Identity Theft - UK-Trading Company's Details stolen by Pakistani Scammer Thread poster: Ulrike MacKay
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Just had an e-mail from a seemingly London-based company asking me for an offer for the "attached" inquiry (WORD doc).
At first, I though it was just a misdirected e-mail as the e-mail text was asking for a quote "including freight charges", which usually are not applicable in our business as translators, so I was going to phone them to let them know.
As I've been scammed before, years ago when I had just started working as a freelancer, I've made it a rule not to phone... See more Just had an e-mail from a seemingly London-based company asking me for an offer for the "attached" inquiry (WORD doc).
At first, I though it was just a misdirected e-mail as the e-mail text was asking for a quote "including freight charges", which usually are not applicable in our business as translators, so I was going to phone them to let them know.
As I've been scammed before, years ago when I had just started working as a freelancer, I've made it a rule not to phone back to phone numbers mentioned in e-mails, but to check the website (entering the company's name in Ecosia/ Google, rather than clicking onto any links in e-mails received).
I found a company with the same name and address as given in the e-mail, and also the phone and fax numbers seemed to be the same - same start, same ending, but with just 2 digits in the middle differing.
When checking the sender's e-mail address, I noticed that the "naming" of the e-mail address was the same as that given company's name, but when hovering my mouse over it, a completely different e-mail address was shown - one with a suffix pointing to Pakistan as the sender's location, which again was confirmed by the IP-address check I've done next.
When phoning the UK-Trading company using the phone number on their website, they confirmed to me they have been suffering from this kind of identity theft for a while.
As the forum rules do not allow to mention outsourcer's names (while in this case, the REAL company concerned does not even an claim to be an outsourcer), please find below the details I can provide which will hopefully enable you to identify as a scam any such e-mail you might receive:
=> Company name given has the following name structure:
[Last name] [Last name] & [Last name] Ltd., i.e. the name structure typical for lawyer offices actually.
=> Company Address given and real:
Gxxxx Hxxxxxxx & Bxxxx Ltd
Grosvenor Gardens House
35-37 Grosvenor Gardens
London SW1W 0BS
=> Phone and Fax numbers given but FAKE:
t: 44 (0)20 7420 7777 (REAL: 44 (0)20 7630 7777)
f: 44 (0)20 7368 3867 (REAL: 44 (0)20 7828 3867)
=> Name of contact given:
An English-sounding lady's name, initials and lenghts: Lxxx Exxxxxx
=> E-Mail address and website:
NOT GIVEN in signature block in e-mail
=> Disguised E-Mail address:
Shows up in a mere name format (giving the company's name), but when hovering your mouse over it to see the actual e-mail address format, it points to a Pakistani address, same as the IP-address check does.
=> The "REPLY" e-mail address given has got the following format:
[email protected] (German-sounding first and last name in front of the figure 619)
=> The e-mail was sent in the middle of the night, using an IMP (Internet Messaging Program), as it says in the e-mail
=> The REAL company trades in coir and other natural fibres
=> You are asked to download an attached WORD file, ....
=> ... so as to be able to submit some sort of quote "including freight charges"
Please don't fall for it - and DON'T download the file attached, so as not to open doors to any viruses, trojans or who knows what else...
Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Ulrike ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Could you please submit a support request with all the information? | Mar 10, 2014 |
Hello Ulrike,
Thanks for reporting this. Could you please submit a support request and supply the information you have not included in your post (particularly the email address)? That information will help me alert the community through the scam alert center, as well as put blocks in place. Thank you.
Best regards,
Alejandro
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