Fake check/overpayment scam by "David Jackson" and "Isabella Brown"
Thread poster: Andrea Capuselli
Andrea Capuselli
Andrea Capuselli
Local time: 10:07
SITE STAFF
SITE LOCALIZER
Jun 8, 2020

A report has been received of a person or group of people conducting a fake check/overpayment scam, using the presumably fake names "Isabella Brown" and "David Jackson", and the email addresses davidjackson101231 @ hotmail and brownbella2971 @ gmail

Please see examples of their initial
... See more
A report has been received of a person or group of people conducting a fake check/overpayment scam, using the presumably fake names "Isabella Brown" and "David Jackson", and the email addresses davidjackson101231 @ hotmail and brownbella2971 @ gmail

Please see examples of their initial email contacts in the scam alert report: http://wiki.proz.com/wiki/index.php/Translator_scam_alert_reports#June_8.2C_2020:_Advance_payment.2Foverpayment_scam_by_.22Isabella_Brown.22_brownbella2971.40gmail.com
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Aline Amorim
Aline Amorim  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 10:07
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Scam Jun 9, 2020

Andrea Capuselli wrote:

A report has been received of a person or group of people conducting a fake check/overpayment scam, using the presumably fake names "Isabella Brown" and "David Jackson", and the email addresses davidjackson101231 @ hotmail and brownbella2971 @ gmail

Please see examples of their initial email contacts in the scam alert report: http://wiki.proz.com/wiki/index.php/Translator_scam_alert_reports#June_8.2C_2020:_Advance_payment.2Foverpayment_scam_by_.22Isabella_Brown.22_brownbella2971.40gmail.com



Thank you very much for your response @Andrea.


 
Gala Yershevich
Gala Yershevich
United States
Local time: 07:07
Russian to English
+ ...
fake check returned back (REASON Altered/Fictitious item), Jun 9, 2020

I got such an email, got a fake check by USPS, deposited it electronically, was told that I got overpaid, sent money back through ZELLE, got fake check returned back (REASON Altered/Fictitious item), and now I do not know what to do .... Any suggestions?

> On May 22, 2020, at 2:27 PM, Courtney Joe via ProZ.com wrote:
>
> A ProZ.com user visited your ProZ.com profile and sent the following message.
>
> Author: Courtney Joe [NOTE: The author is not a regist
... See more
I got such an email, got a fake check by USPS, deposited it electronically, was told that I got overpaid, sent money back through ZELLE, got fake check returned back (REASON Altered/Fictitious item), and now I do not know what to do .... Any suggestions?

> On May 22, 2020, at 2:27 PM, Courtney Joe via ProZ.com wrote:
>
> A ProZ.com user visited your ProZ.com profile and sent the following message.
>
> Author: Courtney Joe [NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.]
> Author's IP address: 64.44.80.60
>
> -----------
>
> Hello.
> I would like to know if you are available for translation
> from Russian to English?
> Thanks.
>
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Marjolein Snippe
Marjolein Snippe  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 14:07
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Not hopeful Jun 10, 2020

I am really sorry you were scammed, Gala. The chances of getting your money back are very slim, but you could try talking to your bank or Zelle.

Unfortunately this is a very common scam, with lots of online information but very few helpful solutions once you are a victim; see for instan
... See more
I am really sorry you were scammed, Gala. The chances of getting your money back are very slim, but you could try talking to your bank or Zelle.

Unfortunately this is a very common scam, with lots of online information but very few helpful solutions once you are a victim; see for instance
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-fake-check-scams
https://www.zellepay.com/pay-it-safe/understanding-fraud-and-scams
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Liviu-Lee Roth
 
Jaime Russell
Jaime Russell  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 09:07
English to Spanish
+ ...
Emailed me too Jun 10, 2020

Isabella Brown (brown bella 2971 @ gmail.com) emailed me on Monday also.
I promptly replied, and no response until today.
Checked the email against Proz forums, and bingo! We have a winner!
Thanks everyone for looking out for all of us.
Jaime

[Edited at 2020-06-11 21:50 GMT]


 
Ingrid Sojit
Ingrid Sojit
United States
Local time: 06:07
Spanish to English
Thanks for thread, Isabella has been negotiating with me Jun 12, 2020

Thank you for this thread. Isabella Brown was just soliciting work from me the email address is [email protected] with an IP address in Singapore. The interaction looked suspicious so I googled her name with the word "scam" and found this thread

 
Gala Yershevich
Gala Yershevich
United States
Local time: 07:07
Russian to English
+ ...
scam from Courtney Joe Jun 12, 2020

in my case it was "Courtney Joe" [NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.] with > Author's IP address: 64.44.80.60

 
Katarzyna Slowikova
Katarzyna Slowikova  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 14:07
English to Czech
+ ...
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Jun 12, 2020

Gala Yershevich wrote:

in my case it was "Courtney Joe" [NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.] with > Author's IP address: 64.44.80.60


The IP is irrelevant, post the address where you got the email from. You'll see it after clicking Reply.


 
Katarzyna Slowikova
Katarzyna Slowikova  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 14:07
English to Czech
+ ...
More details on Brenda Mora Jun 14, 2020

Brenda Mora

1606 W 1720 N

Provo, Utah 84604 PO # 000001

Phone: (205) 730-5157

Brendamora557@hotmail. [without the "com"]

It came in the third email I got from "her" (without me answering on the last one).
Does anyone know a scam answering bot that we could forward the scam emails to? Re:scam was doing this but I don't think it's working anymore.

(btw
... See more
Brenda Mora

1606 W 1720 N

Provo, Utah 84604 PO # 000001

Phone: (205) 730-5157

Brendamora557@hotmail. [without the "com"]

It came in the third email I got from "her" (without me answering on the last one).
Does anyone know a scam answering bot that we could forward the scam emails to? Re:scam was doing this but I don't think it's working anymore.

(btw.: I've just stumbled on this delightful piece of 419 scam: www.theregister.com/2004/04/16/cosmic_419er/)

[Edited at 2020-06-14 11:41 GMT]
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Liviu-Lee Roth
 
Wolfgang Schoene
Wolfgang Schoene  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 14:07
Member
English to German
+ ...
fake check returned back (REASON Altered/Fictitious item), Jun 16, 2020

[quote]Gala Yershevich wrote:

I got such an email, got a fake check by USPS, deposited it electronically, was told that I got overpaid, sent money back through ZELLE, got fake check returned back (REASON Altered/Fictitious item), and now I do not know what to do .... Any suggestions?

Learn from this lesson. And NEVER EVER pay any money to anybody who wants to give you work. They are supposed to pay you, not in advance, not with more than you requested. And never pay back anything!!!


Liviu-Lee Roth
 
Liviu-Lee Roth
Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 09:07
Romanian to English
+ ...
An alarming trend Jun 16, 2020

[quote]Wolfgang Schoene wrote:

Gala Yershevich wrote:

I got such an email, got a fake check by USPS, deposited it electronically, was told that I got overpaid, sent money back through ZELLE, got fake check returned back (REASON Altered/Fictitious item), and now I do not know what to do .... Any suggestions?

Learn from this lesson. And NEVER EVER pay any money to anybody who wants to give you work. They are supposed to pay you, not in advance, not with more than you requested. And never pay back anything!!!



As several of our colleagues noticed, there is a trend to target the German translators. Maybe Proz can publish a WARNING or something, send e-mails to German translators to warn them about the potential risk.

Stay safe,
lee


 
Katarzyna Slowikova
Katarzyna Slowikova  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 14:07
English to Czech
+ ...
.................................................................................................... Jun 16, 2020

Liviu-Lee Roth wrote:

As several of our colleagues noticed, there is a trend to target the German translators.


Based in Germany, not translating to or from German. They're not interested in our languages but whether we live (and have an account) in a country that has lax rules concerning checks. And Germany is apparently one of those.


Liviu-Lee Roth
 
Thomas Garbarini
Thomas Garbarini
United States
Chinese to English
Same Jul 17, 2020

I received an email from somebody named "Debra Churchward" from the phone number (205) 730-5157 offering to pay me via check. Same number that Katarzyna Slowikova posted.

 
Marta Visentin
Marta Visentin  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 14:07
Spanish to Italian
+ ...
Email from Debra Churchward Aug 30, 2022

Hello,
Just to let you know that I was contacted by someone called Debra Churchward too.

Text of the first email was:
"Hello,
I would like to know if you are available to translate a
document from English to Italian.
Regards"

After sending my fare, I was offered to receive a "50% deposit upfront to start and the balance upon completion of the project" and asked to send my details including address as payment will be facilitated via check.<
... See more
Hello,
Just to let you know that I was contacted by someone called Debra Churchward too.

Text of the first email was:
"Hello,
I would like to know if you are available to translate a
document from English to Italian.
Regards"

After sending my fare, I was offered to receive a "50% deposit upfront to start and the balance upon completion of the project" and asked to send my details including address as payment will be facilitated via check.

Can anyone else confirm that this is scam?

Thank you very much.
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Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 09:07
German to English
Typical scam Aug 30, 2022

Please see
https://www.proz.com/forum/scams/198052-some_tools_for_detecting_scams_and_risk_management.html

or the previous comments in this section (scroll up).


Marta Visentin
 


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Fake check/overpayment scam by "David Jackson" and "Isabella Brown"







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