Conference registration scam

Few years ago, I submitted a scientific paper to a conference. The paper got accepted and I started arranging for registration and travel. Then, I received an email asking me to pay conference registration as well as hotel reservation fee. But something is wrong.

Actually, I was not the only conference participant to receive this suspicious email. The conference organizers have previously published on the conference's website a list of accepted papers with full details of the authors including email addresses. The scammer picked-up this list and sent an email to each participant. The email was specifically designed for this circumstances with the original name and information of the conference and their organizers. First, it inform the participants that due to some technical problems, the registration and payment procedures have changed. Then, it asks the participants to pay the exact amount of registration fee but also to pay the hotel reservation. The only thing that (must) make someone suspect the message is payment method. Indeed, payment instruction asks to the participants to pay the registration fee by Western Union to a person in an Africa country (the conference was in Turkey). I also checked the sender's email address which turns out to be fake.

I immediately contacted the conference organizers and advised them to remove the participants contact information from the website, to warn all the participants and to report to the police. They reacted quickly and followed my advice. However, I noticed that I was the first to alarm the organizers and concluded that many of the participants did not doubt about the scam email and probably some of them have sent the money to the scammer or planned to do so, thinking that this is the normal registration procedure.

Now, some more interesting details. It appears that we have here two concurrent scammers one from India and one from Nigeria. The first one, targeted the people who did not yet pay their registration and hotel fees. He claims that the conference bank account pasted on the website is no longer accessible and instructs them to make the payment to a bank account in India (BANK OF BARODA).The second scammer, asks the participants to send the payments to bank account in Nigeria or by Western Union. Even those who have already paid using MasterCard or Visa are informed that the money did not successfully reach the organizers and therefore they are instructed to send the payment (again) to the scammer. 



Text of the SCAM email

De : Maltepe University Marmara E»itim Köyü ªubesi [mailto:maltepeuniversity14@googlemail.com]
Envoyé : vendredi, 12. juin 2009 04:39
Objet : ACCOUNT INFORMATION CHANGES AND LAST DATE OF PAYMENTS

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO ALL REGISTERED PARTICIPANT OF THE CONFERENCE

Dear Registered Participant,

This applies to those that have not paid for the conference and Hotel fees.
You are hereby informed that the former University Account pasted in the website is no longer accessible due to the problem the bank is having at the moment.

We have made available the below account information where all payments should be directed
This applies to Iranian and Algerian participants:All participants from these countries are to move to the near by region to make the payment on or before the 15th of June 2009. There shall be no payment at the venue, your payment slip authenticates you are a full registered participant of the conference.


BANK NAME = BANK OF BARODA,UTPAL G.SAU
ACCOUNT NUMBER: CURRENT 25230200000711
BRANCH: VASAI (E), THANE-401209
PAN NUMBER: AXWPS0111P

We shall be summerizing everything about the conference on Tuesday 16th, therefore, we urge you to finish all the necessary arrangements, pay your Conference fee and  Hotel Reservation fee to the above bank account and forward your stamped payment slip to us for immediate verification.

There shall be no elongation of date.

Contact Prof. Kemal Koyen at koyenkemal@live.com for confirmation.

Thank You for your understanding as we look forward to hear from you.

Signed:

Management, Maltepe University

---

De : Aliko Zwingi [mailto:alikozwingi@yahoo.com]
Envoyé : jeudi, 4. juin 2009 04:51
Objet : REMINDER/UPDATE

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES · 04-10 AUGUST , 2009 ISTANBUL, TURKEY DEAR PARTICIPANT, THANK YOU FOR REGISTERING IN THE FORTH COMING CONFERENCE. WE WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT THE FINAL DATE OF PAYMENT HAS BEEN EXTENDED FROM 5TH JUNE TILL 17TH OF JUNE 2009. THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY OF US TO MEET UP WITH THE PAYMENTS THE REGISTERED CANDIDATES AS DIRECTED TO THEM BY THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE. PAYMENT OF CONFERENCE FEE ARE DONE THROUGH BANK AND WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER DEPENDING ON THE REGION, FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO MAKE THE PAYMENT, PLEASE CONTACT OUR SENIOR ACCOUNTANT OFFICER IN NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA. MR. FREDRICK ADIMS ON +2347034743376 OR EMAIL HIM AT SINEQUA2K@YAHOO.COM  PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY PAYMENT MUST BE MADE ON OR BEFORE THIS DATE FOR THERE WILL BE NO PAYMENT OR REGISTRATION AT THE CONFERENCE VENUE. HOTEL RESERVATION PAYMENT IS 550EURO AND CONFERENCE FEE IS 200EURO. PAYMENT SLIP ARE TO BE FORWARDED TO US VIA EMAIL FOR VERIFICATION. PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARD SUCH AS MASTER CARD AND VISA CARD ARE NOT ALLOWED BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WE ARE HAVING WITH THE HOSTING SITE, THERE ANY PAYMENT THAT HAS BEEN MADE VIA THE SITE HAVE NOT REACHED TO US. SORRY FOR THE INCONVINENCES. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE REQUESTED YOU TO MAKE THE PAYMENT VIA BANK TRANSFER AND WESTERN UNION. THANK YOU AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEE YOU AT THE CONFERENCE. MR. ALIKO ZWINGI CONFERENCE COMMITTEE 2009 FOR AND ON BEHALF OF :  PROF.DR. KEMAL KOYMEN -----Message d'origine----- De : Barr Maryjane [mailto:maryjanestan@googlemail.com] Envoyé : vendredi, 5. juin 2009 02:34 Objet : NAMES OF PARTICIPANTS/PAYMENT Dear, We are happy to inform you that we are still looking forward to hear from you on the issue of payments toward your conference fee and Hotel Reservation. Visit this link for confirmation of your name among the participants and make the payments to enable us meet up with things. Refere to the mails sent to you in the former correspondence and make the payment. Below is the names of participants as at May 1st. [[ NDLR : FULL LIST OF PARTICIPANTS WAS HERE, I deleted the names and contact information]] Thank You Prof. Kemal

A scam email from your boss

No, we don't mean that your boss is trying to scam you and that you should not trust him. Scammers are targetting top managers who, ignoring the nature of those emails, froward the message to their emplyees.

Recently, a Rector of a university with more than 40,000 students, dozens of research groups and hundreds of researcher, has received an email that pretends to be from a canadian university. The email (in French) announces the offering of more than 400 shcolarships for students from inustrialized european countries but also from developing countries (practically, all countries in the world are eligible). In addition to the scholarship, the email promesses that the host university will help with immigration issues and provides jobs for those who choose to stay in Canada after their studies. Who can ask for more?

Despite the appearant scam nature of the email, the rector forwarded the email to his staff asking for wide dessimination. You can imagine that the email reached almost every potential victim at the university. On top of that, the email is forwarded from the rector, a person with high authority and trusted by everyone inside as well as outside his institution. The victims will have no reason to doubt. A valuable service provided by the rector to the scammer.

How to detect the scam?

For an average internet user, it is not difficult to detect the scam nature of this email. First, the email is poorly written with many typos and grammatical errors. The senders name "Université Laval Canada" is not the official name of the university which is "University Laval". The scammer adds "Canada" to the name to make it more appealing. The email address obviously does not belong to the Université Laval. Instead of an address @ulaval.ca, the scammer uses @lineone.net email address. LineOne was an internet service provide in the ... UK. Email addresses @lineone.net are still working. The scammer asks the victims to send their applications to a @secretary.net email address. This domain is not in use (it is parked).
Furthermore, the email makes refers to non existing depatments. Hence, "la direction régional des bourses étrangères canadienne" has no existance (Yes, it should be "direction régionale" but you know that scammers also can make grammatical errors). The same for "secrétariat d'état à l'étude et à la recherche de l’Université Laval" (again, it should be "secrétariat d'Etat" but then how can a State's secretary be part of the university). It suffices to put the names in google and to look at the results.
The email is intetionally vague, to capture the attention of maximum number of possible victims. First, almost all the countries in the world are illigible. No conditions whatsoever besides speaking a language (it doesn't matter which one) and having a high school or higher level. Yes, everyone can apply and everyone will be granted scholarship. Additionally, you receive a filght ticket, they take care of the immigration procedure and they offer you a job at the end of your study.

In theory, this is perfect. But, doesn't it look too beautiful to be true?

What is the risk?

Back to earth now. Here is what happens if you take the bait.
First, the scammer will receive and accept your application. Congratulations, you are awarded a scholarship at the university of Laval.
The scammer will ask the victim to pay an small amount of money as administration fee. The payment will be done using Western Union or a similar money transfer services that guaranties the anonymity for the scammer.
If the victim performs the first payement, then the scammer will most probably continue to ask money under different pretexts. In many cases, it is not the scammer who will give up first. The victim motivated by false hope will sometimes continue until it is too late.

The scammer might ask the victim to send him personal documents (copy of passport, ID, diplomas, etc..) and might use them in fraudulent activities. 

What to do?

As a general rule, ignore such emails.
If you have already engaged with the scammer, then stop immediatly. Even if you have sent him documents or money. Cut your losses at this point.
Report to the police.

Text of the SCAM email :

De: "Université Laval Canada" <david.a.woods@lineone.net>
Envoyé: Jeudi 1 Octobre 2015 21:36:11
Objet: Inscription a la demande de bourse d'étude canadienne 2015-2016.

Par l'intermédiaire de la direction régional des bourses étrangères canadienne, le secrétariat d'état à l'étude et à la recherche de l’Université Laval lance un appel à la candidature pour 400 bourses d'études Canadienne au titre de l'année académique 2015-2016. Ces bourses sont destinées aux ressortissants des pays de la catégorie A (pays industrialisés européens, et extra-européens) et ceux des pays de la catégorie B (pays en développement, du tiers monde et extra -européens) elles doivent leur permettre de poursuivre leurs études, de parfaire leurs connaissances pour les travaux de recherches dans les domaines auxquels l’Université Laval accorde une attention particulière.

SPÉCIFICITÉ DE LA BOURSE:
- L’Université Laval entend faciliter l'immigration aux personnes désireuses de Poursuivre leurs études et d'obtenir des diplômes d'état canadienne.
- Les candidats retenus au terme de la sélection de candidatures seront insérés outre leur étude dans les secteurs sensibles de la vie économique et sociale du Canada: (santé, droit, diplomatie, communication, finance, énergie, industrie, transport, agriculture...).
Cette option de l’Université Laval vise à donner une aptitude professionnelle aux boursiers pour pouvoir travailler s'ils le désirent au Canada à la fin de leur formation.

DURÉE DE LA BOURSE:
Les bourses couvrent la période d'un cycle de formation ou au maximum six (06) semestres voir plus.

FRAIS DE VOYAGE:
Les billets d'avion aller-retour (Provenance – Canada/ Québec), sont pris en charge par la direction régional des bourses étrangères canadienne. Conditions préalables à la candidature en règle générale, les candidats aux bourses étrangères Canadienne doivent:
- Avoir au maximum 18 ans à 55 ans;
- Comprendre et parler correctement l'une des langues d'enseignement an Canada (Anglais, Français, Espagnol, Allemand, Italien);
- Avoir un diplôme équivalent au brevet d'étude de premier cycle d'enseignement, au baccalauréat ou au brevet d'aptitude professionnelle des pays de l'union européenne.

PROCÉDURE DE SÉLECTION:
- Veuillez faire votre demande de bourse en réclamant le formulaire d’inscription à remplir par une lettre de motivation à envoie à l'adresse émail de notre secrétariat: universite.laval@secretary.net

Detect and avoid scam emails

Many of the scam emails sent to your mailbox will be automatically detected by your email software and moved to the "spam" folder. However, some of them will end-up in your inbox and need to know how to detect a scam email.

Most of the spam and scam emails are poorly written with multiple typos and spelling errors. This should be the first alarming sign. But few are written by "professional" scamers and might look very well.

As a general rule, ignore any unsolicited offers. Never reply to them.

If however, you think that the email might be ligitimate and you want to investigate its authenticity, then the following hints might help you.

Unsolicited offer : Someone you don't know offers you a job, a large amount of money, or something you don't expect to receive. No, thanks. In general, if it is too beautiful then it is not true.

Check the sender : look at the senders name and email. If the email pretends to come from an institution, google the name of this institution and check the contact details on the official web site. If the email is that of a friend, check if it is already in your contact list and that you have corresponded with this person using that email. This however, not a guaranty of the authenticity  of the email. Your friends account might have been recently hacked. Besides, it is not technically difficult to fake the sender's address in an email.

Check the reply email: This is how they may trick you. The senders email looks fine (but may be hacked or faked) but when you click the reply button a different address appears.

Check the other contact details. Example: phone number with area code +229 (Benin) while the sender pretends to be in UK.