Borrego Sun - Since 1949

Imagine finding a job where you only have to work two days a week and being paid $600 per week. Sounds too good to be true, right? It sure is.

After two calls from concerned residents in Borrego Springs, the Borrego Sun was made aware of a housekeeper scam, who recently advertised.

The housekeeper classified advertisement appeared twice in the paper, Dec. 27 and Jan. 10. Since the calls were made after the deadline day, the advertisement was not able to be pulled.

The person goes by the names Jennifer Benny or Rose John, according to the email address name, and claims to be looking for a housekeeper, charging $600 per week, working Monday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

When inquiring about the job, the person prefers to be contacted only via email because they say they are deaf. (It was noted that there are devices used by those hard of hearing.)

They tell the person inquiring about the job that they will send them $1,000 via money order, and to give the remaining $400 to the painters at the house. One concerned asked, “Why don’t they send them their own money order?”

However, the woman who received the money order noticed it was fake, due to the missing water mark normally on money orders.

Two women so far have reported the scam, according to Deputy Terrell, who stopped into the Borrego Sun for more information, and is currently investigating the report.

A dispute of the charged card was received on Jan. 14 at the Borrego Sun.

Where did this all start?

The woman emailed the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce with the information, which was then forwarded to the Borrego Sun on Monday Dec. 10.

Jolene Nacapuy, editor for the Borrego Sun, responded to the person via the email given (Jennifer Benny) to let them know how much the classified advertisement would cost for ‘X’ amount of issues.

Benny provided their credit card information via email, as well as an address in Borrego Springs on Zuni Trail and a phone number, before being asked about the options to pay.

“It is not uncommon for people to give their information via email, as sometimes people forget or it’s the fastest way to get things done,” Nacapuy said, who was unaware of the scam.

The Borrego Sun does not ask for credit card information via email, and does not keep any record of it when written down in person. We give the option of if they’d like to provide it over the phone to the bookkeeper, to come in and pay in person or via check through the mail after an invoice is sent out.

After providing their card information, the Borrego Sun bookkeeper did the billing and attempted to charge the card. However, an issue came up, so she tried to call the number given, and no one answered, so she emailed. The person responded, and emailed four different credit cards to use with the name, phone number and address.

If you or someone you know has been scammed by this classified or have any information, contact the sheriff’s department immediately.

*The Borrego Sun is investigating this incident, and will provide further details in the issues to come.