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 16, 2009

Tohoku Steel Co., Ltd

Tohoku Steel is a real company, sure enough, but this random scammer using a Microsoft Live email address has nothing to do with them. Like so many other scams I report here, this is a check or money order fraud scam. The scammer is looking for someone to cash checks or money orders, and send back some of the proceeds via Westerm Union. The trap is that the checks or money orders are forgeries which will eventually bounce, leaving the "employee" badly out of pocket.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tohoku Steel Co., Ltd <customercare[@]tohoku.com>
Reply-to: tohoku.steel@live.com
Date: 2009/3/14 UTC
Subject: N/A
To: undisclosed-recipients


Tohoku Steel Co., Ltd.
23, Nishigaoka, Murata-cho
Shibata-gun, Miyagi-ken
989-13 Japan.
www.tohokusteel.com



Pick Our Job Offer.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Hiroyuki Yokoyama President, Representative Director Tohoku Steel Co.,
Ltd  which is principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of heat
resistant steel for engine valves and gas products. The Company offers round
bars, twisted steel bars, gas products and other products.

We are searching for representatives who can help us establish a Medium of
getting to our customers in the UK, USA, Canada, and Mexico, as Well as
making payments through you as our payment officer. Salary is attractive.
For every payment you receive from our customers on our behalf  you will get
10% commission. You will also be Receiving 2.5% bonuses annually for all
payment receive through you to us.

This job offer will not disturb you from your other job if you have one, you
are at liberty to remain in your previous job while work with us on part-
time basis. No formal experience is needed. All instruction and guideline
will be administered from the Head Office.

WHY YOU?
The international money order tax for legal entities (companies) in japan is
21%, whereas for the individual it is only 10%. That's why we need you! We
need agents to receive payment for our products in their locality by acting
as our company's representatives.This way we will save money because of tax
decreasing.

HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN?
10% from each sale/resale operation! At the beginning your commission will
equal 10%, though later it will increase.

ADVANTAGES
You do not have to go out as you will work as an independent contractor
right from your home, office. Your job is absolutely legal. You can earn up
to $50000-$100000 depending on time you will spend for this job. You do not
need any capital to start. The employees who make efforts and work hard have
a strong possibility to become a managers.You are also allowed to be one of
our share holders.

Anyway our employees never leave us. If you are interested in our offer,
please feel free to ask for the general provisions of the Contract and
provide us the following information to enable us proceed.

(1) Your full names:
(2) Contact address:
(3) Tele/cell numbers:
(4) Occupation:
(5) Age:
(6) Sex:
(7) Marital Status:
(8) Company(if any):
(9) Bank Name:


You are expected to contact our Human Resource Department, immediately and
introduce yourself formally as our company's representative, to enable us
commence filing to some of our clients ready to initiate payment Upon
appointment, you are allowed the opportunity of determining the method or
mode through which you would be paid for your services as our Representative.

Please Note the 9th part of details requirement is important for us to know
the client that would fits into your bank. Most cheques from other banks
takes longer time than a payment from bank A to bank A. Meanwhile most of
our clients bank with Bank Of America (BOA).and it is faster from bank to
bank. Upon appointment, you are allowed the opportunity of determining the
method or mode through which you would be paid for your services as our
representative.Please direct your response to us.


Please forward this information's to the email address below:
Contact email:   tohoku.steel@live.com


We patiently await your swift response.

Sincerely,
Hiroyuki Yokoyama
President, Representative Director


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

this e-mail is completely a real scam, be careful with this e-mail, don't be fooled by these people, THANKS FOR SHARING THIS BLOG WITH US, IT REALLY HELPS US STAY AWAY FROM FRAUD. HASHEM BLESS YOU.

Oscar Gonzalez
Colombia
Business administrator
oscargonzalez48@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Here's one I got from Albert Tohoku. He wants me to be the attorney for Tohoku to collect a debt. The debt was incurred by another real steel company in the US: Brown Steel Co, in Maine. See below:




fromalberttohoku@tohokusteelco.net
reply-toalberttohoku@tohokusteelco.net

tothurstonhowell1@gmail.com

dateMon, Mar 16, 2009 at 2:16 AM
subjectRe: Tohoku Steel Representation

hide details Mar 16 (3 days ago) Reply


Re: Creditors Right

Attention Thurston Howell, III:

We have reference from Isaac Milford and we are grateful for your willingness to
take from your busy schedule to look into our case. We intend to forward a
scanned copy of the last letter of agreement that was breached, when firm have
done a conflict check.

We are a steel manufactures and sells steels with customers in North America,
Africa, Europe and off course Asia. Our established is a third generation company
started by Sir Huey Tohoku in 1943. We request your representation in a possible
litigation to enable us collect a debt owed to us by a delinquent customer. We
sincerely appreciate your time in reviewing our request and. we are willing to
work with you to achieve our goal, as the importance of your services cannot be
over emphasized.

I understand the importance of retaining your services accordingly and we shall
provide necessary documentation .We understand your request for more information
and we will not relent in providing information as they deem necessary. We are of
the opinion that once our presence is established in your state via a legal
representative our customer will have no option but comply with payment request
to avoid legal action and litigation.

We believe that a normal scenario will require a telephone call or demand letter
from you to our delinquent customer if your services is retained. We believe that
litigation should be applied as a last resort as we intend to preserve the
relationship we have with our customer after payment is made. We do not intend to
resort to litigation unless all other options have been exhausted but we will
like the comfort of knowing that the option is available and letting our customer
know that litigation may be enforced if the option becomes necessary.

We understand the present economic melt down all around the globe, how ever we
also need to service our creditors. we have been advise by our attorney in Tokyo
the need concept of running a conflict check as a first step to accepting any
case that is why we are providing our delinquent customer located in your state
for your conflict check and to enable you present to us your retainer agreement
for your services. The name of the adverse party is

Brown's Welding & Steel - North Anson, ME

This particular customer was supplied galvanized steel of USD$972,681.00 of
which they made payment of USD138,000.The sum of USd$834,681 is been past due as
our regular sale agreement requires customers to effect payment not later than
30-45 days upon delivery or legal action maybe enforced if payment delay exceeds
90 days. Delivery for this customer was made in February of 2008 and our
calculation shows that payment is about fourteen months late. The customer
confirmed delivery of shipment in good condition. It will be very helpful if we
receive your standard retainer agreement on or before Wednesday 18th March this
week. This will enable our board decide on the conditions of your retainer

We thank you for your business as we look forward to your prompt response; I look
for to a fruitful business relationship.

Sincerely,

Albert Tohoku
President
Tohoku Steel Company
Tel: 81-366887253
2-10-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku,
Tokyo 105-0001, Japan
alberttohoku@tohokusteelco.net

Spotter said...

Wait... you're going by the name of Thurston Howell III? That's classy.

Unknown said...

What to do if u fall into this trap because i did and i sent them my info and im scared as shit

Spotter said...

Handing over your information to fraudsters puts you at increased risk of credit fraud (e.g. someone taking out a loan in your name), but it's generally not going to put you in any personal danger. The best thing to do with most fraudsters is delete their mail without reading or responding to it. Certainly don't send them any money.