Rip off report

Complaints

Consumer Affairs

Identity theft. (Home Office Identity Theft website),  Your identity and personal information are valuable. Criminals can find out your personal details and use them to open bank accounts and get credit cards, loans, state benefits and documents such as passports and driving licenses in your name.

The Identity and Passport Service was established as an Executive Agency of the Home Office on 1 April 2006.  The Agency builds on the strong foundations of the UK Passport Service (UKPS) to provide passport services and in the future, as part of the National Identity Scheme, ID cards for British and Irish nationals resident in the UK.  Foreign nationals resident in the UK will also be included by linking the scheme to biometric immigration documents.

The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following SCAM. A card is posted through your door from a company suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on a premium rate number.  DO NOT call this number as this is a mail scam originating from Belize. If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message, you will already have been billed a large amount for the phone call.  If you do receive a card with these details, then please view Royal Mail Security

Federal Trade Commission  Spam information 

WAH Watchdog, Work at Home Watchdog. Have you been scammed by a "work at home" company?  Purchased a "money making system" that didn't live up to its claims? Having a hard time getting a refund from a merchant? Today we track over 100 of the most popular products and programs, visitors have cast over 250,000 verified votes and this site gets 20,000+ visitors per day - but we need YOUR help too. If you have firsthand experience with any of the products and/or programs that we track, please share your opinions by voting or, even better, submitting a more in-depth review.

WAH Mission is two-fold:-

1. To make things just a little bit harder for all of the scammers out there.
2. To help recognize legitimate work from home and related products that really do help people. 

Hoax-Slayer is dedicated to debunking email hoaxes, thwarting Internet scammers, combating spam, and educating web users about email and Internet security issues. Hoax-Slayer allows Internet users to check the veracity of common email hoaxes and aims to counteract criminal activity by publishing information about common types of Internet scams. Hoax-Slayer also includes anti-spam tips, computer and email security information, articles about true email forwards, and much more. New articles are added to the Hoax-Slayer website every week:-

How To Break Web Software - A look at security vulnerabilities in web software. Video- (Large, but worth, (a must), watching video).

Visit the UK Passport website issue UK passports to British nationals living in the UK.  Our website is here to help you with your passport application.

National Lottery, (United Kingdom), scam (fraudulent) emails are increasing at an alarming rate.

Get Safe Online. Expert advice for everyone. Will help you protect yourself against internet threats. The site is sponsored by government and leading businesses working together to provide a free, public service.

Rip-off Report Victim of a consumer Rip-off? Want justice? Rip-off Report' is a worldwide consumer reporting Website & Publication, by consumers, for consumers, to file & document complaints about companies or individuals who ripoff consumers.

SpoofStick is a simple browser, (Internet Explorer or Firefox), extension that helps users detect spoofed (fake) websites. A spoofed website is typically made to look like a well known, branded site (like ebay.com or citibank.com) with a slightly different or confusing URL. The attacker then tries to trick people into going to the spoofed site by sending out fake email messages or posting links in public places, hoping that some percentage of users won't notice the incorrect URL and give away important information. This practice is sometimes known as phishing".

Reporting Spam SpamCop parses reported email, sending warning information to the internet service provider responsible for hosting the services used by the spammer (web sites and email sending sites). SpamCop also uses the information to generate SpamCop's free blocking list. Unfortunately, this is an ongoing battle. Spammers adapt quickly and persistently. Report spam and help SpamCop turn the tide. SpamCop makes this otherwise slow and technical task quick and easy. The SpamCop reporting service is free.   More...

Toasted Spam  Spam reports, Phishing scams, 419 scams, etc... More spam related links

What is "mole" reporting? SpamCop Mole reporting was an experiment that presented many problems in the operations and integrity of SpamCop, so is mostly being disabled. Reports from users who choose to be mole reporters will count only in the statistics and aggregate counts. Reports are not sent and can only be viewed by SpamCop administrators. Mole reports do not count in the stats used to determine listing and delisting of IP addresses in the SpamCop Blocking List. As spam defenses and spammers become more sophisticated, many smart spammers have developed very sophisticated defenses against being detected. One of the spammer's strategies is to quickly and effectively remove anyone from their mailing lists who files a spam complaint (until they want to get revenge, and then the use these "remove lists" differently). This is generally (although not always) good for the person filing the complaint, but it is bad for spam defense in general, since these activists are the only ones identifying the problem. By removing the "trouble makers", spammers too often slip "under the radar" and appear to be legitimate senders, even though the majority (or entirety) of the victims don't want the mail (they are just the ones who don't bother to make waves). More...

PayPal Support Club. Review and helpful links, coding examples, warnings, other shopping cart links, etc. PayPal is a on-link banking system that allows website owners to integrate shopping cart technology into their site.  Find out more, includes links to helpful site about PayPal shopping cart technology. Report eBay spoof emails to spoof@ebay.com  Report spoof PayPal emails to spoof@paypal.com

Check Currency Converter for guidance of how much items may cost in other currency's.

Top ten scams to look out for Office of Fair Trading launches scams awareness

Fraud - Hoax Busters News about Fraud Prevention, Information and News about Fraud Online. Internet Fraud, Mail Fraud, Credit Card Fraud, Phishing, Phone Fraud.

DTI CHARITY SUPPORT PUBLISHING SCAMBUSTING GUIDELINES

A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that involves paying returns to investors out of the money raised from subsequent investors, rather than from profits generated by any real business. A Ponzi scheme offers high short-term returns in order to entice new investors, whose money is needed to fund payouts to earlier investors, and to lure its victims into ever-bigger risks.

Ransomware.Usually a viral type of software that requests payment to remove the virus.

Safelist & Blaster Reports & Warnings    Joolrods Business Forums. At Joolrods Business Forums you will find Scam Alerts and General Business Forums.

SPIM & SPIT (SPIM, SPam using Instant Messaging), is another new spamming technique, the difference in this case being that the spam is delivered through Instant Messaging rather than email. It's not as common as email spam. According to a report from Ferris Research, 500 million IM spam were sent in 2003, twice the level of 2002. As it becomes more common, SPIMcould affect businesses in the same way that email spam does now, creating security problems and costing time and money. SPIM stands for Spam over Internet Telephony. It's essentially like spam email, only rather than getting unwanted messages in your inbox, they're left on your voicemail. It can happen if you're using a phone connected to the Internet, something more and more people are choosing to do. VoIP addresses or may hack into a computer used to route VoIP calls. And, because calls routed over IP are much more difficult to trace, there's a far greater potential for fraud. Links to Instant Messaging Service. VoIP, STUN, TURN, NAT and ICE, SBC, Session Border Controllers and SIP Technologies

Pump and Dump. (Wikipedia,) (also known as "stock dump" and "hype and dump manipulation") is a term used to describe a form of financial fraud that typically involves artificially inflating the price of a stock or other security through untrue or exaggerated promotion (creating artificial demand), in order to sell stock, previously purchased cheaply, at the inflated price. When the promotion stops or flaws in the promotion are exposed, the artificial demand is removed, causing a collapse in the price of the investment, leaving many investors out of pocket.

Internet Merchants (IMA) Association The Internet Merchants Association (IMA) is a nonprofit (501c6) trade association for companies involved in internet commerce. IMA was founded to provide internet commerce companies with proper knowledge and education as well as best business practices in the ever-changing world of e-commerce. Through discussion and the exchange of ideas, IMA provides a base where companies benefit from the collective knowledge and experience of our membership as a whole

Wardriving A technique involving driving around with a wireless-equipped laptop computer to detect accessible wireless network access points, Sometimes looking Access Points (AP's)  which may also be know as Hot Spots for Wi-Fi conection etc. Some wardrivers do engage in malicious activity while other wardrivers is typically log and collect information from and about the Access Points (AP's) they find while driving. It's not illegal and anyone with a wireless network is vulnerable. WAP, WML, Wireless Markup Language, Wireless links, Wi_-Fi, BlueTooth, PixeCode, PDF414, Semacode, Datamatrix, radio with links about Wireless Security Issues

Dial up scams Beware this one can result in expensive telephone bills. The scams change the way your computer connects to the internet, usually when accessing premium content websites. The sites, which aren't necessarily pornographic, will ask you to install software to facilitate downloading. Accepting installs a dialler that replaces your default Internet connection with a premium rate telephone number.

Spoofing The chief aims of e-mail spoofings include: causing maximum embarrassment for the owner of the spoofed address; to hide the source of virus-laden emails; or to obtain sensitive information from spam recipients.

E-mail spoofing can occur in different guises, but all have a similar result: the user receives e-mail that appears to have originated from one source when it actually was sent from another source.

Phishing is a type of internet fraud designed to trick the recipient into giving up confidential information such as bank account numbers, passwords, user ID's or Social Security numbers. The word Phishing comes from the idea that these con artists send out the email message as the bait to a sea of internet users. The email are usually spam and contain a link to logs-on to a Domain Address, (URL), that address is directed to a fake Spoof websites. Phishing website that will look and feel like the genuine website. Do not click on such  links.

Click Here to view Typical Scam emails, Phishing emails

Pharming Attacks. It's related to Phishing.. Pharming Attacks hijack Internet domain Name Servers so that when your browser logs-on to a Domain Address, (URL), that address is directed to a fake Spoof websites,  Phishing website that will look and feel like the genuine website. These attacks are hoping to obtains sensitive information such as password and bank details. Secure Sites that use Secure Socket Layers should have protection against this. Anti-Phishing Working Group           Phishing Report

Firefox 2 Release Candidate 1 (RC 1) contains a built anti-phishing feature which warns users when they encounter Web forgeries, and offers to return the user to their home page. You can test the feature at this test site.

Microsoft Anti-phishing White Paper. A Brief Description. The focus of this white paper is to describe the basic workings of a new capability, the Microsoft' Phishing Filter, that will be included in the upcoming release of Internet Explorer 7.

PhishFighting. Fight back and take down the Phishers. Enter phishers URL to Report it.

Federal Trade Commission, Phishing Quick Facts How Not to Get Hooked by a Phishing Scam

FTC's Identity Theft website   FTC spam information If you get spam email that you think is deceptive, forward it to spam@uce.gov. The FTC uses the spam stored in this database to pursue law enforcement actions against people who send deceptive email.

SiteAdvisor. We test the Web to help keep you safe from spyware, spam, viruses and online scams.

GetNetWise. Accessing the Internet through a broadband or high speed Internet connection at home really enhances the online experience. However, broadband users should take extra precautions to secure their computer and their computer files. The speed at which information can be transferred to and from your computer and the fact that it stays connected to the Internet for long periods of time makes your it a more likely target for hackers than dial-up Internet users. By taking some basic precautions and using a few simple tools, you can do your part to protect cyberspace from hackers. At the same time, you'll also protect your computer and your information from theft, misuse and destruction. GetNetWise Main page

New PayPal phishing scam uncovered   The email, which purports to come PayPal, claims that the recipient's account has been the subject of fraudulent activity. However, unlike normal Phishing emails, there is no internet link or response address. Instead, the email directs the recipient to call a phone number and verify their details. When dialled, users are greeted by an automated voice saying: "Welcome to account verification. Please type your 16 digit card number." Once the credit card details are entered, the scammer is free to steal the credit information for their own use. Spyware analysts SophosLabs are warning users not to respond to the email. Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos said "Though it's an American telephone number, the fact that PayPal is used globally means that anyone could potentially be tricked into making the call." More SpyWare Removal Links.

PayPal Support Club. Review and helpful links, coding examples, warnings, other shopping cart links, etc. PayPal is a on-link banking system that allows website owners to integrate shopping cart technology into their site.  Find out more, includes links to helpful site about PayPal shopping cart technology.

Yahoo Security information and advice

Yahoo Hacking.  Social Engineering, Phishing information

Yahoo Reporting Password Scams

• Email: If you receive an email impersonating Yahoo!, please forward the email to mail-spoof@cc.yahoo-inc.com. Include the full headers and the HTML source code of the email you received.
• Web page: If you see a web page asking for your Yahoo! ID and password and you feel it is a scam, please report it to Yahoo!. Include the full URL of the web page collecting passwords.

Be on your guard against Internet fraudsters.

General rule: Delete any Spam, (junk email, unsolicited emails,  un-request emails). Use Spam Filters to help remove unwanted emails.

DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS IN A SPAMMERS MESSAGE.

Common frauds include:-

Spoof websites and email scams (known as Phishing)

A lot of Major banks, Credit Card operators, e-Commerce Sites, Visa, PayPal, (PayPal Support Club), and eBay, (also many other websites), have suffer from Phishing. This is where people were directed to a fraudulent website that is identical to the companies'sites in the hope that they will supply details so they can be used illegally.

Fraudsters create authentic looking, but false, faked or'spoof'websites. Their purpose is to request users to enter personal information such as passwords and memorable information. This information will be re-used to access their accounts and transfer monies to the fraudsters account. They may also use your details to carry out Identity theft and apply for credit or goods using your account details causing you a large amount of debit.

You may even receive spoof emails from Banks for which you are not a member of.

If you receive such an email, please do not access any link contained within it or provide any log on details.

Anti-Phishing Working Group           Phishing Report     Click Here to view Typical Scam emails, Phishing emails

Email scams that claim to offer you additional income.

This scam involves a third party asking you to receive or pay funds into your account on the understanding that you then transfer the funds on to another account or overseas. In return, they offer you a commission - however you will not receive payment for your involvement and as a result of any participation you may have, you will automatically become involved in subsequent Police investigations. Click Here to view Typical Scam emails, Phishing emails

Email scams that claim you have won a Lottery prize. ( Even for Lottery's you have not even entered for. )

This scam involves a third party making contact to advise that you have won a substantial amount of money in a lottery draw. If you reply the third party then asks you for bank account details and other such personal information to allow for the funds to be transferred to you, occasionally they may also ask for you to arrange payment of a handling fee. These scenarios are not genuine and you will lose any money you pay and your personal information, Identity theft, may be used in other fraud.

Advance fee or'419 Fraud'.

These are unsolicited letters and emails offering the recipient a generous reward for helping to move a large balance of funds, usually in US Dollars. These funds claim to be anything from corporate profits accumulated bribes unspent Government funds to unclaimed funds from a deceased person.

The fraudsters are after your banking details. The transactions typically require the recipient to pay a fee/tax/bribe to complete the deal. Any advance fee you provide will be lost and your personal information, Identity theft, may be used in other fraud.

Virus hoax emails.

Some email exploiting the concerns of others. For example emailed warnings about computer viruses may be hoaxes they may be designed to cause concern and disrupt businesses. They may request payment for Anti-Virus Software Tools & Utilities. Always check the story out by visiting an Anti-Virus Software Tools & Utilities site before forwarding them to friends and colleagues.

Messages which imply cures for medical conditions.

These could supply expensive and untested items which could cause you problems and unwanted side effects. If you have any medical problems consult a Qualified Doctor.

These could supply a diluted version, (or versions that are too strong), of a medicine which could cause you problems and unwanted side effects. If you have any medical problems consult a Qualified Doctor.

They may not be able or willing to support you if you have any unwanted side effects. If you have any medical problems consult a Qualified Doctor.

They may not be able or willing to supply you with the correct dosage for you. If you have any medical problems consult a Qualified Doctor.

The medicine they provide may be addictive. Consult a Qualified Doctor.

If you have any medical problems consult a Qualified Doctor.

Suspicious phone calls.

Across the financial services industry a number of customers have received telephone calls from individuals claiming to be from a card scheme (i.e. Visa or MasterCard). The caller then persuades the customer to give information about their credit card, including the security code found on the back of the card.

Most legitimate banks etc. do not contact credit card customers direct neither do they ask for any security information regarding cards.

If you receive a telephone call like this you shouldn't respond to it, nor should you give the caller any of the card security information they ask for.

Messages stating that you can make a large amount of money without much work.

Click Here to view Typical Scam emails, Phishing emails.

PC Security Software Protection Range. Anti-virus, Firewall, Privacy Defender, Spam Shield, Popup Blocker, Delete files PERMANENTLY, etc...

Anti-Phishing Working Group           Phishing Report

FTC Identity Theft Help Site

FireFox Browser A Mozilla project, empowers you to browse faster, more safely and more efficiently than with any other browser.

Internet Watch Foundation Site Index (Legal issues. Reports illegal and offensive Internet Issues.)

SafeSurf Creating a Safe Internet Without Censorship Help Us Accomplish This Goal.

EFF is a nonprofit group of passionate people ' lawyers, volunteers, and visionaries ' working to protect your digital rights.

Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules") (As Approved by ICANN on October 24, 1999)
http://www.icann.org/udrp/udrp-rules-24oct99.htm   or   http://www.icann.org/udrp/udrp-rules-24oct99.htm

Domain Name Transfer's ICANN Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy.

UKReg Domain Name Dispute Policy

Nominet Disputes account all registrations in the .uk Top Level Domains.

Domain Name law (Sedo)

Web Site Content Theft

eSecurity4Britain Inform, educate and provide protective measures to ensure small businesses can use the internet to operate their businesses - with security.

7Safe is an Information Security services firm offering a diverse portfolio of services including security training & certification, penetration testing, computer forensics and risk management (including BS 7799).

CERT^' Coordination Center (CERT/CC) is a center of Internet security expertise.

Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.

Check premium rate numbers icstis, Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of the Telephone Information Services- the premium rate services regulator.

Micrsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool

SquareTrade eBay User Support. Trouble with a transaction? SquareTrade can help you resolve issues independently or through professional mediation.

Federal Trade Commission - As part of an international group of consumer protection agencies, the FTC monitors an online complaint site called econsumers.gov. Although they do not resolve individual consumer problems, complaints are used to help investigate fraud, and can lead to law enforcement action.

National Fraud Information Center - The NFIC helps consumers distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent promotions in cyberspace and route reports of suspected fraud to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

Click fraud happens when the actions of people, computer programs or other method are used to to reduce the budgets used by advertises who use Pay Per Click methods to promote their website/s. For more information about Pay Per Click and Click fraud view Methods of Internet adverting

Click Fraud helpful links WhosClickingWho        Clicklab        ClickDetective

Virus Spreaders also spread emails and messages throughout the Internet to get you to delete files you need, thus creating havoc for your system. These are probably hoaxes.
Resources for validating virus/ hoax information:    McAfee        V Myths        Symantec        F-Secure

Otelo (United Kingdom) is also known as the Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman. An Ombudsman Service for public communication providers and their customers.

Greplaw Geeks, Laws and everything in between.

eBay Help about how to spot a Spoof emails

Reporting eBay Account Theft, If you feel your account has been compromised, please report it.

eBay Safe Trading Tips

eBay Security Center

PayPal Security Center

View the PayPal Support Club. Review and helpful links, coding examples, warnings, other shopping cart links, etc. PayPal is a on-link banking system that allows website owners to integrate shopping cart technology into their site.  Find out more, includes links to helpful site about PayPal shopping cart technology.

Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum. An organisation set up by the United Kingdom mobile telecommunications industry, including mobile handset manufacturers, to address the issues of mobile phone theft. More Forums. Telecom, Phones and Mobile Phones also view WAP, WML, Wireless Markup Language, Wireless links, Wi_-Fi, BlueTooth, PixeCode, PDF414, Semacode, Datamatrix, radio.

National Fraud Authority (NFA). Established as an Executive Agency of The Attorney General's Office (AGO)  to take forward the Government's response to fraud,  NFA works with private, public and third sector organisations to increase protection for the UK economy from the harm caused by fraud, and to create a more hostile environment for fraudsters, both home and abroad.

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) provides high quality legal and strategic policy advice and support to the Attorney General and the Solicitor General (the Law Officers).

Financial Fraud Action UK

Consumer Direct

Be Card Smart Online

Get Safe Online

The Fraud Advisory Panel

Identity Theft

DirectGov on Fraud

Check for rubbish service

Spam Filters

Anti-Virus Software Tools & Utilities

Also read Methods of Internet adverting

FireWall's

SpyWare Removal

Diagnostics and Security with more Phishing information

Backup/File Compression Data Recovery

Protect your Usernames and passwords. Protect your system 

Disaster Recovery Planning. So how good is your Disaster Recovery Planning?

Web Master Tools and Utilities

Police United Kingdom UK Police Service portal.

Terrorist Activity Report Them Here (FBI) Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Stop and report terrorists United States of America

CRIMESTOPPERS United Kingdom. Call anonymously with information about crime. 

MI5 the official website of the UK Security Service (MI5) are responsible for protecting against threats to United Kingdom National Security, such as terrorism and international terrorism.  If you know something about a threat to National Security, STOP and report terrorists.

Also view our Anti-Virus section Anti-Spywear section, Diagnostics and Security sections and Web Master Tools and Utilities and Protect your Usernames and passwords. Protect your system