manottoli

I have taught English in Europe and in the Middle East. I want to travel to Montenegro in September or October. I really want to meet people from that country. I WISH I could visit Habana, Cuba. It is forbidden for Americans right now. I hope someday I can travel there and meet the people and visit a cigar factory.

manottoli's Friends (62)

lost soul
United States

Jumsinlad
Gambia

xuewu11
China

mnichenzhi
Germany

bareenali
Germany

wwwtommy
Germany

cherig
Germany

Anasthasia
Slovenia

hdooh
Saudi Arabia

carmen cita2
Puerto Rico

View all friends >

My Photos

View all photos >

manottoli's Blog

A Scam

June 25, 2008

The mother of my student from Africa asked me to look at a letter she received last week. It was from Canada and it said "You have won $250,000 USD. Enclosed is a check for $4000 to pay to Ms X (another name) who is the tax agent."

Inside was a check that was from a bank in Florida. It had a gold hologram security stamp.

"Oh, Ms. N," my student's mom said, "If this is real, it is a miracle!" This family came to the USA as refugees and they are really struggling to get by. Sometimes I bring them rice and other things. I do this because I know what it is like to be a stranger in another country...it's very difficult!

Well, as convincing as the letter and the check seemed I told her I wanted my friend, who is a professional FRAUD EXAMINER, to look at it. He said that it was fake. He said, "If she deposited the check, the check would be no good and then it would be sent back to the "company" BUT the bank would have printed her account number on the back of the check. Then the criminals would have her bank account number." Or he said that it could be a money laundering scheme and if she signed the check and the criminals were caught, she would be in legal trouble, too! Then she might get deported!!!!

It is a very dangerous scam. Why? Because new immigrants who have money troubles might be tempted and believe that in America, one can get easy money. Many new immigrants believe this about America because of movies.

I cautioned her to be very very careful in the future.

I hope she will be.

2 Comments
Comment on this

05:22 AM Mar 04 2013
WobblyJoe United States	excellent advice and very true. there is a saying here that "if something looks too good to be true, it probably is". Scams like you describe are common and so people must use caution.

05:22 AM Mar 04 2013

WobblyJoe
United States

excellent advice and very true. there is a saying here that "if something looks too good to be true, it probably is". Scams like you describe are common and so people must use caution.

04:20 AM Mar 04 2013
ola33 Japan	First, I've learned a lesson, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Even if it comes from so trustworthy countries as Canada and United States. There're different programs that provide help for the refugees before they find a job. They are far from being starving. I remember one fraud on the nice website of selling stuff. There was a very good car, mildly used and a good model. And it wasn't expensive! Too good to be true! After a couple of exchanging e-mails and being asked to transfer money first as a fee for something, I got it that it was 100% fraud.

04:20 AM Mar 04 2013

ola33
Japan

First, I've learned a lesson, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Even if it comes from so trustworthy countries as Canada and United States.

There're different programs that provide help for the refugees before they find a job. They are far from being starving.

I remember one fraud on the nice website of selling stuff. There was a very good car, mildly used and a good model. And it wasn't expensive! Too good to be true!

After a couple of exchanging e-mails and being asked to transfer money first as a fee for something, I got it that it was 100% fraud.

More entries: A Scam (2), tragedy in my city (5), Game Day (1), So difficult (1), full of hot air (2)

View all entries >

Info

Age: 55

Gender: Female

Location

Country: United States

Work

Company: Life Skills Center

Industry: Education

Description: non-traditional high school

English Study

English Level: Native Speaker

Interests

My Hobbies: Reading Sherlock Holmes stories Writing Playing the clarinet and cello Travelling Studying German collecting stamps

Things I Like: International travel and shopping and CUBAN cigars

Things I Dislike: Students who are lazy and don't do their homework or study!

Favorite Color: blue

Favorite Food: bibim neng myon (Korean)

Favorite Drink: Coffee from Starbucks

Favorite Music: Well, I like classical...Bach, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. I also like Billy Joel, Simon and Garfunkel and The Doors

Favorite Movie: ANY Nollywood film. ANY film with Anthony Hopkins! I liked THE ILLUSIONIST I also like Himmel Uber Berlin (Wings of Desire) and Immortal Beloved (the film about Beethoven)

Favorite Website (besides Ebaby!): www.freerice.com