Robert Packer? Anyone had a request from this guy?

Baronpilot244

Baronpilot244

Killick Stoker
I would be very grateful to see what you guys think of the email below. It came through today - sounds and looks fishy to me. For instance the email address ends in Yahoo.ca. If this guy was really based in Scotland it should be Yahoo.co.uk
Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it sounds like a scam to me - "I'll send you a check for the training but it will be for too much so you just wire me the balance to my account" - type deal.

Anyway - if someone wants to take the chance and get two students - have at it!

Good Day,
>
> My Name is Robert Packer, from Scotland.I want to make inquiry on your
> flight training school.I and my colleague are interested in obtaining a
> private pilot license from your flight school.
>
> Kindly email me with details on the program package, duration of the of
> the program,and when the next training section comemces. also advise on
> the total cost for the training of two pilots and the requirement for the
> program.I await your prompt response.
>
> Regards,
> Robert Packer
>
> robertpk202@yahoo.ca


I don't plan to respond, but I'm interested to see if anyone else on here has had a similar email?

Bp244
 
Post just about anything for sale on Craigslist and you'll get a similar e-mail. They want to send you a check for more than you want, and have you send them a check for the difference. I'll ruin the ending for you, but their check bounces after you've sent them yours.
 
The FBO I instructed at got the same type of email sent to their general info email address. It was from some dude in England who had three students wanting to take lessons yada yada. The funny thing is that my boss actually wanted me to follow up with them. We emailed back a few times and I gave him some information about costs, training times, etc. but I always told him that we were unable to train foreigners. After the 4th email telling him that we would not be able to train his students, he finally gave up.
 
I don't know if i am blind or not, but what part of that email made you question the authenticity?
All i see is a person asking about information for him and his buddy.
What is the standards?
What are the costs?
And when can we start?
 
Johnny Beau Bekkestad said:
I don't know if i am blind or not, but what part of that email made you question the authenticity?
All i see is a person asking about information for him and his buddy.
What is the standards?
What are the costs?
And when can we start?
Click to expand...

It may look legit, but if you reply and ask questions of your own (when do they want to train, what certificates are they seeking, etc.) you will get a reply that does not answer the questions you ask. That is a good indication it is a scam. Once you send a few emails asking questions they will give up and move on.
 
Johnny Beau Bekkestad said:
I don't know if i am blind or not, but what part of that email made you question the authenticity?
All i see is a person asking about information for him and his buddy.
What is the standards?
What are the costs?
And when can we start?
Click to expand...

"I enter into evidence, exhibit A." - P. T. Barnum
 
Tram said:
"I enter into evidence, exhibit A." - P. T. Barnum
Click to expand...

If I had a dime for a "Hi my name is Jonny, greetings of the season, I am small boy in ????-stan looking to join your flight academy, where do I send the check", I would be sitting at Starbucks sipping a triple grande iced nonfat latte.

Oh...

Wait.

But you know what I mean! :)
 
guywhoflies said:
It may look legit, but if you reply and ask questions of your own (when do they want to train, what certificates are they seeking, etc.) you will get a reply that does not answer the questions you ask. That is a good indication it is a scam. Once you send a few emails asking questions they will give up and move on.
Click to expand...

The question is still, what within that email made you think it was a scam. With that i mean how do you distinguish between a scam and a real prospect student.

Tram said:
"I enter into evidence, exhibit A." - P. T. Barnum
Click to expand...
And that evidence being?

Doug Taylor said:
If I had a dime for a "Hi my name is Jonny, greetings of the season, I am small boy in ????-stan looking to join your flight academy, where do I send the check"
Click to expand...
Is this the part where you call me a scammer :clap:
 
A lot of these scam emails have the same Google Translate / non-conversational tone. It's hard to describe but after you've seen a few, you get the idea.
 
I had a scam like this regarding a ferry.

I quoted them $2,000 for the flight, they sent me two money orders (after i told them that I dont accept money orders) totalling $4,500. The lady claimed it was to cover the cost of three new tires and I needed to try to redeem the money orders (a quick call to Money Gram confirmed they were fraudulent) and write a check to her "mechanic"... uh huh...

I reported her to the FBI, gave them her phone number and never heard from her again.
 
Johnny Beau Bekkestad said:
I don't know if i am blind or not, but what part of that email made you question the authenticity?
All i see is a person asking about information for him and his buddy.
What is the standards?
What are the costs?
And when can we start?
Click to expand...

The very fact that he claims he is from "Scotland" yet he has so many grammar issues in his e-mail should be a huge red flag right there... They have an accent, but grammar is grammar.

The .ca address instead of .uk is one too.
 
BenZwebner said:
The very fact that he claims he is from "Scotland" yet he has so many grammar issues in his e-mail should be a huge red flag right there... They have an accent, but grammar is grammar.

The .ca address instead of .uk is one too.
Click to expand...

This is what i was looking for, i totally missed that the first time around ;)
End of the day i am flight instructor and if anyone here has advice on how to detect a scam i would appreciate in sharing how to detect it.
 
BenZwebner said:
The very fact that he claims he is from "Scotland" yet he has so many grammar issues in his e-mail should be a huge red flag right there... They have an accent, but grammar is grammar.

The .ca address instead of .uk is one too.
Click to expand...

Johnny,

exactly what Ben said. I spent 9 years in Scotland as a nuc submariner, they do have accents but this email just didn't sound right to me. I also caught the .ca email address (check my original post). Across the pond we use .uk (I'm originally from Wales)

I don't advertise online at all, the only thing I use is a stack of business cards at the FBO and word of mouth. I have plenty of students - 5 primary and 2 advanced just now, plus I fly contract on a C340 and KA90 so it isn't as though I'm in need of the business.

If you get something like this be really careful - these folks will take your money without a second thought.

Bp244
 
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