A debt collector wants me to create credit card statements

[MK41144]

The other day I responded to an ad on Craigslist regarding help with a spreadsheet. I never received a response. About a half hour ago I get this e-mail:

To those of you who have responded to my Craigslist ad for "spreadsheet help", I have another job.. I need the attached pdf files turned into editable, word-mergable, Word docs.

This will be done on a first-come, first-served, basis. Until we find the one contractor who has the necessary data conversion skills, there is no other way. The price we will pay is $25 per pdf file.

Anyone interested should complete the conversions "on spec" and inform me when they have a working version. All submissions will be evaluated as received, and the submitter with the best product then will be paid without delay, in person, by PayPal, or company check. All submissions should be received by Tuesday Oct 6 at 5:00PM. If by that time we have not seen an acceptable version, I will be forced go back on Craigslist and fight that battle again.

The Word docs, in layout, font type, and relative size, must closely the original pdf files, and be editable at every stage of the document, with the exception of the logos, and some of the other proprietary looking objects.

If you have any questions, I can be reached at 412-841-4495 on my cell, or at 412-276-6870 at my office. We have on-going work to contract out to competent IT people, client-server networking, data conversion, and, in particular, programmers familiar with the Clarion product line http://www.softvelocity.com/

-Craig

So I take a look at the attachments. They are credit card statements! Specifically, seriously past due credit card accounts. They're old statements from around 2001. So I'm thinking, why would an individual need to edit old credit card statements?

I Google this guys phone # and find out he works for Claims Recovery Systems out of Carnegie, PA. One more Google search reveals they are a debt collector.

So this guy is going to try to collect debt from people by using fraudulent credit card statements that he modified? Think the FTC would like to know about this?

[Al-Mumit]

Sounds like some douchebag debt collector trying to collect dead debts by being shady. This happens ALL THE TIME in the debt collection business. Personally, I wouldn't get involved since this particular situation sounds illegal.

[MK41144]

Originally Posted by Al-Mumit

Sounds like some douchebag debt collector trying to collect dead debts by being shady. This happens ALL THE TIME in the debt collection business. Personally, I wouldn't get involved since this particular situation sounds illegal.

Oh yeah. In no way would I ever get involved with helping a debt collector, be it legal or illegal. They are scum. I'm thinking the FTC may want to know about this, though...

[goofin]

send the link to the Attorney Generals Office and see what they think

[GunLawyer001]

Let's see- the original Craigslist ad was bait & switch. That's a red flag.

Then you get spammed for a different job. Deceptive AND unwelcome.

Then he wants you to create a document that looks like a credit card statement, of the sort that could be used in court, or to establish a valid claim, and he is particularly insistent that it has to be EDITABLE by him. Do the words "aiding & abetting" spring to mind?

On top of everything else, he tells you that he won't be paying you for this work, he won't be paying anyone, probably.

And he's a debt collector, someone lower than politicians used car salesmen or lawyers in general reputation. A business that's targeted by state Attorneys General quite often, for business practices that are deceptive and illegal.

Did this email come from Nigeria, too?

[ungawa]

I caught that, too. They will evaluate your work but if yours is not "the best" you don't get paid and they have your work. I bet they have 100 new "contests" over the next year and don't mind if you keep trying.

[MK41144]

Originally Posted by GunLawyer001

Let's see- the original Craigslist ad was bait & switch. That's a red flag.

Then you get spammed for a different job. Deceptive AND unwelcome.

Then he wants you to create a document that looks like a credit card statement, of the sort that could be used in court, or to establish a valid claim, and he is particularly insistent that it has to be EDITABLE by him. Do the words "aiding & abetting" spring to mind?

On top of everything else, he tells you that he won't be paying you for this work, he won't be paying anyone, probably.

And he's a debt collector, someone lower than politicians used car salesmen or lawyers in general reputation. A business that's targeted by state Attorneys General quite often, for business practices that are deceptive and illegal.

Did this email come from Nigeria, too?

I know. I knew this was no good as soon as I saw they were credit card statements. I also knew the computer thing was a scam. Just sharing a story with the forum.

[RJT]

Originally Posted by GunLawyer001

And he's a debt collector, someone lower than politicians used car salesmen or lawyers in general reputation.

Is that possible? I'ma go easy on lawyers since you are one, and used car salesmen generally aren't a problem because I have a good idea what to look for to avoid the truly horrible junk cars they're trying to sell...but lower than a politician? Is that even humanly possible?

[ungawa]

A lot of us are going to be hiring debt collectors soon. I got a reference for some guys from Jersey with a 100% success rate. Umm... I'm looking for people with more like a 90% success rate

[MK41144]

I filed a complaint with the FTC and with the PA AG.