I posted a free ad on craigslist.org advertising as a Photographer for weddings, events, and special occasions. I received a response on April 21 from Mr. Steve Flynt ([email protected]). Mr. Flynt wrote me saying that a Christian Crusade was coming to my area and his Crusade wanted me to take photos of the event.
Mr. Flynt wrote: "We want you to render the service of a photographer during this crusade. We need your service to make it a successful one, as we want all invent during the crusade to have shots of photograph."
At first, I thought that this person just has a horrible grammar problem. Then Mr. Flynt continues with the specifics:
"Starting date: September 24th
Ending date: September 28th
Starting time: 10:00 pm daily
Closing time: 4:00 am daily."
OK, I had a question. How many people do I know will go to a Crusade at 10:00 PM and go home at 4:00 AM everyday? So, I shook off the bad grammar and typo mistakes as common and asked Mr. Flynt about the times (10:00 pm to 4:00 am).
I replied by email on April 27th asking him about the church that he was affiliated with and a link to his website so I can check it out. I also gave him a quote of $3800-$4000 for the photography (7 hours a day, for 5 days).
In his next email he sent to me on April 28 I noticed that he did not answer any of the questions that I had sent him. However, he said, "I am glad to tell you that we have concluded your payment and an arrangement were made for a guest speaker... blah, blah, blah... as I have confirmed your due amount, you will send to the quest speaker his amount via HIS PREFERRED MODE OF RECIEVING PAYMENT once you confirm the total amount in your account."
What? You want to receive a check, deposit it in my bank account and then once it's confirmed as a deposit then send money to an unknown guest speaker via HIS PREFERRED MODE OF RECIEVING PAYMENT?
I received a check via UPS account #65WE95 sent from:
PARNEL ADKINS
1691 NE 26th Telf
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
The check details: Dated 4/14/08 for the amount of $4000.00
TERESA WALKER
3316 Peralta St (515) 655-2666
Oakland, CA 94608
Bank of America (Valued Customer since 2005)
Emeryville
4120 San Pablo Ave
Emeryville, CA
510.649.6600
For - C.D.
Check #148
Bank info: 11-35/1210
Routing numbers: 121000358 0148 05562 41129
What was strange about this is that I had never written or talked with any of these people and called the phone number, no response. The check said that the bank was the Bank of America and a customer since 2005 and only check #148? That was suspicious also. I went to a local Bank of America branch and they checked out the account number on the check and it was not in their computers.
I knew it! It was a scam to get people to receive a check in the mail, then deposit it into your account and then send cash or other type of valid payment to someone else in their little circle of criminals.
Names to watch out for are: Steve Flynt, Teresa Walker, Parnel Adkins, and Cliton James.
0 comments