Suspicious E-Mails Asking for Sax Lessons

I have been listed on SaxQuest as a lesson teacher since last September, and it has been worth it--I constantly get great offers in the mail and I have actually gotten a few legitimate phone calls. However, I got an e-mail in May from a Joe Bernie. Well, we corresponded, and soon I began to realize it was a scam--this was, fortunately, before I gave away any crucial personal information. I dismissed this as a one-time thing--someone trying to take advantage of some random yokel sax teacher. I thought that until today. I received an e-mail from one "Peter Olsen"--and the e-mail is IDENTICAL to the "Joe Bernie" one! Some of you may have received similar e-mails, and I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this must be a scam. If anyone is brave enough to investigate further, be my guest, but I think it's totally fraudulent. Here's the e-mail from "Peter Olsen:" Hello I am looking for an experienced, friendly teacher who can teach in saxophone playing, technical work and basic theory as for beginners. I will need the following questions to be sure that i get the best learning environment for my children and also make sure that the teacher is right for them.. 1.Provide me with more details about yourself and 2.Cost of the programs(the tuition fees for 8 week programs, 2 Hours teaching each Day five Times 2 Weeks). I will arrange for a place nearby your location. Perhaps they're learning the saxophone because they're going for international studies as a program in school.I want them to be able to know how to play saxophone and this will be an added advantage for them if they could improve their saxophone playing it would be better. At the beginning i will need you to teach them in a creative environment, and aim to provide a thorough technical grounding, and to encourage full musical _expression. I will want to know if you are ok with this, then I can arrange for the payment immedaitely. Please tell me what else you need to know. Full details about the children....... 1.Name - Rebbeca & Antony Olsen 2.Age - 16 & 17 3.Study 4.Hobbies/Interests/Talents - Singing 5. Present Level - Beginners 6. Previous knowledge - schools 7. The rate their skills/abilities in the following areas - fair 8. I will prefer small group courses 9.Begins in 4weeks time which comes to first week of August . I await your response as soon as possible, thanks Peter Olsen. -------------------- So, it sounds legit. Sure, his spelling his and grammar are atrocious, but we can't hold that against him. Just some guy trying to do his best for his kids. Now here, with a few minor differences, is the original "Joe Bernie" e-mail: Dear, i am looking for an experienced, friendly teacher who can teach in saxophone playing, technical work and basic theory as for beginners.I will need the following questions to be sure that i get the best learning environment for my children and also make sure that the teacher is right for them.. 1.Provide me with more details about yourself and 2.Cost of the programs(the tuition fees for 8 week programs, 2 Hours teaching each Day five Times 2 Weeks). I will arrange for the room and nearby your location.Perhaps they're learning the saxophone because they're going for international studies as a programs in school that entails them to be able to know how to playing saxophone and this will be an added advantage to them if they could improve their saxophone playing it would be better.At the beginning i will need you to teach them in a creative environment, and aim to provide a thorough technical grounding, and to encourage full musical expression.I will want to know if you are emphasize on this, then I can arrange for the payment immedaitely.Please tell me what else do you need to know. Full details about the children....... 1.Name – Rabbeca & Antony BERNIE 2.Age – 16 & 17 3.Study 4.Hobbies/Interests/Talents – Singing 5. Present Level – Beginners 6. Previous knowledge – schools 7. The rate their skills/abilities in the following areas – fair 8. I will prefer small group courses 9.Begin next month (June). Awaiting your respond.Have a great day. Joe Bernie.. ---------------------- Here's some of the responses I got from the alleged Mr. Bernie as I investigated what I thought were legitimate claims: Dear Tyler C., Thanks for your nice message.It's great that i hear from you again and and for the information given me.I am okay with your charges($3200) for both children. I will arrange for their home stay, guardian and visas to come over to the States for the classes. As regards payment, this is what I am going to do,i will instruct attorney in the U.S to issue a state certified check in your name. Although the value of the check is more than your charges I think, I should be able to trust you with the remaining balance.The reason why I am doing this is that it would take a check sent from over here 60 days to clear over there, whereas a check sent withing U.S would clear tops within 24 hrs. So I will expect that you send my balance to my P.a immediately you recieve payment for your tuition so that my P.a can be able to arrange for their travelling documents come to the states and accomodation for the programe. So if my terms are acceptable to you, I would like you to give me your full name, contact address and your phone numbers so that I can instruct my attorney to make out the certified check to you. Pls get back to me as soon as you get this mail so that I can know my stand. Have a great day. Thanks again for your consideration! ----------------------------------------------------- And another: The place my P.a will be arranging for them to stay within close proximity to your house.And about the rest of the funds,that should be transfer not check because it take 60 days for U.S check to get clear hear and i will not like any delay to involve.Hope you understand and i will like you to get back to me with the details. Thank you. -------------------------- By this point I realized something seedy wasn't going on (I had expected it earlier, but, hey, for a college kid with no job nearly 4 grand for teaching lessons is killer money; I guess you could say I was hoping it was real). So, this whole thing seems fishy, and I wanted to warn my fellow teachers and SaxQuest patrons to be on the lookout for these suspicious e-mails. Let me know if you've gotten one of these, and sorry for the length.

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