OK - so what's the catch?

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Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 6:19 pm

I received this in my spam folder. What's the catch?

fromRaymond <andrea>
[email protected]

to
dateThu, Nov 11, 2010 at 11:23 AM
subject**MAKE MONEY BY SIMPLY DRIVING YOUR CAR** (BBB Verified)

hide details 11:23 AM (1 hour ago)

How it works Here's the basic premise of the "paid to drive" concept: Diamond Data International, Inc seeks people -- regular citizens, not professional drivers -- to go about their normal routine as they usually do, only with a big advert for "Diamond Data International, Inc" plastered on your car. The ads are typically vinyl decals, also known as "auto wraps," that almost seem to be painted on the vehicle, and which will cover any portion of your car's exterior surface. What does the company get out of this type of ad strategy? Lots of exposure and awareness. The auto wraps tend to be colorful and eye-catching and attract lots of attention. Plus, it's a form of advertising with a captive audience,meaning people who are stuck in traffic and can't avoid seeing the wrapped car alongside them. This program will last for 3 months and the minimum period you can participate is 1 month. You will be compensated with a $300 (Three hundred dollars per Week),which is essentially a "rental" payment for letting our company use the space.Diamond Data International, Inc shall provide experts that would handle the advert placing on your car. You will receive an up front payment of $400 (Four hundred dollars) inform of check for accepting to carry this advert on your car and other weekly payments will also come in the form of checks and delivered at your address weekly. What you need to do is to contact the email below [email protected] The following information below will be needed... Full Name: Age: Occupation: Make of car/ year: Car Plate Number: Driving Licence Number: Place Issued: Expiring Date: Address: city: State: Zip code: Phone Number(s) mobile/home : Email Address: We shall be contacting you as soon as we receive these information, Diamond Data International, Inc looks forward to working with you. Andrea Pike. NOTE:- PLEASE NOTE THAT ONCE YOU REPLY WITH THE ABOVE INFORMATION REQUESTED YOU HAVE ACCEPTED TO THE TERMS AND CONDITION OF THE COMPANY AND YOU WILL BE CONTACTED SHORTLY FOR YOUR FIRST PAYMENT.

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 6:30 pm

It could be spam, it's unusual but it does happen. But as the mail came from a gmail address it can't be traced.

But if it is a scam you can be assured that there will be some fees for you to pay along the line. But my guess is spam since the amount is to small to make you pay any large advance fee.

But it could also be some sort of check scam.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 17

You probably have to pay some form of deposit in advance.

Elite Baiter Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 1440

They're paying you $300 a week yet sending you $400? I assume they'll request you deposit the check in your account and send them the $100 surplus back.

This is a real company and they certainly wouldn't use a Gmail address.

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 10:15 pm

Advance fee or overpayment I'm sure. $300/week is a lot for any advertising hoarding, let alone on some old car in hicksville where nobody will see it...

Bait it and see how it pans out! Smile

EDIT - you'd pay less than that to decal a cab, which will be on the road the whole time getting seen! I bet the overpayment/fee comes when you have to pay for the decals before they can pay you, or other nonsense...

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 10:36 pm

Seems this has been going on for over a month now. Not a clue what their angle is though. Overpayment seems logical with the emphasis they put on cheque's.

http://antifraudintl.org/showthread.php?t=43105
Return-Path: <[email protected]>
Received: from 69.180.50.1, US server, Comcast Cable Communications, [[email protected]]
Reply-To: <[email protected]>
From: "Mr Andrea Pike"<[email protected]>
Subject: *** GET PAID FOR DRIVING YOUR CAR*** (READ DETAILS INFORMATION).
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2010

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 10:44 pm

In the past there have been a few companies that paid you put their ads on your car. Very few.

This *might* be legit, but I suspect strongly that it is a scam especially if you pay anything up front.

And it looks like they give you too much up front so will be asking for a rebate. Maybe they cancel before your car is decorated, after you deposit the bogus check but before it bounces.

When I saw this for real in the 60s they wanted college students (old beat up cars they dont mind decorating - adults with new cars would not do it) who would sign a contract for a year.

I think you got paid at the end so they could see your car still had the ads on it. Else you could take the money, paint the car and they get nothing.

Getting paid up front screams scam.

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:32 pm

Not a hope of it being legit, even without the gmail account. A new take on an old mugu trick, although the origin is probably the US. Identity theft is a strong probability. Since you'll be "earning", there will be a fee of some kind for the materials or something, a 'one-off payment'. Then, as someone above said, the fake or stolen cheque will no doubt follow.

Bait it and find out!

Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:14 pm

Quote:

Bait it and find out!

Sounds like a good idea. I just sent off a vague enquiry asking them if my really old, beat up car would still be ok for them (no 'personal' details yet)

Will see where it leads Smile

Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:29 pm

It's a fake check/overpayment scam, and it has actually been around a while--I posted one of these back in March. It makes the rounds periodically, with varying company names. You would bait it just like any other fake check scam.

Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:39 pm

Hi Dorothy, as I'm new I'm going to give this a shot as my first cheque bait, but I have a question. Will this format invariably lead to me needing to physically receive the cheque from them to make the bait go anywhere? If so then I may as well drop it. If there's still potential to lead them on then I'll carry on

Sorry if it's a newb question (I have read a lot of baits but not many cheque scam ones) and have only straight baited NOK and lotto (as per my reading habits).

Thanks Smile

Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:49 pm

Ultimately, they will want to send you a check. But before then, I'm sure you'll have lots of questions about the wrap, your car, your town, etc. Give them a fake address--doesn't work? oops, you made a typo--well, you might have been drunk while you were typing. They send it without tracking? Well, you received the check and spent it all--but if they send you another, you promise you'll pay whoever was supposed to get the money...

Will it last? Hard to say, depends on how patient (and desperate) the scammer is. But there's no harm in trying.

Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:00 pm

I think it is a scam, too, but it appears to be derived from a real world situation. There are companies that will pay people to drive around with advertising on their car. The catch is, only a limited number of people in a given market are paid to do this and there are requirements that you be out on selected roads at certain times of day and drive a minimum number of miles. I'm fairly certain the companies that pay for this don't mass email the offering from gmail addies. Rolling Eyes

Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:07 pm

Of course it's a mugu. I couldn't resist a tickle..

Quote:

Hi,

My friend sent me a copy of your email because I am out of work and he thought I might be interested. I'll be happy to display your poster on my car for the price you mentioned.
I get my driver's licence back from the court next week, so this came at a great time!!

I hope being disqualified from driving in the past won't affect my eligibility for this job, I really need it. I promise not to get as drunk as I was when I was busted, I would never
bring your company into disrepute.
I'm attending all the rehab sessions and doing well.

Get back to me.

Bert.

Let's see what he says. Bert's given to mood swings.

Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:23 pm

Christ, he replied fast, but it was just a copy of the format, as posted at the start of the thread. I thought it might just be an auto response from the catcher account, but a quick second mail to it hasn't produced the same thing. He's a busy mugu, but then, Friday night is cafe lockin night in ladland. I'm sending the info.

This was tricky, because I wanted to use my mugu mobile for him to call me, and being in the UK, he might just check registration plates for the car's existence, depending on how much he's been baited before. I pretended to be in Oz and made a load of crap up. It'll either work or it won't....

Quote:

Hi Mr Andrea Pike,

Well, first of all, I promise there won't be any fish jokes from me hahahaha.

Here's all the info you asked for. How long until I hear from you. Will there be an interview? Do I need to come and see you at your office or what?
I'm not good with interviews, I get nervous and f*** it up.

How big is the thing I stick on the car? I only have a small hatchback, do you make them in all sizes?

Full Name: Albert Steptoe
Age: 34
Occupation: Unemployed
Make of car/ year: 2007 Skoda Fabia

Car Plate Number: NSW-2257
Driving Licence Number: 4211-67-RS2B
Place Issued: Queensland, Australia
Expiring Date: 11-2015
Address: city: 127, East Acacia Street, Moreton Bay, Queensland Australia
State: QL
Zip code: 4000
Phone Number(s) mobile/home : 011 61 *********
Email Address: *******@********

I really need this job. I'll be a loyal employee, I promise. Please get back to me urgently.

Bert.

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 12:49 am

London black taxis get £100 a month for having advertising plastered all over their cabs so anything more than £100 a month is a scam.

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 11:13 pm

Just in case there's still any lingering doubt....

I wrote:

Quote:

Dear Mr Pike,

About this advertising thing. Do you need advertisers here in Australia? I was so excited I didn't see the location seems to be the USA. I need a job.

Bert

Lad replied..

Quote:

Subject: Re: **MAKE MONEY BY SIMPLY DRIVING YOUR CAR**
From: Diamond Data International Inc<[email protected]>

we can transfer to your credit card from the state..
Only if you can drop your credit card information.

Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 9:57 am

Finally, the giveaway of all giveaways, after I asked him why he can't just pay the money directly into my account...

Quote:

Hello,

For now we can only get your salary to your credit card.. It will be
advisable if
You can clear up all your debt Asap so as to make your payment ready soonest.
We will contact you later.

Thanks.

Now we know the "offices" seem to be in Nigeria, here's what a google search for a phrase in the format brings up...

http://tinyurl.com/2u2ssro

It was a good catch anyway Jules, posting about these things helps bring public attention to them, and this format is getting into inboxes quite a bit, it seems. The mugus must be enjoying some success with it and with people losing jobs all over the western world, these 'spare cash opportunity' things are going to proliferate, I reckon. Mad

Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 3:29 pm

That's about as far as I got too:

Quote:

Hello,
Do you have a credit card? if you do, Kindly send us the Credit Card Number, Name on the Card and Card Limit to us so we can send you the Fund.

Thanks.

I told them that I had such a bad credit rating that I had no credit card or bank account. It all went quiet when I asked for the fund to be sent via WU or MG Rolling Eyes

As PS said, the original format is enough to catch out those in need of some quick money

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