Vanila / General
Be Aware of Scams - Fake Design Jobs (credit cards)
Be Aware of Scams - Fake Design Jobs (credit cards)
Vanila/General · March 29, 2019 at 12:21amBe Aware of Scams - Fake Design Jobs (credit cards)
Vanila / General · March 29, 2019 at 12:21am (Edited 5 years ago)
I want to share this cause it will probably save someone's time in future by not dedicating time to respond on fake website jobs.
I probably got 10-20 emails like this during the last few years. Some I smell out instantly that are scams by the way they wrote email. Some of them instantly try and ask if you accept credit cards (that's an alert).
This scams are also known under names Overpayment Scam, Third Party Payout Scam, Payment Reversal Scam and Advanced Fee Scam. The Fraud Prevention department at credit card payment processor Stripe put it like this:
Designers such as yourself are common targets for a type of scam known as a Third Party Payout. Essentially, the scammer makes a payment (generally in the thousands) for a project, and pays more than they need so you can then transfer money direct to a third party (e.g. a consultant, graphic designer, etc). I imagine your correspondence with your ‘client’ has been along these line. As I’m sure you’ve figured out, the fix is that the card used is stolen and the third party is actually the scammer. So when the legitimate cardholder disputes the payment the business is left holding the bag on the money retrieved from their account and what they transferred to the scammer.
Why Credit Cards? Well, they probably have stolen credit cards, and wan't to make use of it. You wonder, but how they will get money, cause they pays you?
Well, depends on scammer level, but at one point they will ask you if they can send you more money, and you return them via some other method. Some rush instantly and ask you about that.
Here is example below of the moment he ask for "favor"
“I want to pay the printer some amount to get materials and work started so they can meet up with set deadline but they do not have facilities to accept credit card payment So I’ll add the extra amount to your deposit and once everything clears into your account, you will take your deposit and help me send the remaining amount to them the sum of $3,390 i will be responsible for the credit card charges and tax and there is also a $100 tip for you.”
However, this one I missed to recognize, and it took me quite good amount of time to respond properly on emails and even build proposal for him. Honestly, it was my fault cause I didn't Google his email instantly. I had chaotic days of multi tasking, and even I had that in mind to Google it, i felt tired, lazy in that point so I didn't. And that cost me spending time and hoping of getting that cost effective project ^^.
Initial email from scammer
Name: James Kruse
Email: [email protected]
Hi, i am James, i would like to know if you can handle website development for a clothing store?Get back to me so i can send you the details.Thanks!
Than after my response of asking to share more details, he sent this:
Hi Stefan,Thanks for getting in touch. I would like you to review the details and get back to me with any question you may have.Here is the project details, well i have a small clothing business for both male and female which i run here in Nebraska, now am trying to expand the business and i want you to build an informational website for it for advertisement, drive traffic to my physical location, and to increase my sales rate..so i need you to check out this site but i need something more perfect than this if it's possible http://www.missrebel.co.uk. the site would only be informational, so i need you to give me an estimate .The estimate should include hosting and i want the site to have not more than 5 pages ,since it is informational. I have a private project consultant, he has the text content, images and the logos for the site.Note:1. I want only English language2. I don't have a domain yet but i want the domain name as Nobleclassicwear.co3. You will be updating the site for me.4. I will be providing the images, logos and content for the site.5. I want the site up and running before ending of next month.6. My budget is $2000 to $5000Thanks,James
Next time you get email for potential work, be sure to research with who you are talking with, by looking for his full name and email on Google.
They shows unders this names and emails (will be updated):
Name: James Kruse Email: [email protected]
Name: Kent Walter Email: [email protected]
Name: Luis Lee Email: [email protected] Phone: (732) 893-0731
Name: leon gregory Email: [email protected]
Name: james morgan Email: [email protected]
Name: julian johnson Email: [email protected]
Name: Dan Larry Email: [email protected]
Name: Charles Rodwell Email: [email protected]
Name: Michael Thompson Email: [email protected]
Name: David Dojcak Email: [email protected]
Name: Willie Jame Email: [email protected]
Name: Able Jay Email: [email protected]
May 9, 2020 at 11:17am
@kolkowskimikolaj That's very suspicious.
@kolkowskimikolaj Those Facebook/Instagram/marriage questions are like someone would like to hack you and steal your identity and money, social engineer you, or it's like FBI or government that has direct access to Facebook data
those are not related to any real jobs
May 9, 2020 at 1:09pm
@xet7 Yea. The first form was like name, last name, phone number, email Facebook address so it is like... ok nothing to hide. But before anything asking people about IDs again, data again, payment method etc. It made me think. Sadly to late, because they already have my name, surname and social addresses, however, nothing what is forbidden or secret :p so... I guess it will be fine. I will let you know If they say anything about this licence number to prevent this happening in future. Thank you!
May 10, 2020 at 5:07am
I received and email a few weeks ago - Hello, I'm sun wills and I'll like to know if you can handle Brochure and Logo Design for my company.
Kindly get back to me so i can send you the details in full. Thank you.
email: [email protected]. I went back and forth with him for a while. And after agreeing to a 8k quote (I was suspicious) he asked a favor for me to pay his project manager but he couldn’t use credit card wanted to use check. I then googled and came across this - THANK GOD! I wasn’t going to pay his vendors but if I had taken any payment - who knows what would have happened!!
Oh yeah he was going to add 4K for his project manager (Conveniently 50%) and 3% more for fees.
May 13, 2020 at 1:20am
So happy I found this! Also happy to know my gut was spot on.
When I pushed to set up a call, he texted me. So then I just called him and could barely understand a word he was saying. Happy I didn’t waste too much time, but now I’m PISSED!
May 13, 2020 at 5:23am
August 3, 2020 at 4:10pm
Another scammer: Name: steven kinghunt Email: [email protected] Message:
Hello sorry for my late response,ijust open a new portuguese Restaurant which I run now and I need a website for my business to grow,So I need you to go through this example linksite:https://www.myperiperi.com but I need something more perfect than this if possible, I will like you to get back to me with an estimate and the estimate should include hosting and I want you to understand I want the same page as the example site I gave you to check and I want only English language and I want you to know you will be updating the site for me. I want the site up and running before ending of next month and I don't want a shopping cart in my reservation page also I don't have a domain name yet and i will prefer: LisbonSRESTAURANT.NET. My budget is $2000-8500 for the web design, I have a private project consultant, she has the text content and the logos for the site with the image artwork, so please go ahead and check the example site and get back to me with an estimate also I will like to know if you are the owner or the manager and do you accept credit card and check as payment. Thank you
August 21, 2020 at 1:38pm
Hi Stefan, thanks for sharing it. You saved so much time for me. The guy you mentioned (Powell Joseph <[email protected]>) sent me the following information:
'' HERE ARE THE DETAILS AND PROCEDURE OF THE JOB:
1) Company Name: LAREDDO’S FURNITURE INC2) MY WEBSITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION WHICH WOULD BE REGISTER VERY SOON3) I DON'T HAVE LOGO BUT NEED A CUSTOMISED LOGO FROM YOU4) I COULD ONLY SUPPLY THE TEXT CONTENT AND PHOTO ALL ARE
WITH MY PROJECT CONSULTANT BUT THE ARTWORK WILL BE DESIGNED BY YOU
5) I WANT THE BROCHURE TO BE TRI-FOLD IT WILL BE FRONT &
BACK THE TEXT AND THE PICTURE IS APPROVED AND CROSSCHECK
6) THE SIZE OF BROCHURE IS 8.5 X 11.
I will be glad if you can handle this for me and I will meet you in person after this design is done.I want customise logo for the company name from you with two colour. One gold colour for the company name and one white colour for the background. Company name; LAREDDO’S FURNITURE INC. I want 10,000 copies now, so can i have the estimate now. ''
August 21, 2020 at 8:45pm
Hey @aleksandr I am glad this post saved your time and from problems. Thanks for sharing your version, it helps people find it in future
August 29, 2020 at 1:48pm
I know its a scam but I'm interested to see how they will avoid my terms. This new scam the people behind it are very determine. I got the same message about the furniture shop for 'tri-fold' brochure, asked for an advanced payment via wire-transfer. Today I sent the invoice (something I generated online, not my real invoice template). Its been back and forth with these guys since the 17th. Honestly because of the pandemic, this is entertainment.
August 31, 2020 at 5:19pm
I know its a scam but I'm interested to see how they will avoid my terms. This new scam the people behind it are very determine. I got the same message about the furniture shop for 'tri-fold' brochure, asked for an advanced payment via wire-transfer. Today I sent the invoice (something I generated online, not my real invoice template). Its been back and forth with these guys since the 17th. Honestly because of the pandemic, this is entertainment.
hehe, let me know how it goes :D
September 3, 2020 at 6:27pm
@kinderminder got another one for ya:
Name: Tom Lochry Email: [email protected] Phone: (916) 668-3471
Not sure if that's his actual phone number or not, it rings when called, haven't actually spoken with anyone on it though.
Simplified project brief: Branding and flyers for a new nation-wide grocery chain under the name "Tom Loc Grocery Store" with the slogan "Good things come from Tom Loc."
Thank you for this post! He's supposedly mailing a security deposit in the form of a check now. Hopefully I'll be able to reach out to the account holder and give them a heads up.
September 3, 2020 at 7:59pm
Thanks for reporting mate @john-fownes
September 21, 2020 at 6:06pm
