Verify USPS Money Orders

Email scams involving counterfeit money orders looking like they come from the USPS postal service IS mail fraud if you receive one in the mail.

You can check the authenticity of a USPS Money Order by calling the Postal Inspectors at 1-877-876-2455 (option 4 is mail fraud).

If you feel you've been the victim of mail fraud, you can file a complaint at:

https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx

Scam Email: Henry Walter

Hi Kathleen,

Thanks so much! I was suspicious, but now I know it's a scam. I didn't text him, but I did reply from my yahoo account, one that I rarely use.  After reading this, I googled for help and found your blog. Wow! Was your info helpful!

All the best,
Beth

Here's the name: Henry Walter  hen.walter1969@gmail.com

Scam Email: Fred Thomas

This is not art related but someone forwarded this to me. It was an interesting example of just how flooded craigslist is with scammers. And typically scammers do not spend money of their own in order to get other people's money, but this scammer spent the cost of placing a fake job ad on craigslist. I don't know if this is true but it is possible they paid for it with a stolen credit card not yet reported that will result in a chargeback for craigslist but in any case, this scammer posted a fake job in order to lure his potential victims in.

The person who forwarded this to me had replied to the job and attached a resume, as any unsuspecting person would. She got this reply back. From the looks of it, it almost looks like they are going after identity theft rather than hard cash but one never knows if a later email will not have the classic step of sending money (with some story as to why) and asking for a large portion to be forwarded to someone else via Western Union... which is just them at the other end. But this scammer would appear to be going after identity theft.

------ Original Message ------

From : Fred Thomas
Sent : 5/14/2012 9:49 AM
Subject : RE: Part time Admin. Assistant Position

Hello Applicant,

Hope you're having a pleasant day today? You contacted me applying for the position which I advertised on Craigslist. Do take time to go through this introductory mail and feel free to pass any questions on.

Fred Thomas is My name.I have been a Fashion Designer for over 30 years and i have been teaching too and i also has been running a fabrics company for 20 years. I bring a unique teaching style to students which will guarantee creative and fun learning by all student fashion designers while elevating them to new, exciting designers heights that they have only dreamed of.I often conduct LIVE slide/talk lectures on Understanding Exposure, the Art of Seeing, throughout the USA, Great Britain and Asia.At the moment, I am in a work-ship in the England.I will be here for a month after which I will fly down to Philippines for a Live-slide/talk show lectures with some students.

YOUR DUTIES AS MY PERSONAL ASSISTANT.

While I am out of the United State,I need some one who can stand in the gap for me.His/her duties will be the following

1.To receive letters and mails on my behalf.

2.Receive cheques and money orders from clients who want to attend the forth coming workshops or Live shows.

3.Schedule appointments for me.

4.Book my flight tickets.

5.Send letters and mails from my clients.

This position is home-based and flexible part time job,you can be in any location to carry out any of the activities.All you need do is to check your emails twice daily and keep your phone on most times in case i might need to call you from anywhere i may be.I do have a number of things you could help me with this week if you will be available to start.This can act as a stable foundation to our working relationship.Let me know if you have any of the office equipment (If not,I will make arrangements to send them to your address

Printer:

Personal Laptop/Desktop:

Internet Access:

Scanner:

Fax machine:

Laminator:

Paper Cutter:

For proper review(since i am not available now to set up a face-to-face interview) supply out correctly the information below .

FIRST NAME ......................LAST NAME...................

ADDRESS.................

CITY ............STATE............................

ZIP CODE............COUNTRY..................

PHONE NUMBER (S) ........................

PRESENT OCCUPATION..............................

GENDER.............MARITAL STATUS........

AGE..............NATIONALITY.................

Email....................

Scanned copy of your ID:(You can provide that later when you are employed)

Note: It will be of added advantage if you can provide 2 references from your past employments.

Qualification:

1.Educational background is not a criteria.

2.You must be Organized and able to take instructions well Dependable, Reliable, Trustworthy a must

3.Must have excellent English language skills (both spoken and written)

4.Have great work ethic and attitude, as well as people skills, pay-attention to detail, capable of multi-tasking, and works well under stress at times.

Benefits:

- Yearly performance bonus
- Paid vacation/sick/personal days
- Medical benefits

Salary:

500 USD weekly(2,000USD monthly)

Also,there will be compensation for efficiency and hard working.

Thanks

Fred Thomas.

Scam Email: Michael Silverberg

Nothing new about the approach of this scammer. Same ole same ole. But we can see this particular scammer is making use of the same email account, creating slightly different sub accounts and then just changing up his fake name. The last report we did on this guy was from the fake name of Dennis Matt using the email address of academicss00@gmail.com. Notice in the below email how he couldn't even get the spelling of his own fake name correct in the body of the email.

From: Michael Silverberg [academicss003@gmail.com]
Date: May 22, 2012 4:21:33 AM EDT
Subject: Artwork

--
Good day to you over there, My name is Micheal Silverberg I'm from California and my eyes caught this particular work( he inserted here a long url from the artist's website of an image ), i will like to have it for my new apartment this month.please let me know if the piece is available, if yes let me have the detailed price and more information about it. i will be waiting to read from you.Regards.

Of course we know what comes next. Some long convoluted story about them moving or being at sea and using a shipper to come get the item and that they will pay via a certified check (or they offer to pay via credit card). The certified check will turn out to be a fake. The credit card will turn out to be stolen and often not reported yet. There is no shipper. And the amount of the payment will be a LOT over the amount owed, asking you the victim to deposit it and "forward" the difference to the shipper via Western Union. Which, of course, is just the scammer at the other end collecting up your good cash and then they can not be traced.

Do not fall for these scam buyers.

Scam Email: Jacob Cross

Here is another email for your list...

jamozy@blumail.org
fountainenergygroups@yahoo.com

 Thanks for your support found on web Kathleen.

S

Jacob Cross [jamozy@blumail.org]

Hello,

Am Jacob Cross, I'm from Ontario and i hope this message finds you

well. I was going through your works and my eyes caught this

particular work, i will like to have it for my new apartment this

month. Please let me know if the piece is available, if yes let me

have the detailed price and more information about it. I will be

waiting to read from you.

Regards,Jacob

------------

Hi Jacob,

Could you please give me the title?

------------

 Jacob Cross [jamozy@blumail.org]

Thanks for your response.  Kindly get back to me with your website so i can

let you know the exact painting I'm interested in.

------------

Did you check my website [inserted website here]?

Speak you soon, S.

------------

From: Jacob Cross [jamozy@blumail.org]

Thanks for your prompt reply.

Unfortunately, Im on my way to France on an official trip(I'm amarketing Executive) and wont be back for another two weeks.

Im okay with the price, I think it worth it anyway. If you'd like toknow, Im relocating to the South Africa soon and I'm trying to gathersome good stuff for my new abode. Im buying yours amongstothers,quickly! before someone else grabs it.So, I'll arrange to sendyou payment ASAP.

However, I'll have to notify my shipper who's helping me move my stuffto get set for the pickup of the piece from your place as I MIGHT bedelayed depending on how things goes.Thanks,

PS: In the mean time, kindly get back to me with your contact addressand also your phone# so I can get a cheque prepared and have it sentout to you ASAP.

Scam Email: Jerry Goldstein

I received this email from an artist this morning. The content of the email is the classic "opening" email we see from scammers. They are just trying to get people to respond before they give more details of the scam.

email was "from" Jerry Goldstein01@gmail.com
names of 4 of my paintings were the subject line
There are lots of well-known  actual Jerry Goldsteins, including the Jerry's Artarama guy, although I'm sure they all have better English skills than this!

Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 20:00:10 +0100
Subject: Meadow/It's Not The Heat/Orwell Outlook/Rocky Point Afternoon.
From: Jerry Goldstein [jerrygoldstein01@gmail.com]

Hi,

I go through your website and i find this above work of your art interesting, i hope they are still available for purchase?

Email me their details and price,

Jerry.