WASHINGTON (CN) - The SEC warns that Imperia Invest, or companies with similar names, may be targeting deaf people in an advance-fee scam - despite a restraining order and emergency asset freeze against the company.
The SEC got a restraining order and emergency asset freeze against Imperia Invest IBC in October 2010, claiming that Imperia had defrauded more than 14,000 investors worldwide of more than $7 million, more than $4 million of it from deaf people in the United States.
The SEC's new investor alert claims that companies with names similar to Imperia are targeting deaf people "with email solicitations such as this:"
"'I am so happy because I got $100,000 check from the IBC Imperial Investment Company. They gave me the money for a deaf and hearing support. I wonder if you get your money to o... Email to them IBC right now ... so they can bring money to you too. Many of my friends email to them and they got money too.'"
The SEC said in a statement on Tuesday: "Another e-mail told of a co-worker who got an $850,000 check from IBC Imperial Investment Company after paying $500 for processing and shipping. A recipient reported it to the SEC, saying, 'I feel in my heart that it is a scam.'"
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