ABC Radio Australia
Internet scams are nothing new, but developing countries with new internet users are offering scammers a whole new pool of fresh victims. And Cambodia with about 44-thousand people connected to the web is a prime target.
Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speakers: Amy, Cambodian actress; Bill Caelli, Institute of Information Security at Queensland University of Technology.
COCHRANE: When 21-year-old Cambodian actress Amy checked her email earlier this month, there was an unexpected message waiting for her.
AMY: When I checked it said that I won the lottery from the UK and I get an amount on this, maybe a lot of money and then I feel surprised and I replied to them with their requirements, like write down my name, write down my phone number and my email address.
COCHRANE: She didn't know it at the time but Amy was being lured into an internet scam that fools people into giving away millions each year. For Amy, there was extra reason to be hopeful. Her sister-in-law had recently won a visa in the annual American visa lottery and Amy thought perhaps she really had won the 300 thousand pounds the email offered. But there were signs that something was suspicious.
AMY: After I send them, they send me back immediately and say that contact this bank and contact that bank. In the end I find that they want to see my account, so I feel wonder and think why do you need to see my account, and I'm not sure with that, so I need to tell my friend.
COCHRANE: Initially, Amy's Cambodian friends were excited about her good luck, but still she had doubts.
AMY: So I ask my British friend and he told me, 'They cheat you Amy, they cheat, they cheat you.' I'm very very hopeless and I still don't believe that so I asked him, 'Why, what's the reason that you know that I was cheated by them, why?.
COCHRANE: The reason the British man knew, was that internet scams are well known and avoided by most internet users.
But in countries like Cambodia, where the internet is still emerging, innocent users are prime targets for scam artists trying to steal money or identities. The lottery scam is a variation of what's known as a "419" scam or a "Nigerian scam", so-called because they first started in Nigeria using a legal loophole known as clause 419. Typically, scammers send out thousands of emails telling people they have inherited or embezzled millions of dollars and need a bank account to stash the money, in exchange for a slice of the spoils. In Nigeria, there's even a cheeky pop song that boasts of ripping off gullible foreigners. It might seem like a joke to some, but police say millions of dollars are lost each year, a fact hidden by the victims reluctance to admit they were fooled and report the crime. A UK study in 2006 found that 150 thousand pounds a year was lost to these scams, with each victim losing an average of 31 thousand pounds. That led to failed businesses and broken marriages, said the study. Bill Caelli is from the Institute of Information Security at Queensland University of Technology. He says there's little a government can do about protecting the gullible.
CAELLI: The problem here is basically one of education and awareness, that's about the best thing we can do at the present moment. Even the concept of trying to block the source of those particular messages won't work because the scammers simply change their addresses.
COCHRANE: New technology might help, but until internet users realise that anything that seems too good to be true, is probably a trick, scammers around the world will continue to chop the dollars from foreign bank accounts.
Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speakers: Amy, Cambodian actress; Bill Caelli, Institute of Information Security at Queensland University of Technology.
COCHRANE: When 21-year-old Cambodian actress Amy checked her email earlier this month, there was an unexpected message waiting for her.
AMY: When I checked it said that I won the lottery from the UK and I get an amount on this, maybe a lot of money and then I feel surprised and I replied to them with their requirements, like write down my name, write down my phone number and my email address.
COCHRANE: She didn't know it at the time but Amy was being lured into an internet scam that fools people into giving away millions each year. For Amy, there was extra reason to be hopeful. Her sister-in-law had recently won a visa in the annual American visa lottery and Amy thought perhaps she really had won the 300 thousand pounds the email offered. But there were signs that something was suspicious.
AMY: After I send them, they send me back immediately and say that contact this bank and contact that bank. In the end I find that they want to see my account, so I feel wonder and think why do you need to see my account, and I'm not sure with that, so I need to tell my friend.
COCHRANE: Initially, Amy's Cambodian friends were excited about her good luck, but still she had doubts.
AMY: So I ask my British friend and he told me, 'They cheat you Amy, they cheat, they cheat you.' I'm very very hopeless and I still don't believe that so I asked him, 'Why, what's the reason that you know that I was cheated by them, why?.
COCHRANE: The reason the British man knew, was that internet scams are well known and avoided by most internet users.
But in countries like Cambodia, where the internet is still emerging, innocent users are prime targets for scam artists trying to steal money or identities. The lottery scam is a variation of what's known as a "419" scam or a "Nigerian scam", so-called because they first started in Nigeria using a legal loophole known as clause 419. Typically, scammers send out thousands of emails telling people they have inherited or embezzled millions of dollars and need a bank account to stash the money, in exchange for a slice of the spoils. In Nigeria, there's even a cheeky pop song that boasts of ripping off gullible foreigners. It might seem like a joke to some, but police say millions of dollars are lost each year, a fact hidden by the victims reluctance to admit they were fooled and report the crime. A UK study in 2006 found that 150 thousand pounds a year was lost to these scams, with each victim losing an average of 31 thousand pounds. That led to failed businesses and broken marriages, said the study. Bill Caelli is from the Institute of Information Security at Queensland University of Technology. He says there's little a government can do about protecting the gullible.
CAELLI: The problem here is basically one of education and awareness, that's about the best thing we can do at the present moment. Even the concept of trying to block the source of those particular messages won't work because the scammers simply change their addresses.
COCHRANE: New technology might help, but until internet users realise that anything that seems too good to be true, is probably a trick, scammers around the world will continue to chop the dollars from foreign bank accounts.
11 comments:
No shit, KI Media is one of the scams.
Sorry to say but if anyone falls for that, then too bad. They need more schooling. You hear about this so much, or maybe this lady didn't get the memo.
you hear about this so much in USA but not in Cambodia.
I despise the bad animals with evil knowledge to trap innocent. But at the same time I have less compassion for the stupid innocent who allow themselves to fall into that obvious trap thinking that "wow, someone is giving me a truck load of money. Wow, I'm gonna be sooo rich".
Keep in mind, raw stupidity will kill. Beware of the obvious. In a million years if any stranger would unexpectedly want to send you any money. They want yours.
Ordinary common sense shall prevent you from such danger. Have not the good common sense? Then go back to school for ten more years.
WARNING!!
WARNING!!
Opening any e-mail that you do not know may damage your computer if that e-mail contains virus. DO NOT open any strange e-mail. Just delete it, or you'll be sorry if you're too curious. Be smart and just click the delete button.
cambodian women not only in Srok Khmer are vulnerable to this internet scams of loosing their money, Khmer Woman are very at high risk of loosing their body to foreigner all the times. It's hard for a Khmer guy to get with Khmer woman, but easy for white due to get laid with Khmer woman. I see it with my own eyes.
Just stay away from Ah Fucking Khmer-Ovesea websites and everyone will be alright.
When I see supsicious messages, I would run to the library, then have these messages opened (not with my PC).
8:34 AM
Unsurprisingly, Ah Sen will be the first victim, because of his blatant stupidity. Oh! So the rest of Ah Yuon Yiekong maggot shit eaters.
Yeah right, and then you woke up.
of course, like former president ronald reagan once said, "trust but verify". that is so truth in politics and business.
Post a Comment