Cyber Shenanigans

January 16, 2020

Following is the email that we received from our insured reporting a fraudulent cyber-crime claim. With changes to provide anonymity, this is the notification that we received advising as to what happened:

Hello Dan,

We have initiated a fraudulent wire on 9/26/2019 for Euro 40,977 equivalent to $48,902.42

Here is the complete details, how it happened:

Johanson Craneger, email address: johanson.craneger@covatelbmc.com from Covatel Global sent an email to our account manager Sue Sykes email address:

ssykes@lonnectron.com on 09/05/2019 inquiring about their outstanding balance of Euro 40,977.

To which Sue Sykes replied by email on 09/05/2019.

On 09/06/2019 Sue Sykes received an email reply from Johanson Craneger, email address: johanson.craneger@covatelbmcm.com – this is the fraudulent email as the domain name is spelled ovationbmcm.com instead of ovationbmc.com and this fraudulent person is informing Sue Sykes in the email that their bank account information have changed.

To which Sue Sykes replied back by email on 09/06/2019 asking him to send the updated bank information and she will work to send the payment there.

To which the fraudulent person replied on 09/07/2019 with a fraudulent bank account details in the name of Covatel Global.

Than the fraudulent person inquired about the payment on 09/11/2019 and 09/18/2019

On 09/18/2019 James Franks from Lonnectron email address: jfranks@lonnectron.com replied back to the fraudulent person that he should direct all communications to Mark Zimmerman from Lonnectron email address: mzimmernam@lonnectron.com regarding payment inquiry.

To which the fraudulent person replied on 09/19/2019 once again with a fraudulent bank account details in the name of Covatel Global BMC to Sue Sykes, James Franks, Louis Fallon and Mark Zimmerman.

(Attached is the complete email trail in the first attachment)

On 09/24/2019 Mark Zimmerman from Lonnectron send an email wire request to Lucy Gonzalez to initiate the wire for Euro 40,977 to the fraudulent bank account. (Attached is the wire request email in the second attachment)

On 09/26/2019 Lucy Gonzalez from Lonnectron initiated the wire in the amount of Euro 40,977 to the fraudulent bank account. (Attached is the wire confirmation in the third email)

We need to file this insurance claim for $48,902.42 and get this money from insurance.

Please let me know if you need any more explanations or supporting documents.

Thank you for your help.

Thank you,

Mark

This is an example of one basic technique used by bad actors to commit crime by use of computers and networks. The market for coverage for these and other cyber acts is robust and competitive, and we are considering such a policy to be a usual part of an insurance program. Please call and we can get this taken care of correctly and expeditiously.

Ping me on the calendar below and let’s talk. Thank you for reading.

Dan Gilligan, CEO Paradigm Insurance Services, LLC

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