[email protected], Mark Williams, Ringtone Magazine

This highly targeted approach was advertised on Craiglist as a writing job. The scam is more sophisticated than the average check over-payment scam, not only for the aspect of being targeted, but the spelling, grammar and general construction are those of someone with a fair knowledge of English and probably western-education.

The original advert has been removed but the correspondence from the scammer has been preserved here below:

Hello Xxxxxx,My name is Mark. I'm the HR manager of Ringtone. We've just finished reviewing your application and we believe you're a writer to be considered for employment. Details below:Ringtone is a new lifestyle magazine published only online (no prints). The first issue of Ringtone will be out on 2014/08/23. Ringtone's target audience age range falls within the 15-60 mark and the idea of this company is not to only entertain readers but also to educate them.We're looking to strengthen the work-force of the company with a writer and two graphic designers respectively. As one of Ringtone's writers, you will be writing 4 articles of your choice monthly and you're expected to submit one article per week on Thursdays.Article topics varies depending on your level of creativity as well as your interest. Ringtone's focus is on the following (but not limited to) - 1) Money/Business2) Music/Movies3) Tech4) Fashion 5) Tourism/Travel/Hospitality6) Health/Fitness/Food7) SportsAll your articles MUST be exclusively written by you as we don't intend to deal with any copyright issue. There will be no porn or sexually related articles and all articles are to be one page and half long. You will get full credit for all your articles. In summary, we are looking for a writer that can deliver our readers with classy but yet simple articles.This is a temporary position until you earn a permanent role by consistently writing mouth-watering articles for Ringtone. You'll be paid $550 weekly as a temporary worker and there will be an increase in your salary when you become a permanent staff.As a temporary worker, you will be working from your home pending the time you become a full employee of Ringtone which wouldn't take more than 2 months from the day you're temporary employed. After being fully staffed, you're free to continue working from your home if it suits your schedule best.Please reply by introducing yourself in not more than two sentences. Awaiting your response.Best Regards, Mark WilliamsHR ManagerRingtone Magazine.

Naturally, the potential victim gets the job:

Congratulations Xxxxx, It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been appointed as one of Ringtone's Creative Writers. Be advised that Ringtone is not an already established company yet, otherwise we wouldn't be looking for another writer online. The company's official website is still undergoing works and it's not due for operation until a few weeks from now. A link to the website will be sent to you as soon as it is up and running. We also don't have an office yet as we are just looking to rent and move in ASAP.You are expected be hard working, extremely creative and flexible in order to make our work easier. We hope you're willing to grow with Ringtone while gaining more working experience and exposure. We trust you're always on top of your game and you'll deliver us with fantastic articles weekly. Note that article themes will be sent to you weekly.You can make use of any software package, provided it gets the job done, all we are concerned about is the end product. Be advised also that every article you write for ringtone will have several graphics designed to fit it but the full credits of the article would go to you while the graphic designers maintains credits for their works.If you have no problem at all with all that, it means we are even and you are ready to start working with Ringtone. We expect a confirmation email from you ASAP after which your first week's payment of $550 will be paid to you before you start working on your first article. Have a wonderful day and week ahead.Welcome aboard!!!Best Regards,Mark Williams HR ManagerRingtone Magazine Company.

Here comes the news about being paid by check:

Hello Xxxxxx,Just quick notes before you get started; We prefer to deal via email only for now please if this will be a problem don't bother replying. There will be no signing of contract until you're fully employed. All necessary Ringtone info would be sent to you after you receive your pay as we don't want to get it out there without a concrete agreement in place.Also take note that we are currently working from our owner's home but we'll move into our permanent HQ soon. Right now, all of our focus is on getting the first 4 issues of the magazine up to speed for release.You will get paid via check, this is because our owner only pay via check. Forward your payment info to me as outlined below so your first pay would be processed:Name to be written on check:Address(NO P.O Box, full address): Best Regards, Mark WilliamsHR ManagerRingtone Magazine

And of course, the inevitable - the check is an over-payment, and the victim is expected to send the over-payment on to a third party:

Hello Xxxxx,Pardon me for replying late. I have my hands full and I am attending to my duties according. Now, this is a quick update regarding your first payment that you will receive soon. The check will be mailed to you next week and you will be given a tracking# for monitoring it to the point of delivery. There will be an excess amount on your paycheck as compared to your first week pay of $550. What you need to do when you receive the check is, get it cashed at your bank, deduct your first week pay of $550 and send the remaining balance to our graphic designer. The transfer charges as well as funds for your running around when transferring the remaining balance to our graphic designer will all be covered by the company. I hope you understand what we expect of you and have no issues at all with the payment process. Please note that this is the only time you'll have to handle such payment method, your next payments after this will be strictly $550 weekly and you won't have to run financial errands for the company. Be on the look out for the tracking# soon. Enjoy the weekend.Best Regards,Mark Williams HR ManagerRingtone Magazine

And the address for the reciever, money to be sent bu Western Union or Moneygram:

Hello Xxxxxx,As you know, I am very busy with work and I struggle to keep up with everything at once but I am sure my work load will reduce in no time. Anyway, this is a quick update regarding your first payment. The check has been delivered to you and here is the tracking number to be sure: 0000000xxxxx000000 Please deduct your first week pay of $550 and send the remaining balance to our graphic designer via Western Union. Our graphic designer's western union information is below:Receiver's Name: Darleen A Bell 840 S Harbor City BlvdPalm Bay, Florida 32905 Remember to deduct western union transfer charges from the initial balance before sending it. After sending it, get back to me with the following details:1: Sender's Name:2. Sender's Address:3. MTCN# (10 digit number):4. Actual amount sent: The details above should be sent to me exactly as it is on the western union form. Looking forward to your response. Best Regards, Mark WilliamsHR ManagerRingtone Magazine

The scammer is impatient for the money to be sent:

Hello Xxxxxx,Thank you for the update. I understand you've been busy as well but it's great to know you are good at managing it all together, don't let us down as we're really counting on you. Well, I need you to send me the western union info for the graphic designer. Please get back ASAPBest Regards,Mark Williams HR ManagerRingtone Magazine

More impatient:

What is going on? did you send the money to the info yet? pls let me know by sending me the western union details for confirmation.

Thanks

Our scammer can smell the cash, his grammar is slipping:

Easy to send western union, as soon as you have the cash, just walk into a western union location with the cash and the info i gave to you and request for a form and fill it then give back the form and cash to the cashier but have them deduct the charges from the money before you send it ..i will expect the western union details soon.

The scammer is concerned about his money:

All this info below you have on the western union receipt and yes you are the sender, just scan and send the receipt to me tomorrow as soon as you have it sent.

Thanks

Suddenly the scammer has a change of plan, the previous mule has gone and a new one must be summoned:

Hello again,
I will like to let you know the Graphic Designer ( Darleen A Bell ) is not working with us due to the delay on the payment but now we make arrangement with with another graphic designer , so you will need to send the money to the new graphic designer through the info below via western union

Receiver's Name: LaShawn Willingham
2322 College St
Jackson TN 38301

I am so sorry about this , pls make sure the money is not send to ( Darleen A Bell ) but ( LaShawn Willingham ) , pls no mistake

Thanks and get back to me as soon as you get the money sent.

Regards

The scammer is getting impatient, he is forgetting to sign his mail and other formalities:

You can go take out cash from your bank this morning and send the money from a western union location at lunch

The scammer receives the scanned copy of the payment slip:

Xxxxx , thank you for your kind service. I've seen the details you sent for both western union and money gram, I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again
Best
Regards,

The victim receives another check and queries it:

Hello Xxxxx, sorry i didnt inform you earlier before the
payment arrived , yes the check came from me and go ahead
and have the check deposited , also i will get in touch with
you on when to start writing , i want you to have the sum of
$1400 send to LaShawn Willingham using Money gram to send
the money , since his payment has not yet completed since
the western union is not available for him yet ...

Then at this point the victim queries having to cash so many checks - this is not the job of a writer/graphic designer, the scammer must find someone to blame:

Xxxxxx, you have received two upfront payments before you start working fully because our CEO handles everything concerning staff payments and personally, I am in no position to question the decisions of our CEO.

Our CEO has other business ventures so that explains the different bank and address which the two check you received were issued with. Please take note that every staff of Ringtone also received one upfront payments as you and the graphic designer and I hadn't communicated you and the designer's change of payment process to the CEO before the last payment was sent out but I will make sure I raise the topic in the next meeting, on Monday morning.

I hope all that answers your question and I am sorry for inconveniencing you yet again but this time, there will be no stress as you already know that money gram is the best method of sending funds to the graphic designer.

Now, I need you to get the $1400 sent to the graphic designer today via money gram as we stand a risk of losing him because he hasn't received his full pay yet and unlike you, he has been submitting projects already, projects that are being included in the magazine's first issue.

Adam, you can always deposit the check in your bank on Monday morning and wait till it clears on Tuesday or Wednesday but the graphic designer needs to get paid ASAP so we don't lose out on him. This is going to be well appreciated and it's possible that you'll get compensated for it when you receive your next pay as in the meeting on Monday morning, I will also raise the topic of you assisting the company in making sure that the graphic designer receives his full pay, tying him to the company.

Please get back ASAP and thank you for your kind services

At this point the victim becomes more suspicious and asks a few awkward questions before agreeing to continue:

Listen Xxxxxxx, there's no need to get yourself worked up for nothing. You will be brought up to speed with the first 4 articles for the first month, please exercise patience and understand that we are only trying to get things in order and it doesn't just happen over night, it takes time, commitment as well as effort of different head working in unity for one purpose; SUCCESS. So once again, i implore you to be patient and everything will start working accordingly before you know it.

As you already know, for exclusivity purpose, I am not permitted to share any unreleased work, that's company's policy and I am sure you understand. Like I told you before, we're having a meeting on Monday morning and you shall start writing your first article on Monday after we've decided on the topics you're to work on.

This next paragraph seems to me to be an effort by the scammer to place emotional pressure on the victim in order to stop him/her from asking more questions:

My job is very demanding already and here you are, heaping more pressure on me. That's not taking away the fact that I understand how all these makes you feel but you should also look at things from the company's perspective and not only yours. I hope to get a positive response from you, thanks.

The victim persists with the questions, the scammer makes a little effort and answers them - but, finishing off with the next request for money to be sent, even though the check has not yet cleared this time:

We're working with only one graphic designer at the moment that is, LaShawn Willingham. And we're looking to employ at least two more graphic designers as the current work load is too much for only one designer.

Xxxxxx, I want you to know that you are a valuable asset of the Ringtone and the company hold you in high regards otherwise, your employment wouldn't have gone swiftly as it did. Please do not allow yourself to feel undervalued by this company, believe it or not you're truly valued and am sure you'll understand better as time goes on. And that goes without saying we hope not to lose you!

Now, there will be a little staff get-together in the first week of our magazine's first edition release, on that day you'll get to meet me and every staff of the company. All these info are being shared with you too soon but I suppose you deserve it.

Anyway, let me know if you'll be able to send the $1400 for the graphic designer today or first thing on Monday morning. Please get back soon. Thank you

At this point, the victim thankfully realized that there was something very wrong, and sought help.