How to Distinguish Serious Investors and Lenders from Frauds?

 (This text contains observations and directions on the very important question how to detect international frauds and financial crimes and how to finance or to invest into honest, highly profitable and low rich projects, directly and / or partnerships, in Brazil) 
(AUTHORS: Prof. MB Climaco Cezar - The Hahn-Agrovision Brasilia - Brazil - www.ic-hahn.com //Dr. Andreas Hahn - IC-Hahn Chemnitz - Germany - www.ic-hahn.com)  While several consulting agencies treat such above information as confidential or as a part of strategic marketing, we think the opposite and we prefer to share it to you, our clients, partners and friends, in order to enable constant, proactive and free tests, all to know and to reduce risk. 
Almost each month, we receive offers from investors and / or lenders and / or would-be partners to our customers and for our intermediated businesses in Brazil, directly or through their representatives and, unfortunately, much is revealed as fraud. 
Thus, to separate the lies from the truth, we conduct a previous, simple but complete diagnosis, and also we ask you to send us some strategic data and / or operating pre-conditions  with high probability of revealing quickly external and internal fraud, as in the following items. 
1) How can you identify your potential investor, lender or partner and where can you find him? 
Even if it or he may already have been fully presented to you in a real or false way, you must be careful with this, and many skip this important step. 
Here, the basic procedure that we recommend is to go to google or similar and ask the following question (which were also recommended by the FBI): Who is "abcd group", for example (or who’s). However, do this by the search called "Boolean" and filters. The “Boolean” search greatly constrains it; just put the word or group of words in quotation marks (“”). It is also necessary you delimit the search for a more recent period, we suggest in the last year, and this is done in google or similar research tools more at last year. Also, you can be further restricted by country and even by language. 
In response, you will have the name and profile of how many companies or funds in the world with such a name searched, including their websites and even criticism or praise in relation to their marketing performance. 
In general, the sites (see below how to check its authenticity and when and where it was built) have local headquarters as well as links with contacts for further checks. 
2) The possible investor or Lender requires prior payment of high amounts, whether for costs, records or as contributions in trusts or possibly deposits in false "Escrow Account" in foreign banks (common situation on FOREX/platforms and points and others) ?
The above question can be largely replied with "yes", which shows the alleged fraud, since such resources are unlikely to be returned and may be part of pyramid schemes (ponzi) or false highly attractive financial platform for the applicator, but totally illegal (type FOREX and other - see http://www.fraudes.org/showpage1.asp?pg=285). They are very common fraud schemes, expanding in many countries. 
Lately, many rare minerals (niobium, rutile, torbenite, vanadinite / opal, stibnite / barium etc.), certified diamonds (Kimberley) and gems up with GIA certificate (Paraiba tourmaline, imperial topaz, red diamond, red beryl, alexandrite, benitoite, emeralds) mined in Brazil, Latin America and African countries started to be smuggled in continued volumes to become cash in European, Asian and the Caribbean through the FOREX platform system, some combined with ponzi (i.e., a truly international money laundering). 
To reduce such international and internal fraud based on the above crimes (including high tax evasion), while small part is already legalized and serious, the Brazilian government would need to create a program with a specialized and focused police (as in the case of the Forestry Police and IBAMA and already highly successful) and many resources really guaranteed to quintuple the inspections and punishments directly in strategic minerals deposits and rare stones mines. These are still very concentrated in some places, but with trends of strong expansion, as the mineral coverage in Brazil - in terms of volumes, types and qualities - is huge (in fact, we are a tropical country with good rains and good soils with up to 3 meters deep, and in the sub-soil a chance to find some type of ore - strategic or rare and with good international demand and price - is huge and throughout the country, ditto for high volumes of groundwater and idem natural gas). 
Those finance coupes or frauds are usually filed by crooks in Brazil and contacting or represent fraudsters, mostly of them African, Arab and even European south countries, which is greatly facilitated by fake websites and fake profiles on the internet, Facebook, Skype, WhatsApp, Linkedn etc ... 
The most amazing is that there are also already many coups and/ or frauds occurring from heavy corruption in private companies, in which its directors and / or managers require receiving hefty commissions abroad or in cash or precious stones in Brazil to approve the entries external new partners/members; ditto investors; idem lenders and even international business functioning. The modalities of unthinkable crimes, only private, grow very rapidly and throughout Latin America countries, including with multinationals. 
Recently, a business man our customer and friend was so convinced of the alleged seriousness that he spent a note to go to a European country of bullfighting and there he was trying to convince me that the advance payment required would not be to one pyramid (ponzi), but for the payment of costs (the value reached 5% of the claimed amount, but most are only 1%, regardless of how much is). The fraudster even asked me for help and trying to convince me. Of course we all quickly abort operation and after denouncing all names to the INTERPOL and the FBI. 
In some cases, necessarily, the interested may be charged small upfront fees, but only for really personal and company investigative costs or about proposed business, but these cannot exceed 0.03% of the total amount claimed. 
3) Does the Investor or Lender company has any marketing or business restrictions in any country? 
In general, international fraudsters also seek to hide difficult and negative facts ("hard facts") about their company, ie not disclose financial information, and biographical registries’ operating history. Insist that you receive information as proof of seriousness because it may very soon reveal the possible fraudster character. 

In case the fact is not relevant to the business, the investor will not object in admitting it. For example, if you ask a bank or credit or phone card company in Brazil, there is no way they do not say that has not restrictions and demands on the SPC, SERASA (Brazilian protection consumer systems) and even in the courts (and this is common worldwide). However, this does not represent a real and immediate weight in liabilities and less in assets and business of a company, although gradually and jointly, many facts can force its change of operational performance or even lead them to future restrictions marketing. 
4) Have you ever investigated the operating procedure of such Investors, Lenders or partners worldwide, ie their "modus operandi"?
In general, calls for time-consuming meetings abroad (not for public final negotiations, shorter and / or final signatures of documents) can be part of a major money laundering scheme. Many fraudsters try to convince international clients go to a supposed meeting to a famous European city with great and beautiful places to visit, being more frequent in Milan, Amsterdam or Paris, but usually they refuse to pay even part of your travel / hosting interested costs. Others are so bold and require the interested party in Brazil to pay their costs abroad too, by way of business consulting or business presentation. Ask yourself how an investor or financier or its agents can have so many resources to invest seriously and very profitably into projects worldwide if they have not minimum values at their disposal to pay their costs and also your cost? (Usually these costs are accounted by serious investors only as “small business prospecting costs”). 
Dangerously and subtly, their intention is not make real business, but probably getting the involvement of the individual customer, and especially or your company in large international criminal laundering schemes of money (much linked to gangs, drugs, prostitution, players trade etc.). 
So, watch well and be carefully when you sign something abroad, without the presence of a good lawyer or financial advisor really skilled and fluent in the local language and he can investigate all operations including the local police or international chambers of trade existing in large cities (if you do not achieve the support of the Embassy of Brazil or local consulate or a local trade chambers, it is best to hire local firms specialized in such negotiations). It is preferable to have a little more cost in the beginning your operation than to engage in a heavy international fraud scheme because it can destroy your business and your family. 
Also, in general, many fraudsters do not allow the inclusion of their references on the Internet, in the media or local or state chambers of trade. Moreover, they are not known by regulatory organizations, such as, for example, the regional or state Chambers of Commerce more Industry. 
On the other hand, if the Investor / Lender / Partner does not have a legal representative in Brazil (preferably one Consultant of law and in fact without restrictions), distrust a lot and quickly, especially if possible fraudster refuse to make trips to Brazil as form to avoid displacement (research on customs), with some fraudsters even suggesting quick meetings in neighboring countries and called "tax havens" (although many business can be real and serious). Each real investor who has serious interest in investing in your good lucrative and low-risk and medium or large business (think over Us $ 20 million), at some point, it will have to express its willingness to move to visit / locally meet the investment opportunity and probably its future business. 
A serious investor or his legal and criminal representative in Brazil, will agree quickly to do this also by clearly defining a date for travel. A fraudster investor or his representative in Brazil, will always refuse to do this, because involves costs that they is not willing or do not have to pay. 
5) The Investor or Lender agrees your site to be investigated in its origin by you or by your very specialized consultant? 
As I said, some sites are registered in Nigeria as part of the Nigerian Fraud Scheme. 
See: http://www.wikihow.com/Find-if-a-Website-Is-Legitimate 
Or http://blog.webnames.ca/how-to-determine-if-a-website-is-a-fake-fraud-or-scam/ 
Or http://www.money.co.uk/guides/5-ways-to-check-a-website-is-legit.htm). 
Even in Dubai there exist possible fraud schemes involving pyramid or platforms schemes (ponzi and or forex) and some fake websites built in Africa. 
http://www.thenational.ae/uae/investors-warned-over-double-your-cash-scams-in-dubai 
To check DATE, AUTHENTICITY, THE CONFIDENCE LEVEL AND THE ORIGIN OF ANY SITE, CONDUCT A SURVEY IN “WSCHECK” SYSTEM: 
http://wscheck.com/ 
6) Your possible Investor or Lender name appears in the ISOG System that detects fraud worldwide? 
This should be the main and the first thing to be done. 
Esta deve ser a principal e primeira consulta a efetivar. 
SEE IN: http://www.isog.org/es/advertencias-y-alertas-fraudes/; 
7) Your possible Investor or Lender agrees to submit the name and passport number and source country of its CEO or CFO for checks with INTERPOL and the FBI? 
See: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud
Investment-Related Letter of Credit Fraud 
Also see in http://police.ucsd.edu/docs/nigfs1.pdf. 
See also in http://www.interpol.int/Crime-areas/Financial-crime/Financial-crime 
INTERPOL - People sought in the World and Country, as the name in the passport: 
See: http://www.interpol.int/notice/search/wanted 
8) What guarantees your possible Investor or Lender will require of you or your stakeholders in Brazil? (indirectly this not affects much the immediate risk of business, but directly this can have high participation in the future risk of the operation, to greatly enhance the cost as to derail and to difficult your business and its planned returns for all) 
If it passes the above preliminary tests, some of the investors / lenders / partners or consultants - some very conservative or even outdated - will require of you the famous "BG - Bank Guarantee" with prohibitive costs of 12% to 15% a. a. in Brazil, by the way impossible to get in Brazil (in the US, they have very low costs because the interest and the current inflation are also very low, but our reality is very different). 
Obviously, to release resources to finance or to invest in businesses or good projects in Brazil (with good IRR = ROI and low pay back, i.e. that is very profitable for all) via Letter of Credit or even Direct Investment (crediting funds abroad) certainly lead to the intermediary bank in Brazil not to run risks requires of you or your stakeholders the same BG above. So, hardly your business will evolve positively because it turns too expensive and full only of investors/lenders demands (now it is no longer a good deal for all but a hard levy which can lead to poor results and high risks in future). 
Please, do smart and fast flee these negotiations only imposed. Nobody like you better know your business, your future and the conditions of your country. It is better to give up and change now, rather than accept negotiating impositions you will not have to meet in the future but assured in a previous contract with the investors or lenders. Also, much of the international funders and investors think that grant funds through Letter of Credit in Brazil is as normal and as cheap as in their countries, which is neither possible truth in practice. The Letters Of Credit in Brazil are only used in international trade and domestic banking business and not as a form of external investment or funding. They follow a rigorous and very demanding legislation in Brazil. 
However, this practice of releasing, via Letter of Credit is not normal in Brazil and may constitute a new fraud as renowned and experienced expert advice in the matter of admission of foreign funds in Brazil (see in Portuguese http://fkconsultoria.com.br / company / quem_somos). For them the legal and normal forms are grant funds abroad and internalize they in electronically form in the Brazil Central Bank through the RDE-IED (for investment or partnership directly to extension of the old or new companies capital) or via RDE-SOF (for external lending to old or new companies). In both cases Investor or Lender, if they still do not have, need to get a "CPF number for foreign individual in Brazil" or a "CNPJ number for foreign legal entity in Brazil." 

I am not against the bank BG up because they are still part of the rule, but I think that gradually, many business, finance and investments, especially international, are shunning the banking market and approaching well over the insurance market and brokerage. In 2012, premiums paid by surety bonds in the US have reached us $ 2.4 billion (see pg. 2 of http://africabusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/US-Surety-Segment-Review -November-12-2013.pdf ). No doubt, it will be interested in Brazil look the way you more favor and has the lower cost to do so. Until 1993, the negotiations on the basis of bond guarantees by insurers (insurance, guarantees and other) practically did not exist in Brazil, although already common in the United States (highlights for  Travelers and Western surety bond insurers as above link) and Europe (AIG surety bond insurer), but after expand every year and almost nothing through the banking market (please see: https://www.aig.co.uk/business/products-and-services/surety ). 
In Brazil, SUSEP regulated the-bond guarantee even in 1967, but strong banking competition with its very expensive - and difficult to obtain – bank guarantees (BG) and collaterals almost prevented business advances with insurance guarantee (bonds), especially if financial and for credit (in agriculture these credit insurance are old, common and even effective while protecting much government credit than the business of the farmer, the PROAGRO, for example, has established in 1973. As a common feature of agricultural insurance, are acceptance of risk by the insurer and receiving the single concurrent award at the same time to the release of credit, that is, nothing is paid before and the law so allows, indeed requires). 
In Brazil, as there is no more real surety financial guarantee for hiring, major public and private works construction (shoppings, buildings, homes and offices), engineering works and new technologies plants are deployed, increasingly, with the merger of bond construction insurer for its delivery within combined (Performance Bond or Building Performance Bond) plus the annual operating guarantee insurance (Maintenance Bond) plus the blocking of the value of annual revenues of sales contracts or receivables (collaterals). They are easily hired and very cheaply in many Bond Insurers in Brazil and also the US (see: http://www.jwsuretybonds.com/surety-bonds/contract-bonds/maintenance_bond.htm ). 
In Brazil, in addition to charging a lot more expensive to issue BG (bank security or bank guarantee), banks have little interest to issue BG because they are cumbersome and banks are much more focused on funding the government and people in the financial sales and credit cards, all at rock bottom risks and astronomical interest rate charged in April 2016 to 432.0% a. a. per the credit card and 240.0% a. a. per sales financing this for the annual inflation forecast at 7.6% a. a. by the IPCA official index. THAT IS, A LEGAL BANK ASSAULT AGAINST THE PEOPLE AND THE COUNTRY. Thus, current Brazilian banks do not know most to do business that they were founded (much less to promote the nation's development over the internal and external business and most of its people) or as part of good international banking science recommendations. The government consent and is silent, because it receives daily high amounts by way of taxes payment. 
Worse is that the companies really interested in external investments or lender, in addition to having to pay a lot cost for such BG, have to – also for the imposition of such lazy banks - present many collateral in the form of many mortgages, liens and dispositions in the medium and long term. At the end, as revenge markets such very expensive and hard guarantees required always they reveal themselves as guarantees very low liquidity due to the high difficulty and delays in their legal execution as provided by the host and former Brazilian law (full of holes). Many of the debts are then fast released, mistaken, as losses on bank balance sheets. In other words, Brazilian banks never want to take risks and much less lower your interest rates and your BG fees. The government has to change all this and urgent because will kill the country in the long run, also not allowing our full development. 
Moreover, in some cases, the provided and continuing requirements such BG also been revealed as a possible fraud if it is provided by or contracted in a bank or insurance abroad. Ever happened with me an alleged fraud with an investor of Denmark (agents are former military and of known and respected good families). They required insistently the amount from our client to pay for such BG were deposited in "Escrow Account" in a top 5 bank abroad (with branch in Brazil) they showed, actually a ghost account, probably with the resources diverted via the internet and / or by Europe bank managers participating of forgers group. 
Our client in Brazil was about to take working capital financing in local bank to pay such BG, when we found out and abort the whole fraud, thanks to a friend from Interpol. We not only stopped all ashamed, as we denounce the Federal Police and the Interpol. Mistrustful, the other day, early, they fled and were already in São Paulo shipping fast to your country (but their names were recorded). 
Beneficial and seriously, other investors / lenders / boldest partners, faster and less bureaucratic and modern, may require modern and serious bond guarantee like the ones described above. 
SO THE HIRING AND GLOBAL BUSINESS PROTECTION VIA THE CHEAP, RIGHTEOUS AND NUMEROUS TYPES OF BOND GUARANTEsE BY NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL INSURES, TEND TO ENLARGE CONSIDERABLY IN THE WORLD. 
In Brazil, until the BNDES official Developing Bank has passed to accept such bond guarantee as collateral for its operations, but the Brazilian bond market is still in its infancy and even have a functioning and cheap financial bond guarantee (surety bond). Abroad, the market is strong and in expansion, especially in the US. 
Please see: 
http://www.brasil.jlt.com/midia/noticias-e-releases/2015/novembro/151021-bndes 
http://jmalucelliseguradora.com.br/o-seguro-garantia-x-fianca-bancaria-como-forma-de-caucao/ 
Modernly (non-mandatory), too grows the liberation of international funding (some investments and some partnerships) indirectly through finance consulting and or specialized international agencies (with branches or correspondents in Brazil) and not directly by the investor or end Lender. They capture the good opportunities and other demands in Brazil and after they pre-select, they rank by sector more level of risk over level of pay back and ROI (Return on Investments, equal to our IRR) or ROE (Return on Equity) and so they present many joint finance opportunities, monthly and abroad, for investors, partners or lenders, initially without previous costs payments, no initial expenses with bonds insurers. 
After be negotiated and contracted the various bond insurances (never Via BG) by owner insurers or agreement insurer abroad, all projects are presented to various bank or lender abroad interested, in the form of a bi-weekly or monthly auction of credits for projects in Brazil and other Latin American countries. 
Currently, we have some financial advisors and specialized agencies in Brazil that already lead  between 20 to 30 monthly projects - already pre-approved and its bond guarantees to be contracted upon release - to be presented and to be negotiated directly in Miami, Chicago, Lisbon, Dubai and other locations. Obviously, these consultants and agents make before previous and complete diagnostics and research about all participants, and they are responsible for the seriousness of each participating financial or insurance agent (there are business auctions in Miami with 10 to 20 investors or international banks over 5 to 10 bond insurers over up to 3 bond re-insurers) 
In general, at the end of 3 to 5 days of intense negotiations (always with the presence of interested parties over its agents in Brazil), no project is refused and always business is effective. The negotiating formats are much faster, objectives and safer than older formats still in heavy use in Brazil. 

As we said, there is not the presentation of the expensive and unreliable “BB - Business Plan” nor the time-consuming and very expensive “DD - Due Diligence”, but only teaser with evolutionary spreadsheets, all in English (some with cost of 1.0% of the requested value, but 0.3% in cash more  0.7% as a success clause, ie. after release of funds. Since larger projects with better ROI, short pay back and low level of risk can have their projects costs above (1%) more translation entirely banked by investors or external funders interested). 
As there is also intense participation of the bond insurers and global bond re-insurance guarantee, the negotiations are very fast and much more objective and effective. The release of funds format in Brazil is always by legal and authorized forms indicated by the Central Bank. There is never requests for commissions by directors or private managers (high current private corruption and have even common in Brazil), since they apply direct business with the owners of the business or its CEO or CFO. The rapid negotiation formats used are the eye-to-eye (“olho-no-olho”) plus cards-on-the-table (“cartas na mesa”). 
In these modern and recent business, as main characteristics, we have the speed and cutting of bureaucracy (as the risks will be covered by insurance and their reliable and renowned re-insurers and with low costs between 0.5% to 3.0% of the protected value – as risk level - and can be renewed annually as described above). All business presentations, choices, debates, re-formatting, immediate signings of bond insurance and final negotiations are actually quite objective and very fast. It is like a financial and insurance boutique more yours serious clients and interested in presenting their expansion plans or their new business, highly profitable and low risk for everyone. 
However, see above these meetings negotiation abroad have to be public and knowledge of the Brazilian embassy or consulate as well as local or state Chambers of Commerce or Industry and even the specialized police. If they are serious investors, lenders, partners and insurers, and most are, of course, they pass this test and to make a point of it. 
In general, in each fortnightly round or monthly by agency, there are 200 different projects to be submitted for around 30 medium-sized banks and / or investors or lenders interested in profiting more in Brazil, where the combined interest and pay are much higher than the they would receive in their operations in the US, Europe, Asia, etc .. In addition, Brazil has very high potential volume by high value consumption  in the medium and long term and also it has a mineral and agribusiness vastness, energy, transportation, health more education, leisure, trade, shopping, homes & buildings, offices, hotels, spas etc .. if very well explored to development and to expansion. 
We have no glaciers or deserts or heavily damaged areas or few forests or forest fires or little full or drinking water or racial difficulties or lack of labor preparation etc. After all, the US with an area 10% smaller than Brazil more big deserts plus many glaciers and snow up to 5 months of the year already had almost 322 million peoples in 2015, ie 50% more than in Brazil (205 million). Thanks to the enormous efforts of its people more than very capital available and real partnership for the development of companies and businesses, the GDP "per capita" current US of US $ 50,000 / person / year is almost five times higher than in Brazil of US $ US $ 11,000 / person / year. So, like it or not like the our competing countries, our potential for business and rapid development is immense, since we have high injection of foreign direct capital or partnerships reliable and low risk, that is, good for everyone. 
9) In the case of acceptance of bond insurance contracted in the US or in Brazil you must ask what will be the re-insurer and where the insurer's headquarters? 
It is another well-known fraud, because in some cases they register the insurer's site in Nigeria or even in Dubai and after receiving the money to pay for bond insurance they disappear. I remind you that there are only 6 big sized re-insurers in the World as 2015 market position pg. 16 below: Munich-Re, Berkshire Hathaway, Lloyd's of London, Swiss-Re, Hannover-Re and SCOR.
See: http://www.intelligentinsurer.com/media/project_ii/document/global-reinsurance-guide-2015-1-.pdf 
If the insurance is not re-engaged in one of them for re-insure are high chances of fraud. 
10) What is the type of project that they will demand at the beginning: a complete business plan with about 300 pg. in English plus a 3 "due diligence" continued - including investigations into banks, Central Bank, SPE, SERASA, notaries etc .- that in Sao Paulo costs between Us $ 20,000 to Us $ 100,000 - or a simple  and cheap "teaser" with data and forecasts? 
In general investor and serious lenders do not want to generate costs for your future customers or interested parties in the beginning, because they may have to pay for it if challenged in court. Most of them currently only require cheap and short "teaser" with some worksheets and some DD.
 11) If the business only takes place in Brazil and / or with investors and national partners, have you consulted the website of Consulting "Fraud Monitor" from Brazil? 
In Brazil there are many frauds and fraud attempts, especially with titles and coins. The most targeted are sales or purchases attempts of various types of LTN - National Treasury Bills (title in long term issued by the Government to finance construction of infrastructure); other Treasury Brazilian bonds, old and worthless; TDA – Land Long Term Divide Title (payment of land acquired by the government for land reform program); Writ of public debt confessed by federal, state and municipal governments but to pay only after 20 to 30 years and others public titles. 
In general, allegedly, some bad banks and bad investors buy such securities with discounts (20% to 30%) to try to compensate, judicially, them for tax debts of "you" and / or its clients. Worse is that many sentences in its favor may have been bought. 
Also, in Brazil and South America, there are many frauds in international trade (mostly fictitious imports) plus in the domestic trade (including electronic B2B and B2C) and with real estate transactions. Also occur many financial fraud, accounting manipulations tax evasion, ponzi and  platforms FOREX; corruption in the public and private sector at various levels, fraudulent bids for high prices or combined prices; opening false commercial firms and with the greatest ease with the tax and controllers responsible organs as federal, state as local; free and easy abandonments of previously opened firms even without the payment of debts to suppliers, to employees and for taxes; easy application bankruptcies and fraudulent bankruptcy; openings currents or commercial bank accounts of any kind just to practice easily frauds or crimes without any documents proof or supervision; opening and receiving fast and easy without any documents proof or supervision of international credit card with high limits just to practice internal and external frauds and crimes, including B2B and B2C etc. . 
In these cases, the basic questions are: 
1) What is the record number of the title at CETIP or EUROCLEAR? 
2) Such securities already registered as above can be found freely on the computer screen by a Broker in Brazil nominated for buyer? 
See: http://cosif.com.br/publica.asp?arquivo=20100517parmalat 
A GOOD MEASURE IS ALWAYS TO CONSULT AND TO STUDY WELL THE MANY TYPES OF FRAUD EXISTING IN BRAZIL ON SITE MONITOR OF FRAUDS AS BELOW. 
http://www.fraudes.org/showpage1.asp?pg=17 
INCLUDING YOURS DAILY ALERTS FOR NEW FRAUD, INCREASINGLY INVENTIVE. 
http://www.fraudes.org/showext8.asp?pg=206 
Also, fraudsters and criminals attempt to sell many in Brazil false or obsolete titles and coins issued in neighboring countries and from Europe, USA etc ..
There are even ghosts international banks dealing / defrauding. See in: 
http://www.fraudes.org/showpage1.asp?pg=26 
ALL SEEK PEOPLES unwary, AMBITIOUS AND / OR CARELESS. 
According to the SERASA credit bureau, in 2013, Brazil (dupes) lost R $ 2.3 billion in fraud with internal financial transactions, including purchases by Internet and cards payments. 
See in: http://www.valor.com.br/financas/3502148/brasil-perde-r-23-bi-com-fraudes-em-transacoes-financeiras-em-2013 
In Brazil, there are now websites where such fraud can be reported and monitored. 
http://www.disquefraude.com.br/funciona.asp 
http://www.infomoney.com.br/onde-investir/acoes/noticia/2960970/fraudes-golpes-financeiros-aprenda-fugir-destas-roubadas