Pennsylvania Attorney General Corbett Warns Consumers About International Traveler's Check Scam Targeting Online Ads for 'Nanny' Services

27 February 2006

Attorney General Tom Corbett today warned consumers to be aware of an international traveler's check scam that is targeting residents who post ads online offering nanny services. This latest scam may be carried out by one or several individuals who claim to be located in England and Nigeria.

Corbett said the thief or thieves will make contact with consumers by searching for and then responding, via e-mail, to online websites, advertisements or message boards that offer temporary or long-term nanny services.

This week, the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection heard from a young Pittsburgh woman who said she lost more than $4,600 in the scam, after posting her ad for nanny services on http://www.pittsburghnanny.com.

The alleged victim said a man who claimed to be from England responded to her ad stating that he needed a nanny to take care of his daughter while he was in Pittsburgh for three weeks on business.

The alleged con artist said he would send her money in advance to cover his daughter's food and clothing expenses during her stay. The woman said she received five traveler's checks, each made out for $925, totaling $4,625. Soon after the checks were sent, the man claimed that his daughter had become very ill and their trip had been canceled. He asked that the money be sent back, so his daughter could receive medical treatment.

The woman told investigators she was unable to cash the checks so she deposited them into her account. She said the man instructed her to wire part of the money to the medical doctor in England who was caring for his daughter and the remainder to his friend in Nigeria. She said several days after wiring the funds via Western Union, she learned that the traveler's checks were counterfeit and the bank was holding her liable for the funds.

"The victim in this case was thinking only about ensuring that a sick child gets needed medical treatment," Corbett said. "That makes her and others in the child care business prime targets for this particular scam. We saw this exact pattern with con artists passing phony cashier's checks to purchase items from consumers on eBay or other online auction sites. I strongly recommend that consumers wait, not days but weeks, even if they're told that the checks have cleared their banks, before wiring money back to those interested in buying goods or services from you."

Corbett said, "These con artists want you to act quickly because they know that the phony checks will eventually be discovered. Those victimized in scams like these are unlikely to recover their financial losses, which is why I can't stress enough that you must exercise caution when doing business with strangers on the Internet."

Consumers are urged to contact the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection to report this or other related scams by calling 1-800-441-2555 or visit http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.

CONTACT: Barbara Petito

Deputy Press Secretary

717-787-5211

petito@attorneygeneral.gov

Source: prnewswire

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