Email randomly sent to me on gmail. Possibly a scam to ask the victim to buy gift cards. Do not reply. Block and delete. Report if you can.

-I never applied or put a resume on indeed.

-“Regarding the job” Why don’t they say what job?

Suspicious email claiming to offer a job, urging caution and highlighting potential scam tactics.
Email address displayed on a plain background.
Email address of a potential scammer suggesting errand-running tasks.

First part of email redacted.

Text displaying the subject 'Errands'.
Subject line of a suspicious email regarding errands.

Hello,

I received your resume regarding the job on Indeed but I couldn’t follow up because I’m out of town. As a consultant with a focus in international business, the majority of my clients are out of the country. I need help with my errands because I am constantly out of town. As a matter of fact, I am currently on a business trip to Stockholm, Sweden.

I will prepay you in advance to do my shopping, bill payments, placing and expediting orders, picking up and delivering items to my PO Box. I will pick the items up from the post office when I return from Stockholm on the 11th of April. How soon can you start?

I will email you the list and pictures of what to shop for so you can do the shopping at Walmart, Best buy and other stores. I will pay you $35.89 per hour for your service for 30-35 hours. I’m prepared to pay for mileage/travel expenses.

I will provide a clear set of instructions for each task I need done and sufficient funds to cover all errands. I’d love to meet with you upon my return from Stockholm to discuss the possibility of making this job long term. Well, let me know if you can do the job. Hope to hear from you soon.

Regards,
Christian Williams.

The email received contains several red flags that suggest it may be a scam:

  1. Unsolicited Job Offer: If you did not apply for a job requiring errands or consulting services, it’s suspicious that you were contacted out of the blue.
  2. Generic Language: The email uses vague language such as “I received your resume” without specifying the position you applied for or where it was submitted.
  3. Prepayment Request: Mentioning that they will prepay for services is a common tactic used by scammers to entice victims. Legitimate employers typically do not prepay for work that hasn’t been completed.
  4. Unclear Job Description: The tasks described (shopping, bill payments, etc.) are not typical for professional consulting roles, especially in international business.
  5. Urgency and Distance: The sender mentions they are out of town and require immediate assistance, which is a tactic often used to rush potential victims into making decisions without proper consideration.
  6. Payment Terms: Offering a specific hourly rate and covering mileage expenses seems unusual for a casual arrangement, which raises suspicion regarding the legitimacy of the offer.
  7. Meeting After Completion: The invitation to meet after the proposed tasks indicates potential for further scams or requests for additional services.
  8. Use of Personal Email: If the email is from a personal email address instead of a company domain, that’s another sign it might not be legitimate.

Always approach unsolicited job offers with caution, and consider verifying the identity of the sender and the legitimacy of the business before engaging further.