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Assistance in relocating - scam?
Thread poster: Ine Ramaekers
Ine Ramaekers
Ine Ramaekers  Identity Verified
Belgium
Local time: 17:32
English to Dutch
+ ...
Mar 13, 2016

A few days ago, I received an email from someone planning to relocate from Wisconsin to Belgium who would need assistance from someone who spoke English.

Did anybody else get a similar email? Mine came from Proz.com specifically.

I looked up the phone number they provided and found several comments mentioning similar job offers with different names and locations (although always from Wisconsin, where the phone number is from). It would seem this is an obvious scam.


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 16:32
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
It does look like a scam, Mar 13, 2016

but have you any other detail regarding the why this person is coming to Belgium? Is this for work? If yes, where exactly?

 
Matthias Brombach
Matthias Brombach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:32
Member (2007)
Dutch to German
+ ...
gmail? Mar 13, 2016

I suppose it is a gmail address of which the IP cannot be traced? Also, have a look into the "visitors" section on your proz profil for some strange IP adresses originating from Gaza, Nigeria etc. and match the visit time with the receiving time of the email.

 
Ine Ramaekers
Ine Ramaekers  Identity Verified
Belgium
Local time: 17:32
English to Dutch
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Just sounds sketchy.. Mar 13, 2016

They are supposedly looking to relocate to Belgium for retirement. Not much extra info is given, they ask for your phone number and such first.

But if you look up the phone number, you can find reports of similar offers, but with different names and different locations, but always the same phone number. Also, the way it is written and the amounts that would be paid, give off a scammy vibe.

And it is indeed a gmail address.


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 17:32
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Check the name and/or address in the scammers directory Mar 13, 2016

http://www.translator-scammers.com/

 
Robert Forstag
Robert Forstag  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:32
Spanish to English
+ ...
Almost certainly a scam Mar 13, 2016

I think that your instincts are right on target here.

Most likely, the e-mail is intended to serve as a set-up for an overpayment scam.


 
Katarzyna Slowikova
Katarzyna Slowikova  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:32
English to Czech
+ ...
Old trick Mar 13, 2016

It's one of those copy paste scam stories, you'll definitely google lots of identical attempts if you try.
As far as I remember, it ends (or begins, if you're gullible enough) with a phony check being sent.
Delete and forget.


 
Maria S. Loose, LL.M.
Maria S. Loose, LL.M.  Identity Verified
Belgium
Local time: 17:32
German to English
+ ...
Same e-mail Mar 13, 2016

I received the same e-mail and deleted it immediately.

[Edited at 2016-03-13 22:54 GMT]


 
Olga Bobrowska - Braccini
Olga Bobrowska - Braccini  Identity Verified
Switzerland
Local time: 17:32
Member
Italian to Polish
+ ...
also other locations Mar 14, 2016

In my case, they plan to relocate to Switzerland and the message came directly from ProZ.com
A gmail e-mail address, reported as e-mail scam on http://ems65.blogspot.ch/2015_10_01_archive.html, but the blog doesn't seem very credible.
No telephone number provided.
The indicated sender's profile doesn't exist on ProZ.


 
Anke Jargot
Anke Jargot
France
Local time: 17:32
English to German
+ ...
assistant for relocating, but to France...it's most certainly a scam Dec 5, 2016

Hi, I received a similar mail from a person wanting to relocate to France "please respond to this email with your mobile phone number and your present city in France." made me think twice.
I copy-paste here for reference. I am sure this is scam, and will not answer.

-----Message d'origine-----
De : xxx
Envoyé : lundi 5 décembre 2016 20:51
À : ProZ.com Member
Objet : ASSISTANT

Bonjour,

I recently read your resume on proz.c
... See more
Hi, I received a similar mail from a person wanting to relocate to France "please respond to this email with your mobile phone number and your present city in France." made me think twice.
I copy-paste here for reference. I am sure this is scam, and will not answer.

-----Message d'origine-----
De : xxx
Envoyé : lundi 5 décembre 2016 20:51
À : ProZ.com Member
Objet : ASSISTANT

Bonjour,

I recently read your resume on proz.com.
It states you can communicate in the English Language hence my reason for contacting you.

I and my wife have the intention to relocate to France in six weeks from the USA and we need some assistance in the logistics of this transition.

We require an honest and reliable person who adheres strictly to instructions.
Here is an outline of the role. Organizing Airport Pickups, pay bills, Vehicle Hire, Insurance, Organizing diaries, hotel reservations & General assistant.
The tasks would be delegated when needed.

You do not require prior experience or a driver’s license to qualify for this role.
The duties would be to guide us in the relocating process and assist us basically in anything we are required to do prior to our arrival in France.

I and my wife have agreed to pay Five Hundred Euros weekly because all the task would be done in your spare time.

The full itinerary will be passed on as soon as all arrangements have been concluded.

If you are interested in this role, please respond to this email with your mobile phone number and your present city in France.


After this, you would be contacted by telephone and email if we are interested in working with you.

Please feel free to contact me for more information if needed.

I look forward to your response.

Yours Sincerely,

xxxx




[Bearbeitet am 2016-12-05 20:15 GMT]
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Alejandro Cavalitto
Alejandro Cavalitto  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 13:32
Member (2008)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Thank you for reporting this Dec 7, 2016

Hello Anke,

Thank you for reporting this. I confirm this is a scam. The sender has been removed and blocked from ProZ.com. I have also sent out an alert through the scam alert center, ... See more
Hello Anke,

Thank you for reporting this. I confirm this is a scam. The sender has been removed and blocked from ProZ.com. I have also sent out an alert through the scam alert center, http://www.proz.com/about/translator-scam-alerts

You can see the alert at http://wiki.proz.com/wiki/index.php/Translator_scam_alert_reports#December_7.2C_2016:_Advance_payment_scam_under_name_.22JAMES_COOGLER.22

Best regards,
Alejandro
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Krista Reder
Krista Reder
France
Local time: 17:32
French to English
I can confirm it's a scam Dec 9, 2016

I received the same message, but for a different country.

I actually investigated it a bit further by asking the person for more details. They responded with a second email, where the laid out the details of the "job". It was basically a fake check scam, where they'd send you a check that you are to use for your first paycheck but also to send payments to an insurance company in the UK.

These kinds of scams are apparently pretty common, and they work by having the che
... See more
I received the same message, but for a different country.

I actually investigated it a bit further by asking the person for more details. They responded with a second email, where the laid out the details of the "job". It was basically a fake check scam, where they'd send you a check that you are to use for your first paycheck but also to send payments to an insurance company in the UK.

These kinds of scams are apparently pretty common, and they work by having the check bounce after you have made a payment, so you lose money and end up possibly being investigated for your involvement in check fraud.

Have a good day!
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Gijs Van Breugel
Gijs Van Breugel
France
Local time: 17:32
Dutch to French
+ ...
Indeed a Scam Jan 7, 2017

Sorry to say that I did indeed fell into the trap : He/she/it sent me quite some genuine looking emails and even a contract with the details of the job. Then I received a cheque de banque, which was indeed a forgery.
Luckily I didn't do any work yet - and I have a sharp eye for these things, but they become more and more assertive.




Anke Jargot wrote:

Hi, I received a similar mail from a person wanting to relocate to France "please respond to this email with your mobile phone number and your present city in France." made me think twice.
I copy-paste here for reference. I am sure this is scam, and will not answer.

-----Message d'origine-----
De : xxx
Envoyé : lundi 5 décembre 2016 20:51
À : ProZ.com Member
Objet : ASSISTANT

Bonjour,

I recently read your resume on proz.com.
It states you can communicate in the English Language hence my reason for contacting you.

I and my wife have the intention to relocate to France in six weeks from the USA and we need some assistance in the logistics of this transition.

We require an honest and reliable person who adheres strictly to instructions.
Here is an outline of the role. Organizing Airport Pickups, pay bills, Vehicle Hire, Insurance, Organizing diaries, hotel reservations & General assistant.
The tasks would be delegated when needed.

You do not require prior experience or a driver’s license to qualify for this role.
The duties would be to guide us in the relocating process and assist us basically in anything we are required to do prior to our arrival in France.

I and my wife have agreed to pay Five Hundred Euros weekly because all the task would be done in your spare time.

The full itinerary will be passed on as soon as all arrangements have been concluded.

If you are interested in this role, please respond to this email with your mobile phone number and your present city in France.


After this, you would be contacted by telephone and email if we are interested in working with you.

Please feel free to contact me for more information if needed.

I look forward to your response.

Yours Sincerely,

xxxx




[Bearbeitet am 2016-12-05 20:15 GMT]


 
Thomas Pfann
Thomas Pfann  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:32
Member (2006)
English to German
+ ...
Relocation scam again? May 8, 2017

There seems to be another one of those 'relocation help' emails being sent out via the ProZ.com directory. The sender is a member whose newly setup profile contains hardly any info. Claims to be from Los Angeles, IP address points to Paris/France.

I already reported it as a possible scam. Just wanted to make members aware.

The text of the email is as follows (subject line is "UK") and the email was sent out last night:

------------
Hello,
... See more
There seems to be another one of those 'relocation help' emails being sent out via the ProZ.com directory. The sender is a member whose newly setup profile contains hardly any info. Claims to be from Los Angeles, IP address points to Paris/France.

I already reported it as a possible scam. Just wanted to make members aware.

The text of the email is as follows (subject line is "UK") and the email was sent out last night:

------------
Hello,

I am relocating to the UK and we need help for this process.
Can you please assist us during this process?
What city are you located?
We are willing to pay for your services.


Cheers.
------------



Note added at 2017-05-08 09:02 GMT: ProZ.com support already took action and deleted the sender's profile.

[Edited at 2017-05-08 09:03 GMT]
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Manolito71
Manolito71
Local time: 12:32
French to English
+ ...
Ditto Jul 16, 2017

I semi fell for it. Filled in a contract but told "David Lerman from the UK" to use e-Transfer rather than give him my banking info. Never heard from him again.

He got back to me insisting I give him my banking info as it was faster (than e-Transfer??) so I suggested PayPal, stating it was rather quick and would protect both our accounts.

The email came back as undeliverable.

[Edited at 2017-07-17 18:14 GMT]


 
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Assistance in relocating - scam?







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