[Hidden-tech] SCAM: "Web designer needed"

[Robert Heller]

There is actually a very *old* scam (almost as old as the clasic Nigerian
scam). Some party will ask you to supply something that costs, say $10, but
the only way that they can pay is with a check for $1000 and they want you to
deposit this check, and send them $990 change. Of course the check is a rubber
check and you are out the $990...  *I* was even sent one of these checks.  I 
deposited it in my wood stove, and did get a few caleries of warmth out of it.

At Fri, 5 Jun 2020 21:21:59 -0400 Lisa Rosenthal <lrosedesign at comcast.net> wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> This happened to me recently, someone contacted me through my website. They were looking for a designer for a logo and brochure, 8 pages for a Antiques Business in Santa Monica. His project consultant had all the photos and copy. I was given specific details about the project as well as a company name and address. No website or online presence yet, it was supposedly under construction. 
> 
> They seemed to have a good budget for the design part of the project. I went back and forth a bit trying to figure out if it was a scam and then what the scam was. I googled the address, it looked like Reddit was there or had been there and it might be vacant. I called adjoining businesses to ask if it looked like an Antique store was going in next door, they both said no it didn’t. 
> 
> 4 emails into the conversation:
> The guy, Mike Powell:
> Ok I will be making a deposit for a start so we can proceed.Also, I’ll like to let you now I will be paying you via Quickbooks by you sending me an invoice of the partial payment so I can make payment from my ends.Let me know if that’s ok with you !
> 
> Me: I don’t have a Quickbooks account so I don’t think that payment method will work. Venmo might be a possibility, would that work?
> 
> Mike Powell: I’m unable to use my cc via PayPal, Square nor Venmo due to some bad experiences I’ve encountered using it in recent time and I was advised by my cc provider not to use via any of the above mentioned processors for now.
>    You can look up for Quickbooks online . It’s easy and simple to set up.
> ..............
> 
> Has anyone heard of that, a scam through Quickbooks?
> 
> I just said I wasn’t interested and left it at that.
> 
> Lisa Rosenthal
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> > On Jun 5, 2020, at 10:25 AM, Michael Muller via Hidden-discuss <hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net> wrote:
> > 
> > Hey all web people on the HT list...
> > 
> > Over the years I've received an innumerable number of spam emails -- mostly people asking me if I need help building a website for a domain I just purchased. I used to ask them if they knew what I did for a living, and of course they don't. It's just a robo-script emailing anyone with a email address attached to a domain name.
> > 
> > On occasion I get a text from someone asking if I could build them a website. The exact working typically never changes, and the scam is always the same. This is how they usually contact me:
> > 
> > "Hello how are you doing,I will like to know if you would be able to handle a website design for me ?"
> > 
> > The punctuation and referral to "handle a website design for me" leads me to believe this isn't quite legit.
> > 
> > The first time I got a text like this the follow-up was that the person was both deaf and blind, so I couldn't call nor send an email. The whole thing had to be done over text. Hmmm...
> > 
> > They want specifically 5 pages, because they can't afford more, and it's already been designed. All I have to do is take the designed pages and put them on a web server, linking the pages to each other. Seems to be quick money, right?
> > 
> > The kicker is -- and this is where the klaxons start going off -- the scammer wants to pay me $5000 by credit card, but I have to pay their designer $3000 by check, since they don't take credit cards.
> > 
> > If you are ever contacted by anyone with a similar request, just say no.
> > 
> > I am passing this info along because not only did I get such a text from this guy, but also an email         (below). The third screen shot has some harsh expletives, so be forewarned.
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > 
> > Mik
> > 
> > <djieiikcpfacbmlb.png>  <mchjaacgihikpfbf.png>  <oahmococlbdlgcio.png>
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -------- Forwarded Message --------
> > Subject:	Re: Web designer needed
> > Date:	Thu, 4 Jun 2020 14:30:49 -0700
> > From:	Sarmento Alves Domingos <sarmentoalves940 at gmail.com>
> > To:	Michael Muller <tech at montaguewebworks.com>
> > 
> > 
> > Here is the job details, well i have a small clothing business for both male and female which i run here in state,now am trying to expand the business and i want you to build an informational website for it for advertisement and to increase my sales rate..so i need you to check out this site but i need something more perfect than this if its 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 who has the text content, images and the logos for the site.
> > 
> > 
> >> On Thu, Jun 4, 2020 at 11:57 AM Michael Muller <tech at montaguewebworks.com> wrote:
> >> Hi Sarmento,
> >> 
> >> Can you provide more information?
> >> 
> >> Thanks,
> >> 
> >> Mik
> >> 
> >> ---
> >> Mik Muller, president
> >> Montague WebWorks
> >> 239-R Main Street, Greenfield, MA
> >> 413-320-5336
> >> http://MontagueWebWorks.com
> >> Powered by ROCKETFUSION
> >>> On 6/4/2020 11:41 AM, Sarmento Alves Domingos wrote:
> >>> Hello how are you doing,I will like to know if you would be able to handle a website design for me ?
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