To be quite honest with you, the idea seems good but........


1. A photograph dated within the last 2 weeks.

Scammer will surf around myspace or any other sites to get those. And a bit computer literate scammer knows how to alter those a bit as well. + They get photo's send everyday unfortunately.

2. A copy fo your ID Card or Passport clearly showing your full name age date of birth and nationality.

Ever heard of ID theft. I for one will not send my Passport details over the Internet. Besides I have seen copies that look pretty genuine

3. A copy of an official letter/bill, clearly showing your name and address, dated within the past 2 months.

Same story as for the Passports

4. Proof of your telephone number and employment.

How can you verify those? I have a prepaid mobile number and no landline number. Oops that must make me a scammer for those cannot be verified. *sigh*


5. A link to ALL the dating sites you use and your profiles on those sites.

and then what?


6. Pay the £9.99 verification fee below.

Like a scammer can do after faking all the information above with a Victims Credit card which he used in a temporary Paypal Account.


I can get three conclusions out of this

1. You are a scammer yourself and want to make money in a different way then directly scamming people and do some Phishing in the process.

2. You are a turd who wants to make money out of the misfortunes of others. In other words SCAMMER

3. You have the right heart but haven't got a clue what you are doing and haven't done any research in the subject.

If the latter is the case contact my profile and I redirect you to some proper sites to have some education on scams. And that does not only concern lovescams but also ID theft, Phishing, Government agency impersonation, etc, etc.

It is funny the amount of negative comments one has had since doing this and all the emails sent from the ScamList website are quite clearly from scammers trying to find out the route that is taken to verify them, so they can adapt their tricks to the system!!! just today I had a threatening email from someone with an english sounding name, but very poor english grammar, who told me that I had to tell him/her how the process work - he/she had 'a right to know'.... i don't think so!!! I will not reveal the sources used to verify as that defeats the object of security!!! The photo, well cameras have a date and time function on them, that is what is meant by within the last 2 weeks, you left out the fact they have to provide details of all the dating sites they are on.

I am not a scammer, I have been scammed myself, and this is just a little hobby of mine BUT websites cost money and time to run. My research is sound and my methods are sound. Any method of alerting people to scammers and getting them exposed no matter how small or huge, should be applauded from whatever source. Thanks to all those people who have written support for the project and to all the negative people with negative comments, it juts makes me even more determined to carry on!

The idea is good but I have seen sites that phish for details like this to use in a scam. Also loads of fake scam sites use tricks like this. I am not saying you are a scammer I just deducted the facts to several conclusions.

And yes since you use third parties for verifying I also would like to know who they are. You ask personal details from me, I simply would ask what they are used for and BY WHOM. Why not, those are MY documents you use.

The Idea of promoting and exposing the scammer I can only applaude the Verifying I have strong doubts, especially that it can't see how you verify it. I am not downtalking your intentions I just add some thoughts about it. Which might seem negative but in the fight in antifraud I have seen many kind of things from ppl claiming to get your money back for a fee (sorry but money is not traceable and recoverable) and more weird things. That is why I am a bit septic about the verifying bit. It would gravely concern anybody who has been victim of ID theft and then seeing this.

You said threatening emails? I am curious for those. For what the European Union is concerned he might be right. I have looked at your site and it is me also a bit too vague and if there are third parties involved yes I have a right to know who. so he might not be far off. I know of several "laws" concerning ID protection out of my home ountry and the one I am living in now. It is not a question of who is wrong or right in this case. It is how things are interpreted.

If you feel attacked by my previous post, please don't be I merely sum things up out of experience from my participation in anti fraud and anti scam. Maybe my words were too harsh or not clear enough, but then again English is not my first language.

I hope that things will work out and that there is one more long lasting source in the fight.

Hi Ben,

I think, based on the content of this blog, I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt. Are you a scammer? Maybe so, but I'd like to ask you about how you think you are being percieved?

Your site is hosted on a cheap service, completely anonymously and easily disposable. You communicate via anonymous AOL accounts which are again readily disposable. Next, you are soliciting a fee and identification documents.

On the whole it looks like a scam, smells like a scam, and are you surprised that you are being asked questions?

Despite the obvious, I'd like to point out something from a quite legal perspective, which has to do with The Data Protection Act. In the UK it is a MANDATORY and LEGAL requirement that anyone storing personal information must be doing so according to the rules laid down by the act.

Are your registered with the DPA Ben? Clearly not, as they would never authorize such an unsafe way of obtaining documents. In short Ben, you are (probably) breaking the law.

I have already recorded complaints with your site host, CrimeStoppers and the Metropolitan Police Sterling Team (Fraud Alert). Shall I also make representation to the Data Protection Registrar?

I urge you to rethink your strategy on this "scheme" before the water gets too hot.

Please don't take my post as any form of threat on you personaly, just trying to shed some light in here, just in case you really are a genuine individual trying (though misguided) to do something good.

Kind Regards
John Fairheart
www.fraudwatchers.org

First of all, where I do agree with most of the comments made here, I do not see anywhere where you stated that this was your site. So, some of these comments are hateful in themselves and not helping the matter either. The fact is that scammers can, and do, make fraudulent passports and etc. The only true way of verifying a person is to have some trusted individual in that location meet with them one on one. Perhaps, a minister or missionary or some other person whom you would trust. I have several fake passports sent to me as verification of identity. They all look real and you have to look really close, but they are fakes.

The idea is good, but even with the verification process that some sites are using, fakers can still get through. IT's not that hard.

Interesting to say the least. Forget the date stamp on a camera as any means of even partly being verification. You can set the date for those to anything you want.. and anybody with the smallest amount of clue can put any date they like on if they have even an ounce of knowledge of using any reasonable graphics program like paint shop pro or adobe.. or even the freebie ones. As pointed out. The DPA is very strong in the UK and as such you must be registered and prove that the information obtained is secure in its storage. I run a scam site and I offer nothing other than information and photos, letters etc from scammers. Obviously if they are on my site, then don't go near them. Regardless of what measures you take to protect yourself. the end result is you are still responsible for your own actions.

(Asked whois.gandi.net:43 about mfbiz.com)

domain: MFBIZ.COM
owner-name: wendy tan
owner-address: 78 Margaret St
owner-address: W1W8SZ
owner-address: london
owner-address: United Kingdom
admin-c: EP1065-GANDI
tech-c: EP1065-GANDI
bill-c: EP1065-GANDI
nserver: SEC2.DNS.UK.PSI.NET
nserver: DNS1.GREEKATTIC.COM
nserver: SEC1.DNS.UK.PSI.NET
reg_created: 2004-08-10 17: 09: 42
expires: 2008-08-10 17: 09: 42
created: 2007-07-31 06: 57: 02
changed: 2007-07-31 06: 57: 02
person: Eirik Pettersen
nic-hdl: EP1065-GANDI
address: Greek Attic Ltd
address: 2nd Floor
address: 78 Margaret Street
address: W1W8SZ
address: LONDON
address: United Kingdom
phone: 44.2074342084
5dbab31f9448cc68a4d1e97d9a9ae85b-ep1065@contact.gandi.net

lastupdated: 2007-09-27 13: 01: 52

I agree , seems to be a data mining operation.
Its how you're going about it that makes others believe that your a fraud.

PS. Anyone having a zone xfr or dig thats different. Post it.

mfb.com is a sub domain of moonfruit.com the company I host my sites with, and by the pay it is a paid hosting company not throw away one and they have all my personal details and bank details. I am quite happy to discuss with any authorities the sites intention and my own honesty, as I have completely nothing to hide.

Quote MichaelHas In response to posting by JohnF "Just some clarification Ben that you probably had one email from me under the name of Michael Hasselhof. I don't know what was threatening in my emails I merely asked a few question, which you might have found threatening.

If you found my aproach threatening I apologise. It was not meant as to threaten you. For as far as my english goes. Yep I am not native English, sorry for that but there are more languages in the world"

Interesting to see that MichaelHas and JohnF (both the same person) have different profiles on here, one claiming to be a man and one claiming to be a woman....read into that what you will, .......meanwhile I have to apologise to my clients for loss of revenue today while all their sites remain locked!!! Good thing I have attorneys in the States, where the complaint came from and are registered as a company there. Merry Christmas!

Ben,

Thank you for crediting me with owning bogus GMail accounts. Your accusation is a rather flimsy affair to say the least, one which I completely and utterly contest. You have no proof nor evidence that I have sent said emails.

You appear to have chosen me to hurl accusations at simply because I am currently the only one to openly communicate with you using a indentifiable name. I had considered email, but I chose to join here and allow my message to be seen by all. Nothing hidden, all in the open.

Having reported the site I am happy that your host has decided to pull it to protect potential victims. I make no apology for that Ben. Regardless of what legislation lays deep within the bowels of the Data Protection Act the fact remains that you have openly solicited advance fees and personally identifiable documentation from internet users. This is "ID Theft 101" Ben, not to mention an apparent Advance Fee Fraud... look at it from our point of view.

Your host made the decision based on what they could see, it is their right and they have, in my humble opinion, made the correct choice. If they have extended their suspension to other sites you own, then that's their call. I only reported one. I am happy that I did not have to pursue my communications with the Metropolitan Police, who emailed me this morning, and I am equally happy that I did not have to raise the issue with the Data Protection Registrar.

In your future I wish you well Ben, and I do really mean that. However, if such a scheme were to be launched again, I hope that you seek professional and legal guidance on how to set it up so that it does not look like a scam.

Regards,
John Fairheart
www.fraudwatchers.org

Quote: BenMilton -- "Interesting to see that MichaelHas and JohnF (both the same person) have different profiles on here, one claiming to be a man and one claiming to be a woman....read into that what you will"


Another accusation you cannot possibly prove. Frankly it's rather childish.

Cheerio.

Perhaps John, you should consult with your colleagues then, as I ahve had this email from one:

"I also want to apologize throught this mail if my emails sounded threatening (already done so on the blog).

It is true I am not native English. Therefore my English might be a bit off the map. All I wanted to do was asking some questions but maybe not used the right words of grammar.

Another point I like to make is that however I know the name**** John Fairheart from fraudwatchers.org**** I am NOT him. He never pretended to be someone else as far as I know. The emails you got from me were of my own content using a shared account from me and a friend.***** I never realised he would contact you from the Bterfood**** account as it is a catcher account for scamemails and spam.

I hope you accept my apology as far as the "threats" concern. It was not my intention to threaten merely making some things clear for myself. The idea is good but........well there is enough said already.

Kind regards,

Michael H"

I think I have also proven in my emails to you that the from names were different but the sender names "bterfood" were the same on all emails. My host has not permanently locked my site, I have replied to their enquiry and they will be unlocked asap.

Ben,

What exactly are you trying to prove, apart from making yourself look childish again?

I am well-known within our group yes, but what has that got to do with anything? Many people know my name. The 'person' and his 'friend' have used a shared account to send emails to you... and that has got what to do with me?

Colleagues? No Ben, as far as I am aware I am the ONLY person to contact you on behalf of fraudwatchers.org, the rest of my "colleagues" are busy elsewhere I'd imagine. As for the rest of the internet, well I don't own that yet.

Again, you hurl accusations in my direction which hold no water. I suggest you cease hurling your stupidity in my direction and get on with restoring your sites. (Less the ID Theft one of course).

John

Was that last post of your, you publicly accusing me of ID Theft?

No Benny,

That was me accusing you of having a website that looks like an ID THEFT site. Which is the reason it was reported in the first place.

You can attempt to make me appear to be thae bad-boy all you like Ben, but the fact remains that YOU have erected a website that solicits an ADVANCE FEE and for "PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE DOCUMENTATION".

Cookie Jar, Hand In, CAUGHT... slap.

Enough grasping at straws Benny, you did wrong, admit the error and move on instead of trying to disguise that Mole-hill as Mt. Everest.

Ta-ta
John Fairheart

wow

HELLO MY LOVE.
My name is heline,i saw your profile today and became intrested in you,i will also like to know you the more,and if you dont mind i will like you to send an email to my email address so i can give you my picture for you to know whom i am.Here is my email address( helinejohn@yahoo.com) believe we can move from here!I am waiting for your mail to my email address above.heline.(Remeber the distance or colour does not matter even our age difrent because i have something very IMPORTANT to tell you,but love matters alot in life) please contact me with this e-mail address (helinejohn@yahoo.com).

Well damn !!! LMAO Even the scammers are targeting your blog. Now you gotta admit... thats as funny as hell or should I say Heline

Wow, Wow, Wow, attach each other instead of trying to just enter positive help and feedback. Lets try to work together and put these scammers away, if someone ask for money. >>>>>>>>>>>> RUN<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
other wise proceed with caution. Calling each other on the carpent and negative feedback, acusing each other of fraud, find a medium, work together if there isn't anything positive to say, keep it to yourself, look what all is said here, this is crazy and childish...

Here is a thought lol "write your profile in Microsoft word" than you can use spell check. oops probably gave so wrong information here, just that some of these comments are attacking each other instead of trying to find the truth and helping people.

What do I know, I've only been a victim, have learned the hard way, this is my saying "If it sounds to good to be true, its not"

Be safe, Be careful, Be Cautious in the end don't send money, always find a way to get to meet them or like someone said "have a friend, priest etc...meet them"