REPLY ME TO THIS E-mail,
BEST REGARD.
MR I. AMASCAMMER
Six months later my bank account was frozen and I was asked to come to the police station. Luckily though I said that I did not know that there was such a scam. They asked me to provide the details of my employer and I did. They let me off with a warning.
I could not pay fees to RMIT at this time. I had to get loan from my friend back home (he was working as an accountant in the top firm). I also couldn't afford all the living expenses without the loan. I also couldn't sleep very well at night as I'd lost all of that money and had to reapply for another bank account.
The online scammer was eventually caught and they had a minimum of 25 years in prison. They were also asked to reimburse me the money that I lost.
Lessons learnt: Don't apply for these work at home jobs and never ever give out your bank account details to someone that you don't know. I hope that RMIT can give students a lot more information about these sorts of scams that goes on.
Edited: Katherine Chiu
 |
| Image courtesy of www.antifraudpartners.com |
I'm an International student from China doing my second year in Accounting. My family comes from a farming background where there was no money. And even if there was they'd try and save some for me.
I came to RMIT with not much money in my bank account. So I really needed a job. I was that desperate. Where did I look? Online of course
Online there was a job ad for "Work at home" And I thought it was perfect for me as I didn't have much time for a part time job. The job involved transferring money to another bank account which I did not know at that time it was illegal. I went to RMIT orientation days and sessions and they didn't give me much tips about scams and job scams. Instead they just covered the very basics.
This was what I got as my letter from an online scammer.
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED.
From: mr.i.amascammer
Sent: 6th of March 2012 at 8:30PM
DEAR FRIEND,
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I KNOW THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE.
I AM THE BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER IN BANK OF AFRICA (BOA),
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO. I HOPED THAT YOU WILL NOT
EXPOSE OR BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THAT I AM ABOUT
TO REPOSE ON YOU FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF OUR FAMILIES.
I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF
(USD$20M) TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHIN 10 TO 14 BANKING DAYS.
THIS MONEY HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR YEARS IN OUR BANK WITHOUT
CLAIM. I WANT THE BANK TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE
NEAREST PERSON TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER (THE OWNER OF
THE ACCOUNT) DIED ALONG WITH HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN IN AN
AIR CRASH SINCE JULY, 2000.
I DON’T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK TREASURER
ACCOUNT AS AN ABANDONED FUND. SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY
I CONTACTED YOU SO THAT THE BANK CAN RELEASE THE MONEY
TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER.
PLEASE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP
SECRET AND DELETE IT IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED.
UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL GIVE YOU FULL DETAILS ON
HOW THE BUSINESS WILL BE EXECUTED AND ALSO NOTE THAT YOU
WILL HAVE 40% OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED SUM IF YOU AGREE TO
HANDLE THIS BUSINESS WITH ME? AND 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR
ANY EXPENSES THAT WARRANT ON THE PROCESS BEFORE THE FUND
GET INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT SUCH AS TELEPHONE CALLS BILLS
(ETC).
PLAESE REPLY ME TO THIS E-mail,
BEST REGARD.
MR I. AMASCAMMER
Six months later my bank account was frozen and I was asked to come to the police station. Luckily though I said that I did not know that there was such a scam. They asked me to provide the details of my employer and I did. They let me off with a warning.
I could not pay fees to RMIT at this time. I had to get loan from my friend back home (he was working as an accountant in the top firm). I also couldn't afford all the living expenses without the loan. I also couldn't sleep very well at night as I'd lost all of that money and had to reapply for another bank account.
The online scammer was eventually caught and they had a minimum of 25 years in prison. They were also asked to reimburse me the money that I lost.
Lessons learnt: Don't apply for these work at home jobs and never ever give out your bank account details to someone that you don't know. I hope that RMIT can give students a lot more information about these sorts of scams that goes on.
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