As everyone is aware, the internet is full of scams. The easy and no-cost use of e-mail allows such illegal activities to appear in your inbox without any legal repercussions. You may ask yourself how could anyone fall for these but obviously some do or they wouldn’t keep doing it. The goal of each and everyone of them is to get access to your bank account and it is always in the guise of the need for some form of wire transfer of alleged funds.
Most people remember the ‘original’ e-mail scam…the one with government or family official from Nigeria. There have been many variations of this theme from different African countries and I still get one of these at least once a week.
In the spirit of marketing to niche areas, I just got one just for Plastic Surgeons. It’s the same old scam concept but with a new twist. Read and see if you can figure out the method that they will get access to your back account.
‘Greetings from Milan,
My name is Mr. ****** *******, I am a cosmetic dentist here in Italy. I do smile makeovers, preventive dentistry/maintenance, cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dentures, etc. I have lots of happy clients here in Italy .
I have been looking for a plastic surgeon for over a week now till I met an old friend last week that referred you to me, She used to live in America before she relocated here with her family. So I decided to contact you to see if you are able to do an Upper and Lower Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty) for this client of mine.
My clients name is Ms. ******** ******, she is a model here in Italy. She will be coming to the U.S in 3 weeks time for a modeling job and will be residing in Indiana temporarily until the necessary arrangements for her job has been made. Before she leaves, she would be needing a Plastic Surgeon to help her out with her Upper and Lower Eyelids before her next photo shoot.
Please tell me a little more about yourself, how long have you been a plastic surgeon? Would you be able to give her this surgery by the end of the month?
Please get back to me if you would be available to do the surgery and the amount that you will charge for the job. Let me know if she can pay you with a certified check drawn from a US bank so you can have her booked for the end of the month.
Till I hear from you may you remain blessed.’
Urgency to perform a plastic surgery procedure is not uncommon given the emotional nature of that type of decision. In a known patient where discourse has been established, this is not a concern. But in an unknown patient from afar, urgency is a sure sign of malevolence.
The catch here is when some unsuspecting plastic surgeon asks for payment in advance, which is standard. The switch will be made from sending a certified check to having to wire the money instead. At which point account numbers will be requested to do so.
Internet scams come at us in many ways. They all pray upon the inherent weakness in human nature to believe that money is easily obtained and without much effort. Occasionally that is true but most of the time it’s a recipe for being taken to the proverbial cleaners.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana