Has anyone else received this email? It has sorta that “Nigerian Scam” feel to it.
It reminds me of the story here: chess.com/article/view/new-s … ss-coaches
I’ve been receiving this one for about 6 months now.
I wonder where they got the email addresses they’re sending it to?
If this was real it would be nothing to request some “good faith” cash up front. I warned a one of my friends that the cashiers check she received would prove to be worthless. She wound up minus $700.00. Never ever send a penny!
Received this request a week ago. Claimed that the child would be moving to my state. Assumed that this was a scam from the very beginning or a precursor to downloading a computer virus . They probably scanned the USCF website to find e-mail addresses in the Clubs section to find individuals who would probably be giving lessons along with being involved with clubs. Ignored the e-mail.
Sort of ingenious, but stupid. Chess players are by nature suspicious of such a good thing dropping into their laps without hard work. Good to know that others were just as smart and suspicious. Thanks for the alert, Kevin. I will relay it on to others.
In my case it hit my post-ini spam-blocker. I do a quick review of the subject lines of e-mails in my quarantine folder just to make sure my settings didn’t block something I actually need to see. Post-ini allows bringing up an e-mail in a safe mode (no programs or links kicked off) and I saw it also had a lot of verbiage added in an attempt to fool a spam-blocker - the attempt obviously failed.
I got the e-mail. I answered. Fellow said kid would be living in Vancouver WA. I said I needed a bus pass and $15.00 per hour. Waiting for a reply.
I bet if Kevin had replied, the kid would have been moving to Illinois.
So what will they do? Send you a $10,000 check for 1000 lessons, and ask you to refund the difference?
Well let you know what the reply is.
Here is the reply. Guess I will get some money up front which is probably not legit money and then expected to forward most of the up front back.
Guess I need to get more info out of Mr. Morgan such as the address of his PG sister.
Hello Russell ,
OK, Sounds good, thank you for your email once again and
hope you are having a great day? I am happy to know you will be able to
take Frank with his Chess Lessons.
What we really want for him is just a general brush-up with his Lessons
and in any areas he might have difficulties with. I Just spoke to my
Wife about your total rates and at this point, I’m most delighted to say
we have a deal. My sister live in a bus route area.
I want you to know that my Wife and i had initially hired a private
coach for Frank and he was supposed to take him for six months which
we already paid him upfront for but just before we concluded on training
days and time, he lost his wife and decided to quit coaching and take
proper care of his family but has agreed to have my money sent to any
alternative coach who’ll be handling Frank with his training. Now i
could have had my sister receive the funds for me and pay you after
each lessons as the case may be but the thing is my sister at this
time is 8 months pregnant with her first child and i don’t think her
husband will appreciate me giving her any extra activities if you know
what i mean.
I’ve just concluded with Frank’s previous coach to send you all the
money he owes me to you, I will need your First and last name to issue
check to you and your address where check will be sent to. You are to
deduct your money for Frank’s training as agreed at ($185/Month)
deducted from the money when received. The previous Coach owes me
$1,700. Pls i will need you to take your fees as agreed and then have
what’s left sent to Frank’s travel agent as the money will be used in
securing him flight tickets/BTA and travel documents down to the
states.
If this is fine with you, I’ll need you to provide me with your
name as to be written on the payment(Check), your Address (where the
payment will be sent to) and your phone number and I’ll instruct to
have the payment issued and sent out to your location ASAP and am sure
you understand?
Do have a great week ahead and get back to me so i can make relevant
arrangements, also anytime or day of the week that suits you best for
lessons works just fine with us as Frank’s schedule for now is fully
open. In two weeks from this date my Son will arrive
in my sister’s house, so two days after my Son’s arrival you can
meet with him to get started.
Thanks,
Mr. Richard Morgan
Date: Tue, 20 May 2014 17:59:41 +0000
From: RUSSELLMILLER22@comcast.net
To: justrichard70@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: Private Chess Coach Wanted.
Since I no longer drive you would need to buy me a bus pass for $65.00 per month. My chess rate per hour is $15.00. Where does your sister live in Vancouver. I need to be sure
she is in an area close to a bus route.
Russell (Rusty) Miller
From: “Richard Morgan” justrichard70@hotmail.com
To: “RUSSELLMILLER22@comcast.net” russellmiller22@comcast.net
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2014 10:22:19 AM
Subject: RE: Private Chess Coach Wanted.
How are you doing? Frank is moving in with my sister in Vancouver. Pls get back to us with your total rate for a month ( 1Hr twice a week ). Hope to hear from you soon.
Regards,
Mr. Morgan.
Date: Tue, 20 May 2014 04:05:52 +0000
From: RUSSELLMILLER22@comcast.net
To: justrichard70@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: Private Chess Coach Wanted.
Is he going to be close to Vancouver Washington?
Russell (Rusty) Miller
From: “Richard Morgan” businessshipping2011@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2014 5:39:40 PM
Subject: Private Chess Coach Wanted.
Hello,
How are you doing today and I hope you’re fine?
My name is Mr. Richard Morgan, my Wife and I are looking
to hire a Chess Coach for our Son who’s relocating to my
sister’s house in the states in 2 weeks, we live in Utrecht,
Netherlands.
We decided to hire a Coach for him so he won’t be idle. His
name is Frank, his 16 years old. We want
him trained for an hour, twice a week. You live in the same
state with my sister.If you are available and ready, kindly get
back to us with your total fee for a month, and the city you
reside. You will get to pick your training days, place and
time. Hopefully an arrangement can be made.
Thanks.
Mr. Morgan
Surprised he gave you this much information. Not sure who has jurisdiction over international wire fraud: the FBI, the US Post Office, or the Treasury Dept… One of these should be contacted about this to check it out and track down Mr. Morgan. He must think he has his hooks in you. All of the info he requests will help him with identity theft.
Only info I have given him is my home town and he has my e-mail address. No reply yet to my most recent e-mail to him.
I believe the United States Attorney’s Office will be pleased to advise concerning jurisdiction. Access Department of Justice by e-mail
I’d try contacting your local FBI office.
This sounds like a similar stunt when I had advertised chess lessons on Craigslist.org. I had received an interesting response saying that there was some interest, but I would also have to include “Babysitting Services” along with the chess lesson, and that the person would overpay for both the chess lesson and the babysitting service and I would refund the difference once everything was reconciled.
After speaking to some of my local friends here in NJ, they had advised me that this was a well known scam, and all I can say to our friend in Vancouver is to move with caution, and maybe not involve the FBI yet, but to see what this person’s “Next Move” would be. This scenario could be very similar, and perhaps a scare tactic that I might be tempted to implement is to say, “Let me Have My Lawyer Look at These Terms and Conditions and it will be determined on where we go from here”.
Thank you for sharing this with all of us, and definitely keep us abreast.
Respectfully Submitted,
David A. Cole, USCF Life Member, Franklin, NJ
Still no reply from Mr. Morgan. Maybe he is reading this forum.
Appears not, since he tried me again.
Still no reply to me.
This is not about identity theft. The bottom line is a request for money to be sent from you for what looks like a cashier’s check. The check is fake and the money you send will be lost. No matter what the context it is a scam.