Thread: Is this is scam?

I hate to clutter the forum up with this kind of question, especially if it IS another scam, and my gut feeling is screaming that it is. I think I'm just not going to respond, but when these scammers finally learn decent grammar, what would be the easiest question/request I could ask them that would reveal their true colors? Payment in full upfront perhaps? ;-)
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Hello,

I'm looking for an experienced choreograph/Dance Instructor that could take about 12 individual for a dance training? What can your establishment offer with regards to the request above?

I would like to know what is required cost implication and any other thing that will be require for a successful training for at least four weeks between the month of September and October 2009.
Kindly get back to me if you can offer any tin by a return mail via this email with details.

Best regards,
Jones Watson

Hi Sidonia,

I got the same email (or similar) a couple days ago, assumed it was a scam.

All the earmarks of a scam. An unlikely project that would be unusually lucrative for a dance instructor is always the biggest clue. They're hoping to appeal to your greed, so you'll willingly suspend your tingling spidey sense.

Then there's the lack of details about you or why they would have chosen you - not even an indication that they're local to you.
(lately I've gotten some that try to cover this with a general praise and flattery about how I obviously love teaching dance -- ptooey. They haven't even done obvious things like create a mail merge with my city name and style of dance.)

Email has been deleted. ::sigh:: If only these kind of emails weren't scams, oh the costumes I could afford. :-/

Ha ha haaaaaa! I was just about to post about this. Guess its a scam!

I got it too :(

yeah, i get these all the time too. i've started messing with them.
i reply that i'd be happy to do it but require $3,000 per student, cash paid in advance, non-refundable. really confuses them. haha

I got that email this morning. I re-read it more than the usual scam, but concluded it was one and deleted it. scam scam scam.

I knew this would be here!

I just got this email today and I read it to my husband thinking it seemed a little "odd". He (being the non-dancing male that he is) didn't seem to think anything was strange about it so I went ahead and replied asking for more information on what she expected to get out of this "training".

-sigh- I should have trusted my gut or checked bhuz before doing anything.

You know... I've never gotten an email scam about dance before. What is the purpose? Just being annoying or are they actually out to get something from me??? I don't see any point in sending emails like this or how it could be beneficial to the "scammer"

They negotiate a deal where you're going to be paid handsomely -- let's say $10,000. You're excited. Then they send you a cashiers' check, but oops! They've accidentally overpaid you by $20,000.00 which was supposed to go to the [insert plausible related profession here].

Could you please take the cashier's check to your bank and cash it, keep your $10,000, but forward the rest to the [other person] by Western Union?

If you do so, your bank will be in touch with you soon to tell you that you've deposited a bogus check, your account has been debited by $30,000 and you're now overdrawn.

No way to trace or recover the money you wired to an unknown recipient who undoubtedly doesn't exist.

This is also a common e-bay scam, by the way. Be aware!

I just got another email from them (?), saying they are waiting for a reply...

Originally Posted by AnnaTX

I just got another email from them (?), saying they are waiting for a reply...

I did too. THis is one persistent scammer!

Haha me too. The nerve!!!


Hello,

Please do get back to me with with details required?

Regards.
Jones Watson.

I got that too, I replied with some random amount per person just to see what they'd say. This is the email I just got back:
(I really wish there was some way to "scam" them and make them wish they weren't doing this...)

Greetings,

Thanks for your reply. I am glad to tell you that cost and conditions of your offer are acceptable by us and we are willing to make a deposit payment immediately.

Due to our acceptance, I have concluded payment with the credit card details. I have been instructed to pay you for your services and provision of a language translator whom would be able to translate every word to some of the members that do not speak English language. I have arranged this with a linguist who is willing to undertake these responsibilities on our behalf.

He would be with them throughout our stay with you.I will send you my credit card details when I receive your confirmation email so that you would charge as agreed/authorized by the group.

However upon the receipt of my credit card, confirm that you will charge as follows:
Charge a 5,000 USD deposit for your services plus the sum of 9,000 USD for the translator. After the charges have been made and the fund cleared into your account, you take the 5000 USD deposit for your services while you send the 14,000 USD for the Translator to enable him take care of other travel logistics like travel insurance, ticketing etc.

I really need you to make the charges for the Translator as he does not have a credit card processing machines.

Confirm this and provide me with the following:
Your full name/address
Name of the Manager/Owner
Telephone and fax numbers

Regards,
Jones Watson.
Phone # +447031860718
+447024019940

My reply (I'm just entertaining myself now...)

Well aren't you in luck! I actually have a translator (fluent in 15 different languages!) who works exclusively for my studio as I do trainings like this quite often. It is included in the service, so you will not need to worry about paying a translator to come stay with your girls. In regards to the dance training- I require a 10% deposit to book the space/time via paypal or money order. The other 90% is due the first day of the service. If for some reason you would rather use your own translator, I'm sorry but you will need to send them a check separately as I did not agree to be in charge of such thing.

You can paypal the $1,150.00 deposit to FitFusion@gmail.com and once payment has been recieved I can book your spot in the 4 week training program and give you directions to the studio.

Thank you,
P.Nadirah

Wow, they used a UK cell number on that...they language use on that is clearly suspect....wrong grammar/word choice for a start...it just seems so clumsy....dead give-away that its a scam...

I've been receiving this one one to two times a day for the past two weeks or so. The name of the requester changes, occasionally one or two details, but it's the same. Big ol scam, definitely. And while I love the idea of messing with them back, I suspect that response email you received is probably automatically generated and no one's really reading your email anyway.

I dunno, they seem to have left me alone. I kept getting those "please send more details/waiting for your response" things...-sigh-

They switched email addresses halfway through them. JonesWatson01@yahoo.com and JonesWatson02@yahoo.com

Got a new one this morning. Twice in one week, I think this means I have arrived!!! Lucky me. I wonder if this is the same person. I'd really like to tell them that they are wasting their time spamming us but maybe it's just better to ignore it completely?

Compliments of the day,
I'm looking for an experienced Dance Instructor that could take about
7 individuals for a dance training? What can your establishment offer
with regards to the request above?
I would like to know what is required cost implication and any other
thing that will be require for a successful training for at least 8
weeks scheduled to begin September 3rd 2009.
Time .3 hours each day
kindly get back to me if you can offer any thing by a return mail via
my direct email (connor.charles113@yahoo.com)with details.
Date:september, thursday 3rd to 22nd october
Time: 8.30pm - 10.30pm
Duration: 8 weeks
Best regards,
Connor Charles
+447045782803

I think you guys shoud report them to the authorities. Someone is probably going for it as we speak.

I got fed up of receiving the Alvin Baird set 3 or 4 times daily. I replied back once with

"stop sending me your stupid email scams'

Haven't had a one since.

There is a live person on the other side.

I have a few cop friends... not sure what they could do about it but i'll mention it and see what they say

Well, mine was from Paul Schuller today and he wanted training (with a choreo) 6 days a week, 2-4 hours a day for three weeks, as his group of 12 would be performing at a wedding and he wanted them to be entertaining for the wedding guests. He wanted to know if I taught any of the following: ballet (of course ballerinas can be trained -- on toe -- in 72 hours!), belly dance, salsa, and a couple more I can't remember now.

Oh! He also wanted to know if I had a credit card machine at my place of business. Where's the "red flag" icon when you need it???

You know, a project like that would be fun, and a challenge. If only it were legitimate . . .

Deborah

I wonder who comes up with these scams? A group of bored con artists sitting around for coffee, saying to themselves, "We're bored with scamming old ladies. Let's try it with bellydancers..." ??

Originally Posted by lallakahina

I wonder who comes up with these scams? A group of bored con artists sitting around for coffee, saying to themselves, "We're bored with scamming old ladies. Let's try it with bellydancers..." ??

Good one, lallakahina!

Deborah

I think the really sad thing is that there must be someone out there falling for it otherwise they would give up and start a new one. Every year there is someone on the news here that is shocked that they didn't really win the Canadian lottery with out entering!

Originally Posted by Linnyg

I think the really sad thing is that there must be someone out there falling for it otherwise they would give up and start a new one. Every year there is someone on the news here that is shocked that they didn't really win the Canadian lottery with out entering!

Yes people are absolutely falling for it.

I heard a great NPR story about scammers who scam scammers. Ya'll should check it out. :-)

Well, Paul Schuller (it's "Peter," actually -- I got my Peters and my Pauls mixed up for a minute) emailed me again today!

This time, he wants about 75 hours of instruction over 11 weeks just for the enrichment and "entertainment" of the persons involved, rather than these persons needing a dance to entertain at a wedding.

No mention of a credit card machine in this one, but he did want me to scope out hotel rates for him.

..l;,..l;,..l;,

Deborah