Does this job sound like a scam?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

hi everyone,

i am a nursing student looking for work while i put myself through school. i saw an ad on craigslist (i have never used craigslist for anything, because i tend to believe most people are trying to scam) but i replied to the job anyway. the ad was looking for cna's in the texoma area, didn't give much information and gave an email to get more information for anyone who was interested. so, long story short, i sent a very general email (not giving any personal info besides my first name and general experience) and i received the below email as a reply. what do you all think? i'm pretty sure it's a scam and my husband says it is 100% a scam. it just doesn't sound right to me. especially asking where i live so he can move his sister close to me. i copied and pasted so this is the exact wording/spelling. any input is appreciated. thanks everybody!

here is the email:

re: requesting information about the cna job posting on craigslist.

message flagged

thursday, august 4, 2011 2:09 pm

message body

good day,

i have received your message. my sister will be coming from

fayetteville, north carolina and she will be moving on 15th of august

2011. she is 47 years of age. 175lbs ,5.8ft and speaks english

fluently.she is diabetic and hypertensive.we really need you to be

honest and trust worthy in this work. the work basis are below.

- you are to be checking on my sister 4 times in a week for proper

caring and to know about her well being.

- you will be earning $750 per week of handling this work properly.

- you will be handling her transportation to the hospital for proper

medical check up at least once in a month and if you don't know how to

drive, you will hire a car.

-- your working days will be mon,wednesday, friday and saturday.you

will have to decide the convenient hours during each of these days

which will not affect your other regular work(if you have any) as this

will be a part time work for you and if you want to live with her in

the house for other assistance there will be no problem.

so kindly provide me your full name and mailing address so that we can

ensure the housing agent get her an apartment which will be more

closer to your house and i hope about 10 miles will not be too far for

you.

also i'll will be paying you the first week wages upfront via a

certified check because you will help her to get some medical tools

like one touch basic machine,acu-check machine and test trips in any

nearest pharmacy store around.i need you to know that the funds for

those items needed would be added to your first week upfront pay on

the check and you would be instructed on what next to do once you

receive the check including the funds that would be sent to the

cashier of the realtor headquarter to secure her accommodation.

so i want you to feed me back with the following details so that we

can ensure you are ready for the work.

1. full name

2. mailing address,

3. city

4. state and zip code

5. phone number

6.age, sex and marital status.

i will be sending you her living address very soon so that you will

know where you will be working.i will give you her living address once

the rental agent find her a suitable house.

i will be awaiting your email soonest and we can proceed as you can

understand that the date is getting approach.

regards,

mr. jerry brown

We use craigslist all the time and I have never had an issue with it, but we are very cautious about meeting anyone in a parking lot with cash...I wouldn't even consider doing that without an armed, experienced, trustworthy buddy in the car next to me observing. (Not my first go-round).

The core of any good Nigerian scam is to get someone to send you real money for a bogus money order. The instant give away is when they offer to mail you a check (usually huge), with the condition that you wire money somewhere (usually to their buddy). They get your real money, while their bogus check bounces in your account.

This reply has that giant red flag in spades...even if you ignore the grammar and other red flags entirely...

They do another version of this one if you are selling something online. We had one such genius try to offer my wife a few thousand dollars extra for an old couch if we were willing to wire some of the extra cash back to him, to pay to ship the couch to Africa...not a joke, that was really funny... We all know how Africa has a terrible old couch shortage and must import them from America.

The sad part is how many people actually still fall for this crap.

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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.

Hey Craigslist isn't all bad! I've lived in my apartment for over 2 years and found it on Craigslist. That said you have to listen to your gut. The Gift of Fear is a great book.

Why would you have to buy his sister's medical equipment? She doesn't have any in NC?

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We all know how Africa has a terrible old couch shortage and must import them from America.

The sad part is how many people actually still fall for this crap.

:hhmth::hhmth::hhmth::hhmth:

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

SCAM !! They are trying to get your bank account info. Your bank will cash the check, it will bounce and they will have the money and you will have the bounced check fees and the amount to figure out how to repay. I saw this on 20/20 or something.

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Not entirely true. I met a boyfriend and got a job through craigslist.

....Except both turned out crazy.

:lol2:

:chair:

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

"Jerry Brown"!! :lol2: Sounds like a beginner in the Dept of Plausible Fake Names. For reasons I don't quite understand, they love the name "Cole" "Steven" and if the scam involves a younger person, "Brandon", or "Sergeant Brandon Cole" for your military-related scammers.

. . .The sad part is how many people actually still fall for this crap.

I found the "bait" so ridiculous I laughed and laughed until someone told me (fellow nurse) "Kathy fell for that and lost a lot of money!!" :smackingf:

They infiltrate religion-based dating sites looking for vulnerable women, claim to be sincerely whatever religion the site is intended for. This happened to a patient I had in homecare with a condition that left her unable to do anything, including breathing, on her own.

A guy pretending to be a member of her church (who had a 12 yr old son named "Cole") was a single dad furniture-maker stuck in South Africa -- this individual spent weeks suckering her in emotionally before he introduced his actual reason for being there. Some of the usual gibberish about not being able to get back to the US without her money.

He knew her health status and proceeded with it anyway. Worst form of scumbag ever -she believed his declarations of undying love. Stealing money is one thing, but that is pure e-v-i-l. :mad:

The FBI is overwhelmed with complaints but they do have a website with a ton of info and advice.

http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/fraud#419

These guys got so sick of it they decided to turn the tables. http://www.419eater.com/

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Got approximately the same add in Detroit. It is a scam. Report it to the Craigslist staff so hopefully they can get a handle on these people.

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I've heard of people who send these people on wild goose chases. I know that someone who used the FBI field office in D.C. as their personal phone number. :idea:

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Specializes in LTC.

I wanted to check my email and accidentally typed in "ails.com" today. It brought me to this website, which reminded me of this thread. There's no danger in clicking on the site but basically it says that the domain is for sale for $16 THOUSAND and gives elaborate instructions on how to buy it with laundered money. okaaaaaay! lol.

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