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 Post subject: IP Relay Scams/ Originating from Nigeria, Ghana, West Africa
PostPosted: Tue May 30, 2006 10:34 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 10:20 pm
Posts: 23
I'm drawing your attention to the IP Relay scams coming via telephone from an IP Relay operator. Nigerians are using IP Relay to contact prospective victims of all walks of life (Ebay, counterfeit cashiers checks, Online for sale ads, businesses, etc...).

IP Relay is a federally funded service that makes telephone communication available to people who are deaf, and they use an operator to communicate their calls from a computer (where the operator is) to people who can hear on the phone. The relay operator relays the conversation back and forth- speaking for the person who is deaf and is typing, and typing back what the person is saying to them from the phone.

Nigerians have HIJACKED this service. They call anyone and everyone they can find online who has something to sell, or who they meet in online dating sites, etc... It's incredibly widespread. Millions of people have been scammed this way. They will call you using Relay, try to buy what you have for sale using stolen credit cards or forged cashiers checks, and after you have sent the item either directly to Nigeria, or to a shipper they are using inside the US as a safe drop point, you find out too late that the Credit card is stolen, or the check is bogus. Try to google the words "Nigeria IP Relay Scams" and see what you come up with.

How do I know all this? I'm a relay operator. I have had to facilitate these scam calls for years. But try to remember, I'm a good guy. I try to call victims on my off time to warn them about the scam each and every time. But there are operators who are too scared to call victims. We could lose our jobs in doing this. It's directly against the rules of the FCC. (that's a very long story).

If you have any questions, there is a newly formed IP Relay operator's website that discusses the scams in depth. I am a moderator at this forum. Here is the link:
http://relayscams.aimoo.com
If you have been scammed, please come there and tell us about it. We can help!

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 Post subject: Making a movie about Scam Victims
PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2006 12:27 am 
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Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 9:50 pm
Posts: 4
This is incredible- I am making a movie about a scam victim, and in my first draft the con man used IP Relay. I had no Idea this was a real thing!

Could you tell me about what you feel is the character of these con artists?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2006 8:58 am 
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Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 10:20 pm
Posts: 23
They are horrible people. Let me give you some links to articles written on this subject.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud
-- wikipedia article.

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/02/16/ni ... using.html

http://blog.fawny.org/2005/02/07/tty/

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article ... t=nigerian

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article ... t=nigerian

and here's my personal favorite- some reporter found a nigerian scammer in lagos, and they told about his "rough life" and why he has to scam Americans through relay so that he can "feed his family"... and wear a rolex.....
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/f ... 06-001.htm

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2006 9:04 am 
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Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 10:20 pm
Posts: 23
Here's more:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8171053/page/3/

http://www.oreillynet.com/digitalmedia/ ... phone.html

http://www.stoprelayabuse.com/Nigerian.fraud.0.html

http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=7811

If you have any questions of operators that have been dealing with these scammers for a long time, please come to the Relay Operators website, where I am a moderator. We can answer almost any questions you might have for your research into IP Relay and scammers.
Our web address is:
http://www.aimoo.com/relayscams

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:30 pm 
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Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
Have you tried contacting the media to bring attetion to the fact that the scammers are using IP Relay? The reporters could hide your name and face so that you do not get in trouble at work.

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Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:34 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 10:20 pm
Posts: 23
In the past, I've contacted many many news outlets. Currently I'm working on writing to the newspapers online who have published articles on this particular scam already. Do you have any other ideas of who to contact? It seems that there isn't much interest in the story. part of the problem is that the FCC regulates Relay, AND they regulate the media. At least, that's my theory.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:08 am 
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Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 10:20 pm
Posts: 23
I've put together a rough draft of a letter to that I will send to every media outlet I can think of. I don't want to post the whole thing here, but you can see it at our website for the relay operators- http://relayscams.aimoo.com/

The letter is in the General Discussion forum, the title of the thread is called
"I NEED IDEAS! LETTER TO THE MEDIA".

I hope you all will come on over and check it out, PLEASE give your input. My fellow operators are being too kind, and telling me that nothing needs to be changed. If anyone has ever sent letters like this, I'm sure you could give me revision ideas. I think it's too long, maybe too detailed. I just don't know what all to take out of it.
Thanks in advance guys. YOu've all been very kind here.

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 Post subject: Re: IP Relay Scams/ Originating from Nigeria, Ghana, West Africa
PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:30 am 
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Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:43 am
Posts: 9
i have a question why would the scammers use the relay system????? why not just call direct?


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 Post subject: Re: IP Relay Scams/ Originating from Nigeria, Ghana, West Africa
PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:25 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:50 am
Posts: 291
Location: WI
To hide their accent. Relay calls are usually translated from sign language or type by a middle person who speaks to the person who can hear and then types the info to the "deaf" person.


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 Post subject: Re: IP Relay Scams/ Originating from Nigeria, Ghana, West Africa
PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:27 am 
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Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:19 pm
Posts: 171
coke2006 wrote:
i have a question why would the scammers use the relay system????? why not just call direct?



No way to trace the call, easier for the scammer to be anonymous, no voice recording, there is a delay factor that gives the scammer more time to think on their feet, may even throw off the customer service people at the bank if they are not accustomed to the service.

Very serious problem, we have dealt with this problem at my financial institution.


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 Post subject: Re: IP Relay Scams/ Originating from Nigeria, Ghana, West Africa
PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:15 pm 
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Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
plus, isn't it a free service? That way they don't have to pay for the call.

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


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