Care.com Text Messaging Scam

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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 12:07 am

(I do apologize if this is in the wrong location! Embarassed

)
A while back, I set up an account on the website Care.com for pet sitting jobs. It turned out to be a bust, the only thing I get is a ton of junk messages from them. Razz

Well out of the blue I get a text message from +1-702-663-6119

Quote:

Hello ,This is Lisa ,i am hard hearing , i got youre number on care.com email on ([email protected]) and i will be moving down to your area soon Text me your email address and i will need a petsitter for my 4 chihuahua puppies, let me know if you are interested.Thanks

Googling her e-mail I found it connected to some other Care.com-esque scams. So I sent her a lame response to see if it would creep her out, but no, she was perfectly fine and sent me this e-mail

Quote:

Hello, thank you for responding to my text.. I live in RI, but i am moving to your area soon on 30th of June 2015 and i will need a petsitter for my 4 chihuahua puppies immediately between the hours of 1:30 pm to 6:30pm Monday`s through Friday`s and you can find their pictures below and i will also need you for an errand to help my mom pay her bills and do some shopping for my mom and son as started in my text . I hope you are available this hours, or let me know when its convenience for you .More importantly, I am willing to pay you just try and get back to me and let me know how much you want for the petcare and the errand. I really need a honest and responsible person. This could be a temporary/permanent job. It depends on what your schedule looks like but i do like to be sure if you are available the first month. I am moving to a new house that i need to fix some interior and get furniture and have contacted the furniture company because i don't know if you will like to stay in my house, that really depend on what you want. I will let you know as soon as we finalize issues. I will like you to send me your complete name,address and cell phone number so i can include that to my payroll for the period. I also will like you to tell me a few things about yourself. Here is a little about me. I am a single mother, I am 39 and i am hard of hearing. I have lived in Irving, Texas before. I attended Texas School for the Deaf because i am hard hearing where i achieved my highest qualification. I have my own business (Self Employed).

I am never married. I attend the catholic. You will get to know more when we meet. Kindly include in your email your complete name,address and also your cell phone number so i can text you in case i need to pass an urgent information.NOTE : let me know your charges hourly or daily for the weekdays only? and any other thing you think of my 4 chihuahua puppies will need so that i can make provision and also if there is anything you need to get to take care of them,please do tell me so that we can make all necessary arrangements prior to our arrival date. I await to hear back from you. and also i will like you to take few minutes of your time to answer the few questions below

1)Can you drive?

2)Can you swim?

3) Do you smoke??

4)Do you have any criminal records?doesn't really matters to me as long as you have learn from your past mistakes,An ready to give you a chance.

5)where are you located presently and what is the address of McDonald's close to you ?

6) Are you First Aid and CPR certified?? ( Its just an added Advantage..)

7) Total charges for 2 weeks

(Mon,Wed,Fridays) (weekdays only)

(1:30 pm - 6:30 pm)

Cool

Date Of Birth ?

Thank you

(I put my favorite parts in bold)

I responded to her inquires mentioning a slew of horrible information that would make even the most reckless person never reply back (criminal record, drug use, can't swim...) but she was still interested and replied back

Quote:

i need someone who would take care of my Puppies for long as she or he can and ,I'm an independent bookkeeper contractor and i also produce for charity and with this Job i travel alot so you can work as long as you want with me but you have to be honest and straight forward ....I have decided to choose you for this position and i do hope for a very eventful time with you while you look after my son and an errand . My Dog names are , Jason ,Jack, pinkky and mercy . I will like to state the job details to you again so we wouldn't have any complications at the end.The start date is 6th of July 2015..The pay rate is $15/Hour You will be paid for his snacks/food daily or at the end of each week (which ever you prefer).about 6 months ago i had hired a pet sitter for my dogs along West Colfax Avenue but she moved to Canada with her husband about 3months ago. I will like for us to meet on (3rd July,2015) evening so we can talk about the puppies-fun activities i will be interested in and get to know each other. We could meet at the McDonald's close to you if that works for you.I once booked a pet sitter and on arrival she told me she got another job which was a big disappointment.For this reason,I will like to commit you by paying (DEPOSITING) you for the first week of your service before our arrival to secure the date so i can be absolutely sure of having you care for the puppies to enable things go perfectly without disappointment.I am planning on having furniture and other interior appliances for immediate delivery to my new house after payment so that you guys can stay in my house if you want and everything will be ready in my house and i want to ensure we are on the same page

Me and my puppies can not wait to see you, but i will need you for errand helper before i move down which you will be pay for separately because some house interior need to pay for and pay some bills for my mom but you will do all this at the Walmart Store close to you , So i really need you to be honest with me and you will never regret with me .. We can meet at any McDonald closer . I hope this is a convenient time for you. I will appreciate you working for us as one family not just a pet sitter. That increases the love and build a great partnership between us. I was able to finalized with the furniture company. The Furniture and other little house interior cost $2400. so i will be mailing your first week payment ($35/hr x 5hrs/day = $75 x 5days a week= $600) of your own money $375 plus an additional deposit of $2400 to make a total of $2,775 on the check as soon as i hear back from you.The additional money is for the money for your to run an errand and do some shopping, pay bills for mom and my son, which you will also be pay for separately, You will also need to pay for my furniture and some house interior but you will only make all the payment at the Walmart close to you ...I will let you know mom utilities bills and some shopping to do for them as soon as the check clears. Kindly let me know if this is clear so i can proceed to mailing the check immediately

Best Regards

Lisa whitaker

This is the last message from her. Apparently asking what Walmart is just bummed her out. I was wondering if anyone else has seen anything related to this (basically scamming coming from another website) I'm still not sure how she got my phone number.

I do wonder about the swimming part. So bizarre.

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 2:26 am

Hi BBB and welcome to Eater. This is a common employment scam that affects many victims every year.

The victim gets the check or money order, deposits the fake instrument and forwards the extra funds back to the scammer. The victim is then responsible for the bad check.

If you would like to help possible future victims of this scammer, you might want visit our sister-site www.scamwarners.com and post as much information about the scammer as you can.

As this criminal has your real life information, please drop all contact with them and they will go away.

ETA Change a may to a might want. Laughing

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:53 pm

I had a feeling that was the gist of the scam. The whole paying at Wal-Mart for furniture and meeting at McDonalds thing just seemed so out of place.

I am definitely going to visit that site and add the info I have. What I don't understand is how she got my cell phone since I don't see that information publically listed anywhere on Care.com

Thank you for the advice and tips. I didn't even think about the fact she had my cell phone as being a problem.

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 12:43 am

^^^I've not used Care.com, but does it offer a "Premium" or paid for membership option? Often sites like that will make members contact details available to paid members.

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 9:16 pm

Yup, I constantly get sent e-mails encouraging me to purchase a premium membership. Sad

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