Fake AuPair International representative

Hello,
I wanted to work as an au pair and I was looking for host family. One day Crystal Lewis Moore ( https://www.facebook.com/crystallewismoore515?fref=ts ) contacted me on facebook (when I asked her why she didn’t contacted me trough AuPairWorld site, she said they already deleted their account), that they are interested in me being their Au pair.
We started to communicate through mail ([email protected]) and she told me they contacted Agency which will contact me. I received mail from Katrina Vanderhulst, a representative of Au Pair International Agency. But she contacted me from mail “[email protected]”. Unfortunately, I found out too late that Katrina’s real mail is “[email protected]”. We started to prepare my arrival, the fake Katrina sent me contract and then told me I have to pay $1520:
Hello ---!
I would like to thank you for your interest regarding our Au Pair abroad program. Your documents has been received successfully and currently been verified.
I also attached your contract and Agreement form for you to print read and sign where needed an also return with other documents.
Please be informed we charge a total cost of $1,520 as shown in the Payment Authorization form, this fees covers both Flight tickets to the states, your Medical Insurance , Visa application service , SEVIS , and our Agency fee inclusive.
Please tick the appropriate payment option.
I will attach a provisional flight schedule for you to confirm in my next email.
Then I send her signed agreements, and passport informations, and then she told me my documentation has been verified and the last thing to do is make payment. She Attached a Payment slip with the bank transfer details and I sent the money. She sent me the confirmation, and then she sent me this mail:
Hello ---!

Our management wish to tell you that we received an order from the US Consulate, the content of the message which is being passed to you and your Host Family in view of the response we got on account of the Traveling Packages sent to them for verification.
This information affects all Au Pairs/Nannies entering into the U.S from September, 2013 & beyond (effective for every other Au Pair applying to enter into the country as from this due date; so with this recent development; We hereby write to inform you that it's in the best interest of the Au Pair and their Host Family this law was promulgated and necessary steps and requirements needed must be observed accordingly without any delay .
We are supposed to send along with these email attached copy of your flight ticket and other important documents in the package that has been sent to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service for final verification and certification.
We hope you understand that we are always here to assist you if you need any other form of assistant pertaining to our services,

CK:
Au Pairs
Nannies
Host Families and References
Agency Affiliate
&
Other Departments of concern

Sincerely,
Katrina Vanderhulst
Director of International Programs
Au Pair International, Inc.
Main: (646) 470-7904
Email: [email protected]
(there was two documents attached, which said I have to pay another $1,020)

That was the moment I started to be suspicious (unfortunately a bit late). I found out on the internet that it’s probably a scam and wrote the ‘false Katrina’ to give me my money back but of course I never heard from her a word again.

Please If someone had similar experience with thic contact, let me know, thank you.

I am so sorry to hear that you were part of this scam. For more information regrading it, please reference this page: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=73605

Please never send money to anyone without fully knowing the details.

- If you are applying to be an au pair to the USA, you are required to meet with someone from a legal agency in person.
- Check the agency name, website and emails on IAPA (International Au Pair Association) or with their local association.
- Make sure that you always Skype/Facetime with your prospective families. You should be meeting both parents that live in the home and the children that you will be caring for.
- Don't send money abroad.
- Know that the only way to apply for a visa is to go to the consulate who is issuing the visa.
- Families will not contact prospective au pairs through Facebook.
- Facebook accounts created within the year and that are a member of several au pair and job boards are normally fake.

Report to the local authorities if you have sent money. Report the Facebook accounts.

Best,
Katrina Vanderhulst
[email protected]
Au Pair International

[AlanJones]

Hi, I would really like to warn all aupairs too.. I still can´t believe that all is possible to fake..photos of family, even of the room..that there are someone who is up to play with you all the time its scaring really....Can´t believe still r but there where things I noticed in our conversations which made me confused but I am sure you all know that you only see the oportunity the incredibly friendly people who just trying to help..so you forgive almost everything.
I was confused first abou gramatical mistakes they did in their emails in basics of english in one of those mails where one were sentences twice which seemed to by copied. Iam going to post here their emails I am pretty sure I will find here really similars. When I knew for sure that Iam not talking with any family was the moment I saw the documents to fill and scan. [Removed AJ] so letś watch all the details.

My name is Cathleen Igore. I am a resident of New York City in America. I got your profile from "Aupairworld" My Husband and myself are in need of an Aupair to assist us with our little daughter. I was wondering if you will love to join my family here in America.

I will await your considerable response Thanks

Hello,
I am really happy that you replied me and interested in working for my family, I'll like you to join us in our home as early as possible. you are allowed to work in our home for a minimum period of three months to a maximum period of twelve months. You can extend your stay after twelve months if you still love to be with us.I am very optimistic it will be very successful because my daughter is a little bit older and will pose any problem. I hope you'll enjoy working for our family.

Here is a little about us:

THE FAMILY
Our family now have a busier schedule, I started working full time as
a financial controller 8.00am to 5.30pm,and my husband run his own pipe-lining
business which is based on Civil Engineering (so we're not always
available at home) so we are looking for some assistance with Andrea
and around the house. Hopefully you can add another language for my daughter
to learn and experience a different culture. Our friends, who live
minutes away, have an au pair from Austria and it's working really well
for them.

We live on 1826 East 3rd Street Brooklyn, NY 11223, USA) which am sure you know is a big city. I am down to Earth, blunt and take things the way they come. I am a very friendly person and easy to get along with. You will
have no problem in adapting to our lifestyle here. We will need your
services due to the time commitment that is demanding by our job. We
want you to know that you'll never have any cause to regret taking up
this job. If you smoke and you want to smoke,it's most not be in my
home cause we don't smoke in the house and definitely not in front of
my daughter, I must say here that were Christian family and we are
devoted to our Religion.

Andrea
My lovely daughter name are Andrea, she will be 6 by October, we enrolled into school at a kindergarten school, after which she will also proceed to elementary school. my Andrea is welcoming and though she is young,
Andrea has got friendly attitude too. she likes playing a lot and I do not think you will not have any problem with her. so far Andrea eats and plays well. Very intelligent and fun to be with, they likes candy, Popcorn, chocolate enjoys Cup Cake and watching cartoon. You’ll enjoy staying with my daughter.

SALARY
You will be entitled to a pay of $1800 every month while you will also
be given an entitlement of $100 every week for petty expenses which you
might need for yourself. This salary is subject to negotiations for an
upward review upon your arrival.


SCHEDULE
We would appreciate help getting Andrea ready for school and
walking them down (5mins), collecting her from school, getting her meal
ready and sitting her down to go through her home work or school
activities (at this age its not too taxing!!), taking her out on their
bike or to the park which requires crossing one road and you're there.
Food shopping (next to school) and keeping the house tidy, along with
meal preparation. There is a good bus service and train network
however we are looking at providing a small car. This would give you
more freedom and allow you to have trips with my daughter. We love occasional
nights out and can agree on evenings and schedule when required.


ROOM
A well furnished bedroom will be made available for your personal use
soon as you get here. You will also be provided with a personal
computer connected to the internet so you can keep in contact with
relatives, TV and other necessary things at your disposal. There will
be enough privacy for you; I guess you'll really like it.
You are free to start as soon as possible, I will appreciate you
coming immediately but any date of your choice will also be welcomed.
You have every weekend as your off days as my husband will not be
going to work during weekends except special overtime.


STUDY
You will be free to study in any school of your choice soon as you get
here that's if you still want to. I will be helping you as regards
tuition fees and there are so many colleges and Universities here that
offer good and qualitative courses. We’ll be willing to help you with
that.

Let me know if you are ready to take up this position and probably get
some more pictures from you?

I will love to know how long you want to stay with us and if the
salary is good by you?

Do you have a valid passport and other necessary document needed for
Visa Application?

Thanks

Hi [Removed AJ], (this was weird really..that´s just my mail not my name..)

Thanks for your message, I spoke with my husband and he agreed you can come over here, Concerning the salary and the cost of living in United States, we are ready to review your salary package to suit your needs. All household duties will be done by Our Cleaner...I assure you food and clothing will be provided for you, therefore you don't spend your money after Joining us here in New York City. I'll want us to start preparations as soon as possible and get everything set because I believe the J1 VISA processing takes some time. its just our daughter now, so we are looking it to make it bigger family by you joining us.Our kid loved everything I told her about you so I'll want us to start preparations as soon as possible and get everything set because I believe the VISA processing takes some time.

About the Visa, flight and other traveling documents, I believe its best we get them through an agency because of our past experience from our neighbor: so I believe it's best to apply through them, they helped our neighbor with their last Au pair and it was very fast, smooth and hundred percent guarantee. We also feel very secure patronizing them. so we also feel very secure patronizing them. We want to make sure that you have a valid VISA and documents so that when you get to the US there wont be any hitch whatsoever.

Our family friend living in Austin, Texas had their first Au pair In the year 2015 from Finland that processed an invalid VISA more like a Terrorism VISA instead of a J1 VISA and was later caught some few weeks after staying with them which cost them so many Court cases, please in that case I hope you are okay with this security measure.

Concerning your Visa processing and all traveling expenses, I believe you know that our family must also pay some amount of money too, that means you will also be paying your own part of the total traveling expenses which is affordable I believe, but right now I cannot give you the current cost breakdown and processing details except you make contact.I want us to make progress without any delay so that you can join us soonest.

In regards to this, you will have to contact Mrs Katrina (The International Relations Officer) of the America aupair Agency on this email: [email protected] for all details of the processing of your Visa, Work Permit,Medical Insurance, Flight Tickets and other traveling documents including the Total Cost,please tell her "Your name, Your Full contact address and your personal cell phone number with international dialing code, your country and how long you intend staying with us and when you will wanna start and that you have found your American Host family (Cathleen's Family with ID NY11631 living in 1826 East 3rd Street Brooklyn, NY 11223,USA)

Then Please kindly get back to me with whatever they tell you so that we can discuss better about the payment arrangement. I will be expecting your reply soonest. Make sure you contact them as soon as possible as we can't wait to have you here with us. I attached a picture of a room provided for you, its a little untidy, I hope you like it...

Love From the Cathleen's

Okay i will await to hear back from you soon. Please contact Mrs Katrina on time.

Thanks

Hello, We do not under stay what you mean in you last mail. But Please kindly Note that The Agency are the best and they are not Scam...
Okay E, Please kindly fill up all the Documents, Also Please Note in the Agency's NEW COST_AND_PAYMENT_AUTHORIZATION_FORM_FOR_AUPAIR. Please indicate payment method preferred:

Payment Method: Direct payment to our Agency Representative...

Thanks for your mail..

Note there Website is under technical Maintenance that was where you can't find them on Google.

Thanks

(this was the wirdest and worst part..without any copied text ...you can see the grammar and no point in the respondes. They also never reacted when I asked for more informations about they social websites or anything..)

[AlanJones]

Thanks for posting.

Please do not educate scammers on where they are making mistakes, it will make them better at scamming. Also, don't accuse them of being scammers, they will just deny it and try to carry on scamming you. When you find out you're dealing with a scammer, just block them and don't respond any further.

Please can you post the email address that the fake family is using.

[email protected]