FIGHTING INTERNET AND BUSINESS SCAMS
FIGHTING
INTERNET AND BUSINESS SCAMS – THE 21ST CENTURY BACKGROUND CHECK
You would think that the internet scam artists
would take a vacation from bilking unsuspecting victims during such recent
natural disasters as hurricane Katrina, and the tsunami that killed over a
quarter million people right after Christmas. “Not so.”, says Jim Merrick of
Click First, a one stop online informational portal that provides background
information about businesses and individuals (www.clickfirstlinks.com).
comes to fraud. “Just look at what happened recently after hurricane Katrina”,
states
the Red Cross have been collecting funds via unsolicited emails. Can you
believe it? These guys just never give it a rest.”
More than half the donations to the Red Cross
have come over the Internet, but a number of scam sites have cropped up that
emulate the Red Cross Web page. In some cases, after users donate to a
fraudulent outlet, the site instantly links to the official Red Cross page, so
givers continue to think they’ve just given to the Red Cross. In other
instances, e-mail messages asking for donations include a link to a phony
charity.
occurred after Christmas, several days after the tsunami caused by underwater
shifts in the seabed ravaged the coastline of dozens of countries lining the
Pacific and Indians oceans. “One group posed as a well known international aid group
named Oxfam,” describes Merrick while sitting in the offices of Click First,
“[the group] sent an email message that appeared to be from the disaster relief
agency branch of Hong Kong which urges readers to deposit money into a bank
account in Spain. Oxfam officials contacted police about the scam after finding
out.”
people who are fooled into sending funds aren’t always the elderly, who are normally
the prime candidates for being taken. “I started Click First because I was
burned for over $70,000 by a complex business scheme”, laments
thought was a pretty thorough job of online detective work.”
relied on his long time banker to advise him on sources of capitol for a new
business he was starting up. The banker referred
to a gentleman who had carefully concealed his true background through an identity
theft committed years earlier. Even after
had brought in a former law enforcement professional, who had access to government
databases, he was still hoodwinked by the misguided talents of this experienced
thief. “If that guy used half of his abilities, engaged in a legitimate
profession, he would be a millionaire.” stated
Internet scams and complex business fraud are
fast becoming the leading type of non-violent crime in the country. Just days
after Hurricane Katrina struck, the FBI’s top cyber-crimes official, Chris
Swecker, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, said
the FBI had already opened eight investigations into potentially fraudulent
sites related to hurricane Katrina. Swecker declined to say exactly how many
investigations are open at present.
Online scammers robbed Americans of more than
$437 million in 2003, mostly using stolen identities, fake Internet auctions
and fraudulent shop-at-home schemes according to the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC). In its year-end Consumer Fraud and ID Theft Report, the FTC said it
received more than half a million consumer complaints during 2003, a 40 percent
jump over complaints in 2002. More than 40 percent of all complaints were related
to identity theft and other Web-related scams.
Small businesses are more prone to fraud than
large companies. Small businesses experience fraud losses at a rate 200 times
that of the largest businesses, with more than 50 percent of frauds involving
losses of less than $100,000, according to a 2002 survey from the Association
of Certified Fraud Examiners. Seventy-five percent of fraud is not detected or
reported and costs the average business 0.5 percent to 2 percent of its gross
revenue. The annual cost of fraud in the
ever growing problem was to develop a turn key business and private individual
background check portal that could achieve accurate results in just 3 clicks.
“The problem that I encountered, when I was trying to protect myself and my
colleagues, was that there was no all encompassing web site or source of information
I could go to”, discusses Merrick, “there were several places I could retrieve
information, but none were linked to the other, and the fellow that scammed our
group new the weak points and took advantage of the system.” Using the Click
First site you can, in three clicks or less, find information on any doctor,
lawyer, accountant, contractor, or do a complete background check on those
people that you are potentially going to deal with. The Click First site also
has a special “Scam Watch” alert on the home page, which provides information
about the most popular or current scams.
Billy Mays, a nationally known spokesman for
name brand products, was drawn to
project because of its consumer protection function. Mays stated bluntly that
“You can’t afford not to know” the information that Click First provides. Mays is
now actively involved in the development end of the business.
Unscrupulous individuals aren’t going to go
away or take a hiatus when disasters affect the masses. The internet can either
be the tool of the criminal element or the defensive shield protecting the
vigilant. Jim Merrick decided that he didn’t need to make the same mistake
twice, and in fact went a step further when he developed the 3 click fraud protection
system designed for businesses or individuals. “Why let these cyber thugs take
advantage of the honest guy?” proclaims
“The technology was there to stop them. I just stepped up and said enough was
enough.” Let this being a warning to those who are planning new scams—a new
sheriff is in town.
Bruce Prokopets
Executive Editor
Press Direct International
www.pressdirectinternational.org
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