I received an e-mail from a Thomas Hardy, after replying to a job add on Craigslist. I did some research as it seemed very sketchy to me. Here are the two e-mails I received, be very careful not to fall into this trap. I know I was hopeful with the economy as it is now, but they could really hurt you financially with this scam. I e-mailed back and said I was worried about the validity of the position as it seemed sketchy and I have not heard back from "Thom". BE AWARE!!! E-mail 1: Hello, Hope you're having a pleasant day today. You contacted me applying for the position which I advertised on Craigslist. Do take time to go through this introductory mail and feel free to pass any questions on. My profile briefly: I'm Thomas Hardy, 48, a divorced father of 2 wonderful kids, a successful entrepreneur and investor, a member of the Angel Investment Network. I travel every now and then within and outside the US working on various independent projects, this is why I need someone who can help keep up to date with all of my activities especially when I'm away and amidst my busy schedule. I have had a previous PA who has been very commendable in her activities and who has been part of my life for the past 6 months, she has since moved on with her personal life and it has affected me in a way. I found her previously on the craigslist website and I sincerely hope I will be able to find someone again who will be as efficient as she has been. Please note that you are being hired only on a personal level. All correspondences would be made and promptly reported to me personally. The position is part time and home-based meaning you can work most times from your home as long as you have a regular internet access. You are also hired on a trial basis for now until we are able to see how well we fit in, this however does not affect your weekly wage. Most of your activities will be carried out locally and most official packages will be delivered via posts. You will be actively involved in my personal, business and financial life. In summary, your activities as my assistant amongst other things will include; * Acting as an alternative telephone correspondence; * Running personal errands, supervisions and monitoring; * Organizing and maintaining diaries, memos and making appointments; * Dealing with incoming email, faxes and post; * Carrying out background research and presenting findings; * A personal reminder for Schedules, programs, flights and keeping me up to date with them as they come up; * Arranging travel and accommodation * Carrying out specific projects and research; * Taking on some of the my responsibilities and working more closely with management and other staff related to me; * Making regular contacts and drop-offs on my behalf. * Handling and monitoring financial activities. * Processing and taking charge of weekly payments and purchases. * You will also be a part of my household and a helping hand to issues as they arise. * General clerical activities. Basic wage is $500 a week. Any extra personal expenses (transport, gas, etc) incurred by you while on an errand or otherwise will also be reimbursed by me at the end of each working week. This position is very flexible and it is difficult judging the exact number of hours you will be doing, just bear it in mind that there will be busier weeks than others with a steady pay. Working with me is basically about instructions and following them, my only fear is that I may come at you impromptu sometimes, so I need someone who can be able to meet up with my irregular timings. There is also a very sensitive issue on trust, dedication and accountability which I believe will resolve itself as time goes on. This is only an introductory e-mail, as time goes on we should be able to arrange a proper meeting to get things started officially. I'm currently in England now for a project, however, I do have a number of things you could help me with immediately, prior to my arrival. Due to the excessive number of responses to my Ad, do provide the following details about yourself for my personal record update and to filter applicants; Full Names Full Contact Address City State Zip Code Phone Number (H) Phone Number (M) Occupation (if any) Sex Martial status Age I hope you can be available for me immediately before I arrive, it certainly can act as a stable foundation to our impending working relationship. Hope to hear from you again. Regards Thomas Hardy. E-mail 2: Hello, Hope you are having a pleasant day today. I received your e-mail and it was a pleasure hearing back from you. I hope this marks the beginning of a good working relationship all together. From the details you have sent to me, I would want to give you the opportunity to be my new assistant; I do hope my decision will be worthwhile. I'll be using the next couple of weeks to test your efficiency and diligence towards this, also to work out your time schedule and fit it to mine. I really need to find the perfect person for this job, I'm confident you can take up the challenge and on the long run we should have a relatively sound working relationship between us. I'd want us to meet up on MSN chat as soon as possible so we can discuss extensively, more so it's easier for me to convey more information when I'm online. My MSN ID is thom11101, do send me a friend's request as soon as you are able to. Due to the time difference, It may be a little difficult working out the exact time to meet you online but with time however, we should get used to it. I'm online most of the time when I'm not out or in a meeting so we should be able to have a chat sooner than you think. Do try to keep a date. I hope we can get a head start with things as soon as possible. I have had to put a hold on a lot and I would appreciate it if you can be available for me immediately. I do have a couple of urgent tasks for you which will include you making some purchases and payments on my behalf. You will receive a payment check and some money orders via mail which will also cover your wage for the week as well as all other purchases and payments needed to be made on my behalf. I will update you further on this giving you a comprehensive list on how to go about them. My daughter also has a birthday coming up in 2 weeks, I have a surprise party planned for her so you will also be working hand in hand with the planner in organizing gifts and anything else for the party. Kindly reply this e-mail as soon as possible to further signify your interests in working with me. I have a confidence in you and I am looking forward to a good working relationship between us. I hope you will be up to, perhaps better than my presumptions about you. Hope to hear from you again soon. Regards. Thomas Hardy.