Virtual Assistant Scam?

I use indeed.com to look for jobs, and 5 days ago a personal assistant job for Mars INC showed up. I applied, and later that day I received an email from someone claiming to be an architect for Mars INC. He sent over an application, and 3 days later after a few more exchanges he offered me the position and sent over a Non-Disclosure agreement. I have been cautious about his actions, because recently he asked me to open a personal bank account at BoA - I requested that he become a joint owner, and he sent his information but I haven't been able to find record of him anywhere. Can someone please help me verify if he's legit, or if i'm being scammed?

P.S. Sorry if this is the wrong place to post, I'm new here and i'm just hoping for some answers! Thank you!

Well you have not given a lot of detail but the very fact that he wants you to open a bank account specially screams SCAM!

If you could post the full email you received we may be able to tell you more, but rest assured that no legitimate employer would ever expect (or trust) an employee to put company money through a personal bank account.

This might help identify where the email actually came from:
http://www.ip-adress.com/faq/view_email_header

These are some of the main emails he sent to me. There are others I can post, as well as the 'official' documents he sent me. Please let me know if theres anything else I can do! I've taken my name out of sections he referred to me, so I may keep my anonymity.

Hi

Thank you for getting back to me with the completed application form .I am really glad you responded as expected and I also want to notify you that, after so much review on your application as well as your Resume, your application was successful and am really glad to have you on board.

I have few more questions for you before we finalize your employment, please see below;

• Are you willing to Sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure of Agreement) before you get started, if yes please see attached

• Do you have your own tools you will be working with or do I need to provide that for you for example, Microsoft suites (Word Templates), Adobe Pdf, internet connectivity and a printer?

• What mode of payment do you prefer, as we usually make projects payments in checks as it is a documentation phase , which means a Check will be made payable to you?

• How often do you prefer getting paid, weekly or biweekly basis?

• How many hours are you willing to offer on a weekly basis?

However, I will instruct on how to go about your job as soon as the attached is agreed upon but your major role on this position are as follows:

performing virtual general office duties such as ordering supplies, requesting quotes from suppliers, maintaining records management systems, and commissioning work on my' behalf.
Prepare necessary documentation, using word processing, spreadsheet and database.
Answering calls and E-mail handling queries.

Be advised that a full list of supplier’s databases will be sent to you once the document attached is agreed upon, for more information regarding this project and as things begin to unfold.

Warmest Regards,

Scott .B. Clifford

Hello,

One more thing to request from you, you see I do business all across the states, I have different funds coming from the different clients, so I want you to open an account personally for work purposes as my PA, incase I have clients to redirect to you, I would be entrusting you with a lot as time goes on so please do not let me down.

Regards,

Scott.

Hi,

Hope this mail finds you well, sorry about my delay and not hearing from me. Have been so busy all around

However, This email is intended as a follow-up to the consulting agreement signed, regarding the project am currently working on. We agreed to the following provisions;

• Consulting Agreement signed.

• $50p/hour Payments to be made on a weekly basis.

• El-13-0271 technical documents (Full of Manufacturers and Suppliers) – see attached.



The attached is the document as discussed with you in my previous email (Please make confidential), Go through, review and make recommendations where necessary as regards to Suppliers response on available products.

Well it looks like a full house!

1) The checks are likely to be fraudulent - so they will go into your bank account and then be recalled by the issuing bank.

2) You will order "supplies" for him and forward them to him - so it will be your name and address that the suppliers have. (Reshipping fraud)

3) Receiving funds from "various clients" and no doubt forwarding cash via Western Union or similar - so money mule as well. He doesn't expect much!

If you could post any email addresses or website addresses that he has given you then those details may prevent other potential victims falling for this.

Please break off contact with him. Do not tell him you have posted details here.
Thanks for posting.

I have sent you a private message with all the contact info he gave me. I will be sure to cut off all contact from now on. Thank you for your help!

Scott Benson Clifford
Phone number: 828-421-0027
email : [email protected]

Hi,
Im also new to the area and I actually applied for the same position on indeed. I went back on indeed to see if the position was still available and he has taken out down. I was also offered this same position he told me he was in California on business so we could not do a face to face interview. He now wants me to sign the NDA form. I'm very leary because it all seems so strange for an employer. By the way I'm not sure if he is an employee of mars inc because it's a chocolate/food company. He told me he was an architect and away on business working with an oil rig company. I think I'm just going to stop responding because it seems scammish lol.

Indeed, stop responding and don't tell him why.

He is not traveling to California on business. He could travel to Cameroon on safari, as his writing shows that he is African.

Hi,
Im also new to the area and I actually applied for the same position on indeed. I went back on indeed to see if the position was still available and he has taken out down. I was also offered this same position he told me he was in California on business so we could not do a face to face interview. He now wants me to sign the NDA form. I'm very leary because it all seems so strange for an employer. By the way I'm not sure if he is an employee of mars inc because it's a chocolate/food company. He told me he was an architect and away on business working with an oil rig company. I think I'm just going to stop responding because it seems scammish lol.

He told me the same exact story!! I noticed he took down the job posting too! I signed the stuff, and everything but luckily I never gave him any bank account info or my SSN. People like him are disgusting.

These are some of the main emails he sent to me. There are others I can post, as well as the 'official' documents he sent me. Please let me know if theres anything else I can do! I've taken my name out of sections he referred to me, so I may keep my anonymity.

Hi

Thank you for getting back to me with the completed application form .I am really glad you responded as expected and I also want to notify you that, after so much review on your application as well as your Resume, your application was successful and am really glad to have you on board.

I have few more questions for you before we finalize your employment, please see below;

• Are you willing to Sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure of Agreement) before you get started, if yes please see attached

• Do you have your own tools you will be working with or do I need to provide that for you for example, Microsoft suites (Word Templates), Adobe Pdf, internet connectivity and a printer?

• What mode of payment do you prefer, as we usually make projects payments in checks as it is a documentation phase , which means a Check will be made payable to you?

• How often do you prefer getting paid, weekly or biweekly basis?

• How many hours are you willing to offer on a weekly basis?

However, I will instruct on how to go about your job as soon as the attached is agreed upon but your major role on this position are as follows:

performing virtual general office duties such as ordering supplies, requesting quotes from suppliers, maintaining records management systems, and commissioning work on my' behalf.
Prepare necessary documentation, using word processing, spreadsheet and database.
Answering calls and E-mail handling queries.

Be advised that a full list of supplier’s databases will be sent to you once the document attached is agreed upon, for more information regarding this project and as things begin to unfold.

Warmest Regards,

Scott .B. Clifford

Hello,

One more thing to request from you, you see I do business all across the states, I have different funds coming from the different clients, so I want you to open an account personally for work purposes as my PA, incase I have clients to redirect to you, I would be entrusting you with a lot as time goes on so please do not let me down.

Regards,

Scott.

Hi,

Hope this mail finds you well, sorry about my delay and not hearing from me. Have been so busy all around

However, This email is intended as a follow-up to the consulting agreement signed, regarding the project am currently working on. We agreed to the following provisions;

• Consulting Agreement signed.

• $50p/hour Payments to be made on a weekly basis.

• El-13-0271 technical documents (Full of Manufacturers and Suppliers) – see attached.



The attached is the document as discussed with you in my previous email (Please make confidential), Go through, review and make recommendations where necessary as regards to Suppliers response on available products.

Hello all,
After i spoke to my Friends i decided to make more research about a certain Benjamin Oswald from Mars Inc. he sent me the exact same email and a Scott B. Clifford signed it! But didn't ask for my bank account. I saw on LinkedIn that he's really working There tho. I have filled the form and sent it with my name and address. Does anyone know if it's real scam? Did anyone follow up with him? What are your thoughts? Thanks for you help.

It is a scam. They are looking for people to be money mules and package mules. No legitimate employer would need someone else to use their personal account to receive money for them or need someone else to reship packages for them.