Planet Hollywood Resort & Towers - Au Pair Scam

This scammer has gone to extra trouble to appear legitimate including setting up a fake website.

He will scour employment sites looking for people he may be able to steal from and "offer' them jobs.

The job he will offer does not exist, it is an attempt to get you to send him money.

There are a couple of signs to look out for here;

The email domain is not quite right, it is fake, i am sure the real Planet Hollywood do have their own website but I am also sure they will know the correct spelling Note: planethollywoods.com

The 4470 redirect service in use, 4470 phone numbers are a phone service widely used by scammers who want to appear to be from The UK, these numbers can be set up by anybody from anywhere in the world, calls to 4470 numbers are redirected to whatever worldwide phone number the scammer selects.

Other less obvious signs, the 2 first names (Donald Albert)

The grammar and punctuation is not quite right

The unrealistically high salary

Please do not fall for this scam

From: Planet Hollywood Resort & Towers <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Removed
Subject: Timesjobs.com (Au pair Job in Edinburgh-Scotland) Immediate employment.

Dear Applicant,

Based on my present working position, I was opportune to go through your details at (Timesjobs.com) and seeing your profile in hospitality field where I belong really motivated me to be in touch with you. I will like to offer you a job in my family as an Au pair with that it can be easy for you to secure a good job here, based on your experience.

I am Mr. Donald Albert, 42 years old man working with Planet Hollywood Resort & Towers. Planet Hollywood International Inc. is USA and UK-based entertainment firm founded by Robert Earl, along with Bruce Willis & Sylvester Stallone: owns Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Planet Hollywood Towers (luxury vacation ownership entity), Restaurant & Bar, & Planet Dailies concepts with Head Office in Orlando-USA, I am not usually at home except during weekends.

I urgently need a home Au pair/Teacher for my child... Name Ailsa. She is 4 years of age, and I am working with my present company as a Chief Compliance Officer (Planet Hollywood Resort & Towers).

We are happy family residing in Edinburgh-Scotland, I am a very busy man and so to my wife who is working with an International firm as an accountant. We are very busy people and do not stay at home regularly that is why we need a Family Au pair/Teacher to take good care of our child at home and after school hrs.

I am offering GBP 3,800 every four weeks and GBP 300 weekly as Domestic allowance... You will have your own apartment with a personal bathroom and toilet. If you are willing to work for my family, we will provide you a personal car that you will use here in Scotland, I shall also get you a part time job here in Scotland where you can earn more money during morning hrs because you will only be taking care of my child after school hrs.

Your duty is to teach and take good care of the child, make sure that she perform her school home works, give additional lectures ETC...If you are interest in this offer kindly email me back at this email: [email protected] with your updated (PROFILE/CV) or call me with this number so that I can be able to get back to you immediately.

I await your urgent responds

Thank you for taking your time to read my mail.

Sincerely.
Mr. Donald Albert
Chief Compliance Officer,
Planet Hollywood Resort & Towers
Direct Contact No: +44 702 403 4720
Email: [email protected]

If you were to apply for this position, you would receive the following reply;

From: Planet Hollywood Resort & Towers [email protected]
To: Removed
Sent:
Subject: Signed Contract Agreement Received.

Dear Removed,


Thanks a lot for your speedy response ,

We have received your passport copies alongside with your signed Contract Agreement/Certificate of Employment as an acceptance to all the terms and conditions stipulated therein and the same has been filled for Official record.

As soon as we receive an Affidavit of Assurance sworn on your behalf at the UK Royal Courts of Justice , which shows your readiness to join the family (Donald Albert Family) will provide you a free VISA,WORK/RESIDENCE PERMIT and also shall pay into your account which you shall provide before embarking on trip, your one (1)month salary, flight ticket fare and relocation benefits and as well reimburse you the amount spent on the procurement of your Affidavit of Assurance as to enable you take care of your financial needs before joining us here in Scotland.

Lastly, you have to be fast in all arrangements your making as your Affidavit of Assurance furnishing date to the family is fast approaching.

Hope to meet you soon,

Sincerely.

Mr. Donald Albert
Chief Compliance Officer,
Planet Hollywood Resort & Towers
Home: 7 Strachan rd Edinburgh,
City of Edinburgh eh4 3, Scotland.
Direct Contact No: +44 702 403 4720
Email: [email protected]

This is where the nature of the scam becomes more apparent, you will be required to pay for a "affidavit of insurance", the scammer has told you he will refund the cost but of course, that is another lie.

Once the scammer believes he has your interest he will introduce you to somebody who can help you with the required documents, a "helpful gesture by a kindly man" - Unfortunately not, it is just a part of the scam.

Here is the initial reply from the Lawyer;

Note the lawyer.com email address (this is a free email address provided by mail.com, no real lawyer would ever use such an address.

Also note the phone numbeer, once again, a 4470 redirect service

From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
To: Removed
Sent:
Subject: PROCEDURE / REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING AFFIDAVIT OF ASSURANCE


Attention Removed ,


This is to acknowledge the receipt of your mail,

Find attachment an instruction and a letter of authorization (POWER OF ATTORNEY) which you have to print, fill sign and send back to us via email with all requirements for further procedure on your behalf.

Kindly act accordingly to avoid delay.

Yours in Service,

Barrister Anthony Taylor (Esq.)
Royal Courts of Justice Law Chambers.
Address: 239 High Street. Town: Edinburgh,
Postal Code: EH1 1YJ
Phone: +44 702 406 5763
E-mail: [email protected]

In this following email, the scammer will try to reassure his victim with more lies and big words, scammer love making promises, it is easy for them to do because they have no intention of keeping them.

You will also notice towards the bottom of the email where the scammer will attempt to speed things up, scammers are often in a hurry, giving their victims deadlines and rushing things will give the victim less time to find out elsewhere that this is a scam.

From: Planet Hollywood Resort & Towers <[email protected]>
To: Removed
Sent: Thu, 11 February, 2010 2:57:04 PM
Subject: I have my Words of Honor.


Dear Removed

Thanks for your update,

Contrary to your mail I want you to understand that I cannot go against my lawyer's advice due to the Bad experience we had from (Ms. Elva Leo) also I want to inform you that is not the family responsibility to obtain an Affidavit of Assurance for any of our employee or take care of any cost that may arise on the process due to some bad experience we have had on the past.

If I may ask? When an employee is not able to take care of the charges for obtaining an Affidavit of Assurance showing the employer that he/she will join his/her duties as agreed. Is it when such employee receives Visa, money etc from the employer that he or she will show up as agreed? We are not putting this to you but will advice you to carry on with the swearing of your Affidavit of Assurance from the UK Royal Courts of Justice here in Scotland.


Furthermore, I can assure you, I am not that kind of person that goes against its word. Besides, I have my Words of Honor and my word is my bond. I will stand for it without changing my final decision. There is no need to worry, because once my family confirm the Affidavit of Assurance which shows your readiness to join the family (Donald Albert Family) will provide you a free VISA,WORK/RESIDENCE PERMIT and also shall pay into your account which you shall provide before embarking on trip, your one (1)month salary, flight ticket fare and relocation benefit and as well reimburse you the amount spent on the procurement of your Affidavit of Assurance as to enable you take care of your financial needs before joining us here in Scotland.


Lastly you have to be fast in all arrangements your making as your Affidavit of Assurance furnishing date to the family is fast approaching and if you cannot coupe with the family policy as advised by my lawyer , please kindly send us a decline letter as to enable me look for another Au pair.

Wishing you all the best.

Sincerely.

Mr. Donald Albert
Chief Compliance Officer,
Planet Hollywood Resort & Towers
Home: 7 Strachan rd Edinburgh,
City of Edinburgh eh4 3, Scotland.
Direct Contact No: +44 702 403 4720
Email: [email protected]

Fake documents used in this scam;

Dear All,
Same word to word offer letter has come to me but here problem is that I have send my CV. What will happen now and how should I safe guard myself? Please advice / reply me ASAP.
Thanks

Hello suds70.

As the scammer did not really have a job to offer to anyone, it is unlikely that he even bothered to read your CV. He may have given it a quick glance, but he would not have been very interested in it.

Don't reply to any more emails he sends you. Delete them unread. He may continue to write for a little while, but he is not going to want to spend time (and probably money - on internet café fees) writing to someone who is not replying to him, and who is not going to send him any money to steal.

If, by chance, he should telephone you, disconnect the call without speaking to him further. He will stop trying to contact you. Be strong-minded until that happens.

I'm glad that you realised this was a scam.

Thanks Chris!! This forum is really useful and just by chance I came i know abt it. I typed in google au pair / teachers and planethollywoods.com and the result was ur site!!
very very helpful and made me realise how these people scam!
thanks once again
bye

Hi Suds,

I am delighted that my posting of this scam has helped you, it makes it all worthwhile knowing that you have avoided being scammed.