Ever receive e-mails offering you business opportunities that sound too good to be true? Well, they probably are. Internet fraudsters (using e-mail, websites, chat rooms, message boards, etc. as their preferred tools) have become more daring over recent years. In some cases violence and threats of physical harm may be employed to further pressure victims. The on-line scams know no national borders or boundaries; they respect no investigative jurisdictions. But, as with all scammers, they have one objective ?EUR" to separate you from your money! Internet Fraud schemes originate from US and European countries, but a significant proportion seems to come from Africa, particularly Nigeria, and sometimes from Egypt. Internet Scammers will attempt to obtain private personal or company data (names, back account details, social security number, addresses, etc.) to scam their victims out of their money.

There are some simple tips when doing business with people/companies you don't know :

- Do business with companies you know and trust. If you don't know them, check them out (use the Web, check their references, ask for their VAT number and proof of incorporation) - Understand the offer. Get all the details and promises in writing. - Check all bills and invoices carefully. It's hard to get your money back once you've paid it to a con artist. - Guard your financial or other account information. Don't provide it to anyone unless there is a legitimate reason to do so as part of a transaction. - Educate your employees about avoiding scams. Make sure they understand their roles and responsibilities. Useful websites: - You can file an Internet Crime Complaint here. - Oil Offshore Marine will research the legitimacy of any offer - Internet Crime Report 2006 Tags : internet fraud, IC3