I just got one too. The person used the name Peter Olsen, but the exact words as the the quote. Thanks for posting this. I just read about this a couple of days ago and was informed when I got the email. Lets see if he'll send me the money... What an idiot.

It's ba-ack. I encountered another fishing expedition recently. This one's using the form submission system on the saxquest.com teachers database, so it should be easier to track down. Here is a sample: From: Date: Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:00:52 AM America/Halifax To: Subject: Saxquest.com Teacher Listing Form Submission First Name: james Last Name: smith Email Address: [email protected] Day Phone: - Night Phone: - Student Needs: Goodday to you over there,i am JAMES MARKSMITH, I need a private tutors for my daughter (JENNIFER),i got your advert while surfing through the internet and i really want my duaghter to be taught by you.JENNIFER is 18 year old and easily catch up.Although,i understand you are in your area, but i've arranged with my cousin sister living there, that my duaghter is coming to stay with her for the period of tutoring and she had agreed with me,I want you to get back to me with following details... 1)your present residence address and telephone number 2)total cost of tutoring for 2 months(1 hours per day thrice in week) 3)your years of teaching experience. Payment by UK CHEQUE,looking forward to hearing from you soonest. Regards I expect you'll all encounter the same basic message (with the names changing once in a while, if the CAPS are any indicator of the form being used). If this isn't enought to tip you off, remember that all of the info he's requesting is readily available if the guy took the time to do his homework, either by way of reading the database entry or accessing my webpage/googling me. I decided to test him with the following response: From: Culture Of One Music Date: Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:15:26 AM America/Halifax To: [email protected] Subject: re: private lessons Hello Mr. Marksmith Before I can proceed with this query, I will require an address and telephone number for yourself, as well as a name, address, and local phone number for your relative here (where Jennifer will be staying). You see, people have used this database for a scam in the past, in an attempt to extort banking information, using much the same request as you have just sent. Please understand, it's nothing personal, but if I cannot verify your identity, and if I cannot talk to your local contact first to confirm your story, then this request gets reported immediately to saxquest.com as fraudulent, and your contact information will be tracked by the authorities. I must protect not only myself and my business, but my other students and my colleagues on saxquest as well. Once we have this unpleasant (but necessary) preliminary security check out of the way, then we can proceed. I look forward to hearing from you shortly, Greg Marks proprietor, Culture Of One Music Services Needless to say, he never responded, hence this post. If it were a legit query, he would have welcomed my efforts to protect my students (as it means I'd be diligent in protecting his daughter as well). The short of it is, don't give them any financial info or enough data to allow them to usurp your identity, and you should be fine. If anybody else has a problem with this or any other "fisherman" please post the info here, including variations on the form letter, to ensure that all of our colleagues are protected. Best regards, Greg Marks proprietor, Culture Of One Music Services

Yes, this scam is back with a new variation. It is now from a variation of one that was used on golf teachers a few years ago. Here is the original and reply email I received. First Name: Gerhard Last Name: Louis Email Address: [email protected] Day Phone: Night Phone: Student Needs: Dear Teacher, I am pleased to contact you, My name is Gerhard Louis, from Brugge in Belgium. I saw your profile as a registered teacher, hence, my purpose of contacting you. I just mail to confirm if my 12yrs old/ 7th grade twins (Paul & Peter), can join your class so that you can help me offer them lesson based on your experience. I so much would love their dreams to come true as they will love to become the best player and I am ready to support them morally and financially. I will like you to give me the price of the tutor per hour for my two sons. Note that they once had a teacher, who lost his wife in a car accident and decided to stop teaching in order to take proper care of his family. We are presently out of state, but arrangement have been concluded for Paul & Peter to come to Colorado. Awaiting your swift response. Best Regards, Gerhard Louis. Dear Shawn McPeek, Thanks for your prompt response and for your readiness to work with my sons. They have elementary education and speak good English, no disability, they are beginners (just enrolled for two weeks with the other teacher); I mentioned this in my first email. At the moment I want them to learn for 6 months and thereafter we shall know what next line of action would be but definitely they should go further. Paul & Peter are ready when you are and I am equally ready to give all my support. I discuss this with a teacher here and she would suggest twice a week lesson for kids like Paul and Peter, so I want us to settle for this unless you mentioned otherwise. I will like you to give me the specific address (your home) where lessons shall be holding as I have to send it to my cousin Steve that stay in your location and he shall be driving Paul & Peter to and fro the lessons location before and after each class, though he is presently out of state to Australia but he should be back any moment from now and will come together with my sons for the first lesson. Meanwhile, the fees is no problem, please let me know the total cost for the six months (an hour twice a week) and kindly send to me the name to write on your check, the address to send it to and your phone number(s)/cell#. I guess a US bank certified check is alright. Finally, my sons will be ready to leave here the moment am able to conclude this arrangement with you, that is finding a good teacher for them. Like I said, I am presently living in Belgium due to work. I travel a lot and would like to conclude the whole arrangement before my sons would come down; only Paul and Peter would be coming down and will stay with my cousin. It is good for me to send the payment to you from here as soon as I have the details from you, I will do just that and the children will commence with the lesson immediately. You may reach me on 0032485718853 should you have any question(s). Looking forward to receiving your swift response. Best Regards, Gerhard Louis.

I have been contacted by "Gerhard Louis", also. I googled the phone number "he" gave me and it came up with this link: www.lpga.com/content/Nancy_Letter_Scam6-07.pdf Apparently the same people conducted a scam against golf instructors, as well. I hope that no one is trusting enough to get caught up in this scam. It is a real shame that we have to worry about things like this nowadays. Best of luck to everyone.

I have also been approached by this scam. Though I knew it sounded too good to be true, I decided to try to find out for sure. After three times telling them that I can only accept payment for the correct amount at the time of service, they keep pretending not to understand and insisting I give info to them so they can give me a check for over the amount. My question is, what can we do to stop this fraud? Has anyone reported this to authorities? I'll check into it myself, though I don't know where to begin. The name and address they are writing to me with is Dorothy Steven at [email protected]. She's allegedly from Belgium. Berin Stephens - Alaska