Got this one slipping through my spam filters a few minutes ago. I'll post the mail then debunk it below.
From:Alissa Rugh <allhprugh@hotmail.com>
Subject: Work ads (computer job 2009). Summer season. ID:[removed]
Solid company is currently looking for new employees.
We are offering home based part time work on computer.
Job Description:
We are providing the texts which are to be edited. You revise and correct
the texts for spelling and grammar mistakes as an english speaking person, and send them back to us.
Salary:
We don't have a fixed salary for this vacancy. We will pay you $7.00 per 1Kb of the text which
you revise (you will receive 4-5Kb of texts every day)
The salary is due once a month.
Example: If you correct about 5Kb of texts per day you will get over $1050.00 at the end of the working month.
If you are a US citizen, native English speaker, older than 24, and have PC and access to the Internet, feel free to apply.
We need you to fill in the following application form, and e-mail it to: ronald_hernandez@mail.ru
Full name:
Full Address:
Contact phone number: (available)
Contact E-mail Address:
We will respond within one business day.
We are waiting for your application!
While the translator/editor scam is not nearly as common as the check-cashing and package forwarding scams, it can often turn into the check cashing scam, as well as potentially end up in identity theft and more.
I've received a VERY similar letter to this for the Dating Euro Union, promising about $1,000 a month for correcting around 5k of text a day. You can read the experiences of people who answered them. Some detailed stories start around comment #27.
The fact that the offer is unsolicited and they're in Russia (the reply address with the .ru extension) should make you cautious. The fact that they don't even tell you the name of their company should make you cautious. The fact that they don't address you by name should make you cautious. The fact they're sending the mail from hotmail.com (i.e. free webmail service) and asking you to reply to an entirely different address at another domain, should make you cautious.
I know how hard it is out there. I'm job-hunting too. But it's hard times when the pickings are the most ripe for these scumbags because they prey on desperation. Don't be so desperate (or greedy) you throw caution to the wind.
Be careful out there.