Possible Fraud - Any Help Appreciated!

WC89

Hello everyone,

In the past 24 hours, I've received several emails from payment-purchasing services for pornographic websites and a dating service. It appears someone has been registering for these by listing my email address.

I have contacted a couple of these and had the accounts cancelled, and reported the fraud. However, and more worryingly, these appear to be pay-services, paid for under an Australian lady's name and credit card. It's my guess then, that someone is using a stolen credit card, and my email address. The IP address listed in these emails (they seem to include the IP of the person registering) is also listed as Australian. I however am in London.

This morning, I also got an email saying someone had tried to reset my email's password, albeit unsuccessfully. I also received a number of emails from a payment purchasing site, saying that the payment had been 'DECLINED'. I can only assume this woman has therefore reported this fraud, or her credit card company has blocked it?

I contacted the Metropolitan Police, to report this. The man I spoke to recommended I talk to my ISP, but this is not an ISP email, and I don't see what that will do. I do have my crime report number now, but I'm still concerned that should this fraud be investigated, my email address has been involved.

Does anyone know who I should contact? These emails have frequently contained the full name and post-code of this woman, as well as the last 4 digits of her card number. Is there an Australian police organisation I can email?

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks.

bskelhorn_2

Hi,

Sounds like a right drama, email address can be easily picked up from using scanner software on a webpage. So if you are on a mailing list, or your email address appears on a non-secure site they could of got your address that way.

Other than that I would contact your hosting company that you have your website / email through and see if there is anything they can suggest.

Hope it all works out ok.

John_Gray

[Hope the previous spam post, and just that post, gets removed soon.]

If I were you, I would change your email address as soon as possible. Once it is known to spammers and fraudsters, things can only go downhill...

robd831

I agree with John, change you email address, pain I know. Make sure that you inform your internet provider or email provider. Keep the original Crime report number safe as it will prove when you reported the crime.
Try looking on this page to see if it can help
http://www.met.police.uk/pceu/
it is the e-crime part of the MPS (MPF) it may take time to read but also may be of help....

The_Grandmaster

John_Gray wrote: »

[Hope the previous spam post, and just that post, gets removed soon.]

Sent e-mail and all the posts by said member have been removed: Very efficient!

Sorry I can't help on the main problem though - hope it gets sorted soon!

robd831

Sorry, just looked at the MPS E Crime site and it's pants. I do apologise.
There is no useful info for you there, stupid site it ia all managment policy and jargon and no help or contact info.....

robd831

Does your inernet or email provider have a help page on the website ???

fiddiwebb

WC89 wrote: »

Hello everyone,

In the past 24 hours, I've received several emails from payment-purchasing services for pornographic websites and a dating service. It appears someone has been registering for these by listing my email address.

I have contacted a couple of these and had the accounts cancelled, and reported the fraud. However, and more worryingly, these appear to be pay-services, paid for under an Australian lady's name and credit card. It's my guess then, that someone is using a stolen credit card, and my email address. The IP address listed in these emails (they seem to include the IP of the person registering) is also listed as Australian. I however am in London.

This morning, I also got an email saying someone had tried to reset my email's password, albeit unsuccessfully. I also received a number of emails from a payment purchasing site, saying that the payment had been 'DECLINED'. I can only assume this woman has therefore reported this fraud, or her credit card company has blocked it?

I contacted the Metropolitan Police, to report this. The man I spoke to recommended I talk to my ISP, but this is not an ISP email, and I don't see what that will do. I do have my crime report number now, but I'm still concerned that should this fraud be investigated, my email address has been involved.

Does anyone know who I should contact? These emails have frequently contained the full name and post-code of this woman, as well as the last 4 digits of her card number. Is there an Australian police organisation I can email?

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks.

What I don't understand is why your email address is being used especially when you say a credit card has been used for pay services and they don't have access to your email account ..... "This morning, I also got an email saying someone had tried to reset my email's password, albeit unsuccessfully."

If a credit card had not been involved I would have said someone has a beef with you and it is someone you know.

First thing you should do is change your password for the email account, make sure it is secure, something with numbers and upper and lower case letters.

Next thing you should do is download Malwarebytes and HiJack This, follow these instructions from aliEnRIK :beer:.....................

Download MALWAREBYTES (Make sure you click 'DOWNLOAD LATEST VERSION')
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ma..._anti_malware/
Open malwarebytes and goto UPDATE and click 'check for updates'. After its updated goto SCANNER and click PERFORM FULL SCAN then click SCAN
Remove everything thats found (needs to be ticked)
Post the COMPLETE log here AFTER youve deleted everything it finds


reboot

Download HIJACK THIS (Make sure you click 'DOWNLOAD THIS VERSION')
http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/2894/
Click MAIN MENU then DO A SYSTEM SCAN AND SAVE A LOGFILE(Takes seconds) then post the log so we can see whats running
(do NOT do anything else with Hijack but scan and post the FULL log)

What antivirus are you using?

WC89

Thanks for your replies. I've done a full antivirus check with several programs, and it's all clear. It seems my email has just been picked out, unfortunately. The person has made no more purchases in the past few hours, so I can only assume the credit card company stepped in. However, the fraudster has tried to access my email again, albeit unsuccessfully. I'm fairly assured that the email is secure, though I guess if this continues, I'll have to change it.

Thanks for your help/advice.