"Global Warming" conference scam - how is this suc

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 29 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

So I got this email in my "spam only" account, and the headers trace to Africa. It is obviously a scam, but... I am not sure how it ever works. I mean, I doubt most people would read beyond the first few sentences:

Quote:

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is to announce the call for participation at the Global Warming Conference 2012(GWC12), 24th - 28th February 2012 at Emirates Garden Hotel, 23 Brook Street, London, W1K 4HA, United Kingdom.

Background

The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP17 2011 in Durban, South Africa highlighted the major challenges and opportunities associated with climate change as we move towards post 2012 carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction targets. In January 2008, the UK raised the bar by announcing a target of cutting CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050.

The email proceeds to ask for people who would like to submit papers to submit a 500 word proposal. "Papers focused on low carbon solutions and sustainable innovation related to the following topics are particularly welcomed"

I am baffled. Does this ever make *any* money?

Baiting Guru Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 3877

welcome to eater

http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=214672

at some point, hotel reservation..., he wants to see money.

I think, most of the receivers aren't interested in this sort of scam. but the few students and postdocs, who receive that kind of scam might be hit by it, totally unaware that they are even a targetgroup.

and a nice trip to a hotel somewhere far away, with the institute paying it, sounds promising. it's not the victims money but the money of the institute, where they work.

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:13 am

Welcome to Eater!

I have three characters going to the conference, and we've been battling websites and domains. They make money by charging reservations at the nonexistent hotel.

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:49 am

Hi BaitingNewbie and welcome to Eater.

Unfortunately these conference scams target many researchers and other professionals, focusing on many non-English speaking countries. When one of the victims is told that for a small fee they be able to attend the conference and present their research paper, it can be very tempting.

Here is an email from the scammer to a RL victim. The next day the victim sent £415.80 to the scammer and then a day later, found out it was a scam and contacted me.

Quote:

Dear Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx

This is to acknowledge the receipt of your hotel reservation receipt at the Queens London Hotel.We wish to inform you that the sum of £2000.00 had been disbursed as access grant to cover the cost of your air ticket-departure 9th February,2012-Bali//Jakarta//Hong Kong//London Heathrow and return on 15th February,2012 -London Heathrow//Hong Kong//Jakarta//Bali, travel insurance, visa fee and per diem to the International Scientific Conference on Clean Energy and Climate Change (ISCCECC 12) in London.

However,the UK Home Office upon verification of your ISCCECC 12 participation confirmation had instructed that every delegation to the ISCCECC 12 events will make a Mandatory Refundable Security Deposit(MRSD) of £500.00 per delegation,to the ISCCECC 12 immigration unit.This deposit of £500.00 per delegation shall be refunded upon your arrival to the International Scientific Conference on Clean Energy and Climate Change (ISCCECC 12) at the Queens London Hotel on 10th February,2012.

The Mandatory Refundable Security Deposit(MRSD) is very important,your delegation will not be involved with the payment of any other expenses to attend the ISCCECC 12 events,such as travel insurance,air ticket and transport fee,we had made adequate arrangement to cover these costs via your group £2000.00 access grant that had been approved.We had also asked our ticketing agent in London to buy your e-ticket,according to your BA flight itinerary,departure- 9th February,2012-Bali//Jakarta//Hong Kong//London Heathrow and return on 15th February,2012 - London Heathrow//Hong Kong//Jakarta//Bali. Details will be communicated, as soon as he buys your e-ticket within the next two days.The balance of your access grant less air ticket cost,will be reimbursed on your arrival to the International Scientific Conference on Clean Energy and Climate Change(ISCCECC 12).

The only item remaining to complete your registration formality is the £ 500.00 Mandatory Refundable Security Deposit (MRSD) imposed per delegation attending the ISCCECC 12.The deposit is also meant to assure UK immigration authorities that you will return to your home country after the ISCCECC 12 events.In the last ISCCECC 11,some delegates from Sub-Shara Africa and South East Asia were no where to be found as soon as they got visa to attend our conference.This time around we are not taking things for granted.

Make the payment of £500.00 as Mandatory Refundable Security Deposit (MRSD) in the name of ISCCECC 12 events Immigration Agent,via Western Union Money Transfer with the info below;

a. Receiver's Name (Mr. Imogen Rhys)
b. 81 East London Street, Edinburgh Midlothian, London EH74BQ,UK.
c. Name of Sender:
d. MTCN or Secret Number:
e. Where payment is sent from:
f. Amount Sent:

Do send in the MTCN as soon as you pay the Mandatory Refundable Security Deposit (MRSD) on or before Monday,9th January,2012 to enable the ISCCECC 12 events organising committee issue your deposit confirmation letter and our visa agent in Jakarta confirm your visa appointment interview date on your behalf at the UK Embassy Jakarta on Tuesday,10th January,2012 prior to your visit to the UK Embassy Jakarta for your visa authorization.

We look forward to hearing from you at the earliest!

Sincerely,

Dr. Mason Mann
Conference Chair
81 East London Street, Edinburgh Midlothian, London EH74BQ,UK.
Phone: +44 702 406 8488, +44 702 402 0466
Fax: +44 702 408 2344
Email: [email protected]

The site is now dead and the victim is a bit poorer but much wiser. Wink

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jan 2012 Posts: 8

vonpaso xlura wrote:

Welcome to Eater!

I have three characters going to the conference, and we've been battling websites and domains. They make money by charging reservations at the nonexistent hotel.

I was checking out this blog and noticed that the scammers even had an actual website up and running for their nonexistent hotel (skanghotel.com):

http://webfraudsec.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/human-welfare-assn-conference-scam/

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:56 am

^^ They have many fake websites. Once we are aware of them, we try to kill them:

Quote:

lookup failed www.skanghotel.com
Could not find an IP address for this domain name.
Domain Whois record

Queried whois.internic.net with "dom skanghotel.com"...

Domain Name: SKANGHOTEL.COM
Registrar: DYNADOT, LLC
Whois Server: whois.dynadot.com
Referral URL: http://www.dynadot.com
Name Server: NS1.DYNADOT.COM
Name Server: NS2.DYNADOT.COM
Status: clientHold
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Updated Date: 07-dec-2011
Creation Date: 02-dec-2011
Expiration Date: 02-dec-2012

^^^ This one is dead. Wink

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 9:23 am

See http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=214672

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