A check-cashing scam tied to Latvia and under investigation by authorities in several U.S. states has changed its name and introduced a new Web site, Latvians Online has learned.

While the Web site for Void Computers, subject of consumer alerts announced this week in Arkansas and other states, has been shut down, a new but similar Web site has been unveiled for Latvian IT Inc. Like Void Computers, Latvian IT purports to offer jobs to individuals who have posted their résumés on the popular employment portal CareerBuilder.com.

Authorities in Arkansas have warned that the Void Computers scam seeks individuals who are willing to try to cash counterfeit invoice payment checks. If successful, the individual is asked to forward the money to an account in Latvia, keeping a 10 percent fee for their services.

On its Web site, www.latvianit.us, Latvian IT claims to be a financial services company registered in Rīga, Latvia. But in e-mails being sent to some individuals, Latvian IT is identified as “a leading software company in Latvia.”

One e-mail, from someone named Michael Lioliadis, who claims to be an employee of Latvian IT, also claims the company is expanding in the United States.

“But because of various banking and legal restrictions,” the e-mail continues, “we are unable to open commercial bank accounts in every state. As such, Latvian IT Inc. is recruiting partners to conduct simple banking transactions on our behalf.”

Latvia’s business registry has no listing of either the company name or the registration number provided on the Web site. The address provided for the company doesn’t exist, and the telephone number listed is actually the dial-up Internet access number for clients of Latvian Mobile Telephone.

The Web site appears to be registered to a Web site developer in California who, when contacted by Latvians Online, was surprised to learn that his name and address were being used by Latvian IT.

Latvian IT claims to have been in business since 1993. The Web site also claims Latvian IT has been generous in support of cultural institutions and performances, such as the musical “Sister Carrie,” the Russian Drama Theatre in Rīga, and the “singer” Gidon Kremer, whose real talent is playing the violin.

Officials in at least three U.S. states are warning consumers about an international check-cashing scam tied to an apparently fake software company in Latvia preying on online job seekers.

Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe joined other state officials Aug. 15 in warning consumers about Void Computers Inc., a supposed Latvian company that has recruited its victims on the popular job-seeking Internet portal CareerBuilder.com.

Individuals contacted through the job portal have been told that Void Computers needs help cashing invoice payment checks issued by the State of Arkansas, one of the company’s supposed clients. Once they agree to become Void’s agents, the individuals have been mailed the checks, in some cases from Turkey, and have been asked to cash them and then wire the money to an account in Latvia. For their services, the individuals are allowed to keep 10 percent of the value of the check.

“These scam artists are using Arkansas’ name to commit their crime,” Beebe said in a press statement. “Our state agencies will continue to investigate and trace these checks to put a stop to this activity.”

Arkansas State Auditor Jim Wood said the checks from his state all bear the same warrant number, 05I-0614300, which originally was for an income tax refund mailed to California. The checks have been for amounts of USD 2,400 and USD 2,800. Individuals who have received the checks have been told by Void Computers to avoid banks, but to cash the checks at liquor stores, check-cashers and other businesses.

While Arkansas has not lost any money in the scheme, the individuals tricked in the scam in some cases now owe their local banks thousands of dollars.

Messages posted on the anti-scam Web sites Scam.com and 419eaters.com report that individuals who sought jobs through CareerBuilder.com have received e-mail from someone named John Johnson, who claims to work for the Rīga-based software company Void Computers Inc. In the e-mail, he states Void Computers is insured by a company named Latgost, supposedly Latvia’s largest insurance company.

Latvia’s business registry has no listing for either Void Computers or Latgost.

The Arkansas Attorney General’s Office said the forged checks have turned up in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

One of the earliest warnings about the scheme came from Connecticut Banking Commissioner John P.  Burke, who on July 19 warned his state’s consumers about the scam. Following Arkansas’ warning, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett issued a similar message to his state’s consumers on Aug. 16.

American consumer advocate David Horowitz also has mentioned the scam on his Web site, www.fightback.com.

A first-of-its-kind DVD of a folk dancing concert by Latvia’s oldest ensemble, Līgo, has been released by the Rīga-based recording company MICREC.

The DVD was filmed June 18 during the ensemble’s 60th anniversary concert, “Līgo motīvi,” in the Dzintari concert hall in Jūrmala, MICREC announced in an Aug. 15 press release.

Līgo was founded in 1945 and is led by choreographer Jānis Purviņš.

The DVD showcases 35 folk dances performed by a total of 87 dancers. Four different dance programs are represented, including traditional Latvian dances, modern dances, dances tied to the theme of Midsummer (the Latvian festival of Jāņi) and dances performed to the music of popular composer Raimonds Pauls. The DVD includes explanatory text in Latvian and English as well as bonus video of scenes of Rīga and the Latvian Institute’s promotional clip, “Welcome to Latvia.”

The DVD is recorded in the PAL format, according to MICREC.