Christiane Maillard [email protected]

My wife teaches piano, so she wasn't suspicious when she received this request for lessons. However, the request to pay in a cheque for £3050 raised alarm bells...

I managed to find a couple of other posts with similar text:
http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2297&p=8656&hilit=music+lesson+teacher#p8656
http://forums.chandrakantha.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6546&start=0

Also, the name Christiane Maillard came up here: http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=10812.

We're just looking for more useful evidence now so we can inform the police, bank, etc. as we've given the scammer details of our address, phone, bank account, etc.

These emails were all from [email protected]

> Hello,<br> I&#039;m Mrs Christiane Maillard from Paris,France.during my search for a Music lesson teacher that would always take my son (David) and I found your advert..Your advert looks great and it is very okay to me since you specialize in the area i am seeking for him.<br> <br>My Son would be coming to U.k(your city) Before the end of next month for a period of time and with his friend for 3 Months.he is just a beginner i want you to help me teach lesson during his stay.So, kindly let me know your charges cost per week&#039;s ,in order for me to arrange for his payment before he travels down to your side.<br> <br> I have also made preparation for his personal equipment he will be using privately at home after the lesson during his stay.<br> <br>Please Advise back on;<br>(1). your charges per 1 hour twice a week for 3 Months?<br>(2).The Day and time you will be available to teach him During the week?<br>(3).Tuition address?<br> <br>Await for your mail.<br><br>Best Regards,<br>Mrs Ch

Thanks very much for your quick reply...

David is just 17years old. Meanwhile I'm pleased to read from you back concerning the David's lessons and i am giving you my word that i have no doubt about all what you said in the email.As for the lesson fee,everything is okay by me and i want to let you understand that David will be coming in few weeks time probably before the 15th of October.I will like to konw the total price for the period of 3 months?.

Concerning the payment arrangment,i also assuring you that won't be a problem as one of my husband's Bussiness associate in U.K would be paying the one on my behalf and my husband had already spoke with him about this and he said that won't be any problem that we should let him knows when everything is set so that he can issue you the cheque or Bankers Draft for the lessons fee and moreso all the total money will be paid at once. My husband will called you and speak with you.

so i will be expecting to read from you back with the following infomation below:

Name,
Address,
Postal Code,
Telephone Number

I said in my previous mail, my husband business associate his making the payment on behalf of my husband and the method of thier payment his cashier check. Thier no problem,you can take your break in Nvember and David will also take a break over the Christmas week.Let me know the total price for the period of three weeks,so that we can proceed with the payment.

So i will be expecting to read from you back with the following infomation below,so that we can proceed with the payment.Thanks

Name:
Address:
Postal Code:
Telephone Number:

Best Regards.
Mrs Christiane Maillard.

I will let you know the information as soon as his visa have been approved.Concering the is okay me .Please let me know the total price for the period of three month and i will like to know name that will be on a check.

Await for your mail.

All the Best.

How was your day? I'm so sorry for getting back to you a bit late since i recieve the payment details, i was making proceess conscine the ( David ) travelling. My son will be coming for the lessons Tuesday and Friday 3:30pm Daily and if you are not comfortable with that you can let me know.

Meanwhile,my husband told me as at yesterday night that he recieve a telephone call from his bussiness Associate that they will be sending the payment out to you this morning and hopefully they would have done that by now because he is leaving France for bussiness trip and we're not sure when he will return to france.

The payment that you would be recieve ( £3,050 ) which you've to deduct the total cost of the leeson's fee for the period of 3months and you will assist me sending the remain balance of the money to the Caretaker whom will take care of my son's ( David ).

I would have love to pay the caretaker by myself but the woman is out of the U.K now and won't be back till 15th of October and as you can see the person that will make the payment will leave U.k by tomorrow at most.

I will be more than glad if you can render this assistance and i won't mind paying you extra £50 for your compesation.

I will like to know your opinion soonest.

Regards,
Mrs Christiane Maillard.

A West African scammer trying to pretend to be French

Where do I begin ?

They often try to make out they're not English because their grammar and spelling is so poor, but by saying they're French they just fall down a whole new set of pot holes.

I'm not going to help scammers by pointing out their bloopers but you don't need to be a genius to spot them.

The explanation of how to pay money to a person who won't be there is borderline hilarious and puts a picture in my mind of old-fashioned Brian Rix farces I used to watch on TV in the UK, with people madly dashing in and out of hotel bedrooms in madcap panic. The only purpose is to attempt to get you to convert a portion of the counterfeit cheque into cash for them.

I wouldn't get over excited about him having your personal details as it's most unlikely he'll have any intention of doing anything with them and the police will probably only show interest if you know where the fake cheque is coming from, but that's possibly being sent by someone duped into working for the scammer.