This is a big help -- from our friends at AFCP - SUPPORT THEM!
http://www.afcp.org/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=7
Another resource from Oodle - sort of sketchy on details, and more focussed on free online ads, but with a nugget or two buried in there.
http://safety.oodle.com/breaking-scam-news.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Those Darn Scamsters!
What won't they come up with next?
Here's the latest twist from an AD2AD customer:
Lets be careful out there!
Here's the latest twist from an AD2AD customer:
These are coming over deaf services TDD now! That was how these got past our "usual defenses". First off, it goes to the person answering the phone, instead of the one used to seeing the emails. The TDD gets them past the suspicious strong accent. If the language/wording seemed funky, the staff didn't want to feel like a jerk to a disabled person. And if the only contact was by email, why that makes sense not to put a phone number in if it's contacting a deaf person, right? Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Always looking for a new scam angle, aren't they?
Lets be careful out there!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Classified Intelligence Reviews AD2AD
After reviewing 10 different classifieds management systems, Classified Intelligence, "the global leader in classified advertising knowledge"
calls AD2AD "a well-featured classified system that does more than services costing hundreds of dollars a month. The best part? AD2AD is practically free."Click here to see CI's review (free, requires registration).
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Best Practices: Pricing
The ideas below represent AD2AD's assessment of what works best for small newspapers and other community publications who want to maximize the effectiveness of their classified ads
Price your ads strategically
Decide on a pricing strategy that makes sense for your paper.
There are 2 drivers for classified ads
Here are the extremes:
The base price for your ads should reflect your market strategy. AD2AD recommends that you create a base price for typical ad this way:
AD2AD says that your basis price should be around $7.50 for 20 words.
It's reasonable to charge a premium for classifieds however: even double the average basis, or more. So a price between $7.50 - $15.00 for a 'standard ad' would be reasonable.
Price by the word, not by the line
Particularly when you offer self-service ad entry, you'll get more money by charging by the word, not the line.
Let's say you charge $20 for a four-line ad, then $4 for each additional line. A new line can get created by adding capital letters, punctuation, or additional content -- even a single extra letter. That can mean 1 more character = $4 extra dollars. That's a big penalty -- a big jump in price for very little extra value.
Consider instead a similar price: $20 for 20 words, then addtional words at $0.80/word. Now there is very little penalty for addtional content..just a simple incremental addition as new content is added.
AD2AD has found that in its system, users rewrite ads LONGER when charged by the word, but rewrite SHORTER when charging by the line.
Also words are easier to count and estimate than lines. Unless your system provides for perfect WYSIWYG ad entry -- including hyphenation, justification, kerning and letterspacing rules -- there is very likely to be a discrepancy between the lines as price-estimated, and as they show up in the paper. You KNOW that some customers will call and complain if the printed version -- after kerning, h&j, etc -- is a line shorter than what they paid for. When they call and complain, you will have a multi-minute argument, credits to offer, etc. In all likelihood, you will end up losing some large portion of the profit for that ad.
Don't offer frequency discounts
For most newspapers, no one can remember who created the rates. Like Topsy, They just growed. Typically, they'll have a lot of frequency discounts built in -- pricing like the display ad rate card in miniature.
AD2AD has found that for the most parts, frequency discounts are a mistake. Classified ads are a good example of a commodity with inelastic pricing: that is, within limits, customers will buy the commodity regardless of the price.
Consider the two 'typical' buyers of classifieds.
Offer free classifications
Don't offer free ads across the board -- but it can make sense strategically to offer free classifications. For example: Consider the Coast News of Encinitas, California. They offer free ads for cars under $5000. The classification is very busy.
Price your ads strategically
Decide on a pricing strategy that makes sense for your paper.
There are 2 drivers for classified ads
- Increase readership
- Make money
Here are the extremes:
- Free classifieds -- classified ads become content. You provide the space, readers supply the content that drives community readership and participation
- Expensive classifieds -- classified ads are miniature display ads. You use sales techniques, including one-on-one sales, creative content (specialized layout, etc), special discounts, etc., to squeeze every last dollar from your advertiser.
- As a rule, charge for classifieds.
- Offer free or low-cost ads in certain classifications. Use these special classifications to create more readership and "create a marketplace".
- Charge less than large competitors. In other words, don't try to match the high price of large daily newspapers.
The base price for your ads should reflect your market strategy. AD2AD recommends that you create a base price for typical ad this way:
- Assume that a 'standard' classified is a column inch. In most font sizes, that will be about 15-25 words (3-5 lines -- but we'll discuss later why it's better to price by the word).
- Figure the number of column inches on your classifieds page.
- Your 'standard' classified ad should be priced based on a one-time full-page display ad buy.
AD2AD says that your basis price should be around $7.50 for 20 words.
It's reasonable to charge a premium for classifieds however: even double the average basis, or more. So a price between $7.50 - $15.00 for a 'standard ad' would be reasonable.
Price by the word, not by the line
Particularly when you offer self-service ad entry, you'll get more money by charging by the word, not the line.
Let's say you charge $20 for a four-line ad, then $4 for each additional line. A new line can get created by adding capital letters, punctuation, or additional content -- even a single extra letter. That can mean 1 more character = $4 extra dollars. That's a big penalty -- a big jump in price for very little extra value.
Consider instead a similar price: $20 for 20 words, then addtional words at $0.80/word. Now there is very little penalty for addtional content..just a simple incremental addition as new content is added.
AD2AD has found that in its system, users rewrite ads LONGER when charged by the word, but rewrite SHORTER when charging by the line.
Also words are easier to count and estimate than lines. Unless your system provides for perfect WYSIWYG ad entry -- including hyphenation, justification, kerning and letterspacing rules -- there is very likely to be a discrepancy between the lines as price-estimated, and as they show up in the paper. You KNOW that some customers will call and complain if the printed version -- after kerning, h&j, etc -- is a line shorter than what they paid for. When they call and complain, you will have a multi-minute argument, credits to offer, etc. In all likelihood, you will end up losing some large portion of the profit for that ad.
Don't offer frequency discounts
For most newspapers, no one can remember who created the rates. Like Topsy, They just growed. Typically, they'll have a lot of frequency discounts built in -- pricing like the display ad rate card in miniature.
AD2AD has found that for the most parts, frequency discounts are a mistake. Classified ads are a good example of a commodity with inelastic pricing: that is, within limits, customers will buy the commodity regardless of the price.
Consider the two 'typical' buyers of classifieds.
- Short term advertisers. Car for sale, house for rent, yard sale on Saturday. Does it make sense to DISCOUNT for these advertisers? They will advertise as long as they car is unsold, or the house unrented, regardless of a discount.
- Long term advertisers. Typically small-businesses, typically services. Seamstress, tutor, bookkeeper--you get the idea. They want a market presence, but can't (or won't) afford a display ad. Does it make sense to DISCOUNT for these advertisers? They will advertise as long as their ad brings business, regardless of a discount.
Offer free classifications
Don't offer free ads across the board -- but it can make sense strategically to offer free classifications. For example: Consider the Coast News of Encinitas, California. They offer free ads for cars under $5000. The classification is very busy.
- The Coast News is now the unofficial 'marketplace of record' for used cars. It's the first place locals look when they want to buy, and the first place they advertise
- The Coast News uses this popularity to sell Display Advertising to the many 'iron lots' in the area. They offer premium display ads on the used car classifieds. Why -- they have established that those pages are The Place to Look for used cars.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Latest Scam: Are you an accomdating tutor?
Received today from California Newspapers Publishers Assn:
NEW SCAM ALERT
Please watch out for the latest scam ad circulating.
The publisher, i will love to know if the below ad can be place in your firm under your wanted ad,if this is possible kindly get back to me with the quote for 10 weeks,more so i will love to make prepayment via my Master/Visa credit information as soon as possible so the ad can be placed immediately.
Divulge Copy..... To whom it may concern,are you an accommodating tutor/counselor? I will be glad if you can lecture my kids for my privately and for more details on this kindly hook me up on my email or call my cell immediately on sue@graffiti.net # 206-984-3667 for more details.Mailing Address: 56 Allen Road Avenue, Augusta, GA 30907,USA, 206-984-3667 So waiting to read from you soon. God Bless You.
At least this one has amusing English...
NEW SCAM ALERT
Please watch out for the latest scam ad circulating.
The publisher, i will love to know if the below ad can be place in your firm under your wanted ad,if this is possible kindly get back to me with the quote for 10 weeks,more so i will love to make prepayment via my Master/Visa credit information as soon as possible so the ad can be placed immediately.
Divulge Copy..... To whom it may concern,are you an accommodating tutor/counselor? I will be glad if you can lecture my kids for my privately and for more details on this kindly hook me up on my email or call my cell immediately on sue@graffiti.net # 206-984-3667 for more details.Mailing Address: 56 Allen Road Avenue, Augusta, GA 30907,USA, 206-984-3667 So waiting to read from you soon. God Bless You.
At least this one has amusing English...
Friday, November 16, 2007
Package Forwarding: From Dubious Enterprise to Instant Void
We've been watching these ads for awhile. The dubious enterprise is this: The scammer advertises for someone to forward packages. They direct the victim to a website -- very professional.
The victim agrees to forward packages to the scammer. The scammer than buys ebay items, using the victim's address for shipping. The scammer pays for these items with bad checks or stolen credit cards.
The victim, promised a fee, forwards the hot goods to the scammer. Of course the victim pays the (nasty) shipping charges and gets paid (if at all) with another bad check.
It's a dubious enterprise at best, but now that we've gotten ads paid with stolen id credit cards, these ads are on the instant void list.
The victim agrees to forward packages to the scammer. The scammer than buys ebay items, using the victim's address for shipping. The scammer pays for these items with bad checks or stolen credit cards.
The victim, promised a fee, forwards the hot goods to the scammer. Of course the victim pays the (nasty) shipping charges and gets paid (if at all) with another bad check.
It's a dubious enterprise at best, but now that we've gotten ads paid with stolen id credit cards, these ads are on the instant void list.
Used-Car Scam Proliferates
They just mutate.
More and more come-ons: Extending now to Acura SUVs and BMW 5 series.
There's really no way to keep up with these other than to note that deals too good to be true probably are, and that phone numbers (if any) won't work, and that they will always include an email address that will work.
I'm happy to get examples of suspicious too-good-to-be-true used car ads.
More and more come-ons: Extending now to Acura SUVs and BMW 5 series.
There's really no way to keep up with these other than to note that deals too good to be true probably are, and that phone numbers (if any) won't work, and that they will always include an email address that will work.
I'm happy to get examples of suspicious too-good-to-be-true used car ads.
Check Cashing Scams Get Even Sleazier
One of our midwest papers reports a variation on the check cashing scam: Ads for Customer Service reps. The poor victim is told s/he will test customer service at Wal-Mart by purchasing a Wal-Mart money order. The money order gets sent to the scammer, who promises the victim's money will be refunded, plus a nice commission. Except...
Thursday, October 25, 2007
IT Logistics, IP Logistics etc.
The latest rash of scam ads being paid with stolen credit cards are the "IT Logistics" ads. We started getting the freaked out phone calls from credit card fraud victims yesterday.
Here's a typical ad:
IT Logistics
Accountant Assistant needed for large financial company. Must be hard-working and reliable individual. High commissions paid. Check this offer! Info: http://www.itlogistics.org or itlogistics_team@yahoo.com
This particular ad is a real find, because it (mistakenly) uses the itlogistics.ORG domain, which shows the origins of the scam: Rumania.
Mostly these ads lead to itlogisitcs.BIZ -- which you should visit. It is complete scam site, but it has been organized better than many commercial site. It looks VERY real.
See the website's Vacancies tab to get a sense of the scam: Just send us all your personal information, and we'll let you know if you are hired...
There are many scammers pumping dubious enterprises based on re-shipping goods (similar to the wire-transfer scam in a previous post).
Again as far as AD2AD is concerned: we shake our heads sadly as we see the attempts to dupe the public with these dubious enterprises. Once we discover that these scams are being paid with stolen credit cards, we void them immediately.
These scammers have been working this approach for at least two years. They've had other names for their websites. Last May it was IPlogistics. Last year, ipdel.org (now resolves to a Romanian hosting service), in 2005 it was labeangroup.com. Basically the scammers ran the same ads, but in AD2AD's case, no fraud charges were reported, so we were not voiding them.
Here's a typical ad:
IT Logistics
Accountant Assistant needed for large financial company. Must be hard-working and reliable individual. High commissions paid. Check this offer! Info: http://www.itlogistics.org or itlogistics_team@yahoo.com
This particular ad is a real find, because it (mistakenly) uses the itlogistics.ORG domain, which shows the origins of the scam: Rumania.
Mostly these ads lead to itlogisitcs.BIZ -- which you should visit. It is complete scam site, but it has been organized better than many commercial site. It looks VERY real.
See the website's Vacancies tab to get a sense of the scam: Just send us all your personal information, and we'll let you know if you are hired...
There are many scammers pumping dubious enterprises based on re-shipping goods (similar to the wire-transfer scam in a previous post).
Again as far as AD2AD is concerned: we shake our heads sadly as we see the attempts to dupe the public with these dubious enterprises. Once we discover that these scams are being paid with stolen credit cards, we void them immediately.
These scammers have been working this approach for at least two years. They've had other names for their websites. Last May it was IPlogistics. Last year, ipdel.org (now resolves to a Romanian hosting service), in 2005 it was labeangroup.com. Basically the scammers ran the same ads, but in AD2AD's case, no fraud charges were reported, so we were not voiding them.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Hallmark/American Greetings Scam
This one flew in under the radar. Apparently Hallmark is making some noise that its name is being used for a scam, targeting newspapers who print the scam ads. The first instance showed up in our system in June, and there have been a sudden spate recently.
HALLMARK/AMERICAN GREETING. Be your own boss. Earn $50K - $250K/yr. Call now 888-871-7891, 24/7
This is the original form, from June:
American Greeting Cards/Hallmark. Be part of an 8 billion dollar industry. Call 24/7 888-238-1635.
HALLMARK/AMERICAN GREETING. Be your own boss. Earn $50K - $250K/yr. Call now 888-871-7891, 24/7
This is the original form, from June:
American Greeting Cards/Hallmark. Be part of an 8 billion dollar industry. Call 24/7 888-238-1635.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Car Ad Scams
Mike VanStry of the Coastal View News got suspicious about this ad, submitted by email.
- 1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 396/425HP, $4000, good cond, low mi, ext:blue, int:white, clear title, 2 doors,
4-SPEED manual transmission.(225)9106308 or julysdesires@aol.com 225-910-6308
AD2AD now traps ads like this. But the scammers keep at it -- Just got a call from a blind man in Kansas who discovered he'd been charged for the following ad in an AD2AD paper:
- 1996 Acura Nsx, $4000, good cond, low mi, clear title, ext:red, int:black, Removable TARGA top, 5-speed manual transmission.(225)9106308 or marysbuyers@hotmail.com
His credit card statement showed bills from 5 other (non-AD2AD) papers. Most of the ads were for that 1965 corvette. When we checked AD2AD databases, we found 5 additional instances of the Acura ad. Now we're trapping for that one too.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Latest Variation of Check Cashing Scam Ad
Thanks to the sharp eyes of one of my classified managers for this one. Using the name of a supposedly 'real' company (Grady Arts) gives this ad an undeserved sense of legitimacy.
Note the tells:
EXAMPLE
From: Tim <kingdavidz@yahoo.com>
Date: Aug 1, 2007 12:27 AM
Subject: Employment Advertisement
To: xxx@xxx.com
Willing to place a JOB OPPOTUNITY AD. classified ad Below are my AD informations.
=================================================
Header: WORK AT HOME AND EARN BIG!!
=================================================
AD Text:
================================================
Part time Job Offer From Grady Gallery. Are you seeking an extra income? would you like to set your own work schedule? work the hours you choose. We have the answer ,the job is suitable from 19 years above if you are interested contact us via Email Address at: timgradyarts@yahoo.com
=================================================
I will need the costs of the order and your next press shedule. Let me know if you accept credit card for ad payment.
Tim
Note the tells:
- "Opportunity" misspelled. Bad grammar, spelling and punctuation in the order email
- Ad shows much better grammar/punctuation than accompanying order
- Yahoo addresses only. Customer address doesn't match response address
- 19 years old.
EXAMPLE
From: Tim <kingdavidz@yahoo.com>
Date: Aug 1, 2007 12:27 AM
Subject: Employment Advertisement
To: xxx@xxx.com
Willing to place a JOB OPPOTUNITY AD. classified ad Below are my AD informations.
=================================================
Header: WORK AT HOME AND EARN BIG!!
=================================================
AD Text:
================================================
Part time Job Offer From Grady Gallery. Are you seeking an extra income? would you like to set your own work schedule? work the hours you choose. We have the answer ,the job is suitable from 19 years above if you are interested contact us via Email Address at: timgradyarts@yahoo.com
=================================================
I will need the costs of the order and your next press shedule. Let me know if you accept credit card for ad payment.
Tim
Check Cashing Scams
To see how a good description of this scam see this article.
Nigerian Scamsters often approach publications directly via email. They pose as legitimate companies seeking work-at-home agents.
IDENTIFYING CHECK CASHING SCAM ADS
First the basics regarding Nigerian Scam Ads apply (see these here). CHECK CASHING SCAM ADS, however, USUALLY SHOW BETTER SPELLING, GRAMMAR, etc.
In addition:
The biggest giveaway is the email-only, hotmail type response method.
Typically the ad is relatively well-written.
Other oddities:
Expansion program. The scamsters really like this phrase.
Age requirement: 19. Many of these ads demand respondents be at least 19 (nineteen) years old. Nineteen?? Also, the age requirement is written as 19yrs of age. Note no space; yrs not years, year of age not "19 years old."
Takes only a little of your time. The scamsters really like this phrase.
Should be a computer literate.
EXAMPLE CHECK CASHING SCAM AD
As part of our expansion program a small company is looking for part time work from home account managers and sales representatives, it pays $3000 a month plus benefits and takes only little of your time. Please contact us for more details. Requirements - should be a computer literate. 2-3 hours access to the internet weekly. Must be over 19yrs of age. Must be efficient and dedicated. If you are interested and need more information, contact ralph david, email: ralphdavid113@yahoo.com
Nigerian Scamsters often approach publications directly via email. They pose as legitimate companies seeking work-at-home agents.
IDENTIFYING CHECK CASHING SCAM ADS
First the basics regarding Nigerian Scam Ads apply (see these here). CHECK CASHING SCAM ADS, however, USUALLY SHOW BETTER SPELLING, GRAMMAR, etc.
In addition:
The biggest giveaway is the email-only, hotmail type response method.
Typically the ad is relatively well-written.
Other oddities:
Expansion program. The scamsters really like this phrase.
Age requirement: 19. Many of these ads demand respondents be at least 19 (nineteen) years old. Nineteen?? Also, the age requirement is written as 19yrs of age. Note no space; yrs not years, year of age not "19 years old."
Takes only a little of your time. The scamsters really like this phrase.
Should be a computer literate.
EXAMPLE CHECK CASHING SCAM AD
As part of our expansion program a small company is looking for part time work from home account managers and sales representatives, it pays $3000 a month plus benefits and takes only little of your time. Please contact us for more details. Requirements - should be a computer literate. 2-3 hours access to the internet weekly. Must be over 19yrs of age. Must be efficient and dedicated. If you are interested and need more information, contact ralph david, email: ralphdavid113@yahoo.com
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Typical Puppy Scam Ads
To see how vast this scam has become Google "puppy scam"
Click here to see.
Nigerian Puppy Scamsters now often approach publications directly via email.
The main breed being advertised in these sorts of scams
IDENTIFYING SCAM ADS
Not every puppy ad is a scam, of course. There are several 'tells'.
First the basics regarding Nigerian Scam Ads apply (see these here).
In addition:
The puppy is typically referred to as she.
AKC Registration is often claimed.
Customer is 'Mr.', 'Doctor', 'Pastor' or 'Reverend' (unlike most US customers who sign their emails 'Joe Blow', the email comes from 'Mr. Joe Blow')
Low price. Typical prices for AKC puppies are in the THOUSANDS, not hundreds of dollars. Even legitimate friendly local sellers will typically show prices in the high hundreds, not the rock-bottom price of the scam ad.
The most common breed being advertised is Yorkshire (or Yorkie), followed by English Bulldog, Maltese and Shih Tzu.
EXAMPLE EMAIL:
PUPPY SCAM AD REQUEST VIA EMAIL:
================================
From: Dan Philips
[mailto:dan_chase8weeks@unionplus.net] <<UNIONPLUS is an ENGLISH email service like hotmail
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 11:53 PM
To: classified@xxxx.com
Subject: Advert Placement !!!
Attn:
My Name is Mr Dan Philips, I just want to let you know that i want to place an ad for 30 days, So let me read back from you with the total cost of the 30 days.
Here is my contact information below:
Address: 274 5th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118 USA
Phone #: 870-455-4180 << 870 area code is in ARKANSAS, not San Francisco
Email: dan_chase8weeks@yahoo.com << Different from sending email (@unionplus,net)
Ad Informations:
Pet Name : Chase
AKC English Bulldog pup for sale
Breed: Bulldog Puppies
Price: $300
Age: 8 weeks
Description: Chase is a Female English Bulldog, She is 8 weeks old, Brown&white Color. Puppy Has Excellent Character And It Happy!!! In A Loving Environment.
Attached is the picture i want you to place on my ad. I will be waiting to read back from you as soon as possible.
Thanks,
Cheers !!!
Click here to see.
Nigerian Puppy Scamsters now often approach publications directly via email.
The main breed being advertised in these sorts of scams
IDENTIFYING SCAM ADS
Not every puppy ad is a scam, of course. There are several 'tells'.
First the basics regarding Nigerian Scam Ads apply (see these here).
In addition:
The puppy is typically referred to as she.
AKC Registration is often claimed.
Customer is 'Mr.', 'Doctor', 'Pastor' or 'Reverend' (unlike most US customers who sign their emails 'Joe Blow', the email comes from 'Mr. Joe Blow')
Low price. Typical prices for AKC puppies are in the THOUSANDS, not hundreds of dollars. Even legitimate friendly local sellers will typically show prices in the high hundreds, not the rock-bottom price of the scam ad.
The most common breed being advertised is Yorkshire (or Yorkie), followed by English Bulldog, Maltese and Shih Tzu.
EXAMPLE EMAIL:
PUPPY SCAM AD REQUEST VIA EMAIL:
================================
From: Dan Philips
[mailto:dan_chase8weeks@unionplus.net] <<UNIONPLUS is an ENGLISH email service like hotmail
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 11:53 PM
To: classified@xxxx.com
Subject: Advert Placement !!!
Attn:
My Name is Mr Dan Philips, I just want to let you know that i want to place an ad for 30 days, So let me read back from you with the total cost of the 30 days.
Here is my contact information below:
Address: 274 5th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118 USA
Phone #: 870-455-4180 << 870 area code is in ARKANSAS, not San Francisco
Email: dan_chase8weeks@yahoo.com << Different from sending email (@unionplus,net)
Ad Informations:
Pet Name : Chase
AKC English Bulldog pup for sale
Breed: Bulldog Puppies
Price: $300
Age: 8 weeks
Description: Chase is a Female English Bulldog, She is 8 weeks old, Brown&white Color. Puppy Has Excellent Character And It Happy!!! In A Loving Environment.
Attached is the picture i want you to place on my ad. I will be waiting to read back from you as soon as possible.
Thanks,
Cheers !!!
Recognizing Nigerian Scam Ads
The vast majority of scam ads come from Nigeria, and the vast majority of these, if paid, will be paid by stolen credit cards.
I'll get into the specifics of certain types of Nigerian Scam ads, but they have a lot of features in common. So as new types arrive, there are earmarks to look for.
First: They now typically ordered via email. The email will come from a free email provider, usually yahoo.com, but also hotmail, gmail, and other similar services.
If you are geeky, you check the email header information for the originating IP address (the internet address used to create the email). MaxMind provides the country lookup service now used by AD2AD; you can use their free demo by clicking here. Mostly the scammers use IPs located in Nigeria, but they also use "A2" proxies, and IPs located in other African and Arab countries.
For a very low cost, your webmaster can probably block forms or emails coming from Nigerian IP addesses.
Another give away of these sorts of ads is Bad Grammar, Bad Spelling and Bad Punctuation. I don't know how to ID this exactly, but there's just something odd about the email text. Look for strange use of commas, unusual sentence construction, etc. Usually the ad text will be a little off, but the accompanying email for the ad will be written with a very different style, usually much less literate.
No phone number, only a yahoo type email address for response.
Or if a phone number, one from a very different area code. If you have doubts, call the number. 99 times out of 100 it will be fax line.
Typically the person sending the email will use a different email address than that shown in the ad.
When and if you get payment info, the name of the submitted credit card will be totally different than any name on previous correspondence. (If you want to have real fun, say the credit card didn't go through. The scammers will cheerfully submit card after card, each with a completely different name and address from the previous. For extra amusement, ask them to explain why.)
To recap:
I'll get into the specifics of certain types of Nigerian Scam ads, but they have a lot of features in common. So as new types arrive, there are earmarks to look for.
First: They now typically ordered via email. The email will come from a free email provider, usually yahoo.com, but also hotmail, gmail, and other similar services.
If you are geeky, you check the email header information for the originating IP address (the internet address used to create the email). MaxMind provides the country lookup service now used by AD2AD; you can use their free demo by clicking here. Mostly the scammers use IPs located in Nigeria, but they also use "A2" proxies, and IPs located in other African and Arab countries.
For a very low cost, your webmaster can probably block forms or emails coming from Nigerian IP addesses.
Another give away of these sorts of ads is Bad Grammar, Bad Spelling and Bad Punctuation. I don't know how to ID this exactly, but there's just something odd about the email text. Look for strange use of commas, unusual sentence construction, etc. Usually the ad text will be a little off, but the accompanying email for the ad will be written with a very different style, usually much less literate.
No phone number, only a yahoo type email address for response.
Or if a phone number, one from a very different area code. If you have doubts, call the number. 99 times out of 100 it will be fax line.
Typically the person sending the email will use a different email address than that shown in the ad.
When and if you get payment info, the name of the submitted credit card will be totally different than any name on previous correspondence. (If you want to have real fun, say the credit card didn't go through. The scammers will cheerfully submit card after card, each with a completely different name and address from the previous. For extra amusement, ask them to explain why.)
To recap:
- IP in Nigeria or similar
- Yahoo, hotmail, gmail or similar
- Bad grammar, bad spelling, bad punctuation
- Ad has email response only, no phone
- Or phone number doesn't work or is fax line
- Email address in ad differs from email address of customer
- Credit card data doesn't match information in ad or email
Doubtful Offerings vs Scam and Fraud Ads
I want to distinguish between Doubtful Offerings, Scam and Fraud.
I don't think that a newspaper has the responsibility of verifying the validity of an advertiser's offering. This is practically impossible.
Things get a little dicey with the classic "stuff envelopes at home" ad -- what's being offered is basically worthless (instructions that tell you to do what the advertiser did, send mail to persons answering a classified offering to tell them how they can make money stuffing envelopes at home). In this case, the advertiser is trying to inflate the value of what he is offering. It's a fine line, but there's really little practical difference between this and inflating the value of a car or house for sale. There will be an exchange of goods.
Contrast this with Puppy Scam and similar ads.
Here the advertiser offers a valuable puppy at a very reduced price. The person responds to discover that there is a problem requiring a small advance payment...then another, and another. These problems and payments continue until the respondent gives up. Of course there was never a puppy to begin with.
If there is no intent to deliver an exchange of goods, that's a scam.
Similarly the Check Cashing scam. In this scam, the advertiser is a foreigner who offers to make the respondent an agent who will earn a commission by cashing checks drawn against a US bank. Of course the checks are worthless, and the agent stands to lose his shirt. This ad is an invitation to a fleecing, not to an exchange of (inflated) goods. It's a scam.
When these ads are paid for by stolen credit cards, that's a fraud.
I'll leave publishers to sort out the ethical dilemmas of doubtful offerings. I exhort publishers to avoid scams and frauds in classifieds.
I don't think that a newspaper has the responsibility of verifying the validity of an advertiser's offering. This is practically impossible.
Things get a little dicey with the classic "stuff envelopes at home" ad -- what's being offered is basically worthless (instructions that tell you to do what the advertiser did, send mail to persons answering a classified offering to tell them how they can make money stuffing envelopes at home). In this case, the advertiser is trying to inflate the value of what he is offering. It's a fine line, but there's really little practical difference between this and inflating the value of a car or house for sale. There will be an exchange of goods.
Contrast this with Puppy Scam and similar ads.
Here the advertiser offers a valuable puppy at a very reduced price. The person responds to discover that there is a problem requiring a small advance payment...then another, and another. These problems and payments continue until the respondent gives up. Of course there was never a puppy to begin with.
If there is no intent to deliver an exchange of goods, that's a scam.
Similarly the Check Cashing scam. In this scam, the advertiser is a foreigner who offers to make the respondent an agent who will earn a commission by cashing checks drawn against a US bank. Of course the checks are worthless, and the agent stands to lose his shirt. This ad is an invitation to a fleecing, not to an exchange of (inflated) goods. It's a scam.
When these ads are paid for by stolen credit cards, that's a fraud.
I'll leave publishers to sort out the ethical dilemmas of doubtful offerings. I exhort publishers to avoid scams and frauds in classifieds.
Scam Ads
When I first worked out the business model for AD2AD, I was often asked about fraud. (With AD2AD, customers place their own ads online.)
What about stolen credit cards? I'd be asked
Who would steal a credit card to place classified ad???? I answered.
Well, now I know. In late 2006, AD2AD publications were peppered with ads placed by customers using stolen credit cards. We had about 15 customers call, in various states of shock.
While AD2AD had only a few of these scam-frauds, some of the customers we spoke to had horror stories. One man from Florida had opened his credit card statement to discover more than 250 ads placed in various newspapers -- total charges of more than $40 THOUSAND! (Thankfully, his AD2AD problem was a single ad for about $100.)
This is when I became aware of Nigerian Puppy Scams -- and other Scams.
I'd like to use this blog to identify existing and potential classified ad scams.
What about stolen credit cards? I'd be asked
Who would steal a credit card to place classified ad???? I answered.
Well, now I know. In late 2006, AD2AD publications were peppered with ads placed by customers using stolen credit cards. We had about 15 customers call, in various states of shock.
While AD2AD had only a few of these scam-frauds, some of the customers we spoke to had horror stories. One man from Florida had opened his credit card statement to discover more than 250 ads placed in various newspapers -- total charges of more than $40 THOUSAND! (Thankfully, his AD2AD problem was a single ad for about $100.)
This is when I became aware of Nigerian Puppy Scams -- and other Scams.
I'd like to use this blog to identify existing and potential classified ad scams.
Classified Advertising in Newspapers
My company, AD2AD, provides a web-based classified advertising management system. It's used by nearly 200 newspapers -- mostly community newspapers and college newspapers. With its large centralized database, I'm able to note changes and trends in the business.
I hope to share some of my thoughts here, and to get comments and feedback from others in the business.
I hope to share some of my thoughts here, and to get comments and feedback from others in the business.
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