Category Archives: Avoiding Fraud

Oh, boy! The nice banker in the email says I won $900,000! (fifth time this week)

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Protect yourself online! Scammers are everywhere. Use COMMON SENSE and be SAFE when online. NEVER disclose private information to strangers.  Sounds too good to be true?  it probably is.

by Robert Gillis

This gem arrived in my spam folder today, and it was so perfectly, wonderfully, amazingly STUPID that I just had to share this one. Obviously, it’s fraud,  just delete it, but there ARE folks who get taken every year by these scammers, so again, to anyone who doe not understand this fraud: Please be safe and delete it. 

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I hit the UK lottery again! Fifth time this week!

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Protect yourself online! Scammers are everywhere. Use COMMON SENSE and be SAFE when online.. NEVER disclose private information to strangers. Sounds too good to be true? it probably is.

by Robert Gillis

True story: I received this email today; I have not edited it; this is what I got, errors and all:

From: FREE LOTTO CLAIM OFFICER
Sent: Thu, 2 Oct 2008 8:56 am
Subject: Validation Of Your winning Funds

ATTN: Winner,

I am Mr. Richard Smith your claims officer, I wish to Congratulate you, you are a lucky person to have won this lottery.

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Avoid Fraud: The Online Lottery Scam

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Protect yourself online! Scammers are everywhere. Use COMMON SENSE and be SAFE when online. NEVER disclose private information to strangers. Sounds too good to be true? it probably is.

by Robert Gillis
published in the Boston City Paper 10/2007

SCAM: You receive an email from a someone you don’t know claiming you have won a large amount of money in a lottery you have never heard of. He promises you, a total stranger (but a trusted one) all the details to collect your billions.

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Beware Superbowl Ticket Scams On Line (especially eBay and CraigsList)

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Protect yourself online! Scammers are everywhere. Use COMMON SENSE and be SAFE when online. NEVER disclose private information to strangers. Sounds too good to be true? it probably is.

by Robert Gillis
published in the Foxboro Reporter, 1/2006 & 1/2007 and the Boston City Paper, 6/2006 & 1/2007.

Since eBay no longer allows this ad that I have posted for EIGHT YEARS, I invite you to read it here! (They won’t allow it because I’m not selling or buying anything).

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Avoid Fraud: The Nigerian 419 Letter

Prevent fraud graphic
Protect yourself online! Scammers are everywhere. Use COMMON SENSE and be SAFE when online. NEVER disclose private information to strangers. Sounds too good to be true? it probably is.
by Robert Gillis
published in the Foxboro Reporter 11/2005 and Boston City Paper, 2006

SCAM: You receive an email from a “wealthy foreigner” (usually someone related to the royal family or something) who needs help moving millions of dollars from his homeland. He promises you, a total stranger (but a trusted one) a hefty percentage of this fortune as a reward for assisting him.

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