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[bengraven]

So I find a job on Craigslist, right? I get excited because she replies back to me after I send in my resume: "I have many people trying to get this job, so please reply back to me ASAP". Then when I replied back with the information "she" wanted? "You're hired."

I do a dance. People in the "unemployed" thread know that things are really really tough now; we're about to move back in with my inlaws, that's how bad it is. I've been out of work for over a year and a half and I can't get a break. I haven't slept in weeks and I'm starting to seriously worry about my mindset. I need a job desperately.

I'm desperate for work and I always want to believe in the best of people and it shows, because I come up with excuses why the red flags aren't an issue.

So I get this email:

Hello,

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.

My Name is Mrs Sarah Williams, Married with 4 Wonderful children. I run my
family's farm mainly; I also have a lot of investments and businesses
of my own particularly in the real estate market and as a private
lender. I'm also a Certified Payroll Specialist working for a number
of companies within and outside the US as a private eye / analyst in
their payroll activities. 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 who is
efficient,self-motivated, organized, a good communicator with an
ability to multitask under pressure and who can help me keep up to
date with all of my activities midst my ever busy schedule.

It is important for you to note that you are being hired by me
personally not by my family or any other businesses that I represent,
although most of your duties will be related to these businesses, 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, supervisions and monitoring;
* Organizing and maintaining diaries, memos and making appointments;
* Dealing with incoming email, faxes and post;
* 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) 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 now attending a seminar, 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 state.

Due to the excessive number of responses to this job Ad on Craigslist,
I will require the following details about you to filter applicants
and for a personal record update;

Full Names:
Full Contact Address :
City:
Province:
Postal Code:
Age:
Phone Number (H)
Phone Number (M)

Reply back as soon as you receive this email or text me for more
information 262-674-8110

Okay. So basically it really looks kind of shady, but considering the people I've worked with in white collar jobs: some of them can't spell for shit.

So this morning I get a text message that says "let's get started right now, are you okay to do this?" Sure, I'm a stay at home dad, but I can try and get a ride somewhere... "do you have a personal office?" yes. "Do you have a full color, reliable printer?" yes. "What model is your computer?" Well, honestly, it doesn't have a brand - I made it myself. haha "Okay".

Then she asks me to log into Yahoo chat and talk to her. She does all her work over Yahoo chat. Again, not a warning sign, I did an interview and got my last job through an MSN/phone combination and all the work we did was via MSN Messenger: we rarely ever called. We were too busy and "she" said she was a busy person.

I'm getting a weird vibe from her. Very robotic. But again, I've worked in so many white collar jobs that my alert meter didn't go off. She tells me I need to go down the street get some Versacheck #3000 payroll printing paper and some brown envelopes - she was going to start training me how she does things.

Yeah...sounds flakey, but here's the thing:

The look on my wife's face was excitement that I finally got a job. This "woman" was asking me to do some very simple things to get trained in doing my job "before she returned from Europe and we'd meet in her office to work on things".

Now, here's the things that made me wary:

1) her behavior was really robotic. Not a big warning sign, because the picture in the Yahoo square was a cranky looking older woman looking off camera.
2) she didn't require a drug test or a background check? Really? I could just get started right away?
3) it didn't seem to bother her that I was taking forever to get my kid situated, get a ride into town, then found out I bought the wrong printing paper, then have to turn around and drive back, then get back when I said I was going to (I told her 1, I was late and didn't get there until 2pm).
4) biggest red flag: email says 550/week, but she tells me it's going to be 1400/month or 700 every two weeks if I want to, but never gives me that option. She has no information that would be necessary for payroll yet. She has my name, address and phone number.

I don't want to do this. I don't like the feel of it, I'm exhausted emotionally because I need a job and I haven't slept, and worst of all my wife really really wants this to work. I keep sending her my red flags "this doesn't look right" and she's sending me excuses why we should just live with it and do it. I'm only doing this for my family.

But then as I'm installing the software the lady wants me to put on my PC, I decide to google "check cashing work from home". The thing I should have done from the very beginning after being told I was going to need to type out checks. I just don't feel this is legal.

I see this email on a scam site:

(short version)
My name is Dru Williams. I`m an Aircraft Engineer in Boeing Company. I have 10 years experience in Aircraft Engineering and Maintenance, also a small Business owner (properties for renting,party rentals service and electronic store).

YOUR DUTIES:
-Scanning of all documentation
-Bill payments, Order supplies, Make phone calls, Arranges travel.
- Type, copy, printnand fax documents.
-Mailing Official documents to tenant,clients and customers
-Posting job advert on Internet and news papers.
-Payment of Bills
- Managing an Assistant.
- Sourcing and ordering stationery and office equipment,

The post is for 25 hours per week and the rate of pay will be 500 per week

NOTE: This position is a home base office position. You can be in any location and work from home.


I WILL PROVIDE YOU ALL THE NECESSARY OFFICE EQUIPMENT TO USE.

DATE:
FULL NAME:
CURRENT CONTACT ADDRESS:
CITY, STATE AND ZIP-CODE:
CELL PH:
HOME PH:
E-MAIL:
ALTERNATIVE EMAIL:
YAHOO MESSENGER ID:

They even use the same fucking last name and have the same errors in their emails.

So yes, I'm a moron. Yes, this thread is so you can make fun of me and point out how obviously fake it was from the beginning. Give me a tag about how I was basically doing the classic "here's a check, go cash it and keep a few bucks for yourself" only I'd be doing all their work for them, they just collected the money and told me who to send the checks to.

I can take it, I think, despite how angry I am.

TL;DR - OP sees obvious scam but is desperate for work so naively goes along with it, thinking it's legit, only to see the light in the end and be out $38 for gas and office supplies.

 

[sangreal]

The word 'Yahoo' should always send you running

but yeah, this is a pretty common scam and you're not the first gaffer to fall for it

 

[Cyan]

Sorry to hear that, dude.

Why would you think you're a moron? You're exactly the type of person this sort of thing is aimed at: desperate for work and thus wanting to believe. No need to beat yourself up.

Actually, I'm not sure how the scam works here. How do they get money out of you?

 

[Hieberrr]

White collar jobs = NEVER go to those sites.

If you're gonna look for work and shit, hit up Monster, Workopolis, etc...

EDIT: Those are the go to sites. I'm not sure where you are from in the world, but definitely check out the job postings on legitimate job boards. What happened to you sucks, but at least you got out in time and learnt from it.

 

[Baggatoast]

Yeah, craigslist, man.
I almost fell for an online radio scam (not as an artist but as a host).

 

[darkwing]

I don't get this scam, what do they get from this?

 

[PetriP-TNT]

Maybe the Mrs and Mr Williams got divorced and they are just using the same form they made up together while trying to find trustworthy workers? IT STILL COULD BE VERY LEGIT

 

[Bombadil]

So the person who scammed you got what out of it? Office supplies?

 

[brucewaynegretzky]

What did they get from you of value?

 

[GooderThan]

I don't get it, you just bought stuff that you kept for yourself

 

[Instigator]

Your ego was a little bruised and you wasted some time and gas.

You got scammed lightly.

 

[RevDM]

I'm so confused, what are they scamming you for? Free labor?

 

[Stumpokapow]

I don't get it, you just bought stuff that you kept for yourself

1) He bought the paper which he doesn't need, and wasted gas to do it.
2) If he sends out any of the checks, they will bounce and he could be guilty of criminal fraud.

 

[echoshifting]

I don't want to do this. I don't like the feel of it, I'm exhausted emotionally because I need a job and I haven't slept, and worst of all my wife really really wants this to work. I keep sending her my red flags "this doesn't look right" and she's sending me excuses why we should just live with it and do it. I'm only doing this for my family.

Ugh...I've been here. Right here. It is awful. I ended up sifting through many a scam to find work. Happens to the best of us. Sorry man

 

[kehs]

Sounds like you were writing checks you couldn't cash.

 

[Sye d'Burns]

TL;DR - OP sees obvious scam but is desperate for work so naively goes along with it, thinking it's legit, only to see the light in the end and be out $38 for gas and office supplies.

Oh man, talk about a kick in the teeth. The added marital stress only makes it worse. I'm glad you caught on before you were burned badly.

I'm sure it seems trite for me to say but keep your head up.

 

[CrazyDogg77]

Sorry to hear about that man. I don't anybody should bag on you when you're trying to get a job and support your family.

 

[Willkiller]

Don't beat yourself up man, It's hard at the minute. I know, luckily I'm still young and don't have many commitments, for someone with a wife and children etc I can't imagine how stressful it must be.

 

[bubnbob]

You installed software? I'd be scanning my shit with divine justice.

 

[Dark Octave]

That sucks man. I don't feel it's appropriate to make fun of you. I feel bad for you. I put myself in your shoes and it hurts. Best of luck to you man.

Edit: Oh shit Bengraven! My n****! Now I feel even worse for you becasue you are such a cool guy.

 

[bengraven]

Sorry to hear that, dude.

Why would you think you're a moron? You're exactly the type of person this sort of thing is aimed at: desperate for work and thus wanting to believe. No need to beat yourself up.

Actually, I'm not sure how the scam works here. How do they get money out of you?

They don't get money out of me, they get time. I'm assuming that's why they wanted to pay me monthly, not biweekly. Because they would rather I work for them for a full month before they disappear and find another sucker instead of just giving them 2 weeks of my time without paying me.

And I think I'm a moron because I actually believed them. The way they talked to me I was actually convinced it was an older woman who was very busy - my wife works for people similar to her in attitude and doing similar work (only legit - they're lawyers).

Also because I missed the red flag in the first email where she asked me for the "province" i lived in and I actually wondered if it was a test somehow and changed it myself to "state" when I replied back.

So the person who scammed you got what out of it? Office supplies?

They would have gotten work out of me. That's it. I would have been doing their job and using my own money that they promised to reimburse on my checks.

I don't get this scam, what do they get from this?

It's the classic cash checking scheme, only now it's a double scheme. Now they not only scam people who send them money from cashed checks, but they also scam the people who print and ship the checks.

 

[Karsticles]

Actually, I'm not sure how the scam works here. How do they get money out of you?

I'd like to understand this, too.

 

[TheExodu5]

Sorry to hear that, dude.

Why would you think you're a moron? You're exactly the type of person this sort of thing is aimed at: desperate for work and thus wanting to believe. No need to beat yourself up.

Co-signed.

Hope you bounce back.

They don't get money out of me, they get time. I'm assuming that's why they wanted to pay me monthly, not biweekly. Because they would rather I work for them for a full month before they disappear and find another sucker instead of just giving them 2 weeks of my time without paying me.

You also absorb some of the legal responsibility with regards to the scam, since you're essentially acting as a co-conspirator, unknownigly. You're basically a scapegoat.

 

[echoshifting]

Don't forget legal risk, as stump pointed out. That's the scarier prospect here to me, especially for a family man.

 

[Fracas]

Don't feel bad, man. It's most certainly not your fault in this at all. Had I been in your position, I know I would've done the same thing.

 

[Messypandas]

I wouldn't start any job til i had at least met my employer. Although even then dodgy things can go down. Hard times man

 

[Cyan]

It's the classic cash checking scheme, only now it's a double scheme. Now they not only scam people who send them money from cashed checks, but they also scam the people who print and ship the checks.

Ahhh, now I see.

Well, you figured it out in good time, in any case. Chalk it up as a lesson to filter more carefully, and move on.

 

[bengraven]

You installed software? I'd be scanning my shit with divine justice.

It's a legit program I think. That said, I am currently scanning my system just in case. Scrubbing the fuck out of it in fact.

Your ego was a little bruised and you wasted some time and gas.

You got scammed lightly.

I did. It just hurts bad because I'm so desperate. I mean, out of work for 1.5 years, giving up on my career and applying at gas stations and fast food joints, and having to move myself, my wife, and my kid into my shit heel inlaws place in a few weeks is bad enough.

1) He bought the paper which he doesn't need, and wasted gas to do it.
2) If he sends out any of the checks, they will bounce and he could be guilty of criminal fraud.

This was the thing I had to bring up to my wife. She also is desperate for me to find work and I think she was almost willing to keep riding the scam out a bit because she's also at the "I can't sleep, I'm getting delusional" part and then I was like "no, this is fucking illegal".

Ugh...I've been here. Right here. It is awful. I ended up sifting through many a scam to find work. Happens to the best of us. Sorry man

Thanks. I already turned down one job offer from them. I went into an interview for an ADT retailer, then after I was offered the job I went home and googled the company name (they wouldn't give it to me and it's not on Google Maps for that address). I found out they actually buy cheap ADT systems and sell for huge profits, are not licensed to sell them, and occasionally don't pay their sellers ("administration error...we're sorry, we'll fix it on your next check").

Sounds like you were writing checks you couldn't cash.

10/10.

 

[bengraven]

Also, I think another reason I was so oblivious to it being a scam was that I didn't want to do it. The hours were kind of hard to do with a one vehicle family and I was stretching my brain trying to make it work. I almost wanted to lie to my wife and come up with an excuse as to why this job wasn't going to work or that "she decided I wasn't going to work out" and felt guilty about thinking this.

So I think despite wanting it to be a scam, even after realizing it was a scam I made sure and research a bit more because...well, being a scam was almost too good to be true. And I can't think like that when I'm basically desperate.

That sucks man. I don't feel it's appropriate to make fun of you. I feel bad for you. I put myself in your shoes and it hurts. Best of luck to you man.

Edit: Oh shit Bengraven! My n****! Now I feel even worse for you becasue you are such a cool guy.

I thought I was too cool to be scammed though! I think that's why I'm beating myself up about this: not only do I usually consider myself an intelligent person, but I get frustrated when family members fall for less obvious scams than this.

Thanks though!

I wouldn't start any job til i had at least met my employer. Although even then dodgy things can go down. Hard times man

Again, it was really similar to my last job. My last job that I was at for 3 years I got hired all over the phone and MSN Messenger. I walked into the office worried it was a scam, because no one had ever heard of the company. Was a fantastic and profitable job though and didn't cost me office supplies.

Speaking of which, does anyone need a ream of payroll paper? lol

Co-signed.

Hope you bounce back.



You also absorb some of the legal responsibility with regards to the scam, since you're essentially acting as a co-conspirator, unknownigly. You're basically a scapegoat.

Thanks a lot man. But yeah, I actually was thinking of that. I wanted to still believe them after reading the information on, funny enough, Yahoo Answers, but then was like "even if this isn't a scam, I don't want to take a legal risk".

 

[bengraven]

Oh and...

My wife said I should fuck with them, but I was like naaaah, come on.

So I get a text message from them five minutes after logging out of Yahoo Messenger and removing the program because, you know, fuck YM.

"hellO? Where are you"

"I'm sorry, I had to do something quick"

"please click on create new check"

"My kid was playing with my katana blade and I think he cut himself so I need to check that out quick"

"ok" and then "hurry back"

 

[echoshifting]

Oh and...

My wife said I should fuck with them, but I was like naaaah, come on.

So I get a text message from them five minutes after logging out of Yahoo Messenger and removing the program because, you know, fuck YM.

"hellO? Where are you"

"I'm sorry, I had to do something quick"

"please click on create new check"

"My kid was playing with my katana blade and I think he cut himself so I need to check that out quick"

"ok" and then "hurry back"

On behalf of gaf I would like to request future updates on these events

 

[bengraven]

On behalf of gaf I would like to request future updates on these events

I just replied back "Oh he cut it nearly all the way off. Well, anyway, want me to log back into Yahoo?"

 

[RustyNails]

Be grateful you didn't get caught up with multilevel marketing scammers. Those guys are crazy.

 

[Cake Boss]

The first sign should have been when she told you you were hired without even an interview.

Even the crappiest lowest paying blue collar jobs meet with the applicants before they hire.

 

[bengraven]

I"m about to tell "her" how awesome her tits are in the picture on Yahoo.

Then probably tell her something really racist. Just to see what she says.





Edit: Yeah, I know Cakeboss. There were a ton of signs and I'm finding more and more. Some were really subtle.

I honestly believed this was an overworked business woman just because I've worked in white collar jobs for nearly ten years and I've worked with so many robotic people that she fit right in.

Besides, I'm so socially retarded, I just assume if someone is acting strange that it's my fault.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

Had a good buddy lose about $4000 on a computer repair job scam on craigslist. He was also unemployed. Brilliant guy but just hungry to have a job and jumped at the chance....

 

[soultron]

bengraven, just be glad that you had the sense to catch on. Don't blame yourself that you didn't catch it earlier. Your mental state isn't the best right now like you mentioned; you're sleep-deprived, stressed, and your wife is putting a bit of pressure on too.

You saved yourself, your wife, and your family from a world of hurt. That's what matters.

 

[pigeon]

I"m about to tell "her" how awesome her tits are in the picture on Yahoo.

Then probably tell her something really racist. Just to see what she says.

Ask her for the names and ages of her kids and what they do around the farm. She runs a farm, right?

 

[bengraven]

Had a good buddy lose about $4000 on a computer repair job scam on craigslist. He was also unemployed. Brilliant guy but just hungry to have a job and jumped at the chance....

I've seen those jobs and passed them up because my computer knowledge is getting extremely rusty. Good to know and I'm sorry for what happened to him.

My mom called me one day saying she was a bit nervous because her loan wasn't in yet. "What loan," I asked her. "The $15,000 loan from [company]".

I looked up the company and the BBB in MN and WI were already aware of them. So I asked my mom, "well you didn't send them anything right?" She started kind of crying and said, "I sent them $1200 but that was just to pay off the first installment..."

My heart dropped. I told her she was scammed, that no loan was going to arrive, but without telling her the thing she already knew: that the 1200 was gone. She started sobbing but saying she would still keep trying.

It was like someone who was on a beach counting every grain of sand, then a wind blows and they start over again.

She was thankfully over it a week later and angry - we contacted the FBI in Wisconsin but we were never able to get anything back - the guys disappeared.

bengraven, just be glad that you had the sense to catch on. Don't blame yourself that you didn't catch it earlier. Your mental state isn't the best right now like you mentioned; you're sleep-deprived, stressed, and your wife is putting a bit of pressure on too.

You saved yourself, your wife, and your family from a world of hurt. That's what matters.

My kid just woke up from his nap and was happy and bouncing, happy to see me and that kind of helped my guilt a lot. I didn't get to spend much time with him today because I spent it all worrying about getting everything right for this job and now I can give him my undivided attention.

 

[Bentles]

Ah that sucks. Should have searched some of the content of the email in quotes if you were uncertain. Generally scams get posted somewhere online. Oh well.

 

[bengraven]

A friend of mine just told me I should write "51 Shades of Grey" and my money issues would be done. haha

Ask her for the names and ages of her kids and what they do around the farm. She runs a farm, right?

That might be the only correct part. Maybe the farm is in Siberia.

You know, I actually tried to call her today, too, but Verizon wouldn't let me call the number. Maybe because it was international, maybe because they only have a text plan. But man would that have been awkward if someone picked up.

Ah that sucks. Should have searched some of the content of the email in quotes if you were uncertain. Generally scams get posted somewhere online. Oh well.

It was definitely a lesson learned. I'm pretty good at exposing scams; I'm one of the more suspicious people and that's why I had to share this crap, because I got got.

 

[Nevasleep]

Flirt with her, then get the pics.

So what exactly is the scam? Writing checks in her name, for ebay or what?

 

[bengraven]

Flirt with her, then get the pics.

So what exactly is the scam? Writing checks in her name, for ebay or what?

She won't respond back and I logged off for 20 minutes, so I'm assuming this is the part where they know they've been found out and know I'm basically fucking with them. Too bad, I had some great stuff to try out on them.

And yeah, you print out the payroll checks and send them to people who will then cash the checks. After the check is cashed, the person who received it takes a piece for themselves and ships it back to the scam artists.

So not only would my part cost me money, but I don't even get a little taste before going to jail.

 

[ephemeral garbage]

OP, good call on eventually following through with your suspicions and googling. And don't feel too bad. I am not personally in your situation and as you described it, it sounded at least plausible to me (possibly because of the other assorted job duties like personal errands and bookkeeping etc), I can't imagine how it would have sounded if I was desperate for it to work (and had a partner desperate for it to work).

I hope things work out for you soon

 

[bengraven]

OP, good call on eventually following through with your suspicions and googling. And don't feel too bad. I am not personally in your situation and as you described it, it sounded at least plausible to me (possibly because of the other assorted job duties like personal errands and bookkeeping etc), I can't imagine how it would have sounded if I was desperate for it to work (and had a partner desperate for it to work).

I hope things work out for you soon

Thanks.

Totally fucking with her now.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

I don't blame you man. The economy is shit and everyone's desperate. I hope you find something real. Best of luck to you and your family.

 

[RedSwirl]

Is it even worth looking on Craigslist? Serious question.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

You're being unreasonably hard on yourself, OP. You're desperate and need a job bad. A lot of people would have fallen for this. In these times, that's going to happen. At least you caught it in time.

I had a employment agency called Avion contact me awhile back and made me go through tests and phone interviews for a job at UPS tech support over about over 2 weeks only to be finally informed they had "better candidates" and that is after I was almost assured the job. Thing is, my friend had the same job about a year or two ago and did not have to jump through hoops to get it. He was pretty much hired and I'm easily if not slightly more qualified than he is for this. He also had a record (DUI) and have none. Was so pissed because it was decent paying. I'm still unemployed and broke.

 

[bengraven]

Is it even worth looking on Craigslist? Serious question.

There are some legit things. Or so I thought. Most of the "customer service" jobs are actually disguised door-to-door businesses.

It's funny to see escort or cam "whore" jobs on there, though, the same place I'm trying to find legit work.

You're being unreasonably hard on yourself, OP. You're desperate and need a job bad. A lot of people would have fallen for this. In these times, that's going to happen. At least you caught it in time.

I had a employment agency called Avion contact me awhile back and made me go through tests and phone interviews for a job at UPS tech support over about over 2 weeks only to be finally informed they had "better candidates" and that is after I was almost assured the job. Thing is, my friend had the same job about a year or two ago and did not have to jump through hoops to get it. He was pretty much hired and I'm easily if not slightly more qualified than he is for this. He also had a record (DUI) and have none. Was so pissed because it was decent paying. I'm still unemployed and broke.

This, what you just said in the second paragraph is my life right now. Except I've only had four actual interviews in the last year and a half. One was a scam, two said they found better candidates and I never called the other back because they wanted me to relocate to their city without reimbursing me.

 

[zoku88]

It's especially crappy to prey on those who are already having a tough time and are desperate.