Scams Targeting Care.com & SitterCity.com Members Again in 2018
We’ve written several articles since 2015 about advance-check scams that have targeted hundreds of users of Care.com, SitterCity.com and similar websites. And then these scams seemed to quiet down a lot through much of 2018. They now appear to be coming back. Below are two similar scams sent us to by a woman on November 11, 2018.
We remind readers that NO LEGITIMATE person is going to hire you without meeting you, or at least without having several Skype or Facetime video chats. NO LEGITIMATE person is going to send you a check in advance and tell you to deduct your first week’s pay from it, and use the rest to make purchases on their behalf. And it doesn’t matter HOW REAL this check will look!
Also, notice the awkward English used in these email scams. That’s because the criminals perpetrating this fraud are generally not native English speakers. Many are actually from Nigeria. In these two scam emails below are a few “poker tells” that point directly to Nigerian Scammers. They include phrases like… “We are relocating to your State from…” or “We are in the process of relocating to your area…” “I will instruct him to pay for the first week upfront before my arrival so as to secure your service” “I attend the catholic” “God bless”
SCAM 1:
From: Anna Fredrick <annafredrickfamily111 “@” gmail.com> Date: Sat, Nov 10, 2018, 8:53 AM Subject: I need a Housekeeper To: [EMAIL REDACTED]
Hello Thanks for your responding to my Text, Am Mr Gary Fredrick and my wife’s name is Mrs Anna Fredrick, she’s 7 months and two weeks pregnant and this is our first baby.. We are relocating to your State from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I will be coming there to work on contract basis with United States Environmental Protection Agency on a private research work. So i need someone who could help me take care of house by doing some house work while am off to work. Someone that will also help in running some errands. I will be offering you $400 weekly; I will need your services for three hours at any suitable time of yours, Bi-weekly, on weekends, either Saturdays or Sundays. I believe you are fit for this position in as much you will prove yourself to be a reliable and good person.
We have a financier that is based in the states and he will be handling the payment and some other expenses. So he will be the one that will be taking care of your payment. I will instruct him to pay for the first week upfront before my arrival so as to secure your service, actually I should have paid for months but I will extend the payment if am satisfied with your service after the first month. My financier will be making out a Check payment to you before my arrival, you will be receiving an authorized Check payment out which you will be deducting your payment for the first WEEK and you will be using the remaining to buy food stuffs and other things needed in the house. You will be getting this food stuffs on the day of our arrival which is 30th of NOVEMBER 2018. Actually all flights from Oklahoma arrives at nights so you will be getting the food stuff in the morning and making all other preparations. I will also instruct my estate agent to mail the keys of the apartment to you so that you can do all other necessary preparations before we arrive. I will also email you the shopping list. You have to get all this shopping before our arrival so that we won’t have to start running around when we arrive. So my financier would need the following Information to make out the payments.
Full Name Address Apt / Suite / Other City State Zip Code Mobile Number # BEST TIME TO CALL: AGE: Do you accept my offer?
All i need from you is total honesty and sincerity. I know you will be committed to the work. You will also have a nice period of working with my wife. i will be looking forward to hearing from you ASAP
Thank You
=========================================================
SCAM 2: From: Wayne Cohen <Aabbb1001@gmail.com> Date: Sun, Nov 11, 2018, 8:49 PM Subject: Re: You have a new message from Wayne. To: [EMAIL REDACTED]
Hello How is your day going? Thanks for your response, I am glad to read from you. I am a Father 3, Chris, Emmanuel and Sharon, they are 6 yrs, 3yrs and 8 month respectively.I attended Chicago School for the Deaf where I achieved my highest qualification. I have my own business (Self Employed). I attend the catholic. We are in the process of relocating to your area. I am 39 and I am hard of hearing. I work based on the development and counseling of the deaf people in the community, I am moving to your area in few weeks with my adorable dog and I really need a honest and responsible care for my pet. Danny he is cute and adorable he is very friendly and playful. he is also very much comfortable with other dogs and cat too he enjoys being indoors with us. Going for walks Danny is very favorite activity. he plays well with other dogs too. Danny is house trained and crate trained…. and have contacted a suppliers for the dog Cage, toys, blankets,food,bed.and other things you will care for him starting 8th of December I will appreciate if you can tell me a few things about yourself and maybe attach one or two pictures of you, below are your duties:
House Sitting,Mail/Newspaper Retrieval,Watering Plants,Pet Sitting/walking,Daily Feeding
This could be a temporary/permanent job. It depends on what your schedule looks like and also i will like you to know the hours are flexible but I do like to be sure if you are available the first month. I made some research on the wages for your service and I have decided to start with $30 per hour and as time goes we can negotiate on a new pay as my dog get along with you. I want to inform you that I have a seminar I will be attending to as soon as I arrive and will be having an interview section with you immediately I arrive with my Dog. Also I will like to include your pay to our payroll for the period just to have you booked down and secure for my Pet. I will be needing the following information below to issue out the check to you and I need your direct mobile number so I can text you in case I need to pass an urgent information:
Full Name: Address: Apt: City: State: Zip Code: Phone #:
I have made some arrangements with the dog utility suppliers, so as soon as you get the payment, you will deduct your first week pay and have the rest sent to the dog utility suppliers as soon as the check clears, I hope my Dog will have the best of time while is in your care and I hope you will treat him right just like yours. Get back to me as I have a lot of issue to put in place prior to my arrival. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Thank you and God bless.
=====================================================
Below are links to our many other articles about these scams:
Scams Against Care.com Members Again!
Scams Targeting Care.com Users Again!