Complaint Review: David Mark - Internet

I saw an ad in this local weekly newspaper magazine- The Flyer, where you can place ads for everything from garage sales to cars, jobs, services, etc. In this week's Flyer, I saw an ad for Personal Assistant Needed, and the description was Office Assistant- duties include, greet clients, answer phones, route mail, data entry and retrieval. Schedule and calendar maintenance. Ideal candidates have CS skills and experience with MS Office. Email resume david.mark00009atgmailcom.It sounded like an ideal job, so last night I emailed my resume.

This morning, I receive an email response with the subject line of: More Information Regarding the Personal Assistant Position, then the letter read:

Hello Applicant,

Thank you for the reply regarding my job post on the newspaper (Personal Assistant) .I would love to meet up with you to talk about this job but I am currently away on a business trip but there is a test which i will like you to go through because i need a capable Personal Assistant.I am in Texas, so therewill be no interview except for the form you will fill below.

1.Have you ever been a Personal Assistant Or Sales Representative ?2.If you have been a Personal Assistant before Or SalesRepresentative,how long and was it for a company or an individual?3.Can you communicate effective and efficiently?4.Do you have a job as at now(Note it does not disturb your present Job if you have one)?5.Will you be able to run errands 1 hour per day for and will be needed 3 days per week?

I will prepay you in advance to do my shopping. I will also have my mails and packages forwarded to your address. If you will be unable to stay at your house to get my mails, I can have it shipped to a post office near you and then you can pick it up at your convenience.When you get my mails/packages; you are required to mail them to where I want them mailed to. You don't have to put money out of you pocket, all you have to do is have packagesshipped to your house and do my shopping.

You are allowed to open the packages to reveal its content. The content of the packages are computer and electronics, clothing's business and personal letters. All expenses and taxes will be covered by me. You will work between 15 and 20 hrs a month. I will pay $400 per week.I need your service because I am constantly out of town on business as I own a electronics and clothing store in Texas as-well but want to open another store in Your Area. this process will be on going till then. If you don't mind, I will meet up with you when I return and then we can talk about the possibility of making this long-term. Well,

let me know if you are able to handle the position.

I will email you the list and pictures of what to shop for when I am ready. No heavy packages are involved! You can do the shopping at any nearest stores.You will be shopping for Electronics and clothing's. I will provide you my personal UPS account number for Shipping. All you have to do is provide my account number to UPS and shipping charges will be applied into the account. I will provide clear set of instructions for each task I need done as well thefunds to cover them.

If I were to mail you money to do my shopping plus up front payment for your service, where would you want it mailed to? Your full info for check,money orders payment:

Full Name:Full Address: (NO P.O.BOX)City:State:Zip Code:Phone Number:(Cell):Home:Age:Email:Present Job:

Will be expecting to hear from you soon to let me know if you will be willing to handle my business on my behalf before I return.nice day.

Regards,David Mark.

After reading the first paragraph of the email, all the alarms started sounding. I typed in "personal assistant scam" in Google, and was surprised at the many links reporting these scams. I read one link where the same info from my email was used. I was appauled at the thought that scammers would be using desperate unemployed people to do their dirty deeds. Shameful!!!

I guess it goes to show that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.