Amway Children Charity Foundation

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The "Amway Children Charity Foundation" is a bogus charity cited in email solicitations attempting to deceive individuals into sending money or providing personal financial information to the scam artist.

Amway Corporation, now known in the US and Canada as Quixtar Corporation, released a statement in February 2008 warning that

this is not an Amway-sanctioned program and the name, program and people indicated in the e-mails are not related to Amway in any way and do not have Amway’s authority or support.

According to Amway, the intended victim typically receives an email stating that he or she has been been awarded a grant to help establish a children’s help center to assist poor children in the area. The email requests banking account information. If the recipient responds, an indemnity bond of several hundred euros is demanded. The e-mails are often signed by a "grant processing officer", sometimes using the specific name "Dr. Kevin Brown".

Fraudulent activities involving payment or release of personal financial information can be committed electronically from a remote location, including overseas. Committing these activities in cyberspace allows scam artists to act quickly and cover their tracks before the victim becomes aware of the theft.

This type of scheme is identified by the FBI as an advance fee fraud, which occurs when the victim pays money to someone in anticipation of receiving something of greater value, such as a grant, loan or gift, and then receives little or nothing in return.

Amway's statement concludes: "The 'Amway Children Charity Foundation' email is known to have been circulated by e-mail in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia. Amway advises recipients to not respond or reply in any way. Amway is currently investigating the origin of the scam and authorities have been notified. If you have information or questions about this scam, please contact Amway through its Corporate Communications Department at (616) 787-7565."

[edit] References

Amway Press Release, February 8 2008