Job scam quick guide: it's a scam if...

  • they want you to collect and forward money in any way (a "money mule" job). You'll wind up engaged in money laundering, personally defrauded via expertly forged cheques, money orders, etc, or defrauding someone else who pays for goods that never arrive.
  • they want you to receive packages and reship them somewhere else. The goods will have been obtained fraudulently, and they're just using you to make the shipping address appear local. You will be aiding fraud.
  • they want up-front payment (either to them or someone else) of any sort for anything before you can get the job. This is advance fee fraud: there is no job -- it's just a big con to extract money from you.
  • they want you to buy any kind of "membership" or "kit" in order to start. Forget it -- it's not a real job at all: they're trying to sell you something, and they're probably making a bunch of other false claims about it if they're pitching it as a "job".
  • it's a job offer, and it's spam. There are LOTS of these scams about, as you can see.

Monday, March 03, 2008

Arcandor

I should have reported this one ages ago, but I'm busy with other things of late. The scam is nothing special -- just the usual money mule job that makes up 90% of what I report on this blog -- but these guys are pretty darn persistent with this particular spam. They've been at it for four weeks now with very little change other than a continuously varying Gmail contact address. Only one such spam was sent directly to my contact address, but I am still seeing them arrive in other spamtrap accounts.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: [redacted (false)]
Date: 5 Feb 2008 XX:XX UTC
Subject: start your career with us
To: ideceive@gmail.com

Welcome to the Arcandor Service!

We are very glad that you  wish to join our team, will be delighted  to have you work with us
The position of ?Assistant? provides support filling  the transactions of our customers.
We deal exclusively with private clients,- that have special requirements for high speed of receiving funds for their business .
  This way we can offer a new kind of financial and banking service to our clients - and we
would like you to work as an ?Assistant?.(part-time job 3-4 hours a day except holidays)

At first  your work  would be very basic,  yet meticulous -you will  make transfers for our clients  to suit their needs. Our managers will
assist you during the trial period and explain everything you will need to know.
We offer an extremely competitive graduated salary: for the first month you will receive up to
$2000 for your work  the next month your salary will be increased if you do your work accurately
and  on time.
Now you are only one step away from successful career.

All you need is to send  an e-mail to: arcandorservice3@gmail.com

with  phone numbers and times to reach you, and one of our representatives will contact you
and answer all your questions.

Thank you in advance,

Helen Jones
Manager
Arcandor Service

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