Scam Recovery

[Javacat]

Your best bet might be trying to find where that phone number actually ends up. Googling it, it's used in another scam http://www.cybercrimeops.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10489.


Looking through that site, it might actually be useful to you, particularly the link mentioned in this thread, which goes to http://www.ic3.gov.

 

[x68000]

Just drove past the address for you today and could see no Zentec Solutions, so asked a Security Guard who pointed me around to the back of the courtyard and told me where they were. They were shut, but noticed a sign saying that they specialise in Fire Protection Engineering.

I'd get in touch and let them know what is going on since their company name is being abused - They may well join forces and help you.

Their telephone number (inc international dialing code) is 011 44 191 4776200 - They are open 9am-5pm. Don't forget about the time difference.

 

[quartercast]

I don't know if you found this already, but it seems the legit Zentec director could be David Caldicott. Unless there's more than one Zentec Solutions at Newcastle

Source 1
Source 1.1

 

[Nova]

It interests me that although they are using Zentec's address, they are calling themselves Zentech. Slightly different...

 

[quartercast]

How dodgy are their ads! Buy two iPhones, get one free yo!

What did their magazine entry look like?

 

[gmiller1018]

I contacted Western Union trying to find out who picked up the money so I know who to send the UK fraud
people after and go this:

> Thank you for contacting Western Union. We are writing regarding your inquiry.
>
> Our records indicate the Money Transfer was paid on 06/15/10 at 10:05:05 in LONDON, UK.
>
> For security purposes, the only information we may disclose about a Money Transfer is the payout date, time, and city. Information regarding the identity of the receiver must be obtained through your local law enforcement. We do apologize for any inconvenience.
>
> If you have any additional comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at customerservice@westernunion.com.
>
> Sincerely,
> Abraham A.
> Customer Service Representative
> www.westernunion.com.

So I now need to get MY local law enforcement involved so I can get the name of who picked up the money so I can get
it to the UK fraud people ....

 

[gmiller1018]

BTW: Thanks for all of the contact information on the fraud stuff and for checking on the company. I
am stuck gathering enough information to support the fact that the money was collected in the UK by
an individual so I can target the attention of the fraud group. THey will not investigate unless they know
who is doing the deed in the UK.

This is going to take a while ... but I continue since my pandora can't keep me distracted

 

[craigix]

Well since it was picked up in London (probably by some Nigerian scammer) it's certainly nothing to do with the Newcastle company - Newcastle is 300 miles away.

I've got some vague memory of there now being a London based Police department just for dealing with these shits. Might be worth a google.

 

[gmiller1018]

Yes there is a group but they refer me to the local police so I still
need to deal with my local police I guess (not sure what they will
be able to do ...

I will see if the Western Union fraud line can actually be of help
identifying the actual receiver of the money so I have a definite
target.

 

[Javacat]

Did you try the IC3 place? They're the US internet fraudy people. Some people say they're really good, but others say they suck. I think it depends on how much $$$ you actually lost

 

[Prometheus]

Have you tried contacting the chaps at ScamWarners to see if they have any advice to give? They're a volunteer-run site that specialises in warning and advising victims of a number of different types of scams.

 

[gmiller1018]

Did you try the IC3 place? They're the US internet fraudy people. Some people say they're really good, but others say they suck. I think it depends on how much $$$ you actually lost

I just files a report with IC3, so now to wait for a reply.

 

[gmiller1018]

Well the local police have had a detective contact me so the reporting via the IC3 site appears to be working
for US reporting. Of course it is till too early to judge the results.

 

[WizardStan]

I'm kind of curious why "contact the local police" was not the first thing you did. At least why not the second, or third, because that's the advice that keeps coming up on all these scam sites: contact local police. Seriously, that's what they're there for; you shouldn't ever be afraid to speak with local law enforcement.

 

[gmiller1018]

I'm kind of curious why "contact the local police" was not the first thing you did. At least why not the second, or third, because that's the advice that keeps coming up on all these scam sites: contact local police. Seriously, that's what they're there for; you shouldn't ever be afraid to speak with local law enforcement.

Since the crime was "committed" in a foreign country the locals have no jurisdiction so I was attempting to contact
the locals where the crime was committed. I just got off the phone with the locals and they do not feel that Western
Union would even respond to a subpoena for the information and that they do not verify any ID's so it is a waste of
time. I am going to call the Western Union Subpoena line and see if I can get the info regardless.

 

[gmiller1018]

Well the Western Union Subpoena line will not help me unless I have a lawyer to get a
subpoena. So ... I guess this dies here.

FYI: any reference to zentech@windowslive.com is fraud ...

 

[Nova]

Well the Western Union Subpoena line will not help me unless I have a lawyer to get a
subpoena. So ... I guess this dies here.

FYI: any reference to zentech@windowslive.com is fraud ...

In future reference, any store that uses a free email service such as gmail or windowslive (excluding openpandora) is probably a scammer.

 

[Prometheus]

If you haven't already posted at ScamWarners, please consider doing so (but do not use the same username as here, or anything that would connect you to anywhere else or to real life). I just Googled for the e-mail address that you mentioned, and the top results do not include any scam-warnings at all. Warnings on ScamWarners get picked up quickly by Google, and such a thing could help prevent others from falling victim.

 

[gmiller1018]

If you haven't already posted at ScamWarners, please consider doing so (but do not use the same username as here, or anything that would connect you to anywhere else or to real life). I just Googled for the e-mail address that you mentioned, and the top results do not include any scam-warnings at all. Warnings on ScamWarners get picked up quickly by Google, and such a thing could help prevent others from falling victim.

Done .. thanks