Consumer fraud alerts

Equitable has received multiple reports of people being approached through email by unknown individuals/fraudsters representing themselves as employment recruiters for Equitable. The fraudsters’ ultimate goal is to obtain personally identifiable information and money from the contacted “victims”. 

The process has been known to normally follow these steps:

• The people/victims being contacted are currently seeking employment and have posted their resumes on multiple online job search websites.
• The fraudsters try to establish an interview with the victim using text messaging, an instant messaging service such as Yahoo Messenger, Google Hangout, Skype, or similar communication method. Equitable does not currently communicate with candidates via these services.
• The fraudster may use the name of a current Equitable associate in an effort to perpetrate this fraud, and has impersonated others by using their photos as his/her own.
• The fraudster next advises the victim that they have been hired and sends a bogus check to the victim’s home address via FedEx for immediate deposit to their personal bank account.  The check is purportedly for the purchase of office equipment such as computers and office furniture from a “preferred” vendor.  The victim is directed to immediately transfer funds to the “preferred” vendor using Western Union or MoneyGram, for the purchase of the equipment.  The fraudster intends to receive the wired funds from the victim before the bogus check is returned by the victim’s bank, which would alert the victim of the scam. 

By making you aware of this, we hope to keep you from being victimized, and ultimately to stop these schemes from being perpetrated against others.

We ask that you contact us at ReportFraud@equitable.com or at (212) 314-6600 if you have received something suspicious utilizing the Equitable name.

We have become aware of counterfeit checks bearing the AXA logo and fictitious entity name of “AXA Equitable Title LLC”. The fraud at this juncture appears to be targeting law firms and investment-related firms. The underlying scam has a few variations including: collection of an unpaid property settlement arising out a divorce decree, purchase of heavy equipment, or  loan and investment-related activities. If you receive a check involving this scenario with the AXA logo and fictitious company name, do not attempt to deposit the check.

AXA takes matters such as these very seriously, and works with the appropriate authorities to investigate such scams. 

We ask that you contact us at ReportFraud@axa.us.com or at 
(212) 314-6600 if you have received something suspicious utilizing the AXA name.

It has been brought to our attention that an AXA officer's name has been used for the purpose of promoting an inheritance scam. The fraudulent offer includes contact information to an email address of info@axavault.com.  This domain name is not associated in any form to AXA and its family of companies.

By making you aware of this, we hope to keep you from being victimized, and ultimately to stop these schemes from being perpetrated against others.

It has been brought to our attention that AXA’s name has been used for the purpose of promoting a loan scam.  A fictitious “Certificat D’Assurance” (Certificate of Insurance) including the name of a legitimate AXA director is being used to further the fraud. The document claims that “Stephane Petibon” is brokering the loan or sale of insurance with AXA. Please be advised that AXA has neither authorized nor claims any affiliation with Mr. Petibon for any type of loan guarantee/insurance. 

By making you aware of this, we hope to keep you from being victimized, and ultimately to stop these schemes from being perpetrated against others.

There have been reports of fraudulent job offers posted on Craigslist and other recruitment sites misrepresenting the AXA brand name.  Once the offer or ad is responded to, the “recruiter” engages in email conversation and may request that the interview take place via text messaging, an instant messaging service such as Yahoo Messenger or Google Hangout, or similar communication method.  After this phase, documentation, requesting personal information, is forwarded from a free email service (Yahoo, Gmail, AOL, Hotmail, Live, etc.) for completion.  The impersonators seek to obtain personally identifiable information to commit identity theft and to recruit participants in fraudulent schemes.

The “recruiter” may use the name of a current associate’s name in an effort to perpetrate this fraud, and has impersonated others by using their photos as his/her own.

By making you aware of this, we hope to keep you from being victimized, and ultimately to stop these schemes from being perpetrated against others.

It has come to our attention that the AXA name has been misused in an overpayment/counterfeit check scam. Various individuals placing ads in online marketplaces (e.g. Craigslist) for goods and services have reported receiving a check from an AXA company via overnight mail (UPS) for an amount significantly over what was requested. These are counterfeit checks. Do not attempt to cash or deposit this check. This is commonly known as an overpayment scam. The fraudster requests a “refund” through Western Union or money-gram so that the proceeds cannot be traced.

AXA takes matters such as these very seriously, and works with the appropriate authorities to investigate such scams. 

We ask that you contact us at ReportFraud@axa.us.com or at (212) 314-6600 if you have received something suspicious utilizing the AXA name.

It has come to our attention that letters and emails claiming to be from an AXA Group affiliate, AXA Assurance Maroc in Morocco, state that the recipient has won a lottery.  The letter accompanies a form requesting specific personal information and copy of identification.  Another variation observed, includes a bogus entity by the name of "AXA Subscribers International Agency," with a Yahoo email address for further contact.

Please be advised that these letters and emails are fraudulent and are not in any way associated with AXA US, AXA Assurance Maroc, or any of the AXA Group entities, which does business globally. 

Please do not fall prey to these fake letters or emails!  They are not from AXA.  The companies within the AXA Group have not ever sponsored, promoted or engaged in lotteries.

If you receive one of these letters or emails containing any AXA Group affiliated name or logos, please do not reply.  You may also contact AXA Equitable at ReportFraud@axa.us.com to report these fraudulent communications.

AXA has become aware of mailed letters notifying recipients of being awarded large sums of money through their participation in a Reader’s Digest Sweepstakes. 

The letter is titled “FROM: THE DESK OF MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT “WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”  The winning prize indicated in letters that we have seen is $242,000. These letters appear to be mailed from Canada, and therefore, the Canadian authorities have been notified. 

Enclosed with the letter is a counterfeit “MONY an AXA Financial Check” check for $4,300.00, “made available for you to pay premium insurance charges on your winnings, and it would be deducted from when your winnings are release [sic] to you.”  This is a COUNTERFEIT check. Do not attempt to cash or deposit this check.

All recipients are being asked to send the original cover letter, check and envelope to AXA, Investigations Unit, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, MD 11-11, New York, NY 10104.  Neither AXA nor any of its subsidiary companies sponsors or supports any prize contests that resemble the letter referred to above.

Click here to view the fraudulent sweepstakes letter.

For your own protection, do not call the number on the form letter and do not share or confirm any personal information with anyone who claims to be calling to process the winnings.

AXA has become aware of fictitious documents containing AXA logos in connection with business transactions involving a financial or credit guarantee.   It appears that these documents are being utilized in the import/export business both within and outside of the United States.  We have seen different variations of the types of fictitious documents including many different AXA logos, including “AXA Equitable”, “PT AXA Life”, "AXA Indonesia", “AXA Group”, “AXA Minmetals”, in the United States and overseas. 

In connection with these fictitious documents, we have seen the following names being used as purported AXA representatives: “Gary Ketchum”, “GLK Professional Services“, “Reliance International”, “Hendy Huang”, "Andrew Valles, III" and "SafeCare".  Please be advised that none of these individuals nor entities are affiliated with AXA in any way; nor do they have authorization to act as a representative of AXA Equitable or its AXA affiliates.  Invoices in connection with these transactions have also been seen with the AXA logos and they are fictitious as well.  It is possible that the names involved in these transactions can change during the life of this scam.

AXA US and its affiliates do not serve as guarantors in transactions such as these, nor does it furnish policies in the event of loan default.  

Should you have any question about the authenticity of documents bearing the AXA name(s) and/or logos, you may contact AXA's Internal Audit Department at (212) 314-6600 or by emailing at ReportFraud@axa.us.com.

Bogus Invoices Arrive on AXA Letterhead

AXA has become aware of bogus mailed invoices notifying recipients of payment due for services rendered.

The invoice typically bears the AXA logo followed by the “redefining /standards” trademark and the 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104 address. The service provided as referenced on the invoice is “Being bank guarantee application fee” or a similar variation.  More than one invoice requested the same amount of $16,182.00, but please be advised that the figures could vary.  Typically, the invoice is payable to a fraudulent AXA Investment account established with Bank of America or JP Morgan Chase.

This is a fraudulent invoice.  Do not attempt to pay this fraudulent bill.

Should you have any question about the authenticity of an invoice or any document bearing the AXA name(s) and/or logos, you may contact AXA Equitable's Internal Audit Department at (212) 314-6600 or by emailing ReportFraud@axa.us.com. 

Click here to view an example of the bogus invoice.

It has come to our attention that one or possibly more individuals are engaging in a fraud upon the public in the name of AXA Private Equity, LLC. The individual or individuals are posing as “vice president,” “executive vice president” or “senior vice president” of AXA Private Equity, LLC, and are targeting individuals seeking funding for large scale projects, such as construction and real estate projects. The individuals seeking funding or “borrowers” are located in various states across the United States.

In furtherance of the fraud, the individuals posing as “vice president,” “executive vice president” or “senior vice president” of AXA Private Equity have

• Contacted individuals looking for funding after “borrowers” sought funding for a project by posting information on www.brokeruniverse.com and www.brokeroutpost.com.
• Forwarded paperwork with the AXA Private Equity logo and/or the AXA Investment Managers logo to the “borrowers”
• Communicated with the “borrower” via phone, fax and/or e-mail
• Requested that the “borrower” wire a certain amount of money, which represents a “due diligence/commitment fee”, to a designated bank account. Shortly after the wire payment is made, the fraudsters discontinue any contact with the “borrower”
• Possibly obtained personal information of the “borrower” including driver’s license and Social Security information

We know that the individual or individuals posing as “vice president,” “executive vice president” or “senior vice president” of AXA Private Equity, LLC have used the alias “Donald Sachs” with an address in San Francisco, California and have requested that the “borrowers” wire funds in the amount of $20,000 to a Bank of America account in California.

Additionally, we know that the individual or individuals posing as an employee of AXA Private Equity have also used the alias “Adam Long” with an address in Denver, Colorado and “Stephen Thomas” with addresses in New York, New York, Chicago, Illinois and Indio, California.

AXA Private Equity does not serve as a lender or guarantor in transactions of these types. Furthermore, it is not in line with AXA Private Equity’s general business practices to request a “due diligence/commitment fee” as has been done in these cases of fraud.

AXA and AXA Private Equity have reported this matter to law enforcement authorities. If you have been contacted by an individual using one of the aliases above and posing as an employee of AXA Private Equity, you should contact local law enforcement authorities immediately. You may also contact AXA’s Internal Audit Department by calling our fraud hotline (212) 314-6600.

It is possible that the individual or individuals perpetrating the fraud are using additional aliases and directing funds to other banks.  If you have interacted with anyone posing as an employee of AXA Private Equity in a scenario similar to that which is outlined in this alert, you should contact local law enforcement authorities immediately. You may also contact AXA’s Internal Audit Department by calling our fraud hotline 212-314-6600.

Should you have any question about the identity of persons purporting to act on behalf of AXA Private Equity, please contact the AXA Private Equity Legal Department at +33 1 44 45 60 77.

A number of individuals with resumes posted on CareerBuilder have received a fraudulent career opportunity e-mail promoting a regional manager position at North V, a fictitious AXA Group company. This e-mail appears to be from CareerBuilder—on behalf of “David Elliot, HR Manager AXA Group or other individuals claiming to represent AXA Group—but contains unusual and irreverent disclaimer language.

AXA Equitable is working with CareerBuilder to track and shut down the operation. If you've received this e-mail or other suspicious communications from individuals or entities purporting to be affiliated with AXA, forward it to CareerBuilder via: TSST@careerbuilder.com