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Scammers Now Pigggybacking on Coronavirus Map Dashboards

As COVID-19 continues to dominate world headlines, scammers are now cashing in by infecting various coronavirus maps with malware.

Because it was recently classified a pandemic by the World Health Organization, COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, has generated the publication of an untold number of internet dashboards that monitor the spread of the disease.  These dashboards are sponsored and managed by media corporations, government agencies or health maintenance organizations and record the spread of the virus in real time. Johns Hopkins University and The New York Times, for example, run two widely consulted maps that are free of malicious trackers.

Deception, Despite the Pandemic

Predictably, hackers have discovered a way to utilize similar popular dashboards as a way to transfer malware into unsuspecting users’ computers. According to cybersecurity firm Reason Labs, the latest scams involve websites disguised as reliable COVID-19 maps.

Initially reported by TechRadar, these hackers disseminate links to their malicious websites both on social media and through sophisticated email campaigns. Their maps look like legitimate COVID-19 dashboards to the unsuspecting user. But once they are directed to the site, users unknowingly download malicious trackers that allow the scammers to steal their personal and banking information.

According to Reason Labs researcher Shai Alfasi, “This technique is pretty common.” He maintains that we will most likely see an increase in corona-based malware activity for the foreseeable future.

Defend Against Malware Threats

Users are recommended to stick to verified COVID-19 tracking maps. It is also a good idea to double check the URL of the website before you click on a link. Below are a few more tips you can use to protect your computer and your information.

Install Antivirus/Malware Software

This may seem obvious, but so many users do not have adequate protection installed on their computers. This protection is an absolute necessity as a first step against viruses and malware. It is also important to keep this software up-to-date and to run regular virus scans.

Keep Your Personal Information Safe

Be careful when posting information online. What you post on message boards and social media should be kept to a minimum when possible. Ensure you set adequate privacy settings and never post contact information and passwords on open forums. It may seem difficult, but if you want to protect yourself from threats, you have to protect your personal information.

Think Before You Click

Websites that provide pirated material are rife with malware and viruses. It is best to keep away from such sites. Do not open emails received from unknown senders and ignore links that direct you to unknown sites. If you know the sender, remember to hover over a link to see where it takes you before you click. If you have to download a file, perform a virus scan to confirm its contents are safe.

Backup your files

The best thing you can do to protect your files is to back them up on multiple devices. Your personal computer, a portable hard drive and another belonging to a family member are good places to store your private data.

Use Strong Passwords

Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts, especially when it comes to private banking. Use strong passwords including lower and upper case letters, numbers and symbols. Keep your passwords easy enough to remember but too difficult to guess.

What to Do if You Have Been Scammed

MyChargeBack is a global leader in fund recovery services. Working with over 750 banks worldwide, it has retrieved millions of dollars for clients in more than 150 countries. These cases typically involve authorized card-not-present transactions for goods or services that were not delivered as contracted. Founded in 2016, MyChargeBack is owned and operated by Cactil LLC, a Delaware corporation.

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The Most Popular Coronavirus Scams

Reports continue to dominate the headlines over the pandemic coming out of China. International experts and governments continue to work closely with the World Health Organization in an attempt to contain the virus. What cannot be stopped however, are scammers trying to take advantage of a global disaster.

As the death toll climbs to almost 500, infections stand at around 24,500 and increasing daily. Despite the concern and panic, criminals continue to develop new methods to scam unsuspecting people.

Coronavirus Phishing Scams 

Keep a close eye out for emails that contain appealing subject lines designed to draw you in. Scammers offer links to exclusive information and content based on popular news headlines. These links, if clicked on, direct you to dangerous websites where banking and personal details can be stolen.  

Hype and discussion generated by the coronavirus have fueled this popular new scam. Reports of a new email from a supposed professional virologist is currently making the rounds in cyberspace.

Coronavirus Online Retail Scams

Demand for facemasks has increased significantly as global concern over the virus continues to escalate. The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning to consumers with respect to possible resale scams. 

Consumers continue to purchase these masks in huge quantities despite professionals still debating their effectiveness. This has created a market for scammers to create their own websites and cash in on the demand.

Consumers therefore need to keep a sharp eye out for these scams. Don’t pay any attention to sponsored advertisements, deceptive posts, or links on social media.

Protecting Yourself from Coronavirus Scams

Make no mistake about it, scammers are criminals with no moral direction. They have no problem capitalizing on a pandemic and preying on their victims’ insecurities. There are, however, many ways to protect yourself from becoming the next victim.

Phishing Scams

If the sender's email looks suspicious, delete it right away.

Don’t click on links received from a suspicious sender.

Ensure the final destination is safe by hovering over the link before clicking.

Words such as “exclusive”, “sensational” and/or “shocking” contained in emails should immediately raise a red flag.

Online Retail Scams

Be wary of retailers that do not provide contact information and a physical address on their website.

Make online purchases using a credit card to ensure maximum protection.

To confirm that you are paying the correct amount, research the product and its general market prices.

Stay far away from online marketplaces such as Craigslist, a popular place for scammers to operate.

During times of uncertainty, people become desperate for information, comfort and security. Scammers understand this and know how to take advantage of consumers’ vulnerabilities. Make decisions based on fact, not emotion and remember to do your research and trust your instincts. If, however, you think you are the victim of a Coronavirus scam, contact the fund recovery experts at MyChargeBack for a free initial consultation. They just might be able to assist you in recovering your funds.

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The Biggest Scam of All: Psychic Snail Mail?

Today MyChargeBack brings you one of the most shocking real-life scam stories we’ve ever seen. The identities of the criminals and their victims, the sums of money involved, and how it was all done would make for a great movie … if anyone would believe it!

Last I checked it’s the 21st century, right? The big scams are all online, right? Forex and other investment scams, romance scams, phishing, and dozens more steal billions of dollars every year, almost always through the internet. But over the last few years law enforcement has slowly been unraveling one of the most amazing ongoing scams of all time, and believe it or not, it was almost entirely conceived and perpetrated with what one might call outmoded technology.

Maria Duval

Maria Duval is the stage name of a real person. She’s an Italian-born woman who’d been living in the South of France for decades. Although today she is elderly and suffers from dementia, in the 1960s and ‘70s she was locally famous — and even somewhat well known internationally — as a supposedly real psychic. With an insatiable need to be the center of attention, Maria constantly inserted herself wherever the action was, occasionally rubbing shoulders with celebrities, politicians, and journalists.

By the 1990s, Duval was forced to come to terms with her rapidly dwindling brand. Accepting that her best years were behind her was a bitter pill to swallow, not to mention her declining earning potential. So when a mysterious “marketing team” approached her with an offer to licence the use of her name and likeness, she agreed. How eager or reluctant she was, as well as how much she knew or didn’t know about her partners’ intentions, would remain open questions for years.

The Scam

It started off small. Just a direct mail marketing campaign for astrology charts. But the scammers had much bigger plans, and they soon put them in motion. The idea was to create an aggressive marketing campaign based on ostensibly (but fake) personal letters from Maria Duvall promising all sorts of miracles in exchange for a small fee.

It was ingenious. The recipients were typically elderly, mentally challenged, or otherwise vulnerable populations whose names and addresses were bought and sold as “suckers lists” among fraudsters. No email, no social media, not even fax. Actual pieces of paper (often with coffee stains or creases to make them seem more personal and genuine) were folded and mailed to the victims’ homes.

Each letter was basically a business transaction. The victim needed to send in a modest payment, usually around $40, and receive a blessing, “personalized” reading, or a cheap mass-produced trinket purported to contain magic power. Healing, wealth, love. You could have it all.

The Damage

One Canadian woman describes her mother, suffering from Alzheimer’s, being bombarded by an endless stream of letters from Maria Duval. Unable to say “no,” she responded to each and every one with a payment of $59. Even after her financial affairs were taken over by her daughter, she continued to scrape together spare change to send to her “psychic savior.”

Other victims describe how when they were finally broke and told “Maria” that they had no more to send, the letters quickly became dark and threatening. All sorts of disasters would fall on their heads if the money failed to keep coming. Innocent victims were regularly losing thousands — even tens of thousands — of dollars each, $40 or $50 at a time. They really were under a spell, but not of the paranormal or miraculous type. It was just old fashioned psychological manipulation.

The elaborate scam went on for close to 20 years and victimized people in North America, Europe, and around the world. Shockingly, it is estimated to have netted the criminal organization in excess of $200 million.

Caught

The United States government finally put an end to the Maria Duval scam in 2016, and in March 2019 two of the principals were convicted of a raft of fraud charges. Their boss is currently fighting extradition from Spain.

But the scam is bigger than them, and is apparently continuing in other parts of the world, including Russia. Even in the 21st century, we have thieves stealing vast sums of money the old fashioned way.

If you’re the victim of something like this, you still may be able to recover your funds. Contact MyChargeBack, the world’s leading fund recovery service, which  has recovered over $13 million on behalf of consumers all over the world.

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Orthopedic Medical Tourism

by Allie Kashkash

If you have orthopedic problems including a bad knee, hip or back, you know how serious the pain can be. People live for years and years without taking care of orthopedic problems, which may not be life-threatening but are certainly not enjoyable.

Worldwide, medical tourism is growing, and this includes orthopedic procedures and surgeries. Many people put off these treatments, which can improve quality of life greatly, due to the long wait times, high prices and general inconvenience.

This is where medical tourism comes into the picture. There are hospitals and facilities around the world, which specialize in orthopedic procedures for tourists and welcome visitors from all over the world.

Unfortunately, alongside the many benefits of medical tourism for orthopedic procedures, many things can go wrong. Let’s take a look at the good and the bad of traveling abroad for a new hip or knee.

Benefits and Disadvantages of Orthopedic Medical Tourism

One of the main draws of medical tourism, in general, is the price tag. Often, the cost of orthopedic procedures can be less than half than having the procedure done in your own country.

However, it is important to remember that the cost doesn’t begin and end with the procedure itself. You will most likely have to buy plane tickets for yourself and whoever is coming with you, book hotel rooms, meals, health insurance and other unexpected costs and expenses. It is important to be prepared to spend significantly more than you expected when planning your trip abroad for a medical procedure.

There are many highly trained and experienced doctors working all over the world. You may be able to get a top surgeon with a specialty in the exact type of surgery you are looking for. However, the exact opposite can also happen. Depending on the country you choose, there may not be rules and regulations in place to make sure you are getting top quality care.

Recovery time for orthopedic procedures is often long and requires follow-ups with your surgeon and doctor. This can be difficult when having the procedure done far away. If you decide to do follow up visits with a doctor close to your home, they may not be 100% knowledgeable about the procedure done or what went wrong if there are complications. 

Can Something Really Go Wrong?

Yes! Orthopedic surgery is no joke. Having a hip replacement surgery or back surgery for a slipped disk is a serious operation that must be handled correctly and professionally.

If you end up with a doctor who isn’t an expert in the field or a hospital or center that lacks resources to help you recover, the consequences can be dire. You may end up with infections or even more pain than you were in before you decided to have surgery. In extreme cases, you may have to have the procedure done again if permanent damage didn’t already happen.

Traveling abroad for any medical procedure is a serious decision. Make sure to research carefully and choose a respected and reputable place for your orthopedic procedure. Your comfort and health are counting on it.

But what if you did travel abroad for orthopedic surgery and something went wrong? You just may be able to get your money back. MyChargeBack, a prominent fund recovery firm headquartered in New York with a client base in over 150 countries around the world, has retrieved over $10 million for victims of scams. Contact them for a free initial consultation to determine if your case meets the criteria.

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Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Medical Tourism

by Allie Kashkash

If you’re dealing with ear, nose and throat problems, you’ve probably considered what your best method of treatment is. Most ENT problems, while often causing significant pain and discomfort, are not emergency situations and therefore you can take your time to make the best decision for your medical care.

ENT procedures, like many other medical treatments today, are becoming more and more popular among medical tourists. This means that people choose to leave the comfort of home and do have their treatment or procedure done in a foreign country.

Let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of traveling abroad for your ENT treatment.

The Pros and Cons of ENT Tourism

Many people are attracted to ENT tourism because of the price tag. At home, treatments can often be extremely expensive, even if you have insurance. Prices for treatments such as cochlear implants, goiter removal surgery, laryngectomies – the surgical removal of the larynx – among other procedures, can be significantly lower than having the same treatment done at home.

While this can initially seem like a good deal and a reason to go abroad for your treatment, don’t forget that the price doesn’t end at the procedure itself. Unlike getting your medical treatments done at home, when you travel you will need to pay for airfare, hotel rooms, insurance and other incidentals. Most likely someone will also come with you, doubling the bill.

As it is with any type of surgery, having ENT work done is serious. If things go wrong, your hearing, voice and or even sense of smell can be affected. For this reason, it is critical that you make sure that you are choosing a reputable and well-established specialist.

It is best to go to a facility with a specific ENT department and staff. They will have the most experience in order to give you the proper treatment you need.

Another risk involved in traveling for your ENT procedure is the ability to follow up afterward. You most likely will not want to travel back because of the price. Your personal physician may not be able to track your progress, especially if something goes wrong. Methods and styles can be different across the world and your doctor may not be able to understand what’s going on or treat it accordingly.

Don’t Mess with your Ears, Nose and Throat!

When it comes to your ENT needs, it’s best to stick with the doctors closest to home. Saving a little bit of money is usually not worth it when it comes to your health, and especially when it comes to sensitive areas such as your ears, nose and throat.

Can you imagine losing your hearing because of a doctor who didn’t know what he or she was doing? If disaster strikes, you may have no legal recourse against the facility who messed up your treatment.

Whatever you choose, make sure to do the proper research first.

But what if you didn’t make the right choice? In the event you or a loved one did sign up for an ENT medical tourism package that provided substandard treatment, you may be able to get your money back. MyChargeBack, a prominent fund recovery firm headquartered in New York with a client base in over 100 countries around the world, has retrieved $10 million for victims of scams. Contact them for a free initial consultation to determine if your case meets the criteria.

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The True Costs of Treating Addiction Abroad

by Lauren Adilev

In the last fifteen years, the rate of opioid use has risen dramatically in the United States. People fall into the grip of addiction when they’re prescribed pain killers after operations. The problem with opioids (extremely strong pain relievers) is that once a person is used to the overall euphoric feeling, he will seek to take more and more pills leading to an endless spiral of addiction.

Children are the most severely affected population of this epidemic. In the three years between 2015 and 2017, 6,000 children in Minnesota alone were removed from their families and placed in foster care because addicted parents couldn’t take care of them. Home, usually the safest place for a child, became a danger zone for these children.

There are a variety of state and federally funded programs to treat addiction. But the facilities are usually spartan. Those with money—a lot of it—can choose instead to check in at rehabilitation centers on Thai beaches.

Pastoral settings. Nutritious food. Intensive treatment combined with yoga and journaling. The promise: In 28 days you’ll be clean, free from drug use and ready to resume life at full speed.

The main problem with these claims is that no one can ever be fully released from drug addiction. The ads for these places give the addict and his family a false sense of security.

Another problem with Thai rehab centers is that not all of them can provide follow-up care, which is crucial for the continuous recovery from any addiction. Following an intensive rehabilitation program, addicts must attend meetings in a dedicated recovery support group.

The most alarming claim you see seen in many of these ads is the promise of “ground-breaking therapeutic innovations” (that’s an exact quote used by one Thai clinic). Fine, they claim there’s a new treatment. But has it been tested? Has it passed the rigorous standards required to be proven safe and effective in the United States? Most likely, no.

And watch out…are the therapists certified? At a foreign rehab institute anyone can wave a piece of paper at you. Doing so is particularly effective when it’s written in a language you don’t understand. And how much, if anything, do you know about the scholastic and clinical standards of the training institution the person who’ll be treating you attended?

Access is critical. You need to be able to return to the clinic in case of a relapse. You need to know that the treatment you are receiving has been proven to be effective. You need to know that you will understand the therapists and that they will understand you. You need to know that you will be able to communicate with others who are enrolled in the same program to learn from them. You don’t know that will be possible if you select a treatment center abroad. You do know it’s certain if you select a treatment center at home. Make the right choice.

But what if you didn’t? In the event you or a loved one did sign up for a substandard addiction treatment abroad, you may be able to get your money back. MyChargeBack, a prominent fund recovery firm headquartered in New York with a client base in over 100 countries around the world, has retrieved $10 million for victims of scams. Contact them for a free initial consultation to determine if your case meets the criteria.

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Pediatric Medical Tourism

By Allie Kashkash Having a sick child can be a very difficult situation. Most parents are willing to do anything to help their child when in need. This means looking for the best treatments and medications, no matter where they are in the world.  

When dealing with children’s illnesses, a large emotional aspect can come into play. Parents are often willing to go to great lengths to find the ultimate cure and solution for their child, no matter the technical or financial difficulties. 

This is where medical tourism comes into play. Pediatric medical tourism has become a popular trend. In most cases, these situations include serious ailments and situations, which require urgent assistance.  

Short wait times, specialists and lower costs are a large draw for many parents looking for the perfect solution for their children. Unfortunately, along with all of these benefits, there are also many disadvantages.  

The Down Side of Pediatric Medical Tourism 

If you’ve found a solution to your child’s medical need outside of the country, make sure to do thorough checks before you make any decisions. While many great institutions exist, there are also many that you’ll want to run far away from.  

One negative aspect of deciding to do medical treatments outside of the country is the travel. Traveling with children can be difficult, especially if they are sick. Long flights, hotel stays, different food and being far from home for a long time can be very difficult on a child. If the sick child has siblings, this can also be very difficult on them if the family splits up or if they need to travel along. 

Regulation and enforcement of medical practices and services can range throughout the world. Make sure to find an accredited institution with safety protocols in place. If not, disastrous situations can happen. Black market medications and equipment, doctors lacking training and more can put your child at danger. 

Will I Save Money Abroad? 

There is no clear answer to this question. While the idea of traveling abroad for treatments may initially seem cheaper than treatments at home, costs can add up quickly. This is especially true when traveling with your child. 

The treatment itself will often be cheaper, but plane tickets, hotel visits and everything else regarding a family trip abroad, can add up quickly. Traveling home with a child after a serious procedure is usually not recommended so you may have to stay at your destination for a long time. 

Is it Safe?

Again, it depends. There are some great places to have medical work done across the world. There are also many places that should be avoided. Research is key in this aspect. 

Horrible results can follow when traveling abroad for medical work, especially when regulations are limited. For example, inexperienced or improperly prepared surgeons have make egregious mistakes such as removing the wrong kidney from a child who is undergoing a transplant, prescribing the wrong medicines and other failures that have led to lasting damage or even death.  

One common complication is what happens if some sort of follow-up issue pops up unexpectedly after your child is discharged. Would you be willing to trust the same medical facility to rectify the problem? If the problem arises after you have returned home, would you even be able to afford to commute back and forth over an indefinite period of time until your child fully recuperates?  

All of these factors should be taken into account when considering medical tourism for your child. Making decisions about your child’s health is never easy. Make sure not to be too eager to go for the cheaper price tag. It’s often not worth it in the long run.  

If your child did receive medical treatment abroad and the service you contracted was not properly provided, however, you may be able to recover your funds. Headquartered in New York, MyChargeBack is an international fund recovery firm that has retrieved over $10 million for victims for its clients. Contact them for a free initial consultation to determine if you meet the criteria to get your money back.  

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IVF Tourism

Having trouble getting pregnant is a difficult situation. Many couples that are unsuccessful at getting pregnant naturally turn to reproductive treatments. These treatments can be long and expensive which can make a hard situation even more frustrating.

For these reasons, some couples choose to try doing infertility treatments internationally. The lower costs are a big attraction for many, often saving thousands of dollars per treatment. Certain hospitals and treatment centers may also provide exceptional accommodations and incentives for international patients. Many locations internationally pride themselves on exceptional medical care and advanced technology.

Despite all of the positive aspects of IVF tourism, there can be many downsides. In this blog we’ll discuss the dangers and risks involved in choosing to do IVF abroad. Read on for more information.

Dangers of IVF Tourism

As we’ve said above, IVF tourism may seem like an attractive option at first. In reality, couples are often nervous to do treatments abroad. There can be many unanswered questions when deciding where to perform your IVF treatments. Even if you’ve performed extensive research, it’s not always possible to gather all of the necessary information.

Depending on the country you decide to travel to, laws and regulations may not always require information to be available to potential patients. This means you may not always know statistics about other patients who have undergone similar treatments. They may also not inform you of potential risks related to the procedure.

Language issues are another problem when traveling abroad for medical procedures. If you're traveling to a non-native English speaking country, you may have difficulty communicating with doctors.

The list of potential issues goes on and includes potential risks involved in flying after IVF procedures as well as dealing with complications after the procedure. Safety issues may be involved in developing countries whose standards for medical procedures are lower. If you have issues after you’ve returned home, they may be problematic to deal with. You may also have no or little legal recourse to deal with the center or hospital that performed the procedure.

Cost- Not as Low as You Think

Although the treatment price tag can be much lower than in your home country, IVF abroad can often end up costing the same, if not more, than doing the procedure at home. The upfront costs including accommodations, flights, food and more can add up quickly. It is often recommended to use an agent who specializes in medical tourism to help book everything which may also raise the price.

This is assuming that all goes well with the procedure. If there are complications due to low-level treatment or unsanitary practice, costs can spike. Staying longer to deal with the issue and even legal costs can turn your cheap trip into a nightmare.

Final Thoughts

IVF tourism can be tempting. The low price tag and the opportunity to visit a new country may seem like great reasons to do infertility treatments abroad. As we’ve explained, things don’t always go according to plan and such trips can end up costing much more than expected. Before you make any decisions, make sure to research thoroughly.

The good news is that if you are the victim of IVF tourism, you may be able to get your money back. For a free initial consultation to determine if that is possible in your case, contact the fund recovery experts at MyChargeBack.com. Headquartered in New York with an international client base in over 100 countries, MyChargeBack has retrieved over $10 million for victims of #scams worldwide.

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Loan Fee Scams Steal Millions

It happens to most of us sooner or later. You need a loan. Whether it’s for a major one-time purchase, some sort of emergency, or just to pay this month’s bills, you’re short on funds and you need them quick. If you go to the bank, it certainly won’t be quick, and they may even turn you down altogether. No sweat. It’s the 21st century, you’re a modern person, you go online. A quick search gives you a list of companies presenting some very attractive loan offers. Problem solved, right?

You click a link on the search results, or on an online ad, and you see a nice professional looking website with a vaguely familiar corporate name guaranteeing you a loan. You fill out a surprisingly simple form, they get back to you and say you’re approved! All you need to do is pay a small processing fee and you’re all set. You pay the fee, and the company disappears. Alternatively, they told you that to get approved, they need your credit card information to run a credit check. You give it to them, they steal whatever they can from it, and then they disappear. Either way, game over.

Welcome to the world of online loan fee scams.

When considering an online loan, there are a number of clues to look for that should raise red flags in your mind that this is a scam. One example is guaranteeing you a loan without a credit check or any collateral. It would be economic suicide for anyone to lend out money that way, so anyone pretending to do that has no intention of actually lending you anything.

Another is a lack of transparency about their real physical location. Do they publicize a verifiable physical address in your country? With a local phone number you can call to reach them? If not, it’s probably because they don’t want anyone finding them or realizing that they’re overseas.

Other bad signs may include grammar mistakes, or else corporate names or URLs that are similar but not identical to well known established banks or financial institutions. Also, if they use any sort of high pressure sales tactics such as a special offer that will expire if you don’t act now, you should be very suspicious.

In the U.S., U.K., and many other countries these crooks have stolen millions upon millions in recent years from their innocent victims. How do they stay in business? Why are they not behind bars where they belong? The answer lies in another question: where are they? You see, no matter how expertly they made it seem like the loan company is local, the truth is that almost all of these scammers are based overseas in little countries with little capability of bringing such people to justice, if you can even find them.

So what can you do if you have fallen victim to an online loan scam? Can you ever get your money back? The good news is that if you paid by credit card or wire transfer, it may be possible. However, this is a very complex bureaucracy-riddled process that can stymie even the brightest and most motivated individual.

We at MyChargeBack have the experience and expertise to guide a dispute to maximize the chances of success. And we have the tenacity to never get discouraged or give up on our clients. We guarantee 100% effort to get you your money back.

If you believe you have been the victim of a scam related to a fraudulent loan website, contact MyChargeBack today to receive a free consultation.

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Addiction Treatment Scams at Home and Abroad

Addiction is big business. The substances include illegal drugs in addition to prescription drugs and alcohol. Obviously, the dealers and everyone else involved in the pipeline supplying the addict are making billions of dollars. But it doesn’t end there. Once the addict decides to get clean, they may be subjected to a whole new round of victimization: treatment scams.

Addiction treatment is poorly understood and poorly regulated. There are of course many many providers who are doing amazing work and saving lives, but the nature of the system has left the door open for any number of fakes, charlatans and scammers who are raking in millions of dollars providing no measurable service to the suffering addicts.

One particularly egregious example involved a scam artist named Kenny Chatman, who ran a chain of purported treatment centers in South Florida in which the patients were purposely kept addicted in order to extract as much money as possible from their insurance and their families, in addition to forcing some of the female patients into prostitution. Chatman was finally caught and imprisoned in 2017, but the larger problem has barely been dealt with. South Florida is an especially notorious area for addiction treatment fraud, but it exists throughout the United States.

But of course, it’s not just the United States. Not even close. As night follows day, when you have high prices and high demand, you will have exponential growth of medical tourism. It is a rapidly expanding industry even in such accepted medical fields as cardiac, bariatric, orthopedic, and cosmetic surgery, as well as dentistry and much more. But addiction treatment also has an absence of clear internationally accepted treatment guidelines, so the potential for abuse is virtually without limit.

Thailand in particular has set itself up as a prime destination for addiction tourism. Without a doubt, the country contains a number of first rate facilities staffed by top notch professionals. But there are also any number of corrupt brokers whose job it is to guide their quarry to whatever facility pays their salary, regardless of quality or suitability. These addiction broker scams are also among the sources of addiction treatment scandals in the States.

Have you or a loved one fallen victim to an addiction treatment scam? Aside from justice (which, depending on the jurisdiction, may be easier said than done), should the criminals be allowed to profit from the pain they caused? And don’t you at the very least deserve your money back? If you paid the criminal by credit card or wire transfer, it may be possible. Unfortunately, the process of opening and winning a dispute in cases like this is weighed down with an unbelievable amount bureaucratic red tape. Fortunately, you have someone to help you.

We at MyChargeBack have the experience and expertise to guide a dispute to maximize the chances of success. And we have the tenacity to never get discouraged or give up on our clients. We guarantee 100% effort to get you your money back. We’re an international fund recovery service headquartered in New York that has retrieved millions of dollars for scam victims the world over.

If you believe you have been the victim of an addiction treatment scam, contact MyChargeBack today to receive a free consultation.

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The Cost of Beauty: Brazil Medical Tourist Scams

Brazil had been ranked as one of the world's top destinations for medical tourism for as long as people have been paying attention to the industry. Long famous for its reputation for cosmetic surgery, it has also expanded into almost every conceivable realm of healthcare, including cardiac and orthopedic surgery, dental care, bariatric surgery, and much more. But cosmetic surgery remains king. Brazil boasts the most plastic surgeons per capita in the world, and is second only to the U.S. in the total number of plastic surgeons and cosmetic surgeries per year.

In most cases, people are coming to take advantage of Brazil’s prices, which can be far lower than the medical procedure would cost back home. They typically buy a medical tourism package that includes airport pickup and dropoff, hotel, food, and often sightseeing too.

Brazil boasts a number of large beautiful clean modern hospitals with international accreditation and staffed by doctors who graduated from some of the world’s top medical schools. For example, it was the first country in the world outside the U.S. to have a hospital accredited by the JCI, the world’s premier international medical accreditation organization.

Brazil is also home to some of the most prolific and harmful scam artists in the world. The country, unfortunately, is notorious for every kind of con man, and all sorts of tourists have been victims. In the case of people seeking medical care, the results can be far worse than an empty wallet. Not everyone who goes to Brazil ends up in a top clinic. Thousands upon thousands of people have fallen victim to unethical brokers who guide their quarry to dubious institutions where the doctors, nurses, and pharmacists are of questionable accreditation and professionalism, and where the facilities fail to meet accepted standards of hygiene and modernity. And the medications used may be counterfeit, substandard, or past date.

But even the very best hospitals have plenty of their own horror stories. And regardless of the quality of the initial operation, aftercare may be inadequate or non-existent.

All of this is in addition to the stress of travel while ill or shortly after surgery. Predictably, the results for many of these unfortunate people have included major life-threatening complications and infections.

Once they get back home and discover that they have been duped, the cost of fixing the problem may be many times greater than the money saved in the first place. And some of the damage may never be undone.

Have you or a loved one been the victim of a Brazil medical tourism scam? Aside from the ongoing health problems that it caused, don’t you at least deserve your money back? Unfortunately, the process of opening and winning a chargeback dispute in cases like this is weighed down with an unbelievable amount bureaucratic red tape. Fortunately, you have someone to help you.

We at MyChargeBack have the experience and expertise to guide a dispute to maximize the chances of success. And we have the tenacity to never get discouraged or give up on our clients. We guarantee 100% effort to get you your money back. We’re an international fund recovery service headquartered in New York that has retrieved millions of dollars for scam victims the world over.

If you believe you have been the victim of a scam related to medical tourism, contact MyChargeBack today to receive a free consultation.

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Counterfeit Medicines: Are You a Victim?

The global pharmaceutical industry is a trillion-dollar a year business. That’s a million dollars, a million times over! In other words, it is one of the world’s largest industries. It’s no surprise of course, given the value that people place on their health.

Billions of dollars are invested every year on research and development to bring new medicines to the market, and for every one that is approved, there are dozens that fail. The major pharmaceutical companies account for most of the innovation, and they protect their investments with time-limited patents that allow them to make huge profits until the patent expires, allowing generic manufacturers to enter the market.

Such a massive sum of money flowing around the world is a magnet for every kind of fraudster and con artist imaginable. There are a number of vulnerabilities that they exploit. Among the most important and obvious is the high price of genuine medicines, especially rare or highly specialized ones. The scammer offers a low-priced alternative marketed as the real thing.

Another potential weakness is a shortage of real medicine. If a certain drug is in short supply, the people who need it (the patient, doctor, or even hospital) may look elsewhere to find it, and the crook will be there to “save the day” and ostensibly provide exactly what they needed.

The convoluted supply chain that is involved in bringing many drugs to the market is also exploited by the counterfeiters. Many drugs are either imported or manufactured from ingredients that are imported. This situation gives cheaters many opportunities to insert their fake products into the pipeline at any of several points.

The rise of the internet and e-commerce has been a revolution for every marketplace in the world, and that includes counterfeit medicine. The vast majority of fake drugs are purchased online. There are numerous websites aimed at patients looking to save money on their prescriptions, while other perpetrate fraud on an industrial scale by selling their products to healthcare providers.

Counterfeit medicines may be expired, diluted or over-concentrated. Or they may contain none of the needed active ingredient, or even be laced with harmful ingredients, or be contaminated with bacteria. All of the above have been found in real-world cases in the last few years.

The results can be devastating. Several batches of the anti-cancer drug Avastin were found in the United States to be fake, containing plenty of chemicals but none of the active ingredient. It may never be known how many patients suffered and died due to this scam. In another case, several doctors received what was purported to be Botox intended for cosmetic injection, but in fact was a highly concentrated research version that led to near-fatal respiratory paralysis.

And of course the list of private consumers who fell victim to online prescription drug scams would run into the tens of thousands, if not more.

Have you or a loved one been the victim of a counterfeit medicine scam? Aside from the ongoing health problems that it caused, don’t you at least deserve your money back? Unfortunately, the process of opening and winning a chargeback dispute in cases like this is weighed down with an unbelievable amount bureaucratic red tape. Fortunately, you have someone to help you.

We at MyChargeBack have the experience and expertise to guide a dispute to maximize the chances of success. And we have the tenacity to never get discouraged or give up on our clients. We guarantee 100% effort to get you your money back. We’re an international fund recovery service headquartered in New York that has retrieved millions of dollars for scam victims the world over. If you believe you have been the victim of a scam related to counterfeit medicine, contact MyChargeBack today to receive a free consultation.

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Looking to Purchase a Travel Agent ID Card? Beware of This Scam!

You may have just watched the latest travel show or heard about a friend’s amazing journey overseas. Whatever the motivation, many of us have the desire to travel. And let’s face it -- times are often hard, and budgets are generally tight, so we all love a good travel bargain. There is nothing more alluring than the thought of a subsidized or free trip to the country of your liking. And the idea of making money while you travel is the icing on the cake. But the scammers know this and are out to profit from your dreams.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could travel like a travel agent? After all, travel agents are privy to special discounts and freebies. The short answer is no! The reality is that while some travel agents do receive perks, they are often related to work and educational advancement. These perks also tend to go to established agents who are deliberately selected. But for the rest of us the “Be a Travel Agent” idea is a scam.

“Be a Travel Agent” scams are widespread and growing. After you pay a fee to a company, it will provide you with “credentials” such as a “travel agent ID card,” which supposedly will give you the right to access travel agent deals and concessions. They may even promise you a commission on travel sales. Many of these “Be a Travel Agent” scams provide you with course materials, while others just demand payment for “certification.” Both scenarios are nothing more than hollow scams that will burn a hole in your pocket and leave you short of cash.

What’s essential for you to know is that to be a legitimate travel supplier and to sell travel, you need to belong to a travel agency or be listed as an independent travel salesperson, either with the International Association of Travel Agent Network or the Cruise Line International Association. Again, legitimate travel agents do not need to pay in order to sell travel. So clearly you can’t make money while traveling the world at no cost.

“Be a Travel Agent” scams may cheat an individual consumer out of hundreds of dollars, but scammers often make hundreds of thousands. Those who purchase agent ID cards are generally left disillusioned and cynical.

So how can you avoid being the victim of such scams. If you hear the worlds “travel agent ID card.” “recruitment” or “travel agent discounts” keep you distance!

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) offers this tip for consumers: “Be highly skeptical of offers that require you to purchase an identification card or otherwise suggest that you will receive “travel agent benefits” without being a travel agent. Bear in mind the old adage that “If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

If you think you’ve been the victim of a travel scam, contact MyChargeBack  for a consultation free of charge. We’re an international fund recovery firm that has retrieved over $7 million for victims of scams. We’ll let you know if we can help you recover your money as well.

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How Can an Engineering Company Fall for an Online Scam?

Several new scams that have burst on the scene over the past few months have left numerous chief executives red-faced and with large holes in their wallets.

Security expert Paul O’Sullivan, spoke about these scams at a recent conference held in South Africa, and warned businesses about them.

One such scam involved a website supposedly belonging to a Zimbabwean mining company. But, it turned out, the company was fake. It was just a front for scammers. Setting up the site was cheap, and in exchange the scammers walked away with a lot of cash.

How did it happen?

Once the site went live, the faux mining company approached a South African engineering firm and asked if they could submit a tender for the supply of excavation equipment. The engineering firm then did its due diligence. It Googled the name of the company and the search result listed an impressive-looking website complete with mission statements, photos of its directors, contact details, and a series of documents from previous tenders. Little did the engineering firm know at the time that those documents were all forged.

The engineering firm began sourcing the required equipment, which, it turned out, was distributed in South Africa only by a single source, in Cape Town. That company also had a legitimate-looking website that was equally professional.

O’Sullivan said that scammers can construct these sorts of websites in hours. Most of the time, he explained, the information posted on these fake websites is copied directly from those of legitimate companies, with only minor changes made to alter names, products and, of course, contact details.

The patient scammers then waited a few weeks before sending a congratulatory email to the firm notifying it that it had won the tender. Believing that the deal was now sealed, the engineering company ordered the required equipment from the Cape Town supplier, which asked for a 50 percent deposit, amounting to hundreds of thousands of rand. The money was transferred by bank wire.

Once the payment was made, weeks passed but the shipment never arrived. Contact numbers weren’t working either. Only then did the engineering firm realize that they were scammed. The scammers walked off with the money, ready to snare another company by setting up another phony website for another phony business.

This is where an international fund recovery service like MyChargeBack may be able to make a big difference. Headquartered in New York, MyChargeBack has been able to recover over $7 million for its clients in more than 100 countries around the world.

Can a wire transfer be contested?

In the case of this engineering firm, the fund recovery process is complicated because the money was authorized and transferred by bank wire. Charge card payments, in contrast, are much easier to contest after they have been made. That is because charge card regulations include a provision for chargebacks, which are retroactive cancellations of the payment. But wire transfers, of course, are not covered by charge card guarantees. Nonetheless, MyChargeBack employs other strategies that are can facilitate refunds for wire payments.

Businesses that have been the targets of these new sophisticated scams owe it to themselves to explore these possibilities.

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If You Have Travel Plans, Don’t Get Taken In by Scammers!

Scams seem to be everywhere these days, and travel scams have risen 16 percent since last year. Learn what the scammers are up to and stay safe.

The internet offers amazing convenience for booking vacations as for so many other things, but it also gives scammers opportunities to take you for a ride. Be aware of these scams and learn how to avoid them.

You find out you’ve been selected for a “free vacation.” Does it sound too good to be true? That’s because it is. This scam can include a strong-arm sales pitch for a vacation club or perhaps a timeshare. You may also find that you’re offered the option to upgrade the crummy hotel included in the free vacation but that the upgrade costs more than a normally priced tour would have cost you. And last, it’s possible that no matter what dates you select for your “free vacation,” there will be no availability for any of them. In a word, it’s just a scam. Stay away.

In another scam, you aren’t offered a free vacation, but you are told you can receive a very large discount. The problem is that in many cases, the discount is made up out of thin air, and the scammers are looking only for your credit or debit card number. Once they have the number, they get your money and you get nada. Never book a vacation with a company without looking them up online and finding out what others say about them, or checking with the Better Business Bureau. And when you decide after doing your research that the company is reliable, pay by credit card, not debit card or bank transfer. Credit cards give you a better chance of getting your money back if you are scammed. Debit cards enable scammers to get access to your bank account, and bank transfers are a favorite payment method of scammers because once you’ve wired them your money, they can disappear and you have no recourse.

Here’s another scam to watch out for. You pay for accommodations that looks really nice or are in a great location. When you arrive, though, what you booked is not available, and you’ve been switched to alternative accommodations that are supposed to be equivalent to what you booked. It goes without saying that the alternative accommodations are not nearly as nice or not in as good a location. If you aren’t happy with the alternative, your best bet is to find your own place to stay and then request compensation from the company that scammed you. That’s one more reason to deal only with reputable companies.

When you’re ready to buy foreign currency, you have other scams to watch out for. Some airports have ATMs belonging to companies that deal with exchange but are not banks. They may claim that there are no fees when you exchange currency, but they offer such lousy exchange rates that in some cases you’ll pay up to 15 percent more than the official rate. You’re better off using a debit card at an ATM of a reputable bank.

If you’ve been the victim of a scam, contact MyChargeBack, the fund recovery experts, and we’ll let you know if we can help you. We have successfully retrieved over $7 million for victims of scams such as these.

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Buying a Car Online? Here’s How to Avoid a Scam

You should always be careful when buying online, even for small purchases. But when you’re buying something as expensive as a car, it’s a thousand times more important not to get taken in. There are a number of online car-purchase scams, and we’ll cover two of them here.   

The first scam begins with an ad for a car posted online. (Sometimes it’s not a car, but a boat, recreational vehicle, tractor, or the like.) The scammer has never actually owned the car, but he says he’s selling it and provides you with photos and contact information. Once you make contact, the scammer sends more photographs and explains why he is offering the car at a discount. Here are a few examples of the explanations: 

The relative who owned the car died

The seller is in the military and is being deployed

The seller is moving

The seller got the car in a divorce settlement 

The scammer tells you that he will use a third-party buyer protection program for the transaction, then emails you fraudulent contact information for the third party   

From here, it goes from bad to worse. The scammer tells you to make the payment by purchasing prepaid gift cards and providing him with the gift card codes. You are told that the car will be delivered in a few days. Unfortunately, it never arrives.   

Between May 2014 and December 2017, there were over 25,000 complaints made to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center about this type of scam. And the victims during that period lost a significant amount – a total of $54,032,396 in adjusted losses.   

Here’s a slightly different version of the same scam.   

The scammer advertises a car on Craigslist, Autotrader or Cars.com. The price is good. Really good.   

The ad includes many photographs and even has a link to a vehicle history report with reassuring information about the car’s condition and title. The ad gives an email address, and when you write for more information, you’re told that the seller needs to move overseas for his job.   

You express interest. The scammer tells you that you need to wire the money to an escrow company, and they will keep the money until you get the car. You look at the website of the escrow company, and you see there’s a vehicle purchase protection program that allows you to get your money back if you decide you don’t want the car. It all sounds good. But there’s a major catch: The entire thing is phony, and if you wire the money to the phony escrow company, you can kiss it goodbye and you’ll never see the car.   

How can you avoid becoming the next victim? Here are some suggestions:    

If the price of the car is unusually low, don’t get excited; ask yourself why it’s so inexpensive

Do online searches for information on the item for sale and on the seller, including his name, his phone numbers and his email addresses 

If the seller is not prepared to meet you or tells you that you can’t inspect the car before you buy it, do not proceed

Ask the seller for the car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) and license plate number, and also ask for the name of the person to whom the car is currently registered    

Online sales of high-price items are ripe for scams. Be aware, be suspicious and don’t go ahead if anything seems the least bit off.   If you think you’ve been scammed, contact us at MyChargeBack for a free consult. We’re an international fund recovery service headquartered in New York that has retrieved over $7 million for our clients from online scammers.

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Why Does This Feel So Much Like a Scam?

You’re so pleased that you finally got your new washing machine. And not just any machine, but a good one. It was worth it to you to pay a little more.

Your machine has a 24-month warranty. When you bought it, the guy who sold it to you told you not to unpack it and plug it in, but to wait for the service rep to come to your house to set things up. If you don’t wait, your warranty will not take effect. You say to yourself, that sounds reasonable. If I break the machine, why should the distributor be responsible for fixing it?

Once the service guy gets there, he takes off the packaging and moves the machine into place, then plugs it in. You probably could have done that yourself and not caused any damage. He explains the operating procedures and goes into the various options, and you’re happy to have the information. You might have done something wrong and caused problems, and since your machine is somewhat complicated, you don’t mind the extra help.

Then the service man points out that there are a variety of problems that typically occur and that you should be aware of them. First he tells you not to tilt the machine, which seems reasonable to you. Then he mentions that there can be a buildup of sediment from the minerals in the water, which can cause the machine not to function optimally. And he also alerts you to the fact that a power surge can damage the machine and possibly destroy it.

But never fear. The guy has with him several products that you can purchase to ensure that none of these things cause problems. One is a frame that you place under the machine. The frame has wheels and a brake and enables you to move the machine by releasing the brake and wheeling it to wherever you want to place it. This eliminates problems with tilting.

Next he has a water filter to prevent mineral buildup. He tells you that you’ll need to check it around once every six months, but it should last a long time. Now you’ve solved another potential problem.

The last item he offers you is a surge protector. As long as the washing machine cord is plugged into the surge protector and then it is plugged into the socket, you can cross that worry off your list.

And now the service guy tells you that he can offer you a deal on each of these products if you add eight years to your two-year warranty. These items normally cost $100 each, but if you buy those eight extra years for $480, you can get the devices for $50 each. Since the warranty is for parts and service, you’re covered for everything for the next ten years.

But think a minute. You’re now covered for any eventuality, but was it worth the cost? You’ve paid a lot more money, but what are you actually getting? If you remember that more than 50 percent of washing machines sold in the U.S. cost under $500, your great bargain no longer looks so great.

Does all of this sound right to you? If it looks like a scam and feels like a scam, it probably is a scam. If you contact us at MyChargeBack, in our free consult we’ll tell you whether we can help you recover the money you lost.