I think I my identity might be in jeopardy

So I answered this oDesk post looking for workers at a hotel:

https://www.odesk.com/jobs/The-Redmont- ... 24ab731bbf

At first I thought nothing of it, seemed pretty legit and I sent them my CV and phone photos of my passport.

They answered me with this email: http://i.imgur.com/mV8jn4X.png

And I sent them the complete application asking for all my data, past jobs, education, etc that looks like this: http://i.imgur.com/S4l0P3W.png

So I sent them most of my passport data and with the application a 2x2 photo of myself.

It was only after he sent me this email that I got really suspicious: http://i.imgur.com/6Q87rnw.png

The email didn't really seem like it would come from an executive, and I started looking and the name of the HR Manager for Redmont is actually Matthew Roscher (not Rosher).

What can I do? Is this identity theft or is this just a scam to take my money? (there was a particularly weird option on the application: http://i.imgur.com/gmDjqE2.png)

Thanks for your help, I'm really scared and don't know what to do!

It's a scam in which a West African tells you to apply to a travel agent for a visa. Travel agents don't issue visas. West African scammers generally don't try identity theft; they just try to steal money.

Please post all emails from the scammer, as text,, including email addresses, so that others can search for text in the emails and addresses.

If you have given them your passport information, you can also contact your state department (if you're in the US) or appropriate government agency in your country if you are worried about identity theft. It won't prevent the scammer from using the information they already have on other scams, but you can get a new passport number and have your photo retaken.

Sorry that you fell for the scam, but I'm glad that you saw the red flags before losing any money to them. As Von has mentioned, please post any information you have in order to warn others. Thanks for sharing!

I'm really glad to hear it's just a money scam that I didn't fall for, thank you guys!

Here are the emails in text:

Dear Applicant,

We the management of Redmont Hotel have received your CV and
application and we are considering you for a job placement if you make
the interview attached to this mail. You must understand that this
vacancies are open to only Applicants who are Fully ready to travel
down to the united state to resume their various duties.

NOTE: if you are not fully ready, then we advise that you do not
bother filling the attached forms.

This is a one time opportunity given to exotic candidates who are
qualified and are ready to work come April 2015. Also be informed
that the management of Redmont Hotel is providing Accommodation,
travel tickets, Visas for all her newly employee upon Appointment.

Here is our interview form which you are expected to fill and submit
to us ASAP for immediate scrutinizing. Thank you.


Best Wishes,
Matthew Rosher
Redmont Hotel

hello X,

The management of Redmont Hotel are very happy about you immediate response and we are going to get back to you in some hours, because we have to go through your CV for a proper scrutiny.

Regards.



And here is the email address: [email protected]

Ok, and here's the last email:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!


Dear X ,


We are satisfied with the caliber of your CV and your answers to
our interview questions. Attached to this mail is a contract of
Agreement cum Appointment Letter that you are expected to go through,
sign and date at the bottom if you are satisfied with the terms of
Contract. Thereafter you are to send us a copy of the signed Contract
for the purpose of filing and other office protocols.

It should be noted that the Redmont Hotel will take care of the
charges for your Visa, Flight Ticket, accommodation and other travel
cost but work permit will be taken care of by the employee as stated
in the contract, so in other for us to include your documents among
the list of successful Employee and start processing your
Accommodation, you are to Immediately contact the travel agency right
away and begin with the processing of your Valid Work Permit that will
allow you to work freely although your contract period.

This is in line with the US Department of Home-Land Security that all
Expatriate coming in to work here in the United State Must have an
Authorized Working Permit and a Contract from their employer. With
this, we advised that you contact (Piama Chrystal) and pay your
remittance to them immediately for all your Quota Approval Charges.

NOTE: Immediately we receive a confirmation from the Travel Agency
that they have already started with the processing of your Work Permit
and have already confirmed your payment, then we can commence with the
Allocation Exercise of your Accommodation and get it ready before your
resumption date.

Also be noted that First salary bonus Cheque can only be sent to
employee's account as soon as all travel details are finished and
their Accommodation finished. This is because some employees take
advantage of this fact and neglect their duties after receiving their
first month advance salary.

Also be noted that your first month salary can not be deducted for any
reason as it is meant to be your relocation allowance, to help you get
the basic things that you need before traveling down here to resume
your duties. This is because we found out that most newly employees
tend to seek for means of getting some of their basic/foreign needs
weeks after resumption, and thereafter creating a medium for the
management to provide for them. So we strongly advised that you get
all your travel documents and accommodation complete so you can
receive your first month salary to get all your Basic needs


We also want to encourage you to read the contract carefully before signing.

We encourage you to contact the travel agent working with the Redmont
Hotel right away so that you can get your Valid US Work Permit and the
rest of your Travel Documents ready in due time and you get to the
United State before the date of your resumption. You are to contact
(Piama Chrystal) via mail sending attached copy of the signed Contract
of Agreement and Letter of Appointment to them also.

The email of the travel agent is [email protected]
we congratulate you as our latest worker and we hope that you will
repay the faith we have in you.



Signed
Management,
Redmont Hotel.

Chances are good your scammer is not sophisticated enough to steal your ID, they only wanted your money.

You should create some "Google alerts" for all of the personal information given to these scammers. Go to www.google.com/alerts and set up one each for "address" "bldg #, street name" "Drivers license #" "SSN" "FirstName LastName" and "LastName FirstName", and what ever other data you have given.

use the quotes " " as above for each one of the alerts they set up with Google. It is not likely the ID will be compromised, but I think its better to err on the side of safe, rather than sorry in this case. If the alerts ever show results, address them at that time.

If it is a passport # then contact homeland security ( Department of State) and report it compromised to be issued a new passport #.