I applied for a tutoring job on Craig's List... (what do you think of this?)...

[Pencil Pusher]

I'm super paranoid anyway, so feel free to laugh at me, but does this seem normal to you?

Hello Aubrey,
I am [ ], I am from the United Kingdom. I have a son, his name is [ ] and he's 13 years old whom will be coming for an holiday in the United States. He's in the high school so I want him to put in more effort at his studies during his holidays here in the States. So I just want to know maybe you can be taking him in English Language Lessons at least 3 times in a week, if this is possible, I will want you to get back to me with the cost of your teaching for one month March 20 till April 20.....He will be coming to your place for 1 hour each afternoon, I have someone that will always drive him down to your house.
I will want you to calculate 1 hour per day the 3 to 5 days for the whole period,and get back to me so that we can arrange on payment.

1.TOTAL CHARGES FOR THE PERIOD THAT HE WILL BE TAUGHT 3 TO 5 TIMES PER WEEK..
2.FULL NAME AND ADDRESS....
3.YOUR PHONE NUMBER..."
4.YOUR SEX, AGE AND WORK EXPERIENCE.

Looking forward to read from you.

Regards.
[Dad's name]

[shell in SC]

I think back on the old board somebody asked the same thing and we came to the conclusion that something wasn't quite right with it. I don't remember the details though.

HTH!
Shell

[Tammy]

I am thinking #4 is a bit suspicious, LOL! And...whoever wrote that letter seems to know the language well enough.....LOL!

[OC Mom]

I think back on the old board somebody asked the same thing and we came to the conclusion that something wasn't quite right with it. I don't remember the details though.

HTH!
Shell

Yep, I remember that.

And not to scare you, but I wouldn't take *any* job that sounds strange in any way. In Southern California last year, a young woman (college student) disappeared after leaving on a tutoring assignment with a an adult male client she met through Craig's list. Her body has never been found. Well, maybe I do want to scare you. Just be careful and know your clients.

[Pencil Pusher]

I am thinking #4 is a bit suspicious, LOL! And...whoever wrote that letter seems to know the language well enough.....LOL!

Well, the father is writing the email for his 13yo son. The CL post did not say anything about ESL--not that that bothers me, but at the very least, some basic cultural rules have been broken.

"He will be coming to your place for 1 hour each afternoon"--um, excuse me? ASK. It's MY house. But maybe that's just a cultural issue & not a phishing scam?

[Tammy]

Yea....my point about the writing being decent English....is....why can't the FATHER tutor him, LOL! I wouldn't buy any of it....

[WTMindy]

but I certainly wouldn't have anyone to my house. I *might* meet them at the library or something, but I would want a little more proof that everything was legit.

[Pencil Pusher]

Yea....my point about the writing being decent English....is....why can't the FATHER tutor him, LOL! I wouldn't buy any of it....


LOL! Spoken like a true hs'er!

[Friederike in Persia]

Some more communication might clearify things.
I'm not saying this is fine, but the assumtion that the boy would come to your place would be normal in quite a lot of places.
Where we live the student would always go to the tutor, it wouldn't even be talked about.
Also, many Americans are very polite/friendly, which means that a lot of the rest of the world has a tendency to look impolite/unfriendly to Americans.

Friederike

[Tammyla]

Did you e-mail the person with all the info? It just sounds strange to me after reading it.

[Kay in Cal]

I agree... I actualy think the wording and "situation" was almost exactly the same in the email that was posted on the last board, except the person who placed the ad was the "mother". I think it's a scam, and that they are reusing the same text--and that the scammers (obviously) don't speak English very well.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I'm super paranoid anyway, so feel free to laugh at me, but does this seem normal to you?

Hello Aubrey,
I am [ ], I am from the United Kingdom. I have a son, his name is [ ] and he's 13 years old whom will be coming for an holiday in the United States. He's in the high school so I want him to put in more effort at his studies during his holidays here in the States. So I just want to know maybe you can be taking him in English Language Lessons at least 3 times in a week, if this is possible, I will want you to get back to me with the cost of your teaching for one month March 20 till April 20.....He will be coming to your place for 1 hour each afternoon, I have someone that will always drive him down to your house.
I will want you to calculate 1 hour per day the 3 to 5 days for the whole period,and get back to me so that we can arrange on payment.

1.TOTAL CHARGES FOR THE PERIOD THAT HE WILL BE TAUGHT 3 TO 5 TIMES PER WEEK..
2.FULL NAME AND ADDRESS....
3.YOUR PHONE NUMBER..."
4.YOUR SEX, AGE AND WORK EXPERIENCE.

Looking forward to read from you.

Regards.
[Dad's name]

English Language Lessons? Yeah, he couldn't get those in the UK, could he? Why would a person from the UK want to learn American grammar and usage?

If you reply (because dang, it's fishy) just tell him you are not completely familiar with British usage rules.

[Pencil Pusher]

English Language Lessons? Yeah, he couldn't get those in the UK, could he? Why would a person from the UK want to learn American grammar and usage?

If you reply (because dang, it's fishy) just tell him you are not completely familiar with British usage rules.

I'm thinking about the scam-baiting post from the other day--maybe I'll email *him* a bunch of questions. To "qualify" him for my services. LOL Actually, I'll probably just hit delete.

[lauranc]

http://baheyeldin.com/technology/technology-in-society/another-scam-via-craigslist.html


You'll have to scroll down the page a bit to see the one you received..

...Laura

[lauranc]

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/lss/593638876.html

Forgot this in the other post.

..Laura

[CookieMonster]

This is EXACTLY the same email someone on the old board got.

Even the delinated request for information.

Nope - it's not legit.

Scam, scam, scam!

Run away and scream. Or at least don't answer.

[j.griff]

I wouldn't want to give him my email address, so I wouldn't reply at all.