I've received the same e-mail, also the same person, but knew of the scams that are being used via internet, targetting business, so I read a few lines, then deleted same. Thanks for posting so that others can see. There are also scams regarding money, as stated above, and using your U.S. bank account to deposit illegal money for these over seas company.

Thank you for this note of warning and investigation. There so many scmas out there... it is hard to really weed out the truly good opportunities.

Do you ever get emails like this rquesting work to be done? Does asking for a deposit kinda weed out these type of scams? Just curious ..

Originally Posted by Stacy

Thank you for this note of warning and investigation. There so many scmas out there... it is hard to really weed out the truly good opportunities. Do you ever get emails like this rquesting work to be done? Does asking for a deposit kinda weed out these type of scams? Just curious ..

Yes I am asked by others to investigate, scams like this, especially if it's something new. I take my time and investigate, before I report anything, I make sure my report is accurate. Feedback with erroneous information could be detrimental to all. Yes I am paid to invesigate, mostly that occurs when my clients feel they're being defraud.

Only one VA have asked and paid for my services, she actually found me through her client.

My site, which is dedicated to Due Diligence, has a resource page with links to the F.B.I and updated list of the scams that are out there.

Remember once a scammer sees they're being found out, they'll change the way they're playing the scam game. So I am ALWAYS, looking.

__________________
Phyllis L
UNIQUELY40, LLC
http://www.uniquely40.com

Thank you Phyllis for your info. I will bookmark your site. Hopefully I will never have to use your services but seems like scams are at a high now with the ease of the internet. Thanks for your work

Great job by Phyllis. It really helps us keeping these spammers away from our inbox.

__________________
Jessie DSouza
www.vibrantaceva.com

Seems there are always new scam attempts going around and at least you have to give them an A for creativity. Here are excerpts of one I've received twice in the last few days from "Kelly Bowman" - note the poor grammar:

How are you doing today ? The Executive/Office Assistant position is still available. I will like to know if you will be interested in working as a personal assistant. I'm looking for someone that can be trusted, reliable, efficient, self motivated, organized, a good communicator, and IT literate.

... businesses of my own particularly in the real estate market and as a private lender. I'm also working for a number of companies within and outside the US as a private eye. I travel very frequently trying to expand my business and sometimes there is a work overload for me, this is the more reason I'm looking to find someone back home [which is where?] who is efficient, self-motivated, organized, a good communicator with an ability to multi-task under pressure and who can help me keep up to date with all of my activities amidst my ever busy schedule.

... I will be personally responsible for your wage and all correspondences, findings and queries would be made and promptly reported to me personally no matter the circumstance. The position is part-time you will need to set up a home-office if you don't have one; we will discuss the costs of setting this up as we move along. Most importantly, you need to have Internet and telephone access,

Your activities as amongst other things will include;* Invoicing, managing accounts receivable and/or customer account collections; * Purchasing needs;
*Handling and monitoring financial activities; * Acting as an alternative telephone correspondence; * Running personal errands [where?], supervisions and monitoring; * Organizing and maintaining diaries, memos and making appointments; * Dealing with incoming email, faxes and post [virtually?]; * A personal reminder for Schedules, programs, flights and keeping me up to date with them as they come up; * General clerical activities.

Your Wage is $550 a week after tax, pay will always be regular, and any extra personal expenses (transport, gas, etc [does that include air fare?) incurred by you while on an errand or otherwise will also be reimbursed by me at the end of each working week.

I'm currently in England, in the mean time we will begin unofficially and on trial pending my arrival because I have a number of important things you could begin work on immediately. Your wage remains intact even during this trial period. I hope you can be available immediately. We will arrange a meeting and set up a proper interview as soon as I return to the states.

I will require the following details [here we go] about you to filter applicants and for a personal record update;

Full Names: Full Contact Address : City: Province: [umm, you say you're in the US] Postal Code: Age: Phone Number (H)
Phone Number (M)

Laughable isn't it? And then there's the one I got yesterday, supposedly from "Craig" at Craigslist saying I'd won a $900 Ipod and "please click here" ... you've got to be kidding! Needless to say, these things just go straight into the trash.

I apologise for the length of this post but hopefully it will save some newer VAs from falling into a nasty trap.

Lynne

__________________
The Wordpro Wizard
www.wordprowizard.com

Originally Posted by Wordpro Wizard

Seems there are always new scam attempts going around and at least you have to give them an A for creativity. Here are excerpts of one I've received twice in the last few days from "Kelly Bowman" - note the poor grammar: How are you doing today ? The Executive/Office Assistant position is still available. I will like to know if you will be interested in working as a personal assistant. I'm looking for someone that can be trusted, reliable, efficient, self motivated, organized, a good communicator, and IT literate. ... businesses of my own particularly in the real estate market and as a private lender. I'm also working for a number of companies within and outside the US as a private eye. I travel very frequently trying to expand my business and sometimes there is a work overload for me, this is the more reason I'm looking to find someone back home [which is where?] who is efficient, self-motivated, organized, a good communicator with an ability to multi-task under pressure and who can help me keep up to date with all of my activities amidst my ever busy schedule. ... I will be personally responsible for your wage and all correspondences, findings and queries would be made and promptly reported to me personally no matter the circumstance. The position is part-time you will need to set up a home-office if you don't have one; we will discuss the costs of setting this up as we move along. Most importantly, you need to have Internet and telephone access, Your activities as amongst other things will include;* Invoicing, managing accounts receivable and/or customer account collections; * Purchasing needs; *Handling and monitoring financial activities; * Acting as an alternative telephone correspondence; * Running personal errands [where?], supervisions and monitoring; * Organizing and maintaining diaries, memos and making appointments; * Dealing with incoming email, faxes and post [virtually?]; * A personal reminder for Schedules, programs, flights and keeping me up to date with them as they come up; * General clerical activities. Your Wage is $550 a week after tax, pay will always be regular, and any extra personal expenses (transport, gas, etc [does that include air fare?) incurred by you while on an errand or otherwise will also be reimbursed by me at the end of each working week. I'm currently in England, in the mean time we will begin unofficially and on trial pending my arrival because I have a number of important things you could begin work on immediately. Your wage remains intact even during this trial period. I hope you can be available immediately. We will arrange a meeting and set up a proper interview as soon as I return to the states. I will require the following details [here we go] about you to filter applicants and for a personal record update; Full Names: Full Contact Address : City: Province: [umm, you say you're in the US] Postal Code: Age: Phone Number (H) Phone Number (M) Laughable isn't it? And then there's the one I got yesterday, supposedly from "Craig" at Craigslist saying I'd won a $900 Ipod and "please click here" ... you've got to be kidding! Needless to say, these things just go straight into the trash. I apologise for the length of this post but hopefully it will save some newer VAs from falling into a nasty trap. Lynne

Thank you for update on the new scam information. These type of people make it hard for us to find hones work.

__________________
Regeana Crumer
Ms. G's Office Solutions

Thanks for the info. I don't understand how people think we are so stupid to fall for the scam. Amazing.

__________________
Kim Adamof
Inbound Marketing Virtual Assistant dot com

Originally Posted by Wordpro Wizard

Seems there are always new scam attempts going around and at least you have to give them an A for creativity. Here are excerpts of one I've received twice in the last few days from "Kelly Bowman" - note the poor grammar: How are you doing today ? The Executive/Office Assistant position is still available. I will like to know if you will be interested in working as a personal assistant. I'm looking for someone that can be trusted, reliable, efficient, self motivated, organized, a good communicator, and IT literate. ... businesses of my own particularly in the real estate market and as a private lender. I'm also working for a number of companies within and outside the US as a private eye. I travel very frequently trying to expand my business and sometimes there is a work overload for me, this is the more reason I'm looking to find someone back home [which is where?] who is efficient, self-motivated, organized, a good communicator with an ability to multi-task under pressure and who can help me keep up to date with all of my activities amidst my ever busy schedule. ... I will be personally responsible for your wage and all correspondences, findings and queries would be made and promptly reported to me personally no matter the circumstance. The position is part-time you will need to set up a home-office if you don't have one; we will discuss the costs of setting this up as we move along. Most importantly, you need to have Internet and telephone access, Your activities as amongst other things will include;* Invoicing, managing accounts receivable and/or customer account collections; * Purchasing needs; *Handling and monitoring financial activities; * Acting as an alternative telephone correspondence; * Running personal errands [where?], supervisions and monitoring; * Organizing and maintaining diaries, memos and making appointments; * Dealing with incoming email, faxes and post [virtually?]; * A personal reminder for Schedules, programs, flights and keeping me up to date with them as they come up; * General clerical activities. Your Wage is $550 a week after tax, pay will always be regular, and any extra personal expenses (transport, gas, etc [does that include air fare?) incurred by you while on an errand or otherwise will also be reimbursed by me at the end of each working week. I'm currently in England, in the mean time we will begin unofficially and on trial pending my arrival because I have a number of important things you could begin work on immediately. Your wage remains intact even during this trial period. I hope you can be available immediately. We will arrange a meeting and set up a proper interview as soon as I return to the states. I will require the following details [here we go] about you to filter applicants and for a personal record update; Full Names: Full Contact Address : City: Province: [umm, you say you're in the US] Postal Code: Age: Phone Number (H) Phone Number (M) Laughable isn't it? And then there's the one I got yesterday, supposedly from "Craig" at Craigslist saying I'd won a $900 Ipod and "please click here" ... you've got to be kidding! Needless to say, these things just go straight into the trash. I apologise for the length of this post but hopefully it will save some newer VAs from falling into a nasty trap. Lynne

The time these scammers take to work on these schemes, if they put the internet to good use, imagine what they'll accomplish. Amazing.

__________________
Phyllis L
UNIQUELY40, LLC
http://www.uniquely40.com

Thanks for sharing these emails.

Whenever I receive emails about job offers, I always check the companies and see where they got my email address. If I know I didn't contact a company for work, I usually mark them as spam. Especially if they do sound like a scam.