Guitar teachers beware! Someone just tried to suck me into a scam…

This just happened today and it’s important we are all vigilant as not to be sucked into a scam.

Along with performing guitar I’m also a private guitar instructor and last night I received to following email…

Hello,

My name is Danny Brookes during my search For a Guitar Lesson lesson teacher that would always take my son(Lowell) and I found your advert while searching on the Internet and your advert looks great and it is very good to me since you specialize in the area i am seeking for him.

My Son would be coming to Canada (your city) Before the end of the month for a period of time for 3 Months he is just a beginner and he’s 15yrs Old i want you to help me teach lesson during his stay.So, kindly let me know your charges cost per week’s ,in order for me to arrange for his payment before he travels down to your side.

I have also made preparation for his traveling with caretaker who will be taking good care of him while he arrives .

Please Advise back on;

(1). Your charges per 1 hour twice a week for 3 Months?
(2).The Day and time you will be available to teach him During the week?
(3).Tuition address?

I’ll wait to read back from as soon as possible.

All the best.
Danny Brookes.

So far there is nothing here to indicate a scam so I considered his son to be a potential student and sent the following reply…

Hi Danny

I teach Monday, Tuesday & Wednesdays from 3pm to 10pm.

Lesson are $60 per hour. My address is ##### – ### Ave in Langley, BC, Canada V1M2E4 and my phone number is 604.###.#### (sorry, I edited out my number and address for privacy)

If you wish to take 2 lessons per week, I would suggest one Monday and one on Wednesday. I can give you a time late in the afternoon or in the evening.

I’m currently finishing up my schedule for the fall so your timing is good and I could fit your son in with a regular time beginning in September.

Best regards,
John Gilliat

Once I replied I actually received a phone call from Mr. Danny Brookes. (Btw… His phone number is 1.704.990.6856. Just in case you are crazy enough to want to teach his son or better yet if you know who to contact to report him to the proper authorities.)

His phone call was hard to hear and I think he just wanted to let me know that it was great I was available and that he was sending me a follow up email.

Here is his 2nd email to make arrangements for his son’s lessons and lesson payment.

See if you can catch the scam here in Mr Brookes reply…

Dear Mr John Gilliat,

Thanks very much for your quick reply and I’m so sorry for getting back to you a bit late.Meanwhile,I’m pleased to read from you back concerning my son’s lessons and i am giving you my word that i have no doubt about all what you said in the email.

As for the lesson fee,everything is okay by me and i want to let you understand that my son will be coming in few weeks time probably before the end of the Month and I think the lesson twice a week will be good for him as a beginner.

Concerning the payment arrangement,I’m also assuring you that there wouldn’t be any problem as one of my Business associate would be the one paying on our behalf and we had already spoke with him about this and he said that won’t be any problem we should let him knows when everything is set so that he can issue you the cheque or Bankers Draft for the lessons fee and moreso all the total money will be paid at once for all the lesson period and the payment that you’ll received will be in excess which you’re to deduct the cost of the lesson fee 1hrs twice a week for 3months and the rest of the money will be send to our caretaker.

Kindly get back to me with the full calculation and estimation of the lesson fee 1hr twice a week for 3months then e-mail me this this below details for the payment.

Name:
Address:
Postal Code:
Telephone Number:

I wish you all the best and I will be looking forward to read from you as soon as possible today.

Best wishes and God Bless You.
Daniel Brookes.

Well, did you figure out how he was going to scam me out of a lot cash?

First of all this is a tweaked form letter. How did I figure that out?

- Mr Brookes asked me for my name, address, phone, etc… What the ?? He already has this from my previous email.
- Mr Brookes changed his name. Again What the?? He was Danny in the first email, now he’s Daniel.

Now here’s the scam…

He wants to pay me for his son’s lessons for 3 months (ok, that’s cool) however he also wants to pay me for his son’s caretaker and asked if I would pay the caretaker when I see him.
If you don’t see the scam here I’ll explain shortly…

So… Here’s my reply to Mr Brookes…

Hi Daniel

All I require for lesson payment is a check that your son (or his guardian) can bring to me in person, the day of the first lesson to cover the lessons for the month.
And we’ll do the same for the following 2 months until the end of his lesson term. (3 months) This is my lesson policy and I am not interested in taking money for your caretaker, that would be your responsibility.

If we are in agreement, then we can schedule the lessons for your son.

Best regards,
John Gilliat

So this guy doesn’t give up easily and feels he can still con me.
Here’s is reply once again…

Dear Mr John,

I understand everything which has been explained about my son’s lesson with you and inrespect of the payment we don’t have any alternative that seeking for your help receiving the payment from my business associate in excess then you’ll be deducting the lesson fee at once then you will do us a favour by giving the rest of the money to my son’s caretaker .

I’ll wait to read from you .

Mr Daniel

It’s now becoming a little amusing as Mr Brookes is now Mr. Daniel. What the??
So to wrap this up I sent the following reply…

Dear Mr. Brookes,

I’m sorry however my lesson policy for private lessons stands. I can not and will not take money for your caretaker/guardian.
You will have to find another teacher for your son.

Best regards,
John Gilliat

So if you’re still not sure how this scam would work here it is…

Mr. Brookes (or whoever he is), will send me a cheque for three months lessons and include lots more for me to pay his son’s caretaker. My bank, as always, will show I have the money in my account. (banks tend to do this if you have a good history with them) I will then pay Mr. Brookes buisness associate a cheque for his son’s care taker and a little time later when Mr. Brookes cheque has bounce I’ll be out the money I paid him for his imaginary son.

So please beware!

In today’s age we all have to be on our toes.

Oh btw… I haven’t heard back from Danny, I mean Daniel, I mean Mr. Brookes, Ooops, Mr. Daniel for quite some time. My guess is he’s found a new teacher. (I really hope not!)