Office Assistant (scam?)

I hope I’m posting this properly, this is my first time.

I found this site when I was searching for information on a hinky email I received. Several things about the email (which I will include below) just didn't feel right. Here's why:

• I answered a post on craigslist. I am automatically cautious and suspicious when I answer requests I find on Craigslist. I have found just as many legitimate offers as scams.

• The responder uses two different names. This made me cautious, but I do know several people who go by their middle name but use their first name for business.

• He claimed to be a photographer from Michigan. But I responded to an ad posted for Kentucky. I found a photographer that has the same name, but his contact info includes the business name in the stuff after the @ Still could be legit, he may have set up a disposable email address for the applicants...I've done that before.

• He does not call me by name and asks my gender. My real name is so obviously female this would have been a silly question. Not only that, but using gender as a reason to hire someone or not is illegal in the US. Gender questions on applications are used for statistical reasons and are always followed by race, veteran status, and if you are on public assistance. (tax breaks for hiring Vets and people on assistance)

• He spoke in somewhat broken, generally wrong sounding, English, while asking for someone with good communication skills.

What really set me off was when I searched the name in the email address and this site popped up as one of the first options in my search engine.

The email address was kelvinrogers321 at hotmail. When I searched that name I found a mystery shopper scam here, by someone with that name. http://scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=21972 The responder asks for exactly the same information in exactly the same format as the suspected scam I found here. I also found a facebook page for someone promoting work at home deals.

I’m not sure if this really belongs here, but I’m posting because it seemed almost legit enough that someone may send their personal information to this person. If they are legit then I’ll apologize later, but if they aren’t posting may save someone else some aggravation.

So here’s the email:
From John rogers, [email protected]

Hello Applicant,

You contacted me applying for the position which I advertised on Craigslist. Do take time to go through this introductory mail and feel free to pass any questions on.

I’m John Rogers and I have been a wedding photographer in Southern Michigan since 1995. My images combine an ideal blend of traditional and photojournalism style of photography. You owe it to yourself to use a wedding photographer you can trust. With hundreds of weddings photographed, we have experience with all types of cultures and traditions. I often conduct LIVE slide/talk lectures on Understanding Exposure, the Art of Seeing, Macro Photography and Photographing People throughout the USA, Great Britain and Asia.At the moment, I am in a work-ship in the Great Britain.I will be here for a month after which I will fly down toPhilippines for a Live-slide/talk show lectures with some students.

YOUR DUTIES AS MY PERSONAL ASSISTANT.

While I am out of the states I need some one who can stand in the gap for me. His/her duties will be the following

1.To receive letters and mails on my behalf.
2.Receive checks from clients who want to attend the forth coming workshops or Live shows.
3.Schedule appointments for me.
4.Book my flight tickets.
5.Send letters and mails from my clients.


This position is home-based and flexible part time job, you can be in any location to carry out any of the activities. All you need do is to check your emails twice daily and keep your phone on most times in case i might need to call you from anywhere i may be.I do have a number of things you could help me with this week if you will be available to start. This can act as a stable foundation to our working relationship. Let me know if you have any of the office equipments (If not, I will make arrangements to send them to your address)

Printer:
Personal Laptop/Desktop:
Internet Access:
Scanner:
Fax machine:
Laminator:
Paper Cutter:

For proper review(since i am not available now to set up a face-to-face interview) supply out correctly the information below.

FIRST NAME ......................
SURNAME..........................
ADDRESS......(No P.O. Box).......
CITY ............................
STATE............................
ZIP CODE.........................
COUNTRY..........................
PHONE NUMBER (S) ................
PRESENT OCCUPATION...............
GENDER...........................
Email............................


Qualification:

1. Educational background is not a criteria.
2. You must be Organized and able to take instructions well Dependable, Reliable, Trustworthy a must
3. Must have excellent English language skills (both spoken and written)
4. Have great work ethic and attitude, as well as people skills, pay-attention to detail, capable of multi-tasking, and works well understress at times.


Benefits:

- Yearly performance bonus
- Paid vacation/sick/personal days

Salary:

- $400 weekly

Also, there will be compensation for efficiency and hard working.

Thanks

John Rogers

The English tells me he is African. The disjointed blurb about his "work" was undoubtedly copied from a real photographer's website.

The scam is actually clearly spelled out in this one line.

2.Receive checks from clients who want to attend the forth coming workshops or Live shows.

It's a check fraud scam, plain and simple. He wants you to receive fake checks, cash them, and forward the money to him (or another character in his charade, but ultimately it will lead to him). You would be losing a large amount of money, committing fraud, and putting yourself in a position to be arrested for a serious crime, and he would simply walk away with the cash.

And it's sounding highly sus to me too. I know this may be a highly strung idea but are you able to phone and speak directly? Perhaps acquire the correct phone number from the directory and simply make a call if you're able to do so.

Please do not try calling anyone.

I only pointed out a couple of the major things, but there is absolutely NO DOUBT that this is a check scam. I actually could have pointed out that this exact format has been used before, using a different photographer's identity.

Look halfway down the thread at the 2nd post by Teh Str4y 7. Does that job description look familiar?

http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1693236

We NEVER encourage deliberately continuing contact with a scammer you have been corresponding with under your own identity. The scammer is a criminal. Remaining in contact and/or playing games with a criminal who has real information about you is simply not wise.

In addition, even if you called the real photographer, he is a victim too, and it is very frustrating for the real people who end up fielding calls from victims when they have nothing to do with the scams.

I thought so. I've been a bit overly suspicious ever since my sister got jilted by that Nigerian prince a few years back. And thanks for the link to the other site, I too was really worried about my name, address, etc being sent in the form of a resume already.

Thanks again!