Hi listers,
I have spent a bit of time this week dealing with somebody trying to
scam me. I believe theygot my name and email off the Hornplayer.net
teacher listing.
In March I got an email asking if this gent's son could take lessons
from me how much would it cost. I sensed right away that something
was wrong as the mail had .UK in the address - and I'm in California.
I sent him an answer with my usual questions, including what
experience the kid had and what kind of horn he played.
I got numerous emails from this guy, and he never answered the
questions. He said that a relative owed him a large sum of money and
as soon as he got it he'd send me a check to cover the cost of
lessons. Now you know something is wrong.
He sent a mail asking for my mailing address so he could send me the
check. It's a good thing I fell off the turnip truck more than a year
ago. I sent him the address of the University where I teach. I also
asked where the young man would stay here in California. No answer to
that one...
On Tuesday I found an envelope in my mail box from him. It had been
sent from the Netherlands. Inside were three US International Postal
Money Orders, each for $970.
I went home and my wife and I discussed what the guy was trying to
do. Our first thoughts were money laundering or simply that the guy
would want me to deposit the checks and as soon as I had, he would
ask me for a personal check to refund some or all of it.
The next morning when I checked my email, whaddya know, there's an
urgent message from him. He had sent me the large amount of money
because he didn't trust his son to handle it himself. But horror -
his uncle was in a terrible accident and he needed all the money back
right away.
I took the checks and a copy of the emails to a local law enforcement
office and have been in touch with the USPS Postal Inspection
Service. After learning what an International Postal Money Order is
supposed to look like, these are obviously counterfeit.
The guy called me that morning. He asked me if I had read his mail
and I said no. He didn't mention anything to me about the accident or
needing the money back. He asked the same questions over and over.
Had I deposited the checks yet? Had I read his mail? I kept saying no
and he kept urging me to do it immediately.
Since then he has called dozens of times. He is going to stop now and
all is going to be well - with us.
The lessons as usual are not to trust strangers, never give out your
phone number over the net and if it seems too good to be true....
I hope I have spared someone the moronic tragedy of helping out
someone like this - helping them to your money that is!
Scott
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