Help With Scammers Details
 

Hi - I too was scammed by IP-MP3Support.net - I've been reading the great advice on here, but the problem I have is that I am not getting through on the phone number left on this thread. I have a similar number on my statement, but I can't work out which international code to use. Does anyone have more info on where they are based/ which area this number is from?
Many thanks

Do you have a more specific address? When I type in that address I seem to get http://newnet.qsrch.com/dpark?s=ip-m...t.net&prt=nn01

Hi - thanks for your help. That is exactly what I got too. From what I can establish, the company may have used a free email service/host and have long gone from that site. I thought this might mean they were based in Michagen (sorry about spelling if wrong, but not from USA!) but the telephone no. given on my statement does not work with a US code.
On the link 'getyour$$$$back' page 2, a poster on the forum gives the phone number he used to contact them. I can't seem to get this to work for me using a UK or US dialing code.
I have retraced my steps and the way they got onto my computer was by me going onto the official Limewire site, pressing the 'get it now' button. A small grey screen (surely not the correct technical term!) immediately comes up asking if I want to save or run the download. This is from www9.limewire.com (and has exe in the end, which I now realise is a bad omen!). This still happens on my computer now, despite having deleted all files, cookies etc... that I can find. When you put in www9.limewire.com you get a to a site saying 'Your test has worked'! There seems to be no way to avoid this, and that is how I think I was scammed.

Vanishing Scam site
 

NINA70

Since it is obvious that you were the victim of a fraud I would suggest that you forget about contacting the scam site and go directly to your bank or credit card company.

Once you explain that you have been swindled and that you have tried to contact the company (I really mean "crooks") that took your money your bank/CC should be able to issue you with a refund.

You said:I have the feeling that your PC was hi-jacked, I have tried to retrace your steps by going to the LW site here:

http://www.limewire.com/english/content/home.shtml

and pressing the big red “Get It Now” button. I then go onto the normal LW download screen here:

http://www.limewire.com/english/content/download.shtml

while you end up elsewhere.

If your PC was hi-jacked then this is further evidence to give to your bank/CC as the case for getting your money back. You were going to a legitimate site but got hi-jacked away to a scam site.

It seems that "hi-jacking" is becoming more prevalent because you are not the first in this forum to say you were going to the LW site and then were taken to somewhere else.

PCs can get “hi-jacked” if you surf the web without adequate protection, i.e. such as a firewall (anti-virus apps on their own cannot protect your PC from being hi-jacked). While surfing, a hidden download is initiated which can either change crucial settings in your PC, e.g. the registry. Once done your PC is now, effectively, in the control of the miscreant that initiated the "download" and as more and more "jackings" are to do with "fraud" you will need expert help to get your machine clean again.

Good Luck




UK Bob

I still cant understand how so many people can get so easily scammed? Its gonna be hard to get your money back. Call your cc card right away and cancel that transaction asap!

why cant people just go to: www.limewire.com to get the software?? I never googled it, never had to surf it up because as soon as you do that the scam sites are first on the list.

good luck, call you cc card right away! those scam sites are long gone after they collect your cc number & money! that cc number wont be good to you now, watch your cc statements to make sure no funny charges are on it. have your card number changed as soon as possible.

I can't help but think that it is because people are fearful of being sued by the RIAA, so they fork out alot of dough thinking if they pay alot for the program they won't get sued. Alot of the sites promise unlimited free downloads and the like.

Thats true but, I think too many people are surfing it up and not getting the official site. I mean, its only 18.88 to get the pro and most new users dont seem to know this. These scams must be making a bundle of money! and, no harm in downloading the free, basic version. RIAA cant stop it, at least, not yet and you can only get sued or caught if you are sharing massive amounts of music files. so, not sure if thats the reason or not for people going to scam sites instead of the official site. Ive never been misdirected if I type in limewire.com in google, it takes me right to it. :)

Why are some people scammed?
 

Sphinx & Limewire

As you guys know, I take a fairly hard line with newbies that recklessly throw their money away but sometimes I do sympathise because some of them truly don't know what they are doing.

Your average newbie, with a bright new internet enabled PC, tends to be overeager and wants to get on the internet to find out what their friends are talking about.

With this in mind, they then go on to make typical newbie mistakes.

1) Google: They google for "best music or films downloads", "Limewire" or something similar.

2) They choose the first or second name on their googled list or choose one of the sponsored links.

Now we know that scam sites pay to come top of any search list asking for music, films or LW, newbies do not know this and so follow the URL link to the scam site. The rest is an often repeated (like a time warp sequence in a Sci-Fi film) history.

Typing in "Limewire.com" in their browser doesn't occur to them because they do not expect to be ripped off or that the internet is not "totally safe". Newbies expect the internet to afford them the same protection as the shops in their local high street but anyone who has used the internet for some time knows better.

And that is what it really comes down to, newbies don't know any better and, this is what I hate, they don't take the time to find out.



UK Bob

Hey guys, how it happened to me (scammed), I was new to the internet, brand new computer and eager to go go go. I wanted to be able to download music and movies so I simply googled movie downloads and up came heaps of sites take your pick, after spending many days of reading all they had to offer, I chose the one that sounded the best. Thats when the software I downloaded was LW, so I wanted to learn how to use it and eventuated upon this forum, as I read all the different threads I relised I had been scammed. But when I was searching for a download site there was nothing anywhere about LW and I think thats why so many people get scammed. I would like to add that I have learnt so much from all you guys, not only on downloading info but computers in general. I would like to say thanks for your time and patience.......

Maybe its because Ive used P2P since Napster folded so I know where to look. I really hope these new users are calling their cc cards to cancel the transactions. I cant help but wonder if they do, they post it here but if they cant be bothered they can run into trouble witht their cc numbers.

I agree with you ukbobby, it just amazes me how everyday people are getting conned. A cc card is something I wouldnt want to easily give away online.

I always go for the free basic versions of any P2P software. Gnutella is a free P2P network and no software can make you go faster for downloads or give you anything for your money, no different than a free version.

I have never had any scam problems and Ive used Bearshare Lite for years and even after, Limewire basic. It is mind boggling. I always try to see if these programs have a dot com and a official site first before downloading.

Thatd be like me saying to you upfrant give me 50 bucks and I'll let you download all my massive move/music file collects all for one low price lol.