My FC recommended that I throw this question out to the DS community. He's sure someone might have a helpful tip. Here's the situation:
One of the places on which I advertise for new clients for my math tutoring business is on Craig's List. I have had good luck with them, but one annoyance keeps rearing its ugly mug. More than half the responses I get are from scammers who use a cookie-cutter format which goes something like this: (But, y'know, without the sarcastic bits I've inserted...)
"Hello, teacher! I am writing you from a far away country that I may or may not be able to spell. (Please disregard the fact that my email address bears no country suffix...) My child will be spending time alone in the US, staying with a nanny/family member/family friend. I desperately want for you to teach my child, even though I don't know a darned thing about you. Please tell me the amount you will charge me for a large block of tutoring time, so I can send you a bogus cashier's check, then either send you one for too large an amount and ask you to send me the difference, or tell you that due to circumstances, my child will not be coming, could you please send back your own check for the amount I sent you."
I get DOZENS of these. First I thought they were legit, and wasn't it strange that so many people had the same story? Then I got wise and cautiously told them I deal only in cash, in person. Then I started to get downright cranky, and send them back scolding emails, telling them that if they got a little tutoring for THEMSELVES, maybe a year from now they'd have a marketable skill and could make money honestly. I know it's spitting into the wind, yes... I know I should delete their emails and let it go. But I was wondering...
Is there any way to do something via email that would be as annoying to them as they are to me? I was musing about it to darling FC, and he said put the question up to the DS folks, they're clever.
Any ideas?
