Receive a well-paid offer through email that asks you to provide personal information first? Be careful!

A Reddit user receives this lengthy email that the sender carefully introduces himself, claiming that he is hiring a house sitter. It seems that if you are fit for the job, you will get paid with “overpaid checks.” Plus, you are asked to provide personal information before you sign any contract.

Here are some red flags:
First, you will receive an overpaid “check.” Scammers can send you a fake check, convincing you to return the “overpaid amount” of money. Second, the job only requires you to work 9 hours a week for $400. Isn’t that too good to be true? Last but not least, the sender asks you to reply with personal information, which is a common phishing tactic scammers use.

Content

Hello,

Thanks for your email and respond to the house sitter position. I’m Richard and my wife is Caitlin and a daughter called Cynthia and my wife is 3 months pregnant with our second baby. I am a constructor manager and we are relocating from New York to your area. We are coming there to do some contract basis with a minimum of a year contract with the possibility of extending the contract.

However, we need someone who will help me to take care of the house by doing some housework while I am off to work like bathroom Cleaning, Kitchen Cleaning, General Room Cleaning, dishes Cleaning, Refrigerator Cleaning. Also, Someone that will help in running some little errands.

I will be offering you $400 weekly payment, I will be needing your services for 3 hours in a day at any suitable time of yours and we need you 3 times a week. If you believe you are fit for this position in as much you will prove yourself to be a reliable, responsible, and good person, I have a financier that is based in the States and he will be handling the payment and some other expenses. I will instruct him to pay for the first week before my arrival to secure your service.

My financier will bo making out a check to you before my arrival, you will be receiving an overpayment bank check which you win deduct your pay for the first week and we will be using the remaining to buy foodstuffs, art gallery, home appliance and other things needed in the house, all these will be available on the day of our arrival which is Mon, 24th of this month. Our flights from New York will arrive at night so you can come to meet us in the morning and make all the other preparations.

I just bought the house and as soon as all the paperwork is finalized and I will instruct my estate agent to mail the keys of the house to you so that you can do all other necessary preparations before we arrive…

You should get all the necessary things before our arrival so that you won’t have to start running around when we arrive, So my financier would be needing the following information to make out the check.
Full name:
Full Mailing Address (Apt # & zip code):
Bank name:
Age:
Gender:
Phone number:
Acceptance of off:

All I need from you is total honesty and sincerity. I know you will be committed to the work. You will also have a nice period working with my family. I will be waiting to hear from you to send you the contract agreement.

Thanks

Be careful when looking for a job online, and please don’t share your sensitive data with others. Read more about other job scams and phishing emails for more details.

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