IS THIS FAMILY A SCAM??

is this family a scam? I got the headers too




Delivered-To: xxxxxx
Received: by 10.114.60.148 with SMTP id h20csp97011ldr;
Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:38:14 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.224.187.207 with SMTP id cx15mr4007354qab.47.1340217493918;
Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:38:13 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <[email protected]>
Received: from nm19.bullet.mail.bf1.yahoo.com (nm19.bullet.mail.bf1.yahoo.com. [98.139.212.178])
by mx.google.com with SMTP id r6si143001qct.18.2012.06.20.11.38.13;
Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:38:13 -0700 (PDT)
Received-SPF: pass (google.com: best guess record for domain of [email protected] designates 98.139.212.178 as permitted sender) client-ip=98.139.212.178;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: best guess record for domain of [email protected] designates 98.139.212.178 as permitted sender) [email protected]; dkim=pass (test mode) [email protected]
Received: from [98.139.212.151] by nm19.bullet.mail.bf1.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 20 Jun 2012 18:38:13 -0000
Received: from [98.139.212.204] by tm8.bullet.mail.bf1.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 20 Jun 2012 18:38:12 -0000
Received: from [127.0.0.1] by omp1013.mail.bf1.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 20 Jun 2012 18:38:12 -0000
X-Yahoo-Newman-Property: ymail-3
X-Yahoo-Newman-Id: [email protected]
Received: (qmail 17967 invoked by uid 60001); 20 Jun 2012 18:38:12 -0000
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=yahoo.com; s=s1024; t=1340217492; bh=E+zjmHtXyekNKAfcMt2rjqadqRhgCMJi1lR7uQTLVzQ=; h=X-YMail-OSG:Received:X-Mailer:Message-ID:Date:From:Reply-To:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type; b=p2/UxosZHy6jTTfixxFeB9X9ag5MSNF/bSW13th1ZXAM4RlKJFk8egltzuZz6qXVNCnCunrXw6RMEpmafGJxC65rpelErRULjhRL0jk2qOqv/RKcBN723nhPN69mLH9dYaRVhY7xghrbhPrO8FVjc9DanRolSYnG7nESX8qPH+o=
DomainKey-Signature:a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws;
s=s1024; d=yahoo.com;
h=X-YMail-OSG:Received:X-Mailer:Message-ID:Date:From:Reply-To:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type;
b=Z8mnQDgADKAAw9vOkzgGyvY7z5LvsQUOoP815qJOz9cME035KcTujLkp4iSBZtSq6iOaAlEmHld/HVu2t1CEPg/lVfMkzQiDnrWqo3pthuDn5JH4JbGM4kpoD60sVhKRsfXfn4JyQJR+xtyZWxgK/WIJggklRhXxLEROx+DKUiQ=;
X-YMail-OSG: CcOixO8VM1lhz8oTzJ7Dld1Yrm0Vw9NsVZZxzBinTYuaDgN
ub0xGhccS6psd5ZQ5_MQPFIsNmJ.83_3s_tY3aqAbxonPyYKcIOScFupyJKy
1DbvasiI0.bcWuowkI1fKxOQPKSQbSx8mit3CYfn8zhaxRipNoyys8EQqHb8
teUB1j60qEuO.aYp7WSYRMcu09HeullESrM7WVkdIptv8VHJ3agzNUX4ePdG
1U10puVVtEYa05oGf6qnXwOkJeNymHD8jm41gY1RbydY2iiw2qzDzT.JrcXh
eiF.n4CzPr4EQB_AVQX1M9Ya_YGDEa17bsv0Mgrzpf4hmFGI0QaWI17P4p13
6PNh3E__cexCmSOg2Clovb5a602Hsn33I6ZzTfpDr7FCiqdioOV__tiTWWWN
I1eHUaY9KCXL712i7HwS7SdLAiilW0kSaC3rsKZ3QUENXYxfJzPUgL_Lix.u
ZQvXXMscyLMGmS3xPBL1r6Ss_uA--
Received: from [90.213.208.121] by web162605.mail.bf1.yahoo.com via HTTP; Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:38:12 PDT
X-Mailer: YahooMailWebService/0.8.118.349524
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:38:12 -0700 (PDT)
From: xxxxxxx
Reply-To: xxxxxxx
Subject: Au pair
To: xxxxxx
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="1157309285-1520823935-1340217492=:17878"

--1157309285-1520823935-1340217492=:17878
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

=0A=0A=C2=A0 =0A>Hi xxxxx=0A>=C2=A0=0A>I am xxxxxx and I live with my hu=
sband and two kids in a beautiful town called xxxxxx, not far from Lond=
on. It=E2=80=99s about 40mins on the train to central London. xxxxx is=
a small but lovely town, very peaceful and away from the hustle and bustle=
of the city but it is within easy commute to London. I work in London and =
travel on the train when I need to go to work. We are British but originall=
y from Nigeria. =0A>We have 2 energetic but fun to be with young children, =
a 2 =C2=BD year old girl at part time nursery now (but Mon =E2=80=93 Friday=
, 9am to 12noon from September) and a gorgeous 21 months old boy. The right=
person for this job is someone who loves kids!=0A>=0A>We need someone who =
can work approx 30-35 hours a week, Mon to Friday and you have the weekends=
and bank holidays free. You will work from 8am on Mondays to Friday, free =
from 12.30 till 3.30pm and finish at 7.15pm. You may be required to help on=
a day at the weekend (this is rare) but you will have enough notice and we=
can come to an agreement. You are also welcome to join family outings if y=
ou choose to.=0A>I expect you to be a big sister to my lovely kids and also=
help me with light housework. You will help to take care of the kid=E2=80=
=99s laundry (wash and iron), this is usually done once a week. You will ti=
dy their rooms, change their beds (once a week or when required), tidy up t=
he kitchen after serving them their meals and also tidy up their toys and p=
lay areas.=0A>=0A>You must be cheerful, energetic, trustworthy, patient and=
be genuinely interested in spending your time with children, playing games=
, organising activities as well as , going to playgroups, parks etc . The k=
ids have routines, which I will also want you to adhere to as this has made=
taking care of them relatively easy. They go to bed early and have regular=
naps in the afternoon so you have lots of free time. =0A>You will also hav=
e time to attend an English Language course, if you want one. =0A>I work fu=
ll time, 3 days from home and travel to work 2 days a week. So you have to =
look after the children on your own most of the day on those 2 days. Someon=
e who doesn=E2=80=99t know and love to play, sing, dance, play ball whilst =
juggling changing beds, tidying, helping with homework, cleaning up etc wil=
l not be suitable! So please be honest with yourself that you will enjoy do=
ing all these! =0A>We would pay =C2=A390 per week. Our house is a lovely, 5=
bed detached property with a large garden. You have your own single room o=
n a separate floor to the family and share a bathroom with the children. Th=
ere is wireless internet access (you need to bring your laptop). =0A>We are=
looking for someone who: =0A>=C2=B7 genuinely loves children and enjoy spe=
nding time with them =0A>=C2=B7 Patient, loving and kind with children =0A>=
=C2=B7 Reliable, happy and fun! =0A>=C2=B7 a mature outlook but energetic a=
nd able to consistently work with her initiative. =0A>=C2=B7 Conversational=
level of English i.e. understands instructions clearly and communicates ea=
sily with the children=0A>Please dont hesitate to email me any queation.=0A=
>Best wishes=0A>xxxxxx

Can you please post the email without the header? Just copy and paste from the actual email not the pop up with the header. For some reason gmail adds a bunch of coding to the email in the header pop up making it very hard to read.

From what I can read the only thing that jumps out at me is the bit about being originally from Nigeria. The rest apears (from what I can read) an appropriate English writting style. IP resolves to the UK as well. 

Justin

Here's the whole e-mail:

8:38 PM (20 hours ago)

to me

Hi xxxxxx

I am xxxxxx and I live with my husband and two kids in a beautiful town called xxxxx, not far from London. It’s about 40mins on the train to central London. xxxxx is a small but lovely town, very peaceful and away from the hustle and bustle of the city but it is within easy commute to London. I work in London and travel on the train when I need to go to work. We are British but originally from Nigeria.
We have 2 energetic but fun to be with young children, a 2 ½ year old girl at part time nursery now (but Mon – Friday, 9am to 12noon from September) and a gorgeous 21 months old boy. The right person for this job is someone who loves kids!

We need someone who can work approx 30-35 hours a week, Mon to Friday and you have the weekends and bank holidays free. You will work from 8am on Mondays to Friday, free from 12.30 till 3.30pm and finish at 7.15pm. You may be required to help on a day at the weekend (this is rare) but you will have enough notice and we can come to an agreement. You are also welcome to join family outings if you choose to.
I expect you to be a big sister to my lovely kids and also help me with light housework. You will help to take care of the kid’s laundry (wash and iron), this is usually done once a week. You will tidy their rooms, change their beds (once a week or when required), tidy up the kitchen after serving them their meals and also tidy up their toys and play areas.

You must be cheerful, energetic, trustworthy, patient and be genuinely interested in spending your time with children, playing games, organising activities as well as , going to playgroups, parks etc . The kids have routines, which I will also want you to adhere to as this has made taking care of them relatively easy. They go to bed early and have regular naps in the afternoon so you have lots of free time.
You will also have time to attend an English Language course, if you want one.
I work full time, 3 days from home and travel to work 2 days a week. So you have to look after the children on your own most of the day on those 2 days. Someone who doesn’t know and love to play, sing, dance, play ball whilst juggling changing beds, tidying, helping with homework, cleaning up etc will not be suitable! So please be honest with yourself that you will enjoy doing all these!
We would pay £90 per week. Our house is a lovely, 5 bed detached property with a large garden. You have your own single room on a separate floor to the family and share a bathroom with the children. There is wireless internet access (you need to bring your laptop).
We are looking for someone who:
· genuinely loves children and enjoy spending time with them
· Patient, loving and kind with children
· Reliable, happy and fun!
· a mature outlook but energetic and able to consistently work with her initiative.
· Conversational level of English i.e. understands instructions clearly and communicates easily with the children
Please dont hesitate to email me any queation.
Best wishes
xxxxxx


Thanks a lot btw

Someone else may chime in but I see no evidence of a scam. The money offered is correct and I do not see anything wrong with the writting style.

As always procced with caution. If any fees come up you should be suspicious.

Justin

[AlanJones]

I agree with Justin, there is no evidence of a scam in the email. As he says, the pocket money offered is at the right level for a UK au pair.

One thing that you might want to check is that you are actually able to become an au pair in the UK as the countries that the au pair visa is available to is very limited. If you are not an EU citizen, then you can only be an au pair if you come from these countries -

Australia
Canada
Japan
New Zealand
Monaco
Taiwan

More information about the visa can be found on the UK Government website here http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... ityscheme/

Hello Albina,

You were correct to post the entire email, including the email address of the host family, because this helps us to identify whether or not it is a scam. As this has not been confirmed at a scam, however, I have removed the names and email addresses for privacy.

I agree with Justin and Alan, that the writing style and descriptions are consistent with a British writer, and also that the pocket money is within the normal range for an au pair in the UK.

I did notice, however, that the writer mentioned a need to love:

helping with homework

Two year old children do not normally do homework (ie revise or prepare for their school lessons).

There also seems to be an inconsistency here:

You will work from 8am on Mondays to Friday, free from 12.30 till 3.30pm and finish at 7.15pm.

I work full time .... and travel to work 2 days a week. So you have to look after the children on your own most of the day on those 2 days.

It is worth noting that according to the British Au Pairs Agencies Association, an au pair in the UK is not permitted to have continuous sole charge of a child under the age of 2 years - but this family states that it has a 21 month old child, and that the au pair will be caring for him alone for most of the day, for two days per week.

The British Au Pair Agencies Association also states the maximum working hours for a non-European au pair is 25 hours per week.