Email Scam affecting Childminders – Advice from the NCMA
Please take note of email below describing a current scam affecting Childminders. We have already heard of several childminders in Bromley who have been contacted.
Please look at the emails below regarding a person from Africa wishing to obtain a Childminder. It is a scam, but it's not about bank details...
From: wang quin <mrquin54@yahoo.com>
Subject: Childminder needed
Date: Fri, 28 Jul
2006 04:08:03 -
Hello ,
My name is Mr wang qin and i am a chinese nationality based in Africa. At present,i
am looking or a good personal for minder for my 4year old son,that would be relocating
to the uk with me in august. we would be in the uk for at least 9months my wife passed
on 9 months ago,making me a single parent. i am in search for a minder who would
be with him during the day let me know if you can offer your services. i would like
to know your
1... your location
2....fees (per hour....perday) depending on how
you have always given your services.
In regards your fees,i would be happy to ask
my client to post a certified uk cheque to you in advance for deposit and booking
of your services.I would make arrangements for every other payment in cash once i
arrive in the uk...I would be happy if you can get in touch with me as soon as possible.
thanks in anticipation as i await your urgent response.
best regards.
wang...........
Dear Mr Quin
My name is Catherine O****, im a OFSTED Registered Childminder, near Plymouth. My hours are Monday to Friday 8am til 5.30pm. My hourly rate is £2.50, additional hours would be £5. I normally have 4 weeks holiday a year, plus bank holidays off. At the moment i definatly have spaces on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. My phone number is 01** ******.
If you require any futher details or help please feel free to contact me.
Thank you for your enquiry.
From: wang quin <mrquin54@yahoo.com> Date:
Sun, 30 Jul 2006 13:32:00 -
hello catherine,
thanks for your mail as i aknowledge
receipt of it. i am not yet in the uk with my son. i am ok with you as a minder for
my son. i have attached my son's picture so you know how he looks like.. i have made
arrangements for an apartment in saltash and i will email you my address once my
agent informs me of it's rediness. i would love to negotiate for 100 pounds weekly
and 400 pounds monthly for you services and you would be with my son from 9.00am
-
i would be paying you monthly. if all this is
ok with you, i would like to make a deposit as booking for your service. also i would
like to know if you have a cv or any references. though it does not matter as i have
already feel you are ok to take care of my son.. thanks in anticipation as i await
your urgent response
best regards
wang....
Hello Wang,
Thank you for your recent email, your son looks lovely, and i will look
forward to meeting him. It would be good for me to meet up with you and your son
before i start to look after him, so if you could contact me again once you are able
to do that, then that would be good. I do have contracts and information forms that
i would need filling in (regarding my charges, times i would be looking after your
son, any special information about your son etc) which we could fill in together
when i meet you both.
I have attached some refences to this email for you to see, and i look forward to
meeting you when you arrive here.
Thank you
From: wang quin mrquin54@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Childminder needed
Date: Thu, 3 Aug
2006 03:20:34 -
hello catherine,
thanks for your mail as i aknowledge recipt
of it ... i also want you to know that i got the references too... i have attached
my passport page for identification and would appreciate receivng a picture of you
so i know how you look like,i also aknowledge that i would be paying you £400 a month
too..
as regards your payment,i would instruct my partner that is in my debt to send
a certified uk cheque to your location.I am sorry, but he owes me a bit more than
what your total fees would cost so i would really be appreciative if you deposit
the cheque and once it has cleared,please take out a deposit payment of 400pounds
and send to the rest to my travel agent via western union for my travel arragements
to the uk
If the arrangements are fine by you, pls send down your full name for the
cheque to be written out in your name and address so that it can be posted to you
thanks in anticipation. i await your urgent response to my mail.
best regards
wang...............
Here’s how the scam works …
When you receive the cheque and pay it into your bank account, the bank appears to "clear" the cheque because banks credit you the money before they obtain the transfer from the other bank (note how if you pay a cheque in the money appears in your account the next working day even though it will take days for the paper cheque to work its way through the bank's administration).
You then send the over-
Several weeks later you receive a letter from your bank saying that the other person's cheque has bounced and your bank is now debiting the money back out of your bank account because they have not received the payment. Meanwhile, unfortunately, your cheque has NOT bounced and you have paid a large sum of money to someone who has since scampered.
Do not accept cheques for more than the required amount.
Never offer to pay back the difference.
For more information about email scams, please see the following website:
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