Hiroyuki Nakatani Jupiter Telecommunications Job Offer Tokyo

3/14/19: Received text from (336) 365-6489, Hiroyuki Nakatani claiming he worked for Jupiter Telecommunications (J:COMM) in Tokyo, Japan, and that he’s found my resume on Indeed. First tipoff is area code 336 is North Carolina.

3/15/19: At his request, set up Skype meeting. Interview lasted 2 hours. Skype meeting at 9 which would have been middle of the night in Tokyo. When I asked about the hour, he claimed he was used to the time difference. Meeting included extensive introduction from him, details about J:COMM setting up 10 offices in the United States, and the hourly rate for the job. Remainder of interview was the typical interview questions. At the close he asked to me to give him a day or 2 to go over my responses to the interview and resume. Asked that we meet again on 3/18 to discuss results.

3/18: Skye meeting for an hour and the end of the meeting he informed me that I got the job. I asked for the offer in writing and received a detailed offer letter. Along with the request for W-4 and deposit account information. Also sent a letter listing supplies that total $9,000.00US to be purchased from company’s recommended supplier. (Recommended supplier is not named.) Also, tells me I will be reporting to Masato Sugimori after I finish my new employee session starting the week of March 25.

3/19: Received notice that I had a schedule UPS delivery for 3/20 originating out of VA.

3/20: UPS adds “Hold placed by sender” to the delivery information. Called UPS to find out meaning of hold placed by sender. UPS tells me they've places a fraud alert hold on the package. Skye to Nakatani to inform him of the situation and they needed to call. He replied he would check with the mailroom and they would send a replacement. 

3/22: Sent Skye asking for status of replacement check, and if we would still meet on Monday. He replied replacement would arrive Saturday or Monday, but we would delay until I have the supplies. I asked if I should pay for supplies myself. He said yes, and the replacement check would cover them. When I told him I could not afford to pay up front, I suggested he wire the funds. He replied that wires are not available for new hires.

3/23: "Nakatani" not responding to Skype or text messages.

The scam: Initially this looks like ID theft because they ask you to complete all the personal information you would when starting a new job—including asking for a picture for your ID. ID theft may be part of the scam. but I think the real scam is in the equipment purchase. It goes one of these ways:

• The new employee pays the vendor up front for the equipment, knowing they will be receiving a reimbursement check. The reimbursement check never arrives.
• The check does arrive, the new employee deposits it and purchases the equipment from the vendor. The equipment never arrives. The check is eventually returned stolen, fraudulent, etc, and the bank removes the funds from the account.