For quite some time now Avon has made a concerted effort to keep you apprised of the latest scams and the ways in which you can protect yourself from these criminals. However, these scams are on the increase. Newer versions are constantly being created by the criminals and as a result, Avon has designed a new site to help protect you, our Ambassador, from such fraudulent activities.
Please consider the following best practices for avoiding fraud when conducting your Avon business. Most importantly, never send money to a stranger using a money transfer service and beware of purchases or deals that seem too good to be true.
Examples of Phishing Scheme(s) Against Avon Ambassadors
Example #1
Good to hear from you. My name is Latara Harvey,I am from Chicago, IL but will be coming to Texas for a showbiz. We have prefer to order online but for now all purchases in our company are done with paper payment so i would love you to place the order for me. Below is the list of items needed:
I would need to know the total of all the products i requested for and also the name and address you want the payment sent to and also a phone number i can reach you on. After you send me this information the Manager of ourcompany will mail you a check for the payment, which you can cash instantly at your bank because we need these items there in Texas before the date of the event and they will be picked up at your location Upon my Arrival in Texas...I hope to read from you soon with all
details required.
Example #2
However,i would need to know the total of all the products i requested for and also the name and address you want the payment sent to and also a phone number i can reach you on. After you send me this information the Manager of our company will mail you a check or a money order for the payment,which you can cash instantly at your bank because we need these items there in FL before the date of the event and they will be picked up at your location Upon my Arrival FL...I hope to read from you soon with all details required.
1- Name to be written on the certified check or Money order
2- Mailing address, No p.o.box
3- Phone Number
4- City
5- Zip Code
6- State
Thank you and enjoy your day.
Example #3
Hello sis
Thanks for your response and i really appreciate it, My name is Sarah Smith . I am a retail buyer and i am deaf and also a single mother of 2 kids. I was introduced to Avon Some Month ago and I got your sales and contact from Avon and i will be more happy to have you as my Avon Ambassador ..And I would like to purchase this Items with you on a dealership and not with the company cos i am new on computer and i don't operate credit card that is why am dealing direct with you and i will appreciate if i can order this Product through you once you have the funds from me for the product . All the product i want to order from you is my first order this year . I will want you to get back to me with the total cost of the listed item i want to order from you
Please kindly let me know if there is any discount you want to give me on my first order, and also you don't need to worry about the shipping and the pick up of the order from your location that will be handle through my Shipper after you have receive the funds for the order . And as for the payment , i will be paying you through a bank cashier check or Money Order. I will want you to get back to me with your full name and address including your phone number so that i can arrange on how the payment will be mail out to your address for the order through my financial bank . I await your response asap.
thanks a lot
Sarah Smith.
How Can I Tell If an Email Message is a Fraud?
If you believe that you have received fraudulent email messages or have been the victim of online fraud, you can report the problem to the following groups:
Attach and send fake email messages to authorities. Reporting fake messages to authorities helps in the effort to combat phishing schemes. There's information buried in the header of an email message that technical experts require in order to flush out fraud or abuse; without it they may be unable to pursue an investigation. Follow the steps below to send the full, original header of the message you want to report. Below are two email addresses you can use to report suspicious mail:
Giving the Bounce to Counterfeit Check Scams
It's your lucky day! You just won a foreign lottery! The letter says so. And the cashier's check to cover the taxes and fees is included. All you have to do to claim your winnings is deposit the check and wire the money to the sender to pay the taxes and fees. You have been assured that when they receive your payment, you'll get your prize.
There's just one catch: this is a scam. The check is no good, even though it appears to be a legitimate cashier's check. The lottery angle is a trick to get you to wire money to someone you don't know. If you were to deposit the check and wire the money, your bank would soon learn that the check was a fake. And you're out the money because the money you wired can't be retrieved, and you're responsible for the checks you deposit — even though you didn't know they're fake.
This is just one example of a counterfeit check scam that could leave you scratching your head. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, wants you to know that counterfeit check scams are on the rise. Some fake checks look so real that bank tellers have reported being fooled. The scammers use high quality printers and scanners to make the checks look real. Some of the checks contain authentic-looking watermarks. These counterfeit checks are printed with the names and addresses of legitimate financial institutions. And even though the bank account and routing numbers listed on a counterfeit check may be real, the check still can be a fake. These fakes come in many forms, from cashier's checks and money orders to corporate and personal checks. Could you be a victim? Not if you know how to recognize and report them.
Fake Checks: Variations on a Scheme
Counterfeit or fake checks are being used in a growing number of fraudulent schemes, including foreign lottery scams (as described above), check overpayment scams, Internet auction scams, secret shopper scams and on your own Ambassador Web sites.
Check overpayment scams target consumers selling cars or other valuable items through classified ads or online auction sites. Unsuspecting sellers get stuck when scammers pass off bogus cashier's checks, corporate checks, or personal checks. Here's how it happens:
A scam artist replies to a classified ad or auction posting, offers to pay for the item with a check, and then comes up with a reason for writing the check for more than the purchase price. The scammer then asks the seller to wire back the difference after depositing the check. The seller does it, and later, when the scammer's check bounces, the seller is left liable for the entire amount.
In secret shopper scams, the consumer—hired to be a secret shopper—is asked to evaluate the effectiveness of a money transfer service. The consumer is given a check, told to deposit it in their bank account, and withdraw the amount in cash. Then, the consumer is told to take the cash to the money transfer service specified, and typically, send the transfer to a person in a Canadian city. The consumer is supposed to evaluate their experience — but no one collects the evaluation. The secret shopper scenario is just a scam to get the consumer's money.
Con artists who use these schemes can easily avoid detection. When funds are sent through wire transfer services, the recipients can pick up the money at other locations within the same country; it is nearly impossible for the sender to identify or locate the recipient.
What's the Difference Between a Certified Check and a Cashier's Check?
There are fewer opportunities for forgery using a cashier's check. Since there may be problems with either kind of check, if you have any misgivings at all about accepting payment via either, you should call the bank that issued the check to verify its legitimacy.
You and Your Bank — Who is Responsible for What?
Under federal law, banks must make funds available to you from U.S. Treasury checks, official bank checks (cashier's checks, certified checks, and teller's checks), and checks paid by government agencies at the opening of business the day after you deposit the check. For other checks, banks must similarly make the first $100 available the day after you deposit the check. Remaining funds must be made available on the second day after the deposit if payable by a local bank, and within five days if drawn on distant banks. However, just because funds are available on a check you've deposited doesn't mean the check is good. It's best not to rely on money from any type of check (cashier, business or personal check, or money order) unless you know and trust the person you're dealing with or, better yet — until the bank confirms that the check has cleared. Forgeries can take weeks to be discovered and untangled. The bottom line is that until the bank confirms that the funds from the check have been deposited into your account, you are responsible for any funds you withdraw against that check.
Protecting Yourself
Here are some key tips in avoiding a counterfeit check scam. Many of these points not only apply to protecting your business but also are good rules to follow to protect yourself in your personal life:
If You Think You're a Victim
If you think you've been targeted by a counterfeit check scam, report it to the following agencies: