Is this Scam? Au Pair!

This is the message the "Agency" sent me after talking with the woman I'm supposed I'm going to work for.
The Olabesi family almost swindled me, and later, the Johnson Smith family. But in the second case, I found this page and I didn't response to their message.

This is a family from NY, called Wright. But I read here agencies could not arrange visas... So, what do you think?

Planet International Travel Tours [email protected]
18:43 (hace 18 horas)

para usuario
Dear Applicant,

Thanks for the message you sent to us. We really appreciate your effort concerning working with Your host family. Your category of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program (DS-2019) allows you as a caring live-in childcare provider between the ages of 18 and 35 to live as an extended member of your host family in exchange for room, board, and a stipend. Whilst the main priority of a successful applicant will be to take care of the kids, you should also have free time to enjoy life in the U.S.
For processing of your J-1 Exchange Visitor Program and Working Permit, We will like to have some information about you so as for us to start with the processing. You will have to get back to us with the below information so as for us to go ahead with your visa application.There won't be problem processing your Traveling Document. Below are the information's you will have to provide to us :

1. Your Full Name
2. Your Full Address
3. City
4. State
5. Zip code
6. Country
7. Phone Number
8. Sex
9. Date of Birth (D.O.B)
10. E-mail address
11. E-mail address of your Host Family
12. Full Name of your Host Family
13. Scan Copy of your Certificate of Birth
14. Full Home address of your Host Family

Get Back to us with the above Information's for further processing of your Working Permit and your J-1 Exchange Visitor Program Visa. This will take us up to 20 days at maximum efficient. Delays depend on you and your host family. We are looking forward for your quick response.

Thanks

Best Regards

Planet International Travel Tours

Mrs Kelly Bright (Agent).

Welcome amrikakilla and thank you for posting. You've done the right thing in looking into the details of any offers. You've probably already seen the general post about au pair scams here:
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=3019 and indeed, a certain sign of a scam is that travel agencies do not arrange visas.

So this one is another scam - they are sending email from a free email service ("usa.com" is a service provided by mail.com) and there are other signs as well. Would you mind also posting the emails from the "Wright" family (deleting any lines containing your name or email address) so that other potential victims can see them?

Ok. I already sent her a message saying that her agencies was not legally accepted. Just these http://j1visa.state.gov/participants/ho ... =Au%20Pair are authorized to help us with our J1-Visa.

Now, writting her address I realized she's [email protected], Susan Brown, Sandra Hill, Maria Vasquez

Hi dear, I am Mrs Caroline Wright, 35 Years Old from United State of America. Am writing you on behalf of the whole family (me, my husband and our 2 child) and here is a bit about us. Our family do not like to judge a book by the cover or take gossip to determine who will be around. We always try to stay positive and find the best in anyone or any situation including the worst ones. I work as a sales manager for walmart. Due to the nature of my work, am not always around. I will thereby be in need of your service as a nanny for my kids. I will appreciate your response to know if you are interested.
Thanks
Caroline

Thanks alot for your response . I'm from 35 South Ave Staten Island, NY 10303. You'll be working 5 hours a day, you are to take the kids to school in the morning and later go back to pick them back home from school in the afternoon. On weekends you'll take them out to new places like beach and other recreational places (You have free time). You are required to spend time with the child, running errands, house cleaning and light cooking is a possibility, but not really a requirement. I prefer someone who will reinforce our desire to teach our children responsibilities and do not expect to undertake the children assigned tasks but instead to find ways to encourage them to complete tasks. I will be offering you 450$ per week and you will be staying with us in the house. There is free internet facilities in the house for your use, private room, bathroom and a private car for you in taking the kids to school provided you know how to drive or willing to learn driving. I have 2 lovely kids named Ashley (9years old) and James (7years old). We love adventure, arts, traveling, soccer, literature, laughter and our wonderful babies. They are very active wanting a partner to bounce and spin with them.
The family's interests include the zoo, doing yoga, soccer, water skiing, snow skiing, walks in the park, play dates with friends, the arts, literature, traveling, shopping, and our kids. You and the kids will be going for shopping once in 6weeks. Convince me that you are capable of doing this job to my satisfaction.
I will like to know if you have a working permit and a valid working Visa. I wait to read back from you.



Although I sent her this message:
Hi Caroline:
I just want to ask you some questions too because it's the first time I'm going to USA and the first time I'm going to be an Au Pair. A couple years ago I have a bad experience and I don't want to repeat it. I was contacted by a family and they were so interested in me but all was so fast, in just a few hours, they want me to stay there. That was ok for me but when they told me about the traveling company I say something weird. They asked me to pay 700$ but in the message the company send me they wrote: Due to some problems in our bank account the payment must be paid by Western Union.

I didn't like this, neither my parents (because, although I live alone in Madrid and they are in southern Spain, I asked them for their permission and help). I think all was a rip-off. I don't want my parents to pay anything and at the end they are swindled. I would feel so miserable if that occurs.


She continue lying me, so don't fall for this scam!!

Hello dear it is nice to read back from you and also about what you said i want you to know that my family is not like that and this is not my first time of employing an aupair so i want to assure you that there is no problem and also thanks so much for the information and i must tell you that am so impress with your information so i we like you to let me know what the agency said when you have contact them soon thanks hope to hear from you soon


After this, she just want me to contact with the agency. Oh my!! Is there anyone who could be an Au Pair?
I was contacted by three scammers. And the count keeps increasing...

Thank you for this page, it's a real help!

I also was sent a message from Tim Pearce, I didn't pay attention to it. It says:


Pearce Family from Texas,U.S.A
Recibidos
x


Tim Pearce [email protected]
6 feb (hace 8 días)

para destinatarios no revelados NOTE: As AlanJones said in Overview of an Au Pair Scam "The initial email does not have your email address in the To field. This is because it has been bulk mailed to a number of individuals."
Dear Aupair,
We need nanny in Austin, Texas for our four year old son Carl.
AuPair duties are,
Bathing and Clothing for our Son daily everyday and taking him to school on Monday to Friday.
Then, Au Pair will have Saturdays and Sundays to rest.

Free bedroom and bathroom available for aupair with $300 salary per week, tell us if you available to move to America as an aupair.

Thank you.

I also was sent this scam:


Dennis Keith [email protected]
8 feb (hace 6 días)

para keithw.dennis
Hello,

How are you doing today? Hope that you had a wonderful day over there today. Well, my family had a good weekend here.

I little introduction about my family, we are an American family currently living in New York City. I work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation USA.

We would like you to start work with us immediate or alternatively, you can still indicate to us when you would like to start work with my family.

We hereby demand your services in taking good care of our son Johnson and seeing to his needs at home or the playing field/park. Johnson is a cool kid and he enjoys playing and chocolates. His favorites color is Yellow and Green. We would be very grateful if you take good care of him and treat him like your own little brother or son.

We would be offering a monthly salary of 2,000USD and 300USD weekly for your pocket money. You would be required to work for about 25-30hour per week.

To enable us prepare a bidding contract to your services to our home, we would need you to send the following data below to enable our attorney to process a Contract for us:


FULL NAMES:

SEX:

AGE:

ADDRESS:

NATIONALITY:

PHONE NUMBERS:

PARENTS OR NEXT OF KIN CONTACT NUMBER AND ADDRESS:



Alternatively, you can as well send us your CV or Resume for our review. Upon the receipt of the above data, then our attorney will proceed in the preparation of your Contract with my family. We would expect to read from you soon.

Wishing you a wonderful day ahead.


Best Wishes,
Dennis Keith.



I think I'm going to remove my profile from the page.

hi again amrikakilla. Thanks a lot for posting these scam mails, they look very much like other scams of similar types. Please, once you are sure that a person is trying to scam you, stop replying to their messages as there is nothing you can gain from continuing email contact with them - and they will do everything possible to try and convince you to pay out.

Perhaps indeed it may be wise to remove your profile from the site if you are only attracting interest from scammers. May I ask which site you have been using?

I was using EasyAuPair... I already delete my profile.

I also found a Spanish forum where people wrote about all the scams they suspected. Although it's in Spanish, it doesn't mind I suggest people to use the keyboard shortcut: F3 and write the email or just a few sentences. They would find it.
http://www.forolondres.com/foro/showthr ... 161&page=1 (there are 47 pages of scam... It's mad).

Well, over my anger and frustration and I have to say thank you to all people from this webpage. You make this so much easier, you all are big help.

In special you, Gus, thank you for being so kind and friendly!

Hello amrikakilla,

You can read more about these scams by clicking on their names below.

Caroline Wright
Tim Pearce
Dennis Keith
Olabesi Family
Johnson Smith

I'm glad that you didn't have your money stolen by any of these scammers.