i have been contacted by the same person and am still in contact with him.. He has also send me a cashiers cheque for R70 000, signed by Selma Ward. he contacted me on Lets Meet dating site. As you say he is very romantic. You can contact me on [email protected] and I can send you the pics he sent me, and we can see if it is the same person. because if it is same person we have to stop him. he is now supposedly stuck in america where he went to get the cheque for 70 000 dollars for homeless solutions, and now his wallet has been stolen and he needs money to get back to South Africa.
This job offer was posted on San Diego Craigslist and it was to work as an Admin Asst/Receptionist and when I replied I got the messages below, filled out the required questions, and basically told I was hired and they would send me further directions. In the meantime, my gut feeling was that this almost sounded like a 'scam'. I did some internet research and found the same phone number attached to a different type of company but same sort of scam where they send you a check, ask you to cash it, save some for yourself and forward rest to purchasing agent.
Where else should I report this?
Sent: Thu, Jun 24, 2010 3:53 am
Subject: TEST OF DUTY/TRUST INSTRUCTION & FEDEX TRACKING # !!
We deeply apologize for the delay in getting your application ready for start up.However we are glad to let you know that you are on-course and our representative would be getting back to you via phone shortly prior to next week start up. Your supervisor would be contacting you after completing the process below.
CONTENTS:
1. FUND INSTRUCTION
2. DEDUCTIONS
3. EQUIPMENT
4. SHIPPING AGENT INFORMATION
FUNDS INSTRUCTION:
I would like you to know that in regards to your online job we have build a trust in you and the company is having a strong believe that you will do as you said in your answers during your interview. Funds have been mailed to you Via FedEx Express and you should be getting it this morning.As soon as you get the payment, you will need to get the check Deposited at your bank then follow the instructions giving to you immediately you have the funds.The check is required for the purchase of the softwares and cover the shipping cost for your mini office equipments.
FEDEX TRACKING NUMBER : 798788289874
(Please track and confirm estimated delivery time of your package)
Package deliveries are proceeding as normal; however tracking updates are temporarily being delayed.
DEDUCTIONS:
* $200 For BS 1 Accounting software / Peachtree software to be purchased.
* $100 for yourself as signing Bonus (Motivation of staff towards commencement of their duty).
You will make a total deduction of $300 USD from the issued payment.
* Wire the rest of the funds to the Shipping agent to effect Shipping Logistics for your Equipments. You are to send the funds via Western Union Money Transfer money in minutes.
* Deduct the Western Union Money Transfer charges from the funds you are sending to the shipping agent.
These equipments are required to start up after your One week orientation and training on how to use the software’s and relating with your supervisor online)
EQUIPMENT:
The Following would be shipped to you by the shipping agent in other to start up the work and the items are listed below:
* Dell Notebook Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T2330 @1.60GHz 1.60GHz* Printer, Scanner, Fax and Photocopier Machine( 4 in 1).
* Microsoft Office and Microsoft Operating Systems (Service Pack 2)
* Mini-Office Stationeries.
SHIPPING AGENT INFORMATION: Print and take along while going to Western Union outlet and make sure you send the funds in a minute.
Transfer to the shipping agent's information below and make sure you send the funds ( IN A MINUTE)
Name : Dorothy Wentz
Address : 803 Patriot Parkway
City : Marion
State : Iowa
Zip : 52302
NOTE: The reason for this brief test is just to ascertain the level of confidence and trustworthiness in you, then the company would be assured to give you its confidentiality. Details on location and stores close to you for the purchase of the software’s would be made available to you.
Once the fund is sent, kindly have the following Western Union Information mailed to us via e-mail as soon as possible.
MTCN NUMBER:
AMOUNT SENT FOR THE EQUIPMENTS:
NOTICE : Send in an Email with the subject ** PETTY CASH DETAILS ** with the details of your deductions and the fund transferred to the shipping agent.
Please acknowledge this email as soon as possible.
Regards,
Mack Anderson
Personnel Manager (Online Staff)
Home Business Unit - Human Resources
Westminster International Ltd.
Tel : (424) 264-0086
I'm going through the same thing. I'm very skeptical about this job, just seems to good to be true.
Mack Anderson never answers his phone. They send a large check they want you to wire back. Everything you have posted I haev in my inbox except 350 was to be deducted.
YES IT IS A SCAM HAVING YOU WIRE THE MONEY IS RED FLAG # 1
Sending you the money to WIRE to the SHIPPER is RED FLAG# 2 - when legitmate jobs would handle that part themselves..
THE CHECK WILL BOUNCE - AFTER YOU HAVE WIRED THE MONEY.
You are then responsible for PAYING THE BANK BACK
Giving The Bounce To Counterfeit Check Scams
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/articles/naps29.pdf
NAPS)—A new scam is swindling consumers: checks that seem legitimate to both bank employees and consumers, but that are counterfeit and leave unsuspecting consumers footingthe bill.
The Federal Trade Commission has a new brochure, “Giving the Bounce to Counterfeit Check Scams,” which explains common angles used in these scams, the responsibilities of banks and consumers when it comes to counterfeit checks, and advice on how to avoid them.
While the angles used by scam artists may vary, the basics of the counterfeit check scam remain the same.
The consumer receives a generous check with an explanation that he or she has just won an award, a prize, a lottery or some other windfall.
The consumer is instructed to deposit the check and wire a portion back to pay fees, taxes or the like. The consumer deposits the check, the bank credits the funds to the consumer’s account and the consumer wires the money to the sender.
Some time later, both the bank and the consumer learn the check was bogus. Unfortunately, the consumer is out of luck: The money that was wired can’t be retrieved and, by law, the consumer is responsible for the deposited check—even though he or she didn’t know it was fake.
The FTC advises consumers not to rely on funds from checks unless they know and trust the person who gave them the checkor, better yet, until the bank confirms that the check has cleared.
Other tips:
• Throw away any offer that asks you to pay for a prize or a
gift. If it’s free or a gift, you shouldn’t pay for it.
• Resist the urge to enter foreign lotteries. It’s illegal to play a foreign lottery through the mail or the telephone, and most foreign lottery solicitations are phony.
• Know who you’re dealing with and never wire money to strangers.
• If you’re selling something, don’t accept a check for more than the selling price, no matter how tempting the offer or how convincingthe story. Ask the buyer to write the check for the correct amount. If the buyer refuses to send the correct amount, return the check. Don’t send the merchandise.
• If you accept payment by check, ask for a check drawn on a local bank or a bank with a local branch. That way, you can make a personal visit to make sure the check is valid.
• If the buyer insists that you wire back funds, end the transaction immediately.
• Resist any pressure to “act now.” If the buyer’s offer is good now, it should be good after the check clears.
To file a complaint and for more information, visit www.ftc.gov.
Identity Thieves Prowling for Job Seekers
Fake job ads up 345% as recession creates opportunities for scam artists
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/03/job_scams.html
March 9, 2009
With the unemployment rate rising and living costs going up, more people are looking for new jobs or second jobs. These are ideal conditions, it turns out, if you’re an identity thief.
Job seekers will register with employment agencies, check employment ads, mail out unsolicited resumes, network, post resumes on job search sites and search Craigslist.
In fact, the UK Association for Payment Clearing Services which tracks the prevalence of fake job ads said that fake ads are up 345 percent over the past three years. Unfortunately identity thieves are taking advantage of these uncertain economic times to scam job seekers and gather personal identifying information.
The Identity Theft Resource Center offers these tips:
• Protect your Social Security Number by limiting how many people see it. Never put your SSN on a resume. Let a company ask for it when they consider you a serious applicant. To minimize your risk, you also may want to not list your home address and just put your city and state on the resume.
• Consider opening a separate email account for your job search and keeping your primary email address private. Placing your email address on a resume could open the door to spam and phishing, account verification, and other email scams. (The recent Monster.com breach exposed resumes and email addresses. If you had placed your Social Security number or home email address on your resume, you could have made yourself a target.)
• Check out a company you found on a website carefully before giving them your information, for example Craig’s List. Anyone can create a website, but it doesn’t mean that they are a real company. You can find information on a company through the Better Business Bureau or the State Attorney General where the company is located. You can also Google the business to find out more about them. Most reputable companies will have a significant presence on the Internet, not just a few mentions.
• Avoid any website that requires you to “pre-register†with your SSN, home address or driver’s license number. Also, you should not be required to prepay to view job listings. Both these requirements are strong indicators of a scam.
• Update your computer security prior to emailing resumes and receiving email correspondence. Making sure your computer security is currently updated against viruses, Trojans, and other types of computer malware can help to protect you from any intrusion in an attachment you might receive.
• Make sure the person who contacted you actually works at the listed company and is not someone who has posted a job pretending to be part of a company. Does the URL address include the name of the company? If not, who actually sent it? Call the company involved, and ask for the Human Resources Department. Some companies recommend not responding via email to any person asking for more information, but rather to call the company directly. Rarely does a company hire someone sight unseen.
• Be wary of some common job scams. Avoid any company, especially a foreign company that wants to hire you as a “payment representative “or†accounts receivable clerk.†This scam indicates that you get to keep a percentage of all checks or money orders you place in a bank account for them. Do not open a bank account for a company. You will be the responsible party should any money laundering occur, or if checks bounce. This is called a “money mule scam.â€
Another scam is to notify you that you are one of the finalists for a job, and they need your Social Security number to do a background check. If you have not had a face-to-face interview with the company, you should be very skeptical. No one gets a job based on a resume alone.
Finally, watch out for the “work-at home†scams, especially those that ask you to “forward†packages you receive to a third party. That package may contain stolen goods or illegal drugs. There is rarely need to have a private party as a “freight forwarder.â€
The safest ways to job search are to use local want ads, visit the unemployment office, use temp employment services, tell friends and family about your search, and network via professional groups and business acquaintances. When contacting a local company you can meet them, see the facilities, and ask acquaintances in that industry about their reputation. Consider not contacting foreign companies, especially those from Nigeria, Russia and third world countries.
Should you decide to use the Internet, ITRC strongly recommends that you read the safety tips on job seeking websites and report any suspicious posting to the website concerned.
Florida Probes Eight Firms For Alleged Employment Scams
Suspected of exploiting desperate job-seekers
February 17, 2010
The ads make it sound easy; let the advertised firm train and place you in a new job, or set you up in a work-at-home business that will triple your income. It hardly ever works out that way, however.
Now, the State of Florida has issued subpoenas to eight firms suspected of running employment or work-at-home scams.
"Unemployed Floridians are particularly vulnerable to scams that falsely promise quick fixes for people who are jobless," said Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum. "With the unemployment rate in Florida at record highs, we need to be vigilant in our efforts against people looking to capitalize on someone else's difficulties."
One of the firms receiving a subpoena is Career Services International, based in Orlando. McCollum's office is investigating allegations that the company misrepresents available services and collects fees for those services, but fails to provide them. Consumers have complained that the quality of service was not what the company had promised and indicated problems with missed deadlines, untrained employees, and lack of advertised expertise.
Federal-State Crackdown
The subpoena is one of a series issued over the past several months targeting employment scams and was announced today to highlight the office's joint enforcement effort with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)and several other states. Seven other Florida companies have also received subpoenas investigating potential violations of Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Allegations include misleading or deceptive marketing of work-from-home opportunities as well as job placement services and other Internet business ventures.
The other firms under investigation include:
• Coretech Media LLC, doing business as Netcadetpro.com and Net Money Training, located in St. Petersburg; Investigation of unfair and deceptive trade practices related to home business opportunity kits advertised over the internet
• Darling Angel Pin Creations, Inc., located in Brandon; Investigation of unfair and deceptive trade practices involving work at home job opportunity
• GC Displays, Inc., doing business as Atlanticpacificonline.com, located in Clearwater; Investigation of unfair and deceptive trade practices involving job placement services
• Home Biz Ventures, LLC, doing business as Bidfuel.com and Blogtoolkit.com, located in Clearwater; Investigation of unfair and deceptive trade practices involving internet business opportunity which offers on-line membership access to training and products to sell on auction sites
• My Career Corp., Inc., located in Tampa; Investigation of unfair and deceptive trade practices involving job placement services
• Pacific Webworks, Inc., located in Salt Lake City, Utah; Investigation of unfair and deceptive trade practices involving work from home opportunities
• Viable Marketing Corp., located in Seminole; Unauthorized recurring charges associated with negative option "work at home" internet business opportunity
McCollum says consumers should be wary of any company offering employment positions that require little or no education but claim to pay high wages, companies that charge an up-front fee for their services or products, companies that offer "memberships" to internet-based employment opportunities, and any other opportunity that sounds too good to be true.
FTC Cracks Down on Jobs Con Artists
Scams prey on Americans left jobless by the recession
By James Limbach
ConsumerAffairs.com
February 18, 2010
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a new crackdown on con artists who are preying on unemployed Americans.
The fraudsters utilize job-placement and work-at-home scams, promoting empty promises that they can help people get jobs in the federal government, as movie extras, or as mystery shoppers; or make money working from their homes stuffing envelopes or assembling ornaments.
As part of the law enforcement sweep, dubbed "Operation Bottom Dollar," the FTC has filed seven cases against the operators of deceptive and illegal job and moneymaking scams. In addition, the sweep includes 43 criminal actions by the Department of Justice, many involving the substantial assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The agency also announced partnerships with the online job placement service Monster.com, the search engine Bing and the centralized network of online communities Craigslist to help job seekers recognize job scams so they can avoid being victimized. Monster, Careerbuilder, Bing and Craigslist will display FTC consumer education material to people who are using the companies' Web sites to look for jobs.
"Federal and state law enforcement officials will not tolerate those who take advantage of consumers in times of economic misfortune," said David C. Vladeck, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "If you falsely advertise that you will connect people with jobs or with opportunities for them to make money working from home, we will shut you down. We will give your assets to the people you scammed, and, when it's appropriate, we'll refer you to criminal authorities for prosecution."
To help consumers avoid being conned by employment scams, the FTC has produced a new consumer education video in English and Spanish.