I have reported them to the FBI. What folllows is my experience:
I was not victimized other than the fact that I wasted my time doing 2 research projects. I was just testing the water and was suspicious from the start. Moreover, I had my IT guy investigate the time clock to make sure it was innocuous. It was.
Initially, I was contacted by Harry Clementson to start work—[email protected], harry. [email protected], & [email protected] for LRN, Inc. Their address was in New York. However, their base seemed to be in Germany.
The first project (04/12/013) was to contact an artist in Russia for a patron that needed to have their painting fixed. I did so—[email protected] & [email protected].
The second project was a research project which I finished.
The third project was a research project, but I became suspicious when I found the exact same question (horrible wording and all) and queried Harry and my “manager” about the suspicions I had. My email follows: "I found an interesting question on the internet. It mirrored my third assignment word-for-word. I am unsure what to think about this at the moment. Do you have an explanation for this? The question is located at the following link: http://answers. Yahoo.com/question/index? Qid=20120713095953AA0JwqR. What follows is a screen print of the inquiry: (screen print). Please note that this question was asked and answered 9 months ago. I am concerned."
When asked to deposit money into my bank account and send money to the artist (4/17) because the client was having difficulty with this task via MoneyGram, I responded as follows: "Harry:
First, I suggest the client/patron call Western Union to inquire whether they can send the money while adhering to the payment parameters of the artist. Moreover, this was the artist’s second option.
Second, I feel very uncomfortable with what you are suggesting. This uncomfort is based on the following: “Wiring money through companies like MoneyGram and Western Union is like sending cash. Once it is gone, you cannot get it back. That is one reason scammers often insist that people wire money, especially to addresses overseas. It is nearly impossible to reverse the transfer, trace the money, and/or track receipts.”
I am not suggesting that this request is a scam and/or you are a scammer. However, I will not comply with the request based on the following cautions regarding your request. This information was gained from the following website: http://www.onguardonline. Gov/articles/0007-money-transfer-scams
Don’t wire money to a stranger or someone you haven’t met in person. That includes:
*Anyone who insists on wire transfers for payment
*An online love interest who asks for money
*Someone advertising an apartment or vacation rental online
*A potential employer or someone who is hiring you to be a mystery shopper
*Someone who claims to be a relative or friend in need. They say they’re in a foreign hospital or jail, and they beg you not to tell the rest of the family
In a variation, scammers ask you to deposit a check for them, and then wire money back to them. The scam is that the check is fake. It will bounce, and you’ll owe your bank the money you withdrew.By law, banks must make the funds from deposited checks available within a few days. However, it can take weeks to uncover a fake check. It may seem that the check has cleared and that the money is in your account. But if a check later turns out to be a fake, you’ll owe the bank any money you withdrew.
Finally, because of the above-mentioned issues, I suggest you reassign this task to an established employee so they can use the corporate credit card."
I do have a solution to our client’s quandary. If they are willing to deposit funds into my bank and wait the allotted time for the bank to confirm that the cash is available, I will reconsider this request." (I couldn’t resist this…just for bait.)
Moreover, when asked to fill out a direct deposit slip, I responded accordingly: (4/19) I feel very uncomfortable signing any document that contains the last sentence of this quote:
“By filling this form I hereby certify that the bank account information is 100% complete and valid. I release and hold harmless any person, firm, or entity that discloses matters in accordance with this authorization, as well as from liability that might otherwise result from the request for use of and/or disclosure of any or all of the foregoing information. You are hereby authorized to make any investigation of my personal history academic/professional credentials, military service records, criminal, driving, financial and credit record through any investigative or credit bureaus of your choice.”
Why would you require this language on a “direct deposit agreement? ”
Amazingly, I did not hear from them again.
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