Virtual Assistant Forums | Work from Home

Becky Noblick VA · #1 (**permalink**) 03-16-2009

I wrote this gentleman back with a form of questions to fill out and he said the following:
"Where are you located? I would love to meet up with you to talk about this job but I am currently away on business. I am in Australia so there will be no interview. I will prepay you in advance to do my shopping. I will also have my mails and packages forwarded to your address. If you will be unable to stay at your house to get my mails, I can have it shipped to a post office near you and then you can pick it up at your convenience. When you get my mails/packages; you are required to mail them to where I want them mailed to. You don't have to put money out of your pocket, all you have to do is have packages shipped to your house and do my shopping. You are allowed to open the packages to reveal its content. The content of the packages are computer and electronics, clothings business and personal letters. All expenses and taxes will be covered by me. You will work between 15 and 20hrs a month. How much will you charge per month? I will pay $x. That is not a bad offer is it? I need your service because I am constantly out of town. I work in real estate and I own an Art Gallery in Australia. I will return to America in March so this process will be on going till then. If you don't mind, I will meet up with you when I return and then we can talk about the possibility of making this long term. Well, let me know if you are able to handle the position.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Earl.
Sounds a little fishy......what does everyone else think?

bluewaterbusiness · #2 (**permalink**) 03-16-2009

It does sound fishy... I would ask for local references, the name of his Art Gallery etc and really research him. If you decide to go for it, I would definitely not give out your home address and have a signed contract regarding liability, as well as PREPAYMENT/RETAINER. You would have to spend quite a bit of time checking on the need for a broker for importing/exporting laws to/from Australia.
Overall, I would suggest he just have everything forwarded directly to him. That is what we did when we split our time between 2 countries. Yes, it takes time to have it forwarded, but no longer than you opening the packages, repackaging them and sending them off. The more I think about it, the more inclined I would be to decline.

Becky Noblick VA · #3 (**permalink**) 03-16-2009

I think I'll take your advice and not do it Angie because I keep thinking to myself it seems fishy-so it probably is. And I just noticed in his e-mail he said he was returning to America in March-um, it is March. He never addressed me by name and the form would not have taken more time to fill out than his response. Thanks for the info, I never thought about having to look into importing and exporting laws. Recieving any kind of package on behalf of someone else makes me nervous anyway. Thanks again!