Thread: Anyone else hear from "Herbert" recently?

Got this in my inbox this morning:

Dear Tutor,

My name is Herbert Smith from Palm Beach Florida, please with respect
and regards I am writing to know if you will the chance to give my
daughter fundamental and intensive lesson in your professional field
to boast her skills and knowledge? She is 15yrs of age and does not
have any basic knowledge on Belly Dance.

Thanks.

Herbert.

So is the 15-year-old daugther coming to me in Southern California, or am I flying across the country to Florida???

Deborah

I never get tired of these messages!

I heard from Herbert this mornin'. What's his story?

I did, full name Herbert Smith.

Eventually, perhaps, they will get good enough to make us wonder if it is a real request. Luckily now it is *so obvious* that it is a scam that I can comfortably send it straight to the trash!

The poorly used flowery and formal language send me into fits of giggles every time.

The thing is, they're translating directly from another language into english. In other words, first they think (or write) out what they're going to say in their own language and then translate it word for word into english, so they'll do things like place adjectives AFTER nouns etc. That's why these emails always sound so funny. There's some really flowery and corny common phrases in foreign tongues that sound cool in the original language but sound really absurd when translated into english.
I haven't seen a single one of these scam emails that uses correct english...such as someone named Herbert Smith might use.

Regards
Priscilla

LOL! Yep I got that one too. I copied and pasted my usual, "don't offer private lessons at this time, if you are interested in the weekly lessons taught through the city parks and rec please contact city offices" reply. I'm waiting for the day these scammers actually do contact the main office in an attempt to continue to bait the scam.

Originally Posted by Viv

LOL! Yep I got that one too. I copied and pasted my usual, "don't offer private lessons at this time, if you are interested in the weekly lessons taught through the city parks and rec please contact city offices" reply. I'm waiting for the day these scammers actually do contact the main office in an attempt to continue to bait the scam.

Viv, if you successfully bait them and keep a dialogue going, you can submit it to this scammer revenge site!

I love how they choose really funky sounding American-ish names.

Herbert!

Originally Posted by Monica

Viv, if you successfully bait them and keep a dialogue going, you can submit it to this scammer revenge site!

OMG...that is the funniest site. I personally wouldn't want to engage to play the game...but it sure is funny that other people do so. ..l;,..l;,..l;,

I guess I am the only dork on Bhuz since I gave "Herbert" the benefit of the doubt thinking his poor English was just a lack of education and emailed him back. Here's the entire dialog. I wonder what his goal is with this whole thing?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Herbert Smith <smith.awesomelife@gmail.com>

To: smith.awesomelife@gmail.com

Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2008 5:15:53 AM
Subject: Belly Dance Classes


Dear Tutor,

My name is Herbert Smith from Palm Beach Florida, please with respect
and regards I am writing to know if you will the chance to give my
daughter fundamental and intensive lesson in your professional field
to boast her skills and knowledge? She is 15yrs of age and does not
have any basic knowledge on Belly Dance.

Thanks.

Herbert.


On Sat, Nov 22, 2008 at 9:09 PM, Valleri <dancingesquire@yahoo.com> wrote:

My classes are not in Florida. I suggest you look on google to find an instructor in your area.

Good luck!
Vahana



We leave in Florida but that should not worry you ok for I will work it out. I was so amazed with what I saw in your website that was why I choose her to study with you. Please, kindly let me know the cost of this lesson for a month.

Herbert."

Originally Posted by Vahana

I guess I am the only dork on Bhuz since I gave "Herbert" the benefit of the doubt thinking his poor English was just a lack of education and emailed him back. Here's the entire dialog. I wonder what his goal is with this whole thing?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Herbert Smith <smith.awesomelife@gmail.com>

To: smith.awesomelife@gmail.com

Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2008 5:15:53 AM
Subject: Belly Dance Classes


Dear Tutor,

My name is Herbert Smith from Palm Beach Florida, please with respect
and regards I am writing to know if you will the chance to give my
daughter fundamental and intensive lesson in your professional field
to boast her skills and knowledge? She is 15yrs of age and does not
have any basic knowledge on Belly Dance.

Thanks.

Herbert.


On Sat, Nov 22, 2008 at 9:09 PM, Valleri <dancingesquire@yahoo.com> wrote:

My classes are not in Florida. I suggest you look on google to find an instructor in your area.

Good luck!
Vahana



We leave in Florida but that should not worry you ok for I will work it out. I was so amazed with what I saw in your website that was why I choose her to study with you. Please, kindly let me know the cost of this lesson for a month.

Herbert."

No, you're not a dork! Not at all!

I am jealous of you, though -- I got the impression that he had picked me because he was "so amazed with what [he] saw on [my] website that was why [he] chose her to study with [me]."

Of course, the fact that my website is currently down for complete overhaul might have something to do with that . . .

Deborah

Originally Posted by Vahana

I guess I am the only dork on Bhuz since I gave "Herbert" the benefit of the doubt thinking his poor English was just a lack of education and emailed him back. Here's the entire dialog. I wonder what his goal is with this whole thing?

Their goal is, if you were to actually fall for it and give them a price quote of say, $500, they then send you a "check" for some larger amount. They then request you cash the check, keep "your" $500 & return the extra $2000 or whatever to them. Then you're out $2000 plus bank fees after their bogus check bounces.

I just heard from Herbert, apparently he's moved to Peru.

me too! This is what I got today....

My name is Herbert Smith from Peru, my daughter Lucia is interested in learning belly dance that is why I am contacting you. However, I came across your valuable contact at us.bellydanceclasses.net while searching for this course online and was highly amazed with what you posted on the website. I will like you to give her a private lesson on belly dance for a period of one month. Please if that is possible, kindly get back to me with necessary informations like the price etc. to enable me prepare her for the classes.
I hope hearing from you

Herbert

The amazing thing about these types of scams and those with the whole help this foreign prince get his money out of Africa types is that they keep trying because there are still people out there falling for them. Not that long ago the local news here did a story on a woman who fell for the whole Canadian Lottery scam. How anyone can still believe these things is beyond me. I just kept screaming at the TV "you didn't know something was fishy when you realized you never entered the Canadian Lottery?"

People keep falling for it, so they keep trying.

Originally Posted by ravenadesigns

me too! This is what I got today....

My name is Herbert Smith from Peru, my daughter Lucia is interested in learning belly dance that is why I am contacting you. However, I came across your valuable contact at us.bellydanceclasses.net while searching for this course online and was highly amazed with what you posted on the website. I will like you to give her a private lesson on belly dance for a period of one month. Please if that is possible, kindly get back to me with necessary informations like the price etc. to enable me prepare her for the classes.
I hope hearing from you

Herbert

This is the EXACT, word for word email that I got this morning, too.

Plus, if you do fall for this and you do cash the check, then you too are committing fraud and can be arrested and prosecuted.

Originally Posted by Samirah-NH

Their goal is, if you were to actually fall for it and give them a price quote of say, $500, they then send you a "check" for some larger amount. They then request you cash the check, keep "your" $500 & return the extra $2000 or whatever to them. Then you're out $2000 plus bank fees after their bogus check bounces.

I don't get any of these........cr.:

feeling left out...cr.:

Yep, today Herbert is in Peru. I know, because he sent me an email today saying that's where he is.

I feel that I've finally arrived! ..c::

I got "Herberted" a couple days ago. My week is now complete. ..g.:,r:;

Originally Posted by AngelaDiCaprio

I don't get any of these........cr.:

feeling left out...cr.:

Aw shucks, Ang . . . I'm certain that Herb or one of his buds will one day find you and invite you, from 5,000 miles away, to teach his son/daughter how to dance.

It's just a matter of time, really.

Deborah

Originally Posted by casbahdance

Aw shucks, Ang . . . I'm certain that Herb or one of his buds will one day find you and invite you, from 5,000 miles away, to teach his son/daughter how to dance.

It's just a matter of time, really.

Deborah

Oooooooooo goodie goodie goodie!

My bags are packed and ready to go!

My week is complete now too!!..l;,I got Herberted a couple days ago!!!!!