It's time to clean out my text messages and email inboxes of scammers and spammers. Since one of my goals for the year is to help others in the hopes that someone will help me, please allow me to list some of the names and contact information from people who want to steal from you. If you are one of the people on this list (I know it's a fake name, but there's a real person there), then I hope you repent to God and restore what is not yours. The last person who contacted me and asked if I take credit card payment was told that I only accept payment in goats and alcohlic beverages. If you get a request from someone who is ill or deaf and who wants you to work for them (mine is for websites), then they are trying to scam you. Yes, there are a few deaf people and sick people who need websites, but they would also have company names and someone to help them speak. The scammers are not speaking to you because they can barely speak English. 

They want to pay you with a stolen credit card and then have you pay some other person who is working on the website (or whatever it is you do). For example, the first attempt at this that I almost fell for had me accepting around $2000 and then sending $500 to a graphic designer. These scams will come from email or text, but you won't generally speak to a real person, so that's probably your best defense: ask them to call you to further discuss it. And never, ever offer to pay someone else as part of a purchase from afar. Overpaying for cash back is what scammers do with stolen cards, maybe even checks. 

To me, the audacity implies these people are from outside the United States and not afraid of our government to be able to go after them. Here are some of the names, numbers, emails, and whatever I have from people who are looking to scam you. I list them because someone doing the same is the only reason I avoided getting stung by this scam a few years back. 

916-581-0495 Adriane, hearing impaired, web design, credit card

636-525-1197 same as above

609-831-2763 Adriane again

415-996-0804 Timothy

917-724-8258 Paul, new company, web design, credit card

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Benson Miles, new company website, cc payment

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Kenny Wood, emergency trip

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. John Vischiany, same story as kenny

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Garry Allen, in state kola nut exporter, gives lots of details and an example, is obviously foreign

I've received probably a dozen more that got deleted before now. All the same people or at least the same kind of people. I hope this helps someone who is researching a potential client on the list. Stay away from these contacts. 

Another one that will try to scam you by renting your apartment that's listed is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2-27-2017 - I just received an email from another web designer that Adriane goes by Adriane Scott and wants to pay $7000, using This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..