The scam involves someone from Russia contacting individuals via email who use eBay where they are a seller of goods. These emails claim that individuals can earn $800-$1,600 per week by processing these funds - 20% of the amount they process with their PayPal account. When its all said and done, the one who processed these funds (American citizens) are left holding the bag.

(PRWEB) December 19, 2003 -- Dr. Richard (a/k/a America’s Financial Fitness Trainer™), one of the nation’s leading experts in consumer credit and personal finance almost became victim yesterday of the newest eCommerce scam that surfaced on December 18th. The scam involves someone from Russia notifying individuals who use eBay that they are a seller of goods. The thieves then ask the individual to process PayPal transactions for them - for which the unsuspecting victim will receive a 20% fee – and send the funds to the fraudster via Western Union. Emails claim that individuals can earn $800-$1,600 per week by processing these funds. Thieves then break into other individual’s PayPal accounts and transfer funds to the new US contact’s PayPal account.

It usually takes 3-4 business days for funds to transfer from a person’s bank account to their PayPal account. PayPal gives individuals the opportunity to chargeback their accounts due to fraud. In the meantime, the US contact has already sent funds to Russia via Western Union. The person left holding the bag is the US contact person since they wired money and then had their PayPal account chargedback.

Richard M. Krawczyk, Ph.D. (a/k/a Dr. Richard) Publisher of the FinancialFitnessTips.com Report states; “I woke up this morning to find that $1,440 was transferred from my PayPal account to someone I didn’t even know. Within five minutes after the email I received notification that my PayPal password was changed – and it wasn't I who had changed it. I immediately called this person to notify them of the fraudulent activity and the charges were instantly reversed. As this is the time of year when many people shop online via PayPal, it is be easy for the crooks to go unnoticed. People must to take extra care this time of the year.”

The Federal Trade Commission reports that there were 9.9 million cases of identity theft last year. Generally, victims of credit and banking fraud are liable for no more than the first $50 of the loss. But the headaches that they will incur in the aftermath are often significantly greater.

Individuals whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years (and money) cleaning up the turmoil identity thieves cause regarding the consumer’s good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims risk losing job opportunities, being refused loans, education, housing cars, and even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit.

Dr. Richard can advise people on the standard procedures in such cases and what to expect. He can also advise people on their consumer rights and how to ensure that any credit complications are accurately cleared up.

He is the former television host of Consumer Credit in the 80's and is available for interview.

** BACKGROUND NOTES **
· Dr. Richard has over 20 years of expert financial knowledge.
· Dr. Richard talks internationally on personal finance and investments at a variety of conferences and seminars.
· Dr. Richard has been described as making finance “understandable and sexy."
· Dr. Richard is a Co-Author with Dr. Wayne Dyer and Mark Victor Hansen ("Chicken Soup for the Soul") for the book "Wake Up - Live The Life You Love" to be released on December 18th, 2003 (http://wakeupbook.com).
· Dr. Richard has written a book due for release early next year entitled “Financial Aerobics - How To Get Your Finances Into Shape."
· Dr. Richard is the former television host of Consumer Credit in the 80's and is available for interviews.
· For more information on Dr. Richard go to www.FinancialFitnessTips.com.

Contact Information:

For more information on Dr. Richard or to interview Dr. Richard please contact:

Paul Armstrong
Publicity Coordinator
(310) 248-6222 x27
paul@levinepr.com

Dawn Miller
Director of Publicity
(310) 248-6333 x13
dawn@levinepr.com

Photography available on request.