Fraudsters target host families
The forged cheque sent to Louise Spiteri.
At least two people licensed by the Malta Tourism Authority to host foreign language students in their homes have been targeted by a scam involving fraudulent bank drafts worth thousands of euros in recent weeks.
After losing her job last January and with months to go before the peak tourist season, Louise Spiteri was pleasantly surprised to be e-mailed on March 20 by someone claiming to be 'Jessica Gardner'. The sender said she was a senior accountant working for the Shell oil company in London looking to rent holiday accommodation in Malta.
'Jessica' said she would be visiting Malta on a two-week holiday with her husband from April 3 to April 17. She told Ms Spiteri in the initial e-mail that she found her details in the MTA directory and enquired about the cost of two people staying with her in Iklin for 14 nights, breakfast included.
"I was delighted because normally we only have students in the summer. Since I had lost my job, it seemed a good way to make some money out of season," Ms Spiteri, 45, told The Sunday Times.
In a series of e-mails over the next 24 hours, Ms Spiteri and 'Jessica' agreed on a price of €420 for 14 nights' accommodation for two people.
'Jessica' then informed Ms Spiteri that Shell would pay for her flights, accommodation and holiday expenses, and payment would be posted to Ms Spiteri in the form of a bank draft from Shell's 'head office'.
On March 29, Ms Spiteri received letter bearing the Shell logo and purportedly from Shell's director of finance in Los Angeles. Enclosed with the letter was what appeared to be an HSBC bank draft for $5,900 to cover 'Jessica's' "accommodation, flights and living expenses".
Ms Spiteri e-mailed 'Jessica' to say she had received the draft. The 'woman replied the next day saying her father had had a triple bypass operation - a well-known tactic used by fraudsters to gain trust and sympathy from their victims - and she urged Ms Spiteri to forward the funds immediately to 'Jessica's' travel agent via Western Union, after deducting the €420 for rent, so she could pay her flights and father's hospital bills.
When Ms Spiteri was told by HSBC in Balzan that the draft would take 28 days clear, she became suspicious and contacted 'Jessica' again to inform her she could not afford to transfer such a large balance before the cheque had cleared. 'Jessica' never got back to her.
When The Sunday Times checked the address that 'Jessica' gave for her 'travel agent', it turned out to be a pie shop in Notting Hill. The address 'Jessica' gave for her own residence turned out to be a business offering secure mail boxes in Earl's Court.
Around the same time, Martin Refalo was also contacted by 'Jessica Gardner' and exchanged similar e-mails. He became suspicious when he received a Shell covering letter and bank draft for $4,900, far more than what was requested. His local HSBC branch verified that the draft was fraudulent and they are dealing with the matter.
When contacted, police said this was a common scam and that the cheques or bank drafts could not be cashed since they were normally forged. The fraud occurs when the victim sends back the excess cash via Western Union from their own account before the cheque's clearance period elapses.
Then they find out the forged cheque has bounced and the victim has to suffer the loss of money paid to the fraudster.
Ms Spiteri said she contacted the police fraud squad to warn them about the scam but was informed they could not take any action as the alleged fraudster was operating outside their jurisdiction.
A police spokesman told The Sunday Times that "anything that exits our jurisdiction is all the more difficult to investigate.
"That is why we remind everyone to be careful when sending money abroad to people that they do not know."
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19 Comments
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Christian Sciberras
May 4th 2010, 11:34
Oh COME ON.
E-mail is synonymous with SCAM/SPAM.
SERIOUSLY get a computer course.
A. Falzon
May 3rd 2010, 09:04
Where is Interpol??
frank grech
May 3rd 2010, 07:31
To the police I ask, have you ever heard of interpol? Any kind of crime commited in Europe is every European country's responsibilty, to track down the culprits and bring them to justice.
Vincent Scerri
May 3rd 2010, 03:08
" outside their jurisdiction" ....I thought all European Union police have reciprocal agreements. Is this not included?
Charles Sammut
May 2nd 2010, 22:54
Pt. II I wait the MTCN ASAP. Everything in regards to this transaction has been pack and sealed and ready for you. Regards, Mrs. Blessing Okpara (IMF West Africa Region) God bless you and your family------ Blessings, prayers and good wishes don't cost anything, so these people are generous with them.
Charles Sammut
May 2nd 2010, 22:52
Pt I
Hello,
Greeting to you and your family in the name of the only lord.
I pray and hope this email get to you in good health and condition.
I want you to know that since you were unable to get the fee sent the minister has made some ways and cleared some fees for you so this is what is needed of you to pay so the consignment containing your ATM Card valued at US$500,000.00 to get to your nominated address.
Once the fee is sent I promise you will get the parcel and I will be there for you to make sure I do all that is possible here in my custody as your agent I will do it right.
You are to send the sum of $155 to get the parcel to you.
Information for Western Union Money Transfer.
Sender's Name................
Sender's Address..................
Sender's Phone Number................
Receivers Name: Christiana Martins
Receivers Address: Lagos - Nigeria.
Text Question: What Colour?
Text Answer: Blue.
Amount: - $155
Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN)...........
martin saliba
May 2nd 2010, 21:23
I get many emails regarding the same thing and i reply to them asking them to pull their pants down. They never reply.
Neville Calleja
May 3rd 2010, 06:25
You may get temporary gratification through that reply but you are actually ensuring that you keep receiving those emails because you are confirming that your email address is an active one and the spammers will flag it as such for any further emails to follow.
Charles Sammut
May 2nd 2010, 19:46
If you talk to these people on the phone, their accent will usually give them away. These scams used to originate in West Africa, notably Nigeria. So now that everybody has wisened up to them, they have moved to Europe. Spain is a favourite base for them.
G McDowell
May 2nd 2010, 18:52
Or have fun with them aka http://www.419eater.com/ :D
Clive Gerada
May 2nd 2010, 18:44
I think the best thing would be:
1) inform Western Union bank about the Fraud
2) give your details to the western union bank as usual (and send a very small amount of money)
3) the person commiting the Fraud will get the money
4) Western Union bank (which is informed about the Fraud) will take action and arrest the person involved. (or take details of the person taking the money, unless he does not use a forged I.D)
5) The person is arrested.
Wouldn't be possible to work something like that?
Michelle Caruana
May 2nd 2010, 18:07
I received the same mail on 20th March from the same "Jessica Gardner" since I also host students - luckily for me I did not accept her since I already had a booking for the date she was requesting.
""My name is Jessica Gardner; I got your details from the Malta tourism
directory and would like to rent a Room or Apartment. I will be going on
my annual leave on the 2nd of April & I will be coming to Malta on holiday
for 2weeks. I will be staying from Saturday 3rd of April 2010 to Saturday
17th of April 2010 (Check-in 3rd April - Depart 17th April).
I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and recommendation on a suitable
accommodation if you have availability for 14nights and the costs for
2persons. Do you serve Breakfast?
I'm 38 years old and a senior accountant, working with Shell Oil Company
here in the United Kingdom. I look forward to hearing from you, have a
great day and God bless.""
All I can say is we have to be so careful.
c gatt
May 2nd 2010, 17:44
The scandal is not the fraud, the scandal is the police response:
A police spokesman told The Sunday Times that "anything that exits our jurisdiction is all the more difficult to investigate.
I'm sorry but poppycock. That is why we have a Europe wide information section set up by the police.
This is the London Metropolitan response to similar problems:
http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/
PS: beware of anyone asking for money transfers by Western Union.. its like handing over cash. There is no audit rail and no way of getting your money back. If you really know the person and its an emergency, go ahead. Otherwise don't even bother. its a scam!
Timmy Farrugia
May 2nd 2010, 17:10
i feal sorry that she lost all that money but come on seriously. how did she fall for it!!???
Mark Bishop
May 2nd 2010, 17:07
"they could not take any action as the alleged fraudster was operating outside their jurisdiction"
This rubbish has to stop. It is just a mediocre excuse that really means "we can't be bothered with this and since you were stupid enough to fall for this scam you are stupid enough to believe this excuse"
Jeremy Lanfranco
May 2nd 2010, 17:02
Let me share my story!
I was on facebook and a Maltese relative of mine messaged me asking how I was after meeting him last for over 10 years. (He lives in Canada). I told him I was fine and after having asked him if he was OK, he told me he needed a favor as he was mugged in the London Underground and needed money to pay for his hotel bill as they will not let him leave. His stolen wallet contained all his credit cards. I told him it would not be a problem, provided he tells me what is his relation to me is and what are his parents name. He replied "I can't believe you are asking me these questions" I told him they are 2 elementary questions and they should not be difficult to answer. I never had any reply from him again. In fact I phoned him up to tell him all this and he confessed that he logged in Facebook from the airport computer. That explains it all.!
EDWIN DE MARCO
May 2nd 2010, 16:50
@Maria Zammit. You seem to be a very, very, very wise person. ! Kulhadd gharef wara li tigri xi haga! But how can you judge people as being gullible & GREEDY. If you have extra-sensory perception you should start an online business. Regarding the police statements: I thought that INTERPOL might be a great help since Malta is affiliated too.
Maria Zammit
May 2nd 2010, 16:02
When something sounds like it's too good to be it probably isn't! Con wo/men target the greedy or gullible. It's good that you published this story as it might help others to be aware and learn. Rule of thumb to avoid such scams should be to believe nothing that asks you for money or that promises you money. Money comes through hard work and nothing else!
U tghid mhux ser indahhal go dar xi skamplu... imur fl-lukanda jekk irid u jekk ma jridx ma jigi xejn!
PS: when for any reason you decide for forward emails to your friends at least use the bbc (blind copy) so that email addresses aren't harvested by third parties. We must protect each other as there are some bad people out there.
I once received an email from a friend asking for money as she lost her purse in the UK. I didn't reply as I can smell these scams a mile off. What I nearly did was answer "Good if you lost your money, you can stay there now, good riddance! :)
E. Mifsud
May 2nd 2010, 15:40
This is what I received from the same person. :
Hello,
My name is Jessica Gardner; I got your details from the Malta tourism
directory and would like to rent a Room or Apartment. I will be going on
my annual leave on the 2nd of April & I will be coming to Malta on holiday
for 2weeks. I will be staying from Saturday 3rd of April 2010 to Saturday
17th of April 2010 (Check-in 3rd April - Depart 17th April).
I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and recommendation on a suitable
accommodation if you have availability for 14nights and the costs for
2persons. Do you serve Breakfast?
I'm 38 years old and a senior accountant, working with Shell Oil Company
here in the United Kingdom. I look forward to hearing from you, have a
great day and God bless.
Many thanks,
Jessica Gardner
235, Earls Court Road,
London, SW5 9FE
United Kingdom
Tel: .
Email: jess.gardner@ymail.com
Be aware of these people as all they want is free money. They are fraudsters.