This Massage therapy scam is actually quite good…
It probably was sent mostly to male massage therapists. You’ll see in the email below.
Roberto Mecca is likely a fake name. This whole thing is a fake tailored to massage therapists.
If you’ve received a message like this, run away. It is a scam.
You might be tempted by the pictures… do not be. This is a scam to get you to launder money for them, similar to the Ben Raes massage therapist scam.
Here’s the email.
Again, this is a SCAM!
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Therapy Work Date: Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 6:30 AM
Subject: Massage therapist Enquiry
To: to undisclosed recipientsGreetings from Sydney!!
My name is Roberto mecca I live and work as a massage therapist here in Sydney, I am originally from Italy, I am 45yrs old. I have been doing massage since 1991. I do deep relaxation massage in which the muscles relax without pain. I also do energy massage that helps people feel great when I am done. I am also certified to do pregnancy massage. I have lots of happy clients here in Sydney.
I have been looking for a for A massage therapist for over a week now till i met an old friend yesterday that referred you to me, so i decided to contact you to know if you will be able give my client some massage sessions. My client’s name is Ms Shenae Gillespie, A model here in Sydney who will be needing some massage therapy sessions when she arrives the States, She will be coming to the U.S in 3 weeks time for a modeling job and will be residing in your Area temporarily until the necessary arrangement for her job has been made before she leaves.She will be needing 1hr Massage session per day, 2 Sessions per week for 6 weeks.
Ms Gillespie, asked me to come with her to the States but i told her i would not be able to go with her as i have a course i will be going for in a week time, so i promised to help her get a good Massage therapist in your Area.
Pls tell me a little more about your self, how long have you been a Massage therapist? and would you be able to provide her with the sessions from the 12th of next Month to the 25th of October, 2 Sessions per week for 6 weeks.
I need you to get back to me with the amount you charge per session and also let me know if she can pay you with a Certified check drawn from a US bank?
You can view some of Ms Gillespie Pictures from the link below:
http://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/2662217/viewall#/28508442
Till I read from you remain blessed.Roberto Mecca
Wentworth Avenue
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Scam hits Clearwater Florida!! Wow, do I feel like an idiot! I just got involved with this same exact scam this week. Was sent the same exact email. I did a quick search on Roberto Mecca on Yahoo and the model but didn’t find anything suspect so I respond. A day later Roberto writes back.
A day later, I receive a UPS package with a certified check for thousands more than my sessions will cost and I am supposed to “wire transfer” the balance to some bank in MALAYSIA after the check clears. It was in fact a certified check from JP Morgan Chase Bank, so I deposit the check yesterday but couldn’t sleep at all last night. I finally get out of bed to do another search using google and bam, here I am at your site, screaming and choking on my morning coffee!
So sick, considering I do have ties to massage therapists in Sydney. This scam is very well done, they even tell me the model is staying at the Residence Inn, and the modeling job is for Best Buy, which is in between the hotel and my office location! At first glance, it somehow seems real! I tell my wife the story and her only question; “So who referred you in Sydney?” I say, who cares, I guess I’m internationally known and it’s a certified check, it can’t be a scam right? Duh!!
I guess I’m calling my bank this morning to explain what is going on. Excuse me while I go bury my head in shame and then admit to my wife I am in fact NOT smarter than a 5th grader!
Rob G
PS. Yahoo sucks, use Google!
The reason I even bothered to spend the time writing about this scam is because it is so well done.
Preys on all kinds of emotional triggers, including using a very attractive model.
It must be working for them because they’re doing it in a lot of places (apparently).
5th grader comment = hilarious!
Do you have the text of your conversations or a picture of the check you’ve received?
Would be good to post those here to let other people know.
Any other words we should be putting in this post so that it’s more likely to come up in Google?
Roberto Mecca or Malaysia or maybe even the bank details in Malaysia?
Thanks for commenting! Anything else you can contribute here will help others avoid this scammer as well.
Hi Caleb, I have approved both of your comments about this scam here on MusicOfMassage. If you are able to find out more details or know other information that people should know about this scam or who Roberto Mecca actually is, please come back and post that information here as well. Thank-you!
Massage has been used as one of the oldest forms of therapy in ancient medical practices. Massage can be defined as the treatment of the soft tissues of the body either manually or mechanically. Massage therapy enhances your life by dropping stress, improving blood circulation and flushing out toxins and improving your immune system. And one of the best-known types of body massage is Swedish massage.