http://www.affordableappliances.com.au/
http://www.directcamerawarehouse.com.au/
http://www.thefoneshop.com.au/
http://www.xtremegopro.com.au/
http://www.totaltelevisions.com.au/
There are probably more by this same scammer.
I have not had time to check, but I think scammer is using a pre-paid credit card (pay as you go - load and go) to receive the money.
Yes the authorities seem to take forever to act on any thing. While at the same time the scammer continues to reap in money from fraud. The authorities are just way too slow in doing any thing.
It's not a matter of taking forever. Most police are overworked and prioritize issues such as violent crimes and such. Most stations don't have the tools or expertise to deal with these crimes. Not sure if anything has changed in the past 4 years but when I was sending evidence to the NSW police, each email account had a 10MB limit or something ridiculously low for emails . I had to pass documents via the detective's Hotmail account.
This case is very confusing. You need to request directly and specifically what you want the police to do.
1) Go to police where reported crime.
2) Ask them to contact Crazydomains and get the information on the user who registered futuregaming.com.au (Billing address, name, etc). I know eBay has a special email address police can send emails to request info (or they used to).
Bonus points if you can get the details of the other domains mentioned here.
This will be how you can identify the thief. Once you figure out what state they are located in, assuming the details are real, then you can get the police in that state to act.
Having Australian addresses, phone numbers and URLs doesn't guarantee anything unfortunately. But it does mean it's more likely for people to be caught out.
These cases appear to be out and out fraud.
But there is another problem - that of grey importers purporting to be Australian operations. DWI is one such case. To all appearances you are buying from an Australian company. But they are just another Hong Kong grey importer with zero backup service. Whirlpool is rife with horror stories on DWI - it's fine if nothing goes wrong, but the moment you need to return anything, it all goes pear-shaped and they stop replying.
Luckily I bought via Paypal and was able to get a full refund after weeks of worry at $800 lost…
https://www.facebook.com/DWIAUS2
Funnily enough, I only recognise OzBargain and Whirlpool as potential consumer advocacy sites in Australia. Having tried to assist family and friends with fraudsters in the past through government authorities has been fruitless. I hope they'll realise their departments are slow, ineffective and (at least appear) incompetent. And of course they'll do nothing about websites based overseas since it's outside their jurisdiction.
The problem with the official consumer websites, whether they deal with scams or recalls, is that they lack general interest from the public to encourage a recreational following. I wonder what other forums there are though for people who aren't cheapskates or tech-nerds.
I also wonder how AAP/ninemsn got a hold of the story (press release etc). It's not easy to crack onto mainstream media unless you're a pensioner tricked out of thousands of dollars by "un-Austraaalian" roof repairers, plumbers and financial advisers.
I also wonder how AAP/ninemsn got a hold of the story
They saw the story on the SMH then asked for more details from me and one of the victims.
The loophole of registering .com.au's is still there and the scammer doesn't seem to be caught so we are really in the same position as before.
Did anyone get money back? What is the best way to do? Should I fill up Fraud Report form with local police? Thanks
That's been blocked. Any evidence to show this site is tied to the others or is it just a one off "possible" scam site?
That's been blocked.
Good. Thanks for the quick action.
Any evidence to show this site is tied to the others or is it just a one off "possible" scam site?
The domain registration shows:-
Registrant: mysmartphone.com.au
Registrant ID: ABN 89114151370
Eligibility Type: Sole Trader
I have confirmed that the ABN used (89114151370) belongs to:-
Entity name: MY SMART PHONE WORDS PTY LTD
ABN status: Active from 10 May 2005
Entity type: Australian Private Company
Goods & Services Tax (GST): Registered from 10 May 2005
Main business location: NSW 2170
The real owner of ABN 89114151370 is -
My Smart Phone Words
Po Box 228
1871 Liverpool Retail
New South Wales
Phone: 1300 773 554
I have contacted the real owner of the ABN, and they have confirmed that their ABN was used to register mysmartphone.com.au without their knowledge and/or permission.
There is no way to know if it is the same scammer(s) or just the same scam.
Scam Web Site is using ME Bank.
Bank: Members Equity
Account Name: MySmartPhones
Account BSB: 944300
Account Number: 014637448
An old bloke I know got done by the directcamerawarehouse. Dodgy pricks.
He's trying to recover his money.
Add
www.SprortVideoHouse.com.au
SportVideoHouse.com.au
to the list.
SPORT VIDEO HOUSE
VIDEO GLOBAL PTY LTD
National Australia Bank
UBank
Lynn Dean
Lorraine Said
Account Name: SVH
BSB: 082991
BSB: 082-991
Account #: 213120065
My friend got done by these bastards and we have had the whole run around from everyone.
NAB were very interested, took all the details but still have not refunded the money. My friends bank ING have No interest in any of it.
Has anyone found out more info?
My friend got done by these bastards and we have had the whole run around from everyone.
I take it that you are referring to www.SprortVideoHouse.com.au SPORT VIDEO HOUSE ?
NAB were very interested, took all the details but still have not refunded the money.
Why would NAB "refund" anything?
I believe that a UBank account is being used. UBank is not the NAB, it is a separate business. Have you, or indeed anyone in authority (such as Police), notified UBank that one of their accounts is being used for fraud?
My friends bank ING have No interest in any of it.
Has your friend contacted the ING Fraud Department?
Has anyone found out more info?
Have you even read the rest of this thread? There is no more "info". No one will investigate these crimes. No one will track the IP numbers used to access/send emails and to upload the website. The AuDA, and the banks, will do nothing to prevent this crime being repeated over and over again.
Please inform the current Whirpool thread http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2348353
of this OzBargain thread. Then perhaps they will stop all their running around in circles.
People need to educate themselves and stop relying on banks and authorities to back them up on everything. As long as lazy, gullible people who dont think before they buy exist, these scam websites will never disappear- and why would they stop, they're making loads of money.
People need to educate themselves and stop relying on banks and authorities to back them up on everything. As long as lazy, gullible people who dont think before they buy exist, these scam websites will never disappear- and why would they stop, they're making loads of money.
Truck loads.
I would like to know the 'sense' behind that.
Local Police just either refuse to accept reports and/or refer complainants to 'on line fraud' in Queensland.
All those defrauded need a central place of reporting - so authorities can 1) take this fraud seriously 2) see the totality of this fraud 3) colate evidence.
As it is - nothing is being done to arrest and charge the fraudster. Police need to seize records from banks, registrars, and hosting companies. Then track and trace IP numbers used.
After months of fraud, still no domains have been seized (they still belong to the fraudster), no one has been arrested.
The domain that was fraudulently registered using your company
Http://www.FutureGaming.com.au
is still active, and still being used to defraud. EVEN THOUGH YOU REPORTED THE MATTER TO ALL RELEVANT AUTORITIES (INCLUDING AUDA) WEEKS AGO.
Have you asked Const. Campbell just why nothing appears to have been done after weeks? If so, what was the reply?