Column: Scams worthy of gold medals

And the Olympic gold medals in conniving schemes best able to take your money goes to …

Scamsters based in Quincy and Miami. From a small North Florida town comes a major Internet-driven Ponzi scheme. And from a South Florida metropolis, a giant hacker attack on credit cards.

Sorry, Beijing. You've got the creme de la creme in athletes for now, but Florida's apparently home to today's best big-buck ripoff artists.

At least our state is doing its part for the economy: keeping the feds fully employed.

Quincy's case raises questions about the extraordinary pace at which a word-of-mouth Internet scheme — fueled all the more by online video testimonials — can spread.

And in Miami's case, it suggests major retailers may be woefully underprepared to defend customer data against more sophisticated hackers.

The Quincy scam, allegedly orchestrated by one Thomas A. "Andy" Bowdoin Jr., is still running low under the radar of major media, even though the feds say the amount of money filched is near $100-million while the people defrauded may approach 100,000.

In the past week or so, federal investigators seized a home in Quincy, a second home in South Carolina and froze close to $53-million in accounts at Bank of America. The feds say the property is tied to the Internet wire fraud scheme that Bowdoin and others allegedly operated out of a ex-flower shop in Quincy near Tallahassee.

Many scam victims are Floridians who invested after hearing pitches made at big conventions held in Tampa and Miami.

The federal complaint says Bowdoin, through a company called AdSurfDaily (ASD), operated a Ponzi scheme posing as an advertising company.

Here's how the feds say it worked. ASD operated an online advertising program that claimed to generate revenue by automatically rotating advertised Web sites into investors' Internet browsers on their computers. To wow investors, ASD agreed to pay a return of between $1.25 to $1.50 from every dollar handed over to ASD, as long as investors agreed to view a couple of Web sites for a few minutes each day.

The federal complaint says ASD did not really operate as a seller of ad services and there was no legitimate product being sold to support the profits ASD promised to pay. In other words, the feds say ASD paid off early investors with the money of new investors. That's what makes it a Ponzi scheme.

The feds cracked a major case involving the theft and sale of more than 41-million credit and debit card numbers kept by such retailers as TJX Cos., BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority, Forever 21 and DSW.

Chances are good thousands of plastic-carrying Times readers were affected, even if funds were not (yet) lost. Watch your credit card statements!

Eleven people were charged, including three Miami residents and others from Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus and China.

A grand jury indictment charged Albert Gonzalez with computer fraud, wire fraud, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy while operating out of a South Beach hotel. Gonzalez operated under aliases ranging from "Cumbajohny" to "Soupnazi."

"So far as we know, this is the single largest and most complex identity theft case ever charged in this country," said U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey.

Information from Times wires was used in this column. Robert Trigaux can be reached at trigaux@sptimes.com.

Comments on this article

by Bryon	Aug 15, 2008 3:07 PM
Of course it's been hit hard. They have been commanded by Andy and others to not post negative experiences..only positive ones..whether it's the truth or not. They have also been told to flood the media with emails..which they have done.

by Mike	Aug 15, 2008 3:05 PM
With ASD I receive approximately 30,000, monthly hits and 2 sales per month. I sell my own real property; therefore a sale contributes significantly to the gross income of the organization making ASD a viable advertising resource to traditional adver

by cynthia	Aug 15, 2008 8:59 AM
ASD membership gave my restaurant business and online store a viewing audience. We sold 3 products within a week of joining and found sites we saved as favorites to visit. 1%/day doesn't equate to profit until 10-12 months. Listen,learn asd will prev

by Dane	Aug 15, 2008 8:59 AM
But what Matt failed to realize is that no complaints were necessary. The government can file the complaint purely on the basis of the quantity of deposits as reported by the bank (Homeland Security due to terrorism threat) or due possible ponzi!

by Dane	Aug 15, 2008 8:59 AM
Matt - Honestly, who would want to post that ASD ripped them off. I imagine they'd be humiliated, embarrassed and probably in financial crisis at the moment.

by Dane	Aug 15, 2008 8:59 AM
Sharon - you want to surf ads? You really want to purchase the items you surfed by? C'mon, I know plenty of people that minimized the screen so that they only saw the box that told them when they could click ot the next screen.

by sharon	Aug 14, 2008 2:55 PM
I AM ANXIOUS TO GET BACK TO SURFING !!! IT GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE MANY INTERESTING THINGS, THAT I WAS GOING TO GET...ASD IS N O T A SCAM. I AM STANDING BY ASD , AS IT IS MY BUSINESS.

by JIM	Aug 14, 2008 12:26 PM
I DO NOT WANT MY MONEY BACK I WANT ASD BACK. BOTH AG'S OFFICES HAVE HURT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. IF THIS WAS A SCAM WHY WOULD ASD SPONSOR TWO INDY 500 CARS FOR NEXT YEARS RACE? IF IT WAS A SCAM WOULDN'T THEY WANT TO HIDE THEMSELVES INSTEAD??

by Jessica	Aug 14, 2008 11:43 AM
My husband and I found ASD as an opportunity to move foward....This company has change my life in a positive direction. I stand by ASD...

by Matt	Aug 13, 2008 7:43 PM
Some people love ASD, know the company and have seen great benefits. Others read news and develop negative opinions, and voice them. The real question is WHERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN RIPPED OFF? WHY ARE THEY NOT POSTING HERE??????

by Kristin	Aug 13, 2008 2:09 PM
Why is it that I cannot be paid to look at other people's ads for 15 seconds? I feel I am providing a service and deserve to be paid for my time. I believe ASD has the right to charge to have a guaranteed audience. Good advertising dollars spent.

by Michele	Aug 13, 2008 11:23 AM
If a company earns $100 profit and gives 50% of it back in rebates, even at 125% they still keep $25. Many companies run successfully on 25% and less. There are others who were accused by feds as ponzi's and they proved they were not. ASD will too.

by JB	Aug 13, 2008 9:55 AM
ASD has personally provided me an avenue of opportunity to expand and exceeding my goals to benefit myself, my family and friends. I have experienced the benefit of additional exposure in my business in this slowing economy. Shameful of the media.

by Mark	Aug 13, 2008 9:55 AM
When the smoke clears I like for all the doom-nay-sayers to retract there sad comments on ASD. Won?t happen but that?s ok. This company is on the heals of Google and they know it! I wonder who really killed JR?

by JIM ASD 70201	Aug 12, 2008 8:40 PM
I BELIEVE STU FROM HIS POST ON 8-11-08 KNEW P.T.BARNUM WELL.... SOUNDS LIKE HE WAS A CLOWN IN THE SHOW.!!! HEY NYER ALSO POSTED 8-11-08 DO YOU EXPECT TO DRAW SOCIAL SECURITY? IF SO MY SON SHOULD GET A SECOND JOB!! STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW,ASD IS REAL !

by JIM ASD 70201	Aug 12, 2008 8:39 PM
THE REPORTER ON THE SO CALLED STORY SHOULD BE FIRED!!! FOR LAZY AND SLOPPY REPORTING.. THE AG IS TRYING TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF AS IS THIS REPORTER..GO BACK TO JOURNALISM SCHOOL ROOKIE!! OR BETTER YET SEND YOUR RESUME TO THE AG THEY WILL LOVE YOU

by JIM	Aug 12, 2008 7:49 PM
I NOTICED WHEN I HIT SUBMIT, A NOTICE CAME UP SAYING "THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS WILL BE POSTED IN 24 HOURS". I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IF MINE WILL BE CONSIDERED A THOUGHTFUL COMMENT LOL I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF ASD AND SUPPORT ANDY BOWDOIN AND HIS LEGAL TEAM.

by John	Aug 12, 2008 11:19 AM
SINCE WHEN DID WE START TRUSTING THE GOVERNMENT? THOSE DAYS ARE GONE...GET WITH THE PROGRAM...THE GOVERNMENT IS YOUR ENEMY...Rated to have the #1 crooks in America...Do not let these crooked government officials get away of anyhing..Keep up the fight

by Anonymous	Aug 12, 2008 11:19 AM
Uh oh. Alert the media! People getting ahead during a financial crisis & seeing an increase/signups to advertised sites! You believe everything the Gov't says? Journalism in the crapper. Did you even investigate both sides or copy from an article?

by Kimberly	Aug 12, 2008 11:19 AM
I signed up free on July 2, 2008 and sent some money on July 3, 2008. The money was posted in my account the very next business day and I started earning money. I'm sorry there's not enough room to tell the whole truth of what ASD has done for folks.

by Gary	Aug 12, 2008 11:18 AM
SCAM

by JJ	Aug 12, 2008 11:18 AM
I didnt lose any money with ASD until the Feds started flexing their muscles. Now my account is frozen and my ad is not on the rotary thanks a lot!!

by Mike	Aug 12, 2008 11:18 AM
Wow, it looks like the ASD damage control hit this blog hard. So much defense with the same tone and grammar in every post. I'd check the IP that they were sent from if I worked at the times.

by Paul	Aug 11, 2008 8:23 PM
As an ASD member I was recieving good advertising for my site and had no problems with them. I'am haveing a hard time with the goverment doing what they are and taking my money!! They are the thieves not ASD

by nicole	Aug 11, 2008 8:19 PM
This news reporter that wrote this is completely Bias! It's too bad people get swayed to believing wrong information due to the media. I completely support ASD and hope the AG realizes what a huge mistake it was to hold 100,000 angry members money.

by Michael Wise	Aug 11, 2008 6:30 PM
Wow...So what you "advertisers" are saying is that you paid for the company to place advertising, and the people who looked at your advertising paid to do that, and were promised 25% to 50% return for looking at ads. Give me a break...SCAM!!!!

by Dcaminante2	Aug 11, 2008 3:32 PM
asd a sido para un negocio genuino y a pagado lo que a prometido a sus miebros si no hay cargos criminales por favor dejesno seguir trabajando

by Buckeye	Aug 11, 2008 3:22 PM
I support ASD.We are required to turn in a W9 form.What happened to innocent until proven guilty?Who are the real thieves here?I had no problems with ASD.I'm a displaced worker thanks to the Gov.The American Dream can be found in China.Imagine That !

by PETER

Aug 11, 2008 3:08 PM

As of friday 8/8/08 my parents cheeck of $ 10,000 from the Miami ralley was not cashed by ASD! Well today 8/9/08 the check was cashed If all accounts were closed by the FEDS That means the FEDS cashed the check, SO if the US GOVERMENT IS FOR THE PEOPLE than Why in hell did they cash over 50 Million in checks instead of sending them back to the people ????? Who Is the crook here ? My parents are 80 years old and they dont need this S--t in there lives they are on SS and were trying to make a few extra dollars to live on, I want to thank the FEDS for screwing every member of ASD out of there hard earned money. Good luck Andy and all ASD members, I will fight this to the end as will all ASD members. Keep the faith In Andy and ASD we will win this thing !!!!!!!!!!!!!! PS. FEDS GO FIND SOMETHING BETTER TO DO THAN SCREWING UP PEOPLES LIVES.

by Stu	Aug 11, 2008 1:53 PM
What's this Medal of Disctinction that Bowdoin claims to have been awarded? I know about the Medal of Freedom with Distinction, but not this one. Where's the photo?

by Stu	Aug 11, 2008 1:53 PM
Stormpay, 12 Daily Pro, Phoenixsurf, Tri Star Media. This scheme is the latest in the list. P.T. Barnum was right.

by SHARON	Aug 11, 2008 11:40 AM
IN MY OPINION THE GOVERMENT CUT THEIR OWN THROAT...THINK OF ALL THE TAXES, THEY HAVE AND ARE GOING TO LOSE BY SHUTTING DOWN ASD!!!!

by Ira	Aug 11, 2008 11:02 AM
ASD made a promise, And kept that promise, To Adverise My WebSites! The Income From ASD was the 2nd promise made and kept! ASD is an advertising company, I purchased advertsing for my website and received advertising for my business!

by Me	Aug 11, 2008 8:21 AM
WoW!! this is copy/paste reporting. Absolutely no investigative anything here, must be just out of college. Gets info from the Feds and believes it.

by June	Aug 11, 2008 8:21 AM
I did not loose any money in ASD, i buy advertising 15 seconds view and paid for it like google and yahoo, the difference is their giving rebate for your advertising dollar you spend. I got a sale and leads to market my primary business thru ASD.