Tag Archives: ethics
- Return-A-Pet Scam Preys On Victims Of Lost Pets
It’s annual pet scammer week! That’s a lie. But it sure feels like it. Eric Stein was charged with running an investment scam through Return-A-Pet LLC. Return-A-Pet was a New York company that allegedly facilitated the return of lost pets to their owners. Stein was out on supervised release for a previous investment fraud scheme [...]
- Tax Refund Check Cashing Scheme Hits Southern Florida
As tax season rolls around it’s no surprise to see tax refund check cashing schemes arising in the news. Announced Monday was the filing of a criminal Information charging defendants Wilson Lau, and his wife, Kate Yuee Lau, for their participation in a check cashing scheme involving more than $5 million in fraudulently obtained tax [...]
- FTC Halts Fake News Sites About Deceitful Acai Berry Weight-Loss Products
We’ve covered the deceitful acai berry weight-loss products over the past year on our site (see here, here and here). It was announced on Wednesday that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has stopped six operators from using fake news site that allegedly deceived consumers about this product. Six online marketers agreed to settlements with the [...]
- Raleigh Native Indicted In Connection With Fraud And Extortion
The former President of Encap Golf Holdings LLC (“Encap”), William Gauger III, was indicted this week for his participation in a scheme to extort approximately $100,000 from a financial consultant and a fraudulent invoicing scheme relating to his work for a New Jersey-based management firm. Gauger allegedly hired his brother-inlaw Craig Groce, who was originally [...]
- Investment Fraudster Defrauds Over 200 Out Of $14 Million
Bradley Stark, the fraudster defendant who represented himself at trail was convicted by a federal jury for deceiving investors about an investment scheme that involved more than 200 victims and more than $14 million. Following Stark’s five-day trial he has been convicted on all counts of an indictment charging him with seven counts of wire [...]
- Elaborate Scheme Leaves 180 With Over $1 Million In Fraudulent Purchases
Charges were announced last Thursday against seven members of an identity theft ring that allegedly used stolen identities of more than 180 people at major New York City retail stores including Home Depot, Sears, Kmart and Kohl’s, among others. The ring of fraudsters resold merchandise and gift cards for a profit after purchasing them under [...]
- Ponzi Schemes Are The New Black
Thirteen days into the year and I feel like all I’ve written about is Ponzi-scheme after Ponzi-scheme after Ponzi-scheme. Today I bring to you the sentencing of Jenifer Devine, the woman who owned a purported wholesale merchandise broker and admitted to running a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that resulted in over $2 million in losses to [...]
- New Computer Virus Commits Post Transaction Attacks On Your Bank Account
When my grandma, god bless her soul, hears about a new scam, fraud or any form of financial trickery she immediately calls me up and warns me to stop whatever I’m doing and take notes. To her knowledge I don’t belong to more than one social media network, I don’t buy items online, I don’t [...]
- Multi-Billion Dollar Securities Scam Surfacing On LinkedIn
As of November 3, 2011 more than 135 million professionals around the world utilize LinkedIn.com and more than 14 million students and recent college graduates around the world are LinkedIn members as of October 2011 (Source). Many internet users don’t recognized LinkedIn as a major social networking site because users don’t utilize the site daily [...]
- Largest Recruiter Of Shapiro’s $930 Million Ponzi Scheme Sentenced
Sydney Jack Williams of Naples, Florida was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison for failing to report more than $12 million to the IRS in related commissions received in Nevin Shapiro’s $930 million Ponzi scheme. Williams previously plead guilty to an Information that charged him with one count of subscribing to [...]
- Your 2012 New Year’s Resolution: Don’t Get Scammed!
History repeats itself. Fact. George Santayana once stated, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” This fact holds true with every aspect of one’s life, especially in one’s financial life. And especially in the world of scams. If you’re not up to date and familiar with the latest scams and schemes [...]
- Envelope Please! The Top Ten Scams Of 2011 Are In!
Every year the Better Business Bureau investigates hundreds of thousands of scams, from the novel to the old. Recently they compiled and published a list of the top ten scams of 2011 including nine major categories and a “Scam of the Year” category. Curious? Here’s what the BBB has listed: “Top Job Scam BBB sees [...]
- Four Israeli Residents Charged With Phony Lottery Prize Scheme Extradited To US
It was recently announced that four defendants have been extradited from Israel on charges relating to their participation in multiple lottery telemarketing fraud schemes. The schemes targeted elderly victims in the United States and netted millions of dollars in profits. In July of 2009 three of the extradited defendants, Avi Ayache, Yaron Bar, and Ian [...]
- Upromise And FTC Settle Charges Over Internet Toolbar That Deceptively Collected Consumers’ Personal Information
If you have a child and are saving for their college fund, chances are you’ve heard of the company Upromise. Upromise is a company that offers consumers a membership service that allows them to save money for college. When consumers make a purchase or buy a service from a Upromise partner merchant they then receive [...]
- AmBanc, Commercial Capital Banc and U.S. Underwriting Fraud Scheme
Last month the United States Attorney’s Office announced that James France was indicted for wire wire fraud in connection with an advance fee scheme. Apparently, France held himself out as being in the business of commercial lending, and operated his business under various names such as AmBanc, Commercial Capital Banc and U.S. Underwriting. The indictment [...]