I have recieved a letter stating that i have won a substantial amount of money from an e-mail address draw, I was given the address of Kas Bank International 1o Broad St. Tel# is +44-703-195-8139 and was told to speak to either Ms. Gloria McCoy or Mr. Graham Simpson. Their e-mail address is kas-uk-infodesk@accountant.com. Do you know of any such wins at all? they even wanted me to open a non-resident account with deposit. Is this a FRAUD OR IS IT TRUE?
It is too good to be true. Nobody wins a substantial amount of money without even the effort of buying a lottery ticket. There is no Kas Bank International. Ms McCoy and Mr Simpson are names used by fraudsters to trick you into opening a non-resident account, that is, no account will be opened, the only thing that they hope will happen is that you'll be tricked into paying upfront for something you will never get. The money asked to pay is small as compared to the prize you are told to have won, say only a few thousand GBP.
But does it stop here? In many cases unfortunately it doesn't. In the course of the administrative procedures that the scammers are telling you they are working on, the victim often without hesitation has shared his/her name, e-mail and postal address, bank account number and bank institution, signature, copy of passport, identity card and/or drivers licence. With such information in criminal hands the victim is bound to lose more than the first upfront fee.
Busting a Nigerian internet scam cafe
An informative video on the Nigerian EFCC busting a internet cafe. While Nigerian is the heartland of 419 scams, such cafe's can be found in many major European cities as well.
Identity theft and loss of money to scammers
What to do if you supplied personal information to scammers
If you have supplied banking details, a large amount of personal information, and copies of your driver's licence and passport to the scammers, then you may become a victim of identity theft. For details on what to do, read the information about identity theft published by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or check identity-theft.org.uk/ if you're in the UK.
What to do if you already paid money to scammers
Unfortunately, there is probably very little you can do to recover any money you have already supplied. However, you should inform your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible!
If you have supplied banking details, a large amount of personal information, and copies of your driver's licence and passport to the scammers, then you may become a victim of identity theft. For details on what to do, read the information about identity theft published by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or check identity-theft.org.uk/ if you're in the UK.
What to do if you already paid money to scammers
Unfortunately, there is probably very little you can do to recover any money you have already supplied. However, you should inform your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible!
Help from the FSA
Here is a link to the Financial Services Authority. They have a special website Money Made Clear, with a lot of attention to scams and swindle.
http://www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk/news/scams/scams_and_swindles.html
Because of the massive amount of ongoing scams the FSA can not answer individual complaints. Instead victims are referred to the Metropolitan Police.
http://www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk/news/scams/scams_and_swindles.html
Because of the massive amount of ongoing scams the FSA can not answer individual complaints. Instead victims are referred to the Metropolitan Police.
Example query by a victim
"One Mr.Tom Williams of "Williamsassoc Tomconsult", London, Had approached me of investing US$1.2million in India through me in the real estate business. His attorney has informed that the fund will be transferred from Kas finance company, London through diplomatic sources to India. Mr. Tom said that he will pay tax UK pound of 30,000/- for despatching the fund to India. He has asked me to pay the balance tax of UK pound 3,250/- in India to claim the fund from the diplomat. I don't mind to pay the money. But, I wanted to know is it an approved way of transferring of fund? Can I believe them? Because, Mr.Tom told me that the fund comes to India as a consignment. My fear is that, I should not be cheated by them by delivering a consignment which contains dolls and chocolates. Can you direct me the documents I should ask from them before making any payment?"
A good example of a query by a victim
A good example of a query by a victim
- the fraudster does not work for the company mentioned and/or the company name is corrupted:
Williams Ass. Tom Consult is not a company, nor is Kas Finance. Moreover, Williams Associates, Tom Consult and Kas Bank all work in other lines of business and can in no way be related to investments in real estate. - the manner in which business is conducted is shady, to say the least:
no transfer through banking systems, but a diplomat as a go-between! - the means of communication is through free e-mail accounts (often using fake company names or corrupting company names) and untraceable mobile phones
- the victim is entrusted with considerable sums of money and is promised huge rewards for nothing:
or so it seems... - a certain amount is supposedly paid by the scammer (30 grand), so that the advance fee to be paid by the victim seems relatively small (a mere 3,250 quid!)
- the transaction is supposed to be secure because legal documents are provided:
these are, off course, null and void!
Lyrics for 419 hit song "I go chop your dollar"
The lyrics including translation to standard English can be found here:
419Nairobi.pdf
(PDF opens in a new window); pages 14-15 of the grey paper entitled Who wants to be a millionaire? Global capitalism and fraud in Nigeria. by dr. Daniel Künzler, Sociological Institute at the University of Zurich.
419Nairobi.pdf
(PDF opens in a new window); pages 14-15 of the grey paper entitled Who wants to be a millionaire? Global capitalism and fraud in Nigeria. by dr. Daniel Künzler, Sociological Institute at the University of Zurich.
Kasinvestmentbank and aliases
Kasinvestmentbank as a professional criminal organization makes use of a number of aliases. Let us have a look at web presences: http://www.kasinvestmentbank.com/ leads us nowhere. http://www.kasloans.com/ doesn't either give us a normal webpage.
Please note that none of these domains are owned by a financial institution under supervision of national authorities. Such authorities have set strict rules for the identification of clients and setting up client relationships in order to prevent fraud and misuse of the financial system. Thus, you will never get your account with an established institution, instead, your downpayments - e.g. initial deposits of 0,01%, or fees for legal documentation and opening of accounts - will end up in the pockets of these scammers.
The domains mentioned are used for email purposes though, as is the case with info@kasloans.com Ironically, in some advertisements on B2B portals email addresses are hidden "to prevent scamming", the victim will be given the secret email address after initial contact. This is then a free googlemail or yahoo account: kasinvestmentbank@yahoo.com or kasbank@yahoo.com Rly!
Please note that none of these domains are owned by a financial institution under supervision of national authorities. Such authorities have set strict rules for the identification of clients and setting up client relationships in order to prevent fraud and misuse of the financial system. Thus, you will never get your account with an established institution, instead, your downpayments - e.g. initial deposits of 0,01%, or fees for legal documentation and opening of accounts - will end up in the pockets of these scammers.
The domains mentioned are used for email purposes though, as is the case with info@kasloans.com Ironically, in some advertisements on B2B portals email addresses are hidden "to prevent scamming", the victim will be given the secret email address after initial contact. This is then a free googlemail or yahoo account: kasinvestmentbank@yahoo.com or kasbank@yahoo.com Rly!
More B2B portal entries for scammer Kas Investment Bank
Here are two more entries in trade directories for Kas Investment Bank.
KAS Investment Bank entry on halaal.net
telecompk.wordpress.com here KAS Investment Bank brutally introduces itself into a discussion on the forum (posting 26 Jan. 2006).
Again, you'll find falsely stated that they are a subsidiary of KAS BANK N.V. KAS BANK however - as might be brilliantly clear from their website - do not finance projects nor do they give credit for business loans.
Nor do they use free yahoo mail accounts!
KAS Investment Bank entry on halaal.net
telecompk.wordpress.com here KAS Investment Bank brutally introduces itself into a discussion on the forum (posting 26 Jan. 2006).
Again, you'll find falsely stated that they are a subsidiary of KAS BANK N.V. KAS BANK however - as might be brilliantly clear from their website - do not finance projects nor do they give credit for business loans.
Nor do they use free yahoo mail accounts!
How Kasinvestmentbank contacts its victims
One means is to advertise easy loans on B2B portals or trade directories.
Here are a number of links to pages on such international business communities. All links will open in a new tab or window. On some of these pages Kasinvestmentbank illegally refers to registered offices in London, and also falsely mentions http://www.kasbank.com/ as its webpresence.
allactiontrade.com and also here a fraudulent offer of Kasinvestmentbank.
sulekhab2b.com.
arabtradezone.com
best-maritime.info
turkishsellers.com
shibuimarkets.com has published a straightforward abuse report.
Here are a number of links to pages on such international business communities. All links will open in a new tab or window. On some of these pages Kasinvestmentbank illegally refers to registered offices in London, and also falsely mentions http://www.kasbank.com/ as its webpresence.
allactiontrade.com and also here a fraudulent offer of Kasinvestmentbank.
sulekhab2b.com.
arabtradezone.com
best-maritime.info
turkishsellers.com
shibuimarkets.com has published a straightforward abuse report.
Fraudulent SBLC and BG offerings by Kasinvestmentbank
Kasinvestmentbank (aka Kas Investment Bank) is involved in fraudulent offerings of Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs) or Bank Guarantees (BGs).
Their criminal activities can in short be described as follows:
Their criminal activities can in short be described as follows:
- Kasinvestmentbank pretend to be working for / be an intermediary to KAS BANK N.V. (a financial institution with registered offices in Amsterdam and London, Registered by the Authority-FM and regulated by the FSA for the Conduct of Investment Business in the UK). KAS BANK N.V. are not in any way related to Kasinvestmentbank as published on their website.
- Kasinvestmentbank promise credit lines through an SBLC or BG; all legal documentation in this respect is false and fraudulent.
- finally, Kasinvestmentbank prompts to pay upfront for documentation, registration, opening of bank accounts, transfer or whatever.
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