ATTENTION GRAPHIC DESIGNER FRIENDS:
Growing up in the Internet age, I can spot a scam a mile away. I have never had someone attempt a scam on me directed at my part time profession before though. The email from
lloydhicks5@gmail.com read as follows:
Hello,
Thanks for you swift response and we are making the banner to create awareness,it's a newly open orphanage home and the website is under construction. Here are the details that is going to be on the banner business name Life's Good. Both of the address below. We can print it locally if you can just do the design. Size is 10 Feet by 5 Feet in rectangle shape. The color will be Lemon and Black...Background will be Black and font will be Lemon I want it back in 28 days and let me know the total cost. Slogan will be on the banner which every child deserves a second chance. No need of company Logo I want illustration of children on the banner because i don't want it to be text alone also it must be cartoonish
1150 E Washington Ave Madison,WI 53703 USA.
16 S Holman Way #3F Golden, CO 80401 USA.
Am ready to send a deposit of 50% so you can start and payment will be through check.Awaits your favorable response. Warm Regards, Hick
So, the spidey sense is tingling because:
1) The terrible terrible English
2) They have 2 random addresses that I looked on Google Maps and are not businesses
3) Those addresses include "USA"... ummm yeah, why are you including that?
4) They want to pay me, very very eagerly.
So then I google the email address and sure enough it has been tagged as a scam going around where they send you a fraudulent check more than you quoted them and then ask you to pay them back the extra balance when the check was never even good in the first place.
Scammers are pretty sick people, usually preying on the elderly or people with kind hearts trying to help donate to victims of natural disasters or tragedies... I would put their worth somewhere around the sex offender level.
So I told them what my day job is (police officer) and I would be happy to help them out if they will meet with me in person first... so far no response.