"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"

The email message below with the subject: "European Company Network 2015/2016" or "European Business Directory Network," which the sender claims the recipients can insert their companies in the European Company Network (ECN) for 2015/2016 by completing and submitting the attached form, is fraudulent and you should not respond to it with your personal information or follow the instructions in it. The email message and the website: "ecn-register.org" are fakes, created by scammers to trick their potential victims into stealing their money, personal and financial information.

Advertisements
European Company Network 2015 2016 Scam from website www.ecn-register.org

Remember, never send your personal information to anyone in an email message or send money to someone who contacted you via email message.

The Fraudulent Email Message

From: European Company Network (register@ecn-register.org)
Subject: European Company Network 2015/2016
Attachment: ECN-form.pdf

Madam/Sir,

In order to have your company inserted in the European Company Network for 2015/2016, please print, complete and submit the attached form (PDF file) to the following address:

EUROPEAN COMPANY NETWORK
PO BOX 3079
3502 GB UTRECHT
THE NETHERLANDS

Fax: +31 205 248 107

You can also scan the completed form and attach it in a reply to this email.

Updating is free of charge!

The email contains the following attached form: ECN-form.pdf that the cyber-criminals will ask their potential victims to complete and send to them:

European Company Network form - ECN-form.pdf

Also, avoid visiting the fraudulent website: www.ecn-register.org.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

Bookmark articleSave

Was this article helpful?

Advertisements

Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 24)

To protect your privacy, please remove sensitive or identifiable information from your comments, questions, or reviews. We will use your IP address to display your approximate location to other users when you make a post. That location is not enough to find you.

Your post will be set as anonymous because you are not signed in. An anonymous post cannot be edited or deleted, therefore, review it carefully before posting. Sign-in.

October 3, 2018 at 6:06 AM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
an anonymous user from: Braga, Portugal

Received this:

"Accounting Department <accounting@accounting-seo.com>

11:56 (Há 9 minutos)

para eu, info

Não sabe a razão pela qual esta mensagem se encontra na pasta Spam?

Denunciou esta mensagem como spam a partir da caixa de entrada.

Dear Sirs,

I have just tried to contact your company by telephone ( 351 962543217) but the call was rejected.

The reason I have called is to confirm that the invoice no. 216210 and our reminders have been received (we have sent them by email and regular post and no communication was received from your side in this regard).

The invoice covers the outstanding Editions for our register delivered on the basis of your 3 - year order dated 22/07/2016, contact person Mr Reinaldo Alves. This is the 3rd and final year of the contract.

Please contact us at your earliest to discuss your account.

Best regards,

Accounting Department"

Delete

August 9, 2017 at 3:24 PM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
info

Here is another scam:

- Forwarded message -

"From: EUBS / Ms Sophie <sophie@eubs-accounting.com>

Date: 2017-08-09 10:43 GMT 01:00

Subject: Due date for the Invoice no. 202782

To

We hereby inform you that the attached invoice, number 202782, charging your company’s profile insertion into our business register is now issued for payment (due date is 07/08/2017).

The invoice was posted via regular mail the day it was issued (10th of July, 2017) to []. Please confirm postage receipt and accuracy of postal address.

If this email’s recipient is not responsible with payment transfer, we appreciate the forward of message to the department in charge.

In case payment has been transferred by now, please send the proof of wire in reply, for noting the account timely settled.

Thank you for your time and cooperation.

Best regards,

Ms Sophie, Account Manager

Tel: 0031 208-080-789

Fax: 0031 205-248-107"

Delete

December 13, 2016 at 12:55 PM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
an anonymous user from: Skopje, Karpoš, Macedonia

Hi again,

ENC have contacted us by telephone threatening us to take legal actions if we do not pay within a few days? Anyone had the same experience? Please advise. Hiding I believe will not solve the problem. We had made the mistake at the beginning. The essence is if they have legal grounds to take us to court. I would appreciate if someone would share their similar experience.

Regards,

Toni.

Delete

January 11, 2017 at 12:25 PM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
an anonymous user from: Mauá, São Paulo, Brazil

Yes i had the same experience, but all they said is true or false. They will try to rob you. I am in Switzerland! Each month I receive letters and mails, mails, mails, and mails, but the law is with you and against the criminal like them, have a nice day, S. F.

Delete

December 13, 2016 at 1:38 PM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
info

Do not be fooled by scammers who use threats to force their potential victims into sending them money. The organization does not exist, and if they did, they would have already sued this website slander.

If they continue to call you, let them know you are going to report them to the police.

Delete

November 16, 2016 at 6:46 AM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
info

Received via email:

"Even I have been cheated by this "European Business Directory Network - Fradualent Company."

Initially they asked to fill in the Registration Form - Stating it is Free of charge and after receiving the FORM they generated an invoice which was not clarified before hand at all.

They have been repeatedly threatning me to pay my dues with penalty, If I won't they would initiate legal actions against me.

I have attached here with Communication Mails being received.

I would appreciate if you could help me regarding this matter.

Awaiting for your valuable suggestions.

Thanks

Delete

November 9, 2016 at 4:13 AM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
an anonymous user from: Skopje, Karpoš, Macedonia

This is the latest from ECN as an answer to my e-mail to delete us from their database

"Dear хххх

Thank you for your reply.

According to the T&C which governs your company's request we have some procedures to follow.

First, the invoice no. 192211 - for delivered service - needs to be settled in order to take into consideration any other requests from your company.

Let me know when you are ready - as to start the above mentioned.

Best Regards,

Ms Angela

Account Manager"

On 11/9/2016 10:55 AM, хххх wrote:

"Dear Sir/Madam,

We have also attempted to contact you several times by e-mail to cancel our “alleged” order.

Again, we confirm that we cancel any form of order that you may consider and we insist that we are deleted from your database, if uploaded, as we strongly believe that we were tricked into what you consider an order for your services by the forms and the correspondence you sent. We have informed the Union of International Associations, and several other international authorities, as well as our domestic authorities about this cheap attempt to extort funds through such spam attempts.

We are instructing you to delete our company information from your site, if uploaded, and cancel any attempt to invoice us for any services that you may believe you are entitled to by misleading us to this venture.

Sincerely,

xxxx"

Delete

November 9, 2016 at 4:17 AM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
info

Never respond to their email messages, because you are only telling them that your email address is active, therefore, they will continue to send you more email scams and spam. The scammers who send out the fake email messages cannot tell if the email addresses that they are sending out to are active or not. So, when you respond, you are telling them that your email address is active.

Delete

October 27, 2016 at 8:37 AM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
an anonymous user from: Nairobi, Kenya

The European Companies Network is a sham. They ambush you with the words that they are compiling a register of European companies and would you like to be included. Unknown to you there is some small print at the bottom of the form to the effect that you are agreeing to be a subscriber to a network at a considerable cost.

This is theft and you should not allow yourself to be cheated . Resist at all costs to be lured into the quagmire

Delete

October 7, 2016 at 4:30 AM by
"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"
an anonymous user from: Gdynia, Pomerania, Poland

WE made the same not reading tiny letters .. just the huge one - free of chargé!

We are going to ignore it but also we are sending official letter with resignation, that we are not willing to be inserted to they network and we are not willing to pay for it.

Delete

Write Your Comment, Question, Answer, or Review

Advertisements

Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

"European Company Network 2015/2016" Scam from website "www.ecn-register.org"