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Year 2002 scam news
January 22nd 2002.
My gullible partner has been taken in by Sofia Dora, a mailshot succeeded
in extracting £22 from her purse whilst I was away.
Fortune House is a lottery winning scam. My partner thinks she is going
to win large sums, by sending £22 to Fortune House. See the new page. Fortune
House
Eva du Maurier starts the New Year with yet another attempt, although the
slightly incorrect address shows that another mailing list has been used.
All the usual ideas, and a request for £22.50.
Marketlink Marketing Communications was acquired in 2001 by Profile Media
Group, of Cheapside, London, for £13.55 million.
I have received a press release from Canada about Raylene Van Worth. Warning
from Canada about Raylene Van Worth
A follow-up from Fortune House asks for a further payment, although my
partner has won just £10, having spent £40 on tickets, with
the lucky numbers she paid for earlier.
On the 18th February, mailshots from Marie France and Sofia
Dora. The former is now using a FREEPOST address although the undelivered
address is still MMC Ltd, using PHQ 230 licence. The sheets look like
photocopies, but the most obvious thing is that the three tarot cards she
had an irresistable urge to draw are exactly the same three as she drew last
December! That takes some doing! (A reader says that she and her cousin,
with totally different birthdates, received exactly the same selection!)
Sofia Dora has sent the Inheritance medallion for the £22
mentioned earlier, but she addresses my partner as A all through the text!
See
the new page. I think SD also uses MMC to distribute the scams.
A request for £22, for the FORTUNA secret, to solve all of my
partner's desires is made.
29th February brought another, identical, mailing from
Marie-France. £32.90 is requested for a tarot reading.
April 2nd brought another mailshot from Sofia Dora. This time
it's the Rose Pentacle for Luck and Life, only £23 + post and
packing. The pink paper used is different! The six-page 'letter' headed
"Hello", not Dear A, has pages with the text justified left and right
alternately. It's a masterpiece of creative writing.
Also an invitation to play on the German Lotto, from a Dutch address,
with testimonials from "Winners".
A reader has sent me an email which says that he asked the post office
watchdog, Postwatch, to find out who uses the Licences HQ7878 etc. The Royal
Mail (now known as Consignia) say that it is prevented from revealing all,
by the Data Protection Act legislation. In this case it is more like a
crook's charter. Deregulation, in 2000, of the postal services has made it even more difficult to identify the owners of PO Boxes.
Also, another reader suggested that perhaps I am missing the opportunity
to address my message to the most vulnerable groups. Those women aged over
40 who seem to be the most susceptible to the wiles of the con-artists in
the astrology/clairvoyance racket.
So I have decided to approach those organisations who are looking after
the interests of older people. If you live outside the UK and are able to
put me in touch with such organisations, could you email the addresses to
me?
According to Route
Europe 2000 software that I bought recently, many of the Swiss addresses
are in fact only a short distance from the centre of Geneva.
The Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore (OUP, £8.99) "During the
18th and 19th centuries, astrology became marginalised, and by the early
20th century had largely disappeared from public view." But, "It was given
fresh life by a Press stunt in 1930--when the Sunday Express invited
an astrologer to draw up a nativity chart for the newborn Princess Margaret,
and to compile a simple horoscope applying to anyone whose birthday fell
that week. Other newspapers copied the idea--encouraging semi-serious
curiosity about astrology. Like other aspects of the occult, it is currently
enjoying a revival."
Some info supplied by readers.
Nicole Delya is now using the same address as Maria Duval/Marie-France at
Alton, Hampshire.
Maria Duval in the USA Info from Holland PTT Post, Customer service, postbox 90165, 4800 RW Breda. revealed that
the postbox-owner of the Maria-Duval-postbox is: A packing company run by a Mr Veenstra (Spelling uncertain).
Namebank International April 14th brought another mailshot from Marie-France.
April 24th, Nicole Delya has written, with the same sales
pitch as the others, using the same address as Maria Duval.
Astroforce Holding SA. 38, rue de Marterey, Lausanne 1003. According to
www.swissguide.ch the person operating here is a Kamen Troller, described
elsewhere as a lawyer working in Lucerne. By email, I have learned that Mr
Koetsheid was running the company in 1996-7.
Esotal SARL, said to be in voluntary liquidation, is at the Chris address in Carouge.
In Ireland, Marie-France is using PO Box 6226, Swords, Co.Dublin to
collect replies.
A Canadian reader asked for and received a refund from Maria Duval, less
the p+p charges. On my suggestion, he also wrote to Mr. Koetsheid.
May 7th. A new one from an old address, Marianne de
Bonneville, same address as Fortune House. Calls herself a psychic, offers
large rewards when you send her £20. (Reduced from £500 which is her usual
charge). Several errors in address, but the postman knows where my partner
lives, unfortunately. Undelivered mail is to be returned to PO Box 10004,
Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. This country derives most of its income from
"financial services" (aka 'money laundering'?)
Sofia Dora is now using a new address: case postale 332, 5, chemin de
Maison Neuve, 1219 Chatelaine, Switzerland. (It's next door to a TV shop.)
May 31st June 6th Also, another mailshot from Marie-France, and three lottery scam letters.
June 17th She spells BBC TV program, not programme as we do it in the UK.
"Dynamised water" to make the Elixir of Long Life. "Unstoppable flow
of wealth" to prepare for.(I'm not making this up!)
And an Order Form requesting £26.
The Myth of Bérenger
Saunière dying a 'rich man'.
Vinciane Denis'
account relating to Marie Denarnaud.
June 25th, the British Government has announced that it will
investigate the "Prize Draw" and "Lottery Scams", reported to cheat British
consumers out of £100,000,000 each year. I am writing to ask if astrology
scams can be included.
July 2nd Did the Golden Chalice scam not net enough money, or perhaps it was a
great success for them, now they want even more money from the needy and
gullible?
July 9th July 12th Isn't it a shame that after doing all this work, people are so ungrateful
they don't send her £28, by cheque, International Money Mandate, cash or
Credit Card! A 30-day money-back guarantee as well, how can you lose?
A reader tells me of Elizabeth Brandon. Freepost 977, Kings Lynn, PE30
1UA. (This post-code is nongeographical.) Her life changing offer costs
£19.95.
July 18th. Another mailing from Eva du Maurier. It seems that
she has dreamed of my partner four times this week.
A reader tells me about several more scams. Grandma Shirley, from JEM,
also the collection point for replies to Anthony Carr, destination Canada.
According to a JEM employee, it is a 'fulfilment house', replies are boxed
up and sent to Canada. Skye Alexander, Admail 3648, Guildford, GU1 1AA,
actually Guildford Mail Centre, Woodbridge Meadows, Guildford. For once,
this name is well-known, she is a writer and columnist, websites detail her
works but nothing about her personally.
Kreskin, JEM House, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8TT; From Scandinavia comes the news that Marie Duval as well as Marie France
are operating in Denmark.
Marie France was active this weekend with fullsize pages in paper
Soendagsavisen (http://www.sondagsavisen.dk). The address used this time
was: Regarding Maria Duval and her operations in Denmark I can hand you over
the following information.
The Maria Duval offers being printed in various Danish magazines refer to
a company called Astroforce. The Internet address astroforce.dk is
registered to:
Astroforce Scandinavia ApS. Mail address: mail@astroforce.dk
The homepage is registered in the name: Mr. Lasse Hvolgaard.
For your kind information the homepage is not active.
Source:
http://www.dk-hostmaster.dk/script/whois.php?query=astroforce.dk&lang=da
Mr. Lasse Hvolgaard is also the owner of Mariaduval.dk. http://www.dk-hostmaster.dk/script/whois.php?domhdl=mariaduval.dk&lang=da
The address is re-directed to: http://www.mariaduval.com/
In August, things were quiet, only 3 mailshots, from Marie-France, Eva du
Maurier, and Sofia Dora.
In September, one from Sofia Dora on about the 8th. Then on
the 24th, the great medium (so she calls herself) Bella Marti, of
CP5806, place de la Poste, 1211 Geneve 11; with the information that only
she can rid my partner of curses. Only £29 is required, but a full refund is
promised if the curse isn't gone in 48 hours.
I was contacted by researchers from the Watchdog programme on
BBCtv, they are researching Marie-France, after receiving a large number of
complaints from the public. October 4th brought another mailshot from Sofia Dora. Now it
appears that the charms (replicas of Mayan artefacts) are free, she
demands donations to support her work in caring for abandoned cats
and dogs! These have not been mentioned before, very odd, as she claims to
spend all her spare time on them!
The mailshot claims that she was giving a talk at the International
Festival of Clairvoyance, Astrology and Parapsychology, in London. Does
anyone know of this conference? It seems that my partner has been granted a
"Procedure Intensity 1" only the third one to be granted. On October 10th the BBC TV Watchdog team exposed the Marie-France
scam to several million viewers. Marketlink, in Alton, the receiving centre
for Marie-France, Maria Duval and Nicole Delya replies, would not appear but
did say that the final destination is Madrid, Spain, a company called "Inner Circle".
Mr Alberto Rumschisky Rabinovitz, listed as a director of Astroforce Ltd,
resides there. He would not appear, but he looks remarkably like
Marie-France if wearing a wig and old-fashioned spectacles. The following information is copied from the Aerger.de online
magazine.
Let me introduce a couple of new members of the famous Astroforce tribe!
Jacques Mailland is the director of the Astroforce Hldg Bv, Netherlands.
The abbreviation Hldg probably translates into holding, and should mean that
this particular Astroforce firm owns something, perhaps some of the other
Astroforces, licences to the name and services of Maria Duval, and other
stuff like that. The domain name mariaduval.com is registered for Astroforce
Hldg Bv, and Jacques Mailland is the domain administrative contact.
Astroforce Hldg Bv, Postbus 1836 bv Roosendaal, 4700 NL, phone (0344)
491223, fax (0344) 493981 Jacques Mailland, jmail@wanadoo.fr
Kaj Hvolgaard is the local Astroforce/Maria Duval agent in Helsingør,
Denmark. I assume that he is the director af the Astroforce Scandinavia ApS.
The domain names astroforce.dk and madiaduval.dk are registered for
Astroforce Scandinavia ApS. Lasse Hvolgaard is the administrative contact of
both domains.
Astroforce Scandinavia ApS, Mileparken 22, 2740 Skovlunde, phone +45 44
53 47 07, fax: +45 44 53 47 14, email: mail@astroforce.dk
Jacques Mailland explained once in an interview that Maria distributes
the free talismans in order to tell the world that she exists, and is here
to help and heal those who seek help. Her local agents in foreign countries
take care of the practical business; Maria does not personally send
any letters, nor does she see the answers.
The Danish or Scandinavian local agent Kaj Hvolgaard has now and then
invited querysome journalists to visit France and Maria Duval together with
him, so that they could chat with her personally.
I have learned that Maria Duval sold Astroforce to Health Tips Limited, but the following address is used in Denmark:
Health Tips Limited Herboende Repræsentant c/o Bdo Scanrevision
Kristineberg 3 2100 København Ø
Australian State closes Maria Duval and Marie-France scam, and recovers
money.
Fair Trading Minister, John Aquilina says... future not looking bright for clairvoyant.
1 Oct 2002
Earlier this year, advertisements appeared in a number of television guides offering the services of clairvoyant, Maria Duval, Mr Aquilina said.
"These advertisements promised twelve months of increased luck and happiness for just $49.95 and for an extra $10, people could receive 3 telepathic actions".
In response to consumer complaints, Fair Trading investigated the advertisements and found them to make false and misleading offers.
This is little more than a scam that preys on the vulnerable and has no place in NSW.
"This clairvoyant obviously didn’t see Fair Trading coming", Mr Aquilina said.
The Department of Fair Trading has secured the following enforceable undertakings from Harmonie Limited, trading as clairvoyant, Maria Duval:
Harmonie Limited will not trade in NSW, under the name Maria Duval, or any other name,
Mr Aquilina said concerned consumers should contact the Department of Fair Trading on 13 32 20.
The address originally used in the Sofia Dora scam is also used by
"Centre International de Gains". It actually sounds like a scam!
The Nicole Delya scam has surfaced in Argentina.
Marie-France "33 wishes" full page advert appears in Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet
Astroforce Ltd changes its name to Meridian Mailing Ltd, on 17/10/2002, but keeps the same address. Elsewhere, Astroforce is changing to Harmonie Ltd.
October 25th brought another mailshot from Eva du Maurier, just when I thought that Solen SA had given up on my partner. It seems that my partner suffers from a "strong pollution of her energy field", but it can be cured by magic ritual performed at 11:45 on Halloween night. "The Magic Salt of Purification" will cost only £22 + £3 P+P.
Sometime in October, my partner fell for another scam by pseudonym Eva du Maurier. This time it is the Oracles of the Holloween Tarot! I don't yet know how much this has cost, but a refund request will soon be on its way. It is a vague blend of fact and fiction, she says that Pontius Pilate was married to a Ethiopian psychic, Sara the Black, but scholars say that his wife was a Roman woman named Claudia Proca.
November 23rd brought a mailshot from Solena, c/o Maja SA, 1211 Geneve 29. (Same address as Carmen and Gabriel.) She? offers the San Marco Spell Breaking Medallion, which she says was the cause of the wealth of the Medici family in medieval Florence. £27 will bring the same to my partner! Usual format, indented paragraphs with hand-drawn arrows etc, just like most of the other mailshots.
December 5th brought mailings from Zoltana and Victor, my partner has been conned again, money has been sent, I don't yet know where.
Zoltana says that her Golden Dice of Prediction is a replica of the one given by a dying Tibetan monk to John Davison Rockefeller, and it was the reason for his great wealth. However, his biographers say that he was a smart businessman, getting into the oil business at the right time.
December 7th,Eva du Maurier tries again, unsuccessfully this time.
December 13th brought a mailshot from Irena c/o Angelina, CP53 9444 Diepoldsau, Switzerland. My partner "is the Last person she has decided to help before she retires"! Only £29, sent to her box number, will secure wealth and happiness!
Then on the 16th, Victor sent the "Lucky Numbers" for 12 months, and the 10 secrets of wealth and happiness paid for earlier. Naturally, there is a coupon for further assistance(at a cost of £21.90.) I now know his address. Victor c/o Angelina, CP344, 9435 Heerbrugg, Switzerland. (Heerbrugg and Diepoldsau are 400km from Geneva, but only 5km apart.)
My Visa card was debited to the tune of £25, without my knowledge, by Victor of St Gallen, (near to Heerbrugg and Diepoldsau), in Switzerland.
In The Guardian Jobs & Money supplement, dated December 21st 2002, page 11, a reply to a readers letter exposed the Marie-France scam. Both Marketlink Marketing and Senor Rumschisky were mentioned.
TV Direct Distribution seems to be another scam, formerly using HQ7878, now HQ11882. It uses a PO Box number in Hampshire to sell overpriced, gimmicky, and inferior products from a small catalogue. It appears to be a Belgian company. According to the Royal Mail Addressfinder, it is called Express Post Ltd, but neither of the names is registered at Companies House. In 2001, they were using a company called HubEurope but the website is now offline. As is often the case, they use heavily flashed mailings, "It's official M/s Gullible, The cheque for £10,000.00 is YOURS" (if you reply AND your number matches the predrawn one!" I notice that the pennies are often added to the amount to make it look much larger. We can help each other! If every UK voter reading this page were to write
to their own MP, about the astrology scam that they have received or fallen
victim to, it would bring home to the politicians just how common this crime
is. Most have an email address. Find
your MP's name and address. Don't forget to mention my website.
Mary Galante
To everyone who has read this far, I offer my apologies for the somewhat
lengthy and haphazard layout.
When I began this website, back in early 1999, little did I realise how
much material I would find.
Parker Marketing International
URL
www.parkermarketing.com
2522 N Proctor #171, Tacoma, WA 98406,
USA
Phone: 1-253-912-1994 Fax: 1-801-751-9728
Email:
kelvin@parkermarketing.com
In De Echo (free weekly newspaper) of 24 April 2002
there was a page size advertisement about Maria Duval. One could send in a
coupon with information about oneself in order to receive a free talisman
and some predictions. The address to which the coupon had to be sent
is:
Maria Duval, c/o Postbox 101, 4715 ZJ Rucphen Holland.
Intarno B.V.,
Expeditieweg 6, 4715 RM Rucphen.
Telephone: 0165-343220
Fax:
0165-342321
http://www.namebank.com/uklists.htm
http://www.namebank.com/astroforcemailorderresponders.htm Astroforce
List
http://www.namebank.com/astrologicalreportbuyers.htm Elizabeth
Prior
http://www.namebank.com/astrologicalgiftmailorderbuyers.htm
(Now
you know how they got your name and address.)
A reader from Germany
confirms that Sofia Dora is a Trade Mark used by P.M.D., a society (company)
based in Lausanne. It is easy for these companies to cross borders, unlike
the police and legislators. This is something that the European Union should
investigate.
Master Igor Leonov writes, via Arnaud
Duboisierst, to say that he has solved the lottery numbers problem with his
"Automatic Win Boards". Send £15, £20, or £25, plus £20 for the "DaysTowin
X38 System". (Highly recommended by him!)
Sofia Dora again with the Mandrake to make you
wealthy. The "Last Will and Testament" (not dated or witnessed) of Alexis
Onakios, he used the secret of the Mandrake to become wealthy, now wishes to
pass it on. Only £33, cash preferred. sent to the address above, will secure
one of only ten Mandrakes available.
Sofia Dora yet again, this time it's the
Great Secret of the Golden Chalice (the "Grail") which is one of
twelve replicas to be given to The Chosen Ones, of which my partner
is one!
Bérenger Saunière, a French priest was, she says, the possessor of a
secret and became very rich, he passed it to his maid, Marie Denarnaud, who
in turn passed it to her nurse on her deathbed.
Sofia Dora again, this time it's the gold hidden
from the Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century by the Incas! The
Secret "Knot of Power, the Famous QUIPU". etc, etc. It's a collection of
facts, blended with mysteries created by her, designed to extract £27 from
the people who want the "Showers of Gold" which she promises.
Eva du Maurier is back, with a £3,220 carrot to
catch the unwary. In the Rules small print the following mistake appears.
....US £ 3220.... I was not aware that the £ was a US currency! The mailing
is being treated with the contempt it deserves.
Another mailshot from Sofia Dora. She claims that
Will Young, the winner of the Pop Idol talent show on British TV, was guided
by her and now enjoys no more worries or fear. She now offers the same help
to my partner. She says that she has spent a lot of time on my partner. A
very big Lotto win....a symbolic and marvellous metamorphosis....Golden
Combination of Winning Numbers....considerable file entitled ANGELIC AND
PERSONAL LUCK BRINGING PERSONAL SUCCESS AND AN INSTANTLY EXTRAORDIARY
LIFE....etc.
Carmen, PO Box 58194,
1040 HD Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
Philip H Randolph, 2160 Commercial
Drive, PO Box 65748 STN F, Vancouver, BC
V5N 5K4 Canada;
Bella Marti, CP
5806, Place de la Poste, CH-1211, Geneve 11;
Jean Mars, Admail 3644,
Oxford, OX4 1AA. (Among 1-43 Anchor Court, York Place, Oxford).
Marie France
Ch. des Peupliers 5
1028 Prévénges
Svejts (CH)
Mileparken 22
2740
Skovlunde
Denmark
Phone: +45 44534707
Telefax.: +45
44534714
Both numbers are not listed.
For futher
info check:
BBC Tv Watchdog
"These advertisements promised twelve months of increased luck and happiness"
John Aquilina, has announced that the self professed, ‘greatest clairvoyant in the world’ will no longer be looking into the future in New South Wales.
It will not advertise or promote its products in NSW,
It will not accept money from NSW residents, even if they reply to an advertisement in another state,
Harmonie will refund money to any consumer who was misled or deceived, by the advertisement or information provided, within 14 days of the consumer making the request.
Several readers have asked if I have an address for "Mary
Galante". Thanks to D of the US, here it is:
61 East 8thSt, #343, New York, NY1003.
A word from Astrocat
You may republish any of the material on this website, except for the essay "Hoodwink'd by Faery Fancy" which is the intellectual property of Professor Richard Dawkins. I will be glad to have a wider audience, please credit me, and inclde my URL.
Kevin Harrington © 1999 - 2004. All rights reserved.