Thursday, May 2, 2013

Fake Work at Home Job Scam

Here is an excellent example of a scammer job ad. It's actually well written - looks like a real job ad. Okay, the fake last name isn't how that would be particularly spelled, but the sentence structure - while not great, isn't a total mess like most scammer emails. It will fool some people. Notice the misspelling of the domain name (it's missing an 'o'). I looked it up and it was created March 22, 2013, just in time to send out his scam email to hundreds of thousands of people. And of course, the WHOIS is protected. Mustn't find out who the scammer really is. Type in the web address and it delivers a 403 forbidden which means the scammer hasn't quite worked out how to make their fake website work properly yet.

It is a job scam.

How does this scam work?

Well, it would appear the job "opportunity" is a variation of a mystery shopper. It doesn't say this but my guess is eventually they will ask the victim to "test" the client's payment system by ordering something and writing up a review of the order process. Sometimes, the greedy scammers, will ask this payment be wired (and then that money is really going directly to the scammer) and sometimes they will have the victim receive money and send it elsewhere via wire transfer. At this point, the victim is money laundering. The scammer will tell the victim they will be reimbursed when they get paid - it will be their pay plus any money they spent testing the clients.

But a day or two before the pay check is supposed to be sent, the scammer disappears and moves on to hire another victim.

I am not looking for a job but lots of people are - so the odds of them sending this to someone who would love to make $35k working from home and is desperate or just not knowledgeable about these scams... they are going to end up victims.

PLEASE don't be one.

From: Tim Sheilds (info@emplymentopps.com)
Reply To: timsheilds@acerqc.com
Return Path: (b1@emplymentopps.com)
Subject: Need a Job Still?

Hi This is Tim Sheilds from Acerqc.com

I`m wondering if you are still looking for work as we have a opening , the position is working in our quality control division of our call center.

Basically you will be doing what I like to call reverse telemarketing where basically your going to be calling telemarketing companies up and seeing how they handle your call, You then write a report about if the person was knowledgeable about the product they were selling or how nice the person was on the phone or did they make you want to order the product etc etc.

The position pays 35k to start you can work at home and will be paid by direct deposit or check every week, check out our site you can see we are a good company to work with and if you feel you would like to apply for the position then reply back to me and I`ll get you started.

Hope to hear from ya soon

Tim Sheilds
Hiring Manager
Acerqc.com

Your email client cannot read this email.
To view it online, please go here:
http://emplymentopps.com/inter/display.php?M=1506600&C=27aab55a3449f61184b77098fd620c19&S=9&L=8&N=3

To stop receiving these
emails:http://emplymentopps.com/inter/unsubscribe.php?M=1506600&C=27aab55a3449f61184b77098fd620c19&L=8&N=9

Powered by Interspire

8 comments:

  1. I think I'm being scammed. I was hired to be an assistant to an artist named Barry Steven Johnson from a craigslist posting.

    We have only communicated via e-mail. This is just in the past weekend, he's paying me $400.00 per week plus expenses.

    Today I received a check for $2,470.72, which the balance after the check clears, $2,070.72 I'm supposed to do a moneygram @Walmart to an Orphanage at 705 Race St., in Cambridge, Md. 21613. I've goggled & cannot find any such place.

    I've not been given the name of the Orphanage, only a woman's name (Brenda Fetner) & that address, then was told by email later in the day she's on vacation & to send it to a different woman (Samantha Curry). the check I got was issued by Bank of America out of the University of Tampa. I called my local State Police but they said until things go further my only recourse is to return the check and step away.

    My thing is if not me, someone else will get caught up in this mess.

    Let me know if you have any ideas or if I should take the Police advice.

    I am going to contact U of T, Fla. to see if this is a legitimate check, then take it to my bank & see if they can verify it's worth.

    Thanks anything you can think of would be a help.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a CLASSIC fake job scam! The check is NOT real and there is no second person, only them at the other end of that wire transfer they are asking you to do, waiting to receive the cash and disappear before you figure out the original check is fake. There is no orphanage, there is no job, you will not get paid.

    Unfortunately, the police are correct. These scams are so popular and work so well because there is no real effective way to go after these scammers - and even if there was, the authorities do not have the bandwidth to do so, unless it is a really large amount of money. The scammers know how to operate under the radar. And they are successful at it. It makes me nuts, which is why I wrote my series of scam books, and have this blog, and facebook page - I figure one way to strike back is to educate people on how to recognize these things BEFORE they send anyone any money via wire transfer.

    Sounds like you caught this in a nick of time and did not send the scammer any money. I am glad. Consider yourself lucky. Destroy the fake check. You can tell the entity listed on the check as the originating bank so they can warn others and you have shared your story here so others might find it and be warned. That is about all we can do right now to battle against these scumbags.

    ReplyDelete
  3. yes this a complete scam . Ignore and run from ad. Can it be taken off line?

    ReplyDelete
  4. yes it is scam I was fooled by somebody wanting to buy an item from me and sending a money order for more than what I was asking and they wanted me to moneygram the balance stupid me put it my bank account it cleared and then the bank said uh oh its a bad check ruining my relationship with my bank and screwing me 7 ways to sunday beware

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good Morning

    Let’s get you hired today.

    Our company handles the quality control of both online and offline
    businesses. You`re job duties would require you to call into our
    customers call centers, to see if they are courteous, helpful and that
    the info they relayed to you was understandable.

    The job requires that you work at least eight hours a day, have good
    communication skills, be able to use a phone, write honest reviews and
    submit them to your supervisor. The job pays between 35k-45k plus
    performance bonuses.

    We are looking for people who are creative, loyal, like to make good
    money and have fun all day long.

    We do require you to take a test which is located at
    http://www.acerqc.biz/tests/test.php the tests have you calling eight of our customers call centers.

    These tests will show you how your day to day
    duties are handled and to show us that you are able to do the job.

    You will need to set aside about an hour to take the test
    so be near a computer and phone.

    If you take all the tests you will be put on the interview list where more than likely you will be hired on the spot.

    Please contact me back after you have completed the testing so I can
    check over the results and get you hired right away. Please put "TEST
    COMPLETED" In the subject line.

    Testing website open from 9am-9pm est.

    Thanks
    Dennis Sheilds
    Hiring Agent
    Acerqc.biz

    .

    ReplyDelete
  6. Perfect example of a job scam. Do not apply for this. You will lose your money. And it is not a real job.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi,
    I've received an email from one of the names on your account - Robert Powers. He asked if I was interested in being his personal assistant for $400 a week. I would be primarily shipping things for him. It seemed odd because he emailed my university account but unfortunately I naively gave him my phone and apartment building address (not # though) and I'm feeling pretty stupid. I was just wondering what I should do?
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  8. UPDATE: It appears that acerqc.com has recently changed its name to conqc.com. I couldn't find any info on the latter, but noticed in their "Mission Statement" (under "About Us") that the name given was acerqc, so I looked that up and found this website.
    Just this morning I received an exact copy of the letter posted by "Anonymous" on Oct 24th ("Let's get you hired today") except that the test is now at www.conqc.com/test.php

    ReplyDelete