How seriously are we taking Internet/Credit Card Fraud?Not very, says James Tall of Tall Networking, a computer consultant to small businesses. A client was recently sucked into a fraud scam and reports some very serious obstacles trying to fix
problems created.
“I consider myself extremely tech savvy, but there was enough plausibility to get me hooked,” said Tall. The client found a job posting on one of best known internet job posting sites, Monster.com, looking for someone to handle money transfers for internet software purchases to an East European company.
After submitting an application to a professional looking website he was selected and a purchase was made with proceeds going to his Paypal account. “The last two emails I got from company were from anonymous email companies and I got suspicious. I called person who supposedly made purchase” client said. They reported they knew nothing about an internet purchase or software company involved and he suggested they contact their credit card companies and credit bureaus.
Tall said, “That’s when I started making phone calls and found that there was no one to call.” The local police suggested a call to FBI, where local office was closed and office in state Capital had an impatient receptionist who suggested an email to National White Collar Crime Center (www.nw3c.com or www.ifccfbi.gov ). The NW3C web site states they have no investigative authority. The state Attorney General’s office had no answer. The US Secret Service said to call FBI.
Three weeks later, Paypal has reversed payment, but neither they nor NW3C made any direct contact to discuss what went on.
Tall said, “At time this happened, I felt some immediacy in need to speak with an investigator. Monster must have garnered them hundreds or thousands of applications and many methods could have been used to try and track down perpetrators.” He thinks that opportunity has been wasted and still doesn’t know if anyone has taken his concerns seriously.
