Hello. Here is a thread exclusively about scammers targeting notaries to either trick them into downloading and infecting their computer/ phone for marketing/ theft of id, or phishing or various other nefarious purposes.
Watch out of any email offers of jobs from strange email / persons with no other details.
Watch out of emails offers that sound generic.
Watch out for email from address/ people who have no email signature (such as phone/company name/fax / website)
Always research them or do a quick google search on name of person or email they sending from etc.
Just use your common sense and your gut feeling. Do Not get caught in the moment.
Here is a story as how i strung along a person which probably happens to be a scammer trying to pull a fast one.
Emily Furlong is one such “suspected scammer” Never answered my question to have my payment paid upfront on paypal to even click on the clink
NO TIME , NO SIGNING ADDRESS , Nothing. Just click on link ( and get screwed)
So share your scam stories See attached screen shot
I received an email from Emily Furlong, too but I did not reply to her and just deleted it.
But today, August 19, 2020, it’s very weird! I received a call from a local Sheriff’s Office in Tehama County, California. My caller ID on my cell phone showed up SHERRIF OFFICE (spelled double R and missing one F). When I picked up the phone, he started talking to me saying that I was summoned on August 3, 2020 and that I failed to show up for the court hearing. It took me a long time to recognize that it was actually a SCAMMER who called me. So I said to him I did not receive any summoned documentations at all. What is this all about? He said that I did a notary and it was wrongly executed and also found out that it was a scammed. Failure to report in court I could get arrested. Then I asked him, may I ask your name again. He said his name is David Greer, which in fact there was a Sheriff’s name in that office but no longer an employee. I questioned him again: what is your badge number? He said the number is 2602. Then I wrote it down and repeated it to him. Then he said no… the number is 2606. During this time, there was a silence on the phone line. Then he said again that I am being summoned, etc… and I said I do not have any summoned papers. My husband is a lawyer and I will have him represent me. Then he hanged up! I have redialed the phone number he called me from, it was a real number from the Sheriff’s office and the dispatch answered my call. She took all my information and then she said someone from their office will contact me. In approximately 30 minutes, I received a call from the REAL Sheriff’s Office and said that it was definitely a SCAMMER call. He said, there is an apps on the cell phone that the caller can spoof and impersonate a person’s name, etc… So, fellow Notaries I am sharing this information to you all and beware of the scammers. Take care of your personal information out there.
One their MO is to verify if the email works, if they get a respose from you. Then they will correspond further to lure you in deeper and eventually go get you to click , download or install something.
Now you are on the hook like a fish , that took the bait. Who know what software you installed that will be scanning your computer and it documents containing all sensitive information.
Email with no signature > I DELETE them right away
I need a usa phone number, a possible working website
AND other means of confirming the sender
There is a job in “MY AREA” was a dead give away. If the sender did not bother to research my service area before contacting me for a job, it is a good give away, that this is just a wide net to catch all notaries dumb enough to jump at the bait.
See the full email screen shot !
Can you folks tell that is suspicious about this.
No cop will call you and let you know you are gonna be arrested ? Simple. They don’t issue advance warkings over phone/email etc. You must have that much “common sense”
