805-265-0261

I am a private lesson instructor for piano & voice. I set an ad up on craigslist, and have (even though I spell out half my phone number as anti-spam warnings suggest) been getting the occasional spam text worded just like the spam emails. Something about visiting for a month, and wanting the total calculation of 3 days, 1 hour each day, and how old the son/daughter/nephew/etc. is. Got a text from thus number today. No reply after informing I'm not stupid & am reporting the number for spam. Next time may tell them the cost equals a new Mercedes... Might just con the con-man....

I received similar text message as the piano instructor above. Same wording as e-mails that I received after posting my lesson ads on Craigslist last year. It asks to calculate monthly rate for three lessons per week for their daughter. They claim to be a doctor, usually with some silly name like Peter John, or John Peter (apologies to real Peter John). I just don't get it, what exactly do they gain from my replies, either via mobile or e-mail?

I just got the same message and asked to talk to the person on the phone.  I am a math tutor posted on craigslist.  same information same name and everything.  I just told them to bring check to fist session. :) LOL no response.  Thanks for the information.  This day and age never know need to be careful.

Thanks for posting

I got the same txt message in response to a tutoring ad on craigslist. I asked him twice to tell me what county he was in, so that I might figure up costs. He never did. I too asked Jon Peter to call me, he said his phone could only txt. He then demanded I txt him my costs "right now" so that we could get started. Of course, I didn't respond.
Randi, that's funny about the Mercedes. My boyfriend said to tell him if I have to fly to California for each session it's going to cost an awful lot! LOL

I also am an instructor. I was text and he wanted to know what my total cost was for lessons. He had a 14 year old daughter in mass. that he wanted lessons for but she would have to travel to fl. to have lessons. He would send an extra one thousand dollars through paypal ( which i asked for . He originally wanted my address , phone etc . he wanted me to send her that money via western union . I dont know who would send their 14 year old daughter to a different state for a month to hang out with a person they do not know !  But the same thing  1 hour a day , 3 days a week for a month.

Gotta love the internet for getting just the information you want. I am a stand-up paddleboard instructor in Hayward, WI, and at first I thought he got Hayward, WI and Hayward, CA mixed up. But he said his 14 year old daughter would be relocating with her nanny to Wisconsin. Same MO, 1 hour/day, 3 days/week, 1 month.

I also posted swim lessons on craigslist. John Peter texted me same 14 yr old daughter will be in my CITY needing 3 hrs a week for the month wanting the amount for tutoring while he was on business in Canada.I repeated swim lessons and got weird mixed up texts. Then he agreed to pay $900 asked for name, address to send a check that the nanny would be bringing her and for me to show her love. (?) I did give him my full name, address before I realized what was going on. The next day,  I wasn't home when the USPS Express Mail check arrived made out to me for $2,250.00 ($1,350 overage).  The mailing address was in MD, but the Allied Construction Co., was in East Brunswick,NJ. John texted me when he got the tracking number showing it was delivered letting me know the check arrived. I texted him letting him know I know he's a fraud.

Same thing...I'm a math tutor that advertises on Craigslist...I never post an email to respond to and I make it perfectlly clear that I will not accept a text message as an initial form of contact...this idiot, John Peter, texted me today and I told him, "and I would like to know if you know how to dial a phone number"...my next text message back to an 805 area code pulling the same scam will be, "Okay, so I'm going to add your number and name to the list of names and numbers I'm compiling to turn over to the authorities...just so you know"

I just took a pic of this screen and sent it to him with the message, "oh, wow, look at that...you're famous!!!"

The SCAM is,

He over pays, and asks you to reimburse him by sending him back some of the excess. The problem is, his payment to you is bad, fraudulent, and it gets taken away from you with bank charges. Meanwhile, he has your money, the over payment money you sent to him from your good bank account. More than likely he will ask that you use WesternUnion to send it back to him as then there is no way to get it back once its sent.

Wow! I knew there was something up with this guy. I am a swimming instructor and advertised on Craigslist too. "John Peter" contacted me about his 14 year old daughter who would be coming to my "city"... Yet he doesn't even know MY city. He wanted a quote for one hour per day three days per week for a month while he's on business in Canada. He also asked me to "show her some love". He sounded creepy. What father sends his 14 year old to a total stranger.  I asked if a nanny would be bringing her... He said he would "set up the nanny in my city once I sent him all of my personal information."
My reply... "I do not give out personal information due to safety concerns. It would be best if you set up your nanny in a city FIRST... And then find activities in THAT area for your daughter." Scary !!!!!
Needless to say... I edited my add and took out my contact phone #.

The same thing just happened to me! Same name, same story, etc. I am a tutor as well and have an ad on craigslist! we tutors have to be careful these days!

Same as all listed above.. Real Con Artist.. To hip to that though.. Just ignore the idiot. but always post so others can see..  Thanks for all the feed back...

Scammer got my number from Craigslist.  He said:  Hi my name is John Peter, I want to know if this tutor lesson is still available..if is it available for my Daughter for one Month..she is 14 years old, I want you to calculate the cost of one hr per day for three days in week for one Month & let me know the total cost."

These guys then ask for you bank account number if you decide to text back and forth.  they give you some big sob story about how they have an agent who will magically appear at your house and bring you a cashier's check that you will need to take to your bank.  Beware!!

Exact same thing...The message that John Peter sends is pretty generic. Seems like we TUTORS are all getting a taste of the same scam. Sheesh...I informed John Peter that I need credit/debit or CASH in hand....His reply was I can only pay in check. My reply: I can only forward this information to the county clerks office. BEWARE!

This guy is also trying to scam for cars on craigslist.