Possible Tutoring job scam
Thread poster: yugoslavia
yugoslavia
yugoslavia
United States
Local time: 04:09
English to Spanish
+ ...
Feb 15, 2021

Dear colleagues from Proz.com,

I hope you are doing well and I hope that you are healthy and safe from The Coronavirus Pandemic.

I’m writing to you because I received two email messages around five days ago offering me a Spanish tutoring job. The name of the person is Zhi Jiang and the other person name is Nicholas Van Haght. I'm a translator, interpreter but I'm also a Spanish and English teacher.

I’m suspecting that this email message could be a scam.
... See more
Dear colleagues from Proz.com,

I hope you are doing well and I hope that you are healthy and safe from The Coronavirus Pandemic.

I’m writing to you because I received two email messages around five days ago offering me a Spanish tutoring job. The name of the person is Zhi Jiang and the other person name is Nicholas Van Haght. I'm a translator, interpreter but I'm also a Spanish and English teacher.

I’m suspecting that this email message could be a scam. I will be glad to copy and paste the copy of the email messages for you. I want to verify if the email message is legitimate or if someone is trying to do a scam to me.

Thanks for your help and cooperation, Spanish native speakers, feel free to write to me in Spanish.
Best regards,
Yugoslavia
Collapse


 
Natalie
Natalie  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 09:09
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...

MODERATOR
SITE LOCALIZER
First thing to do... Feb 15, 2021

yugoslavia wrote:
I want to verify if the email message is legitimate or if someone is trying to do a scam to me.


...is checking Google. Nicholas Van Haght is a real person, there are several web-pages. The one most relevant is this one:
https://www.instagram.com/mrnicktutor/?hl=en
and this one, where you can find email address and phone number:
https://www.mrnick.co.uk/
so you can check further yourself if it was really him who contacted you, or it was an impersonator.

What about the Chinese name - if you really need any help from ProZ.com, you need:
1) to tell if the email was received through ProZ.com or no;
2) if yes, to provide at least the IP address


Barbara Carrara
Walter Landesman
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Yolanda Broad
 
yugoslavia
yugoslavia
United States
Local time: 04:09
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Email addresses information. Feb 15, 2021

Hi Mrs. Natalie,
I have just got your message. Thanks for your response. Yes.I got both messages through Proz.com. The first email address is [redacted] and the email address for the Chinese person is [redacted].

The email messages don't contain IP Addresses.

Please let me know if you need something else.
Thanks.
Yugoslavia


 
yugoslavia
yugoslavia
United States
Local time: 04:09
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Copy of one of the messages. Feb 18, 2021

Hi,
this is the copy of one the messages that I received. I got also a similar message with a different name.
Thanks.
Yugoslavia

Hello,

I'm Nicholas Van Haght, During my search for a lesson teacher that would help in taking son (Kenneth), I found your advert and it is very okay to me since you specialize in the area I'm seeking for him, My son would be taking online lessons from you, I'll like to know if you can help in taking him for the lesson? ju
... See more
Hi,
this is the copy of one the messages that I received. I got also a similar message with a different name.
Thanks.
Yugoslavia

Hello,

I'm Nicholas Van Haght, During my search for a lesson teacher that would help in taking son (Kenneth), I found your advert and it is very okay to me since you specialize in the area I'm seeking for him, My son would be taking online lessons from you, I'll like to know if you can help in taking him for the lesson? just to keep him busy and refresh. Kenneth is 11 years old, So kindly let me know your charges per hour/lesson in order for me to arrange for the payment before lessons commence and Please Reply back on:

(1). Your charges per 1 hour (3 times a week for 2 Weeks): Starting from 25th February Until 9th March 2021

(2) Total Cost For 6 class/6 hours lessons in 2 Weeks

(3). The Day you will be available to teach him During the week:

Well am very happy that i see you as my son tutor and about your years of Experience there is no problem about the lessons, My son will be with his caregiver while is taking the online lessons from you so there is no problem for the lesson to commence, my son caregiver will bring him to your location after the pandemic is over so you can teach him anywhere around you including the Library or your home if that is okay by you so i will like you to teach my son the best. I will like you to email me with your schedule for the lessons, I will like you to email me with the name on the check and Full mailing address where the check will be mailed to and including your Home and Cell phone number for my attorney to issue out a check to your before leaving the the state, you can cashed the check via mobile deposit or your bank, I will be awaiting to read from you soon with your name and address.

Best Wishes,
Nicholas.


[Edited at 2021-02-18 09:46 GMT]
Collapse


 
Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:09
German to English
Sounds like an old scam Feb 18, 2021

Back in the last century I received requests to take wives of executives shopping, children to museums, perform general tutoring and similar tasks while being richly compensated for all related expenses. Of course, the person making the offer wanted to send a check in advance to show good faith. I often wondered how many people fell for the scam. This was before Proz made it easy to find potential victims, so I assume the scammers mined the ATA membership list or rosters of other translator orga... See more
Back in the last century I received requests to take wives of executives shopping, children to museums, perform general tutoring and similar tasks while being richly compensated for all related expenses. Of course, the person making the offer wanted to send a check in advance to show good faith. I often wondered how many people fell for the scam. This was before Proz made it easy to find potential victims, so I assume the scammers mined the ATA membership list or rosters of other translator organizations.Collapse


Liviu-Lee Roth
 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 09:09
English to German
In memoriam
Ye olde fake checke tricke Feb 18, 2021

Check = scam. The age old formula.

Katarzyna Slowikova
 
jyuan_us
jyuan_us  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:09
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
I saw this style of writing by scammers 20 years ago Feb 18, 2021

They don't seem to have made any improvement in their communication skills.

Katarzyna Slowikova
 
Katarzyna Slowikova
Katarzyna Slowikova  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 09:09
English to Czech
+ ...
Google says "common email scam" Feb 19, 2021

Google any part of the email body - I did "During my search for a lesson teacher that would help in taking son" (between 2 proper names that can change) - and you'll immediately know the answer.
Always the easiest way to check if something is a scam - the message body (minus the proper names) is the part that doesn't change, ever (as it seems), because the scammers are dumb and lazy.

EDIT: I have to correct myself, after I noticed the "lessons" are to take place "after the pan
... See more
Google any part of the email body - I did "During my search for a lesson teacher that would help in taking son" (between 2 proper names that can change) - and you'll immediately know the answer.
Always the easiest way to check if something is a scam - the message body (minus the proper names) is the part that doesn't change, ever (as it seems), because the scammers are dumb and lazy.

EDIT: I have to correct myself, after I noticed the "lessons" are to take place "after the pandemic is over"! It looks like they do try to keep this gibberish up to date. Still, except this one passage, I bet this text is as old the internet.

[Edited at 2021-02-19 01:51 GMT]
Collapse


Kevin Fulton
Liviu-Lee Roth
 
yugoslavia
yugoslavia
United States
Local time: 04:09
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks for your replies. Feb 19, 2021

Dear friends from Proz.com
Thanks for all your replies to my forum. I appreciate it. I think this is also a scam. I got another message after that with a different name but the message is very similar. The email messages don't have an IP address.

Thanks again.

Yugoslavia

[Edited at 2021-02-19 11:20 GMT]


 
Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:09
German to English
Checking the IP address Feb 19, 2021

yugoslavia wrote:
I got another message after that with a different name but the message is very similar. The email messages don't have an IP address.


[Edited at 2021-02-19 11:20 GMT]


The IP address is not part of the message text.
I use an e-mail client that gives me the ability to view e-mail headers. One option is to view the full header which is full of all sorts of routing information, but it does also include the sender's ostensible IP address. Since a lot of people currently use virtual private networks (VPNs) – myself included, knowing the IP address is often of little practical value.


Liviu-Lee Roth
Daryo
 
yugoslavia
yugoslavia
United States
Local time: 04:09
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks Mr. Fulton. Feb 20, 2021

Hi Mr. Fulton,
I hope you are well. I really appreciate it. I have just got your email message.

I sent both email messages that look like scams to the Proz.com moderator.
They also told me that some email senders block their IP addresses.

Thanks again for your help.
Yugoslavia


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Lucia Leszinsky[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Possible Tutoring job scam







CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »
Anycount & Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000

Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.

More info »