Glen Hovey RedRain Energy Drink Scam

If you have read this blog at all, you know that I like trolling scam artists, then posting their emails here. I know that there are freelance writers out there looking for side income, so that is why I post scams here.

Today, we have one for wrap advertising. Here are the emails that were sent to me. No, I made sure not to send him my bank information. lol 

Hello,

Wrap advertising is the marketing practice of completely or partially covering (wrapping) a vehicle in an advertisement or livery, thus turning it into a mobile billboard. This can be achieved by simply painting the vehicle surface, but it is becoming more common today to use large vinyl sheets as decals. These can be removed with relative ease, making it much less expensive to change from one advertisement to another. Vehicles with large, flat surfaces, such as buses and light-rail carriages, are fairly easy to work with, though smaller vehicles with curved surfaces can also be wrapped in this manner. Wrap advertising is available to anybody irrespective of the vehicle you drive.

We are currently seeking to employ individuals world wide as we look to expand our market thus, introducing (RedRain Energy Drink) to every nooks and crannies especially in the USA. How would you like to make money by simply driving your vehicle or banner wrapped for  RedRain Energy Drink®

How it works?
Here's the basic premise of the "paid to drive" concept:  RedRain Energy Drink® seeks people -- regular citizens, professional drivers to go about their normal routine as they usually do - 'which means there are no OBLIGATIONS whatsoever as to how many miles you have to cover' only with a big advert for " RedRain Energy Drink®" plastered on your vehicle. The ads are typically vinyl decals, also known as "auto wraps,"that almost seem to be painted on the vehicle, and which will cover any portion of your vehicle's exterior surface.

Don't Have a vehicle?
If you don't have a vehicle, you can also participate if you have a bike or scooter.

What does the company get out of this type of ad strategy?
Lots of exposure and awareness.. The auto wraps tend to be colorful, eye-catching and attract lots of attention. Plus, it's a form of advertising with a captive audience,meaning people who are stuck in traffic can't avoid seeing the wrapped vehicle alongside them. This program will last for 3 months and the minimum you can participate is a month.

What is the Contract Duration?
Once the wrap has been installed, minimum term is 4 weeks and maximum is 18 weeks.

Would the wrap/decal damage the paint of my vehicle?
The decal doesn't damage the paint of the vehicle and will be removed by our representative once the contract expires. We will be responsible for installation and removal of the wrap.

You will be compensated with $300.00 per week which is essentially a "rental"payment for letting our company use the  exterior space(excludes your windows and windscreens) on your vehicle and no fee is required from you.  RedRain Energy Drink® shall provide experts that would handle the advert placing on your vehicle and also the removal. You will receive an upfront payment of $300.00 in check that will be sent to you via a registered courier service for accepting to carry this advert on your vehicle or via DIRECT DEPOSIT.

It is very easy and simple no application fees required. Get back with the following details if you are interested in this offer.

For check payment please fill in the information below:

Applicant information:
Name :
Full Street Address(not PO BOX) :
APT #:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Cell Phone Number:
Home Phone Number:
Age:
Bank Name:
Routing #:
Account #:

We shall contact you as soon as the required information is received. Please note that you do not need to fill in the Direct Deposit details if you wish to be paid with check.
 
Best Regards,
Glen Hovey
harriettk@hotmail.com
Hiring Manager
RedRain Energy Drink®

Hello,

Thank you for your swift response and willingness to participate in this Ad progam. To this effect, you are advise to check your email regularly for updates on your upfront payment and the Graphic Artist information.

1) The first payment will come as a check in the mail. The check payment will cover both the installation, removal fee and the $300.00 accrued to you. We will be responsible for  any cost incurred during the course of this program .  You are to deposit and cash the check payment as soon as you receive it for the decal wrapping of your vehicle, deduct the $300.00 accrued to you as your up-front payment and, the rest of the funds will be paid to cover the Graphic artist payment for the decal installation and removal on your vehicle.

Nevertheless, it is paramount for you to confirm the acceptance and understanding of this email. Please note that the graphic artist payment covers the installation and removal fee of the wrap on your vehicle. The installation and removal process will be done at your address and will only take up to 2-3hrs. Subsequent payment of $300.00 will come in the mail every Tuesday of the week.

2) You will pay the Graphic artist as instructed, Details of how to make payment will be related to you as soon as you receive payment.. The Information which you will make payment to will also be emailed to you soon.


3) We'll like you to confirm Information about your car as below:

i) Type of Automobile and Color :

ii) Model/Year :

iii) Present Condition and the Mileage:

Note:  Please confirm that you receive this message so as to process payment that would be sent to you for the Ad program.

All other instructions will be related in due course.

Please confirm below that you received and understood the content of this email:

I....................Confirm to have received this email and understand the content.


Best Regards,
Glen Hovey
Hiring Manager
RedRain Energy Drink®

Alina,

Report reaching my desk this morning has is that the check payment in the amount of $2450.00 will be delivered to your address today for the decal wrapping of your vehicle. Kindly confirm and track via USPS.com with the tracking number 9405503699300488826160.

Proceed to deposit the check into your bank account as soon as you receive it. Funds will be available for withdrawal 24hrs after the check is deposited.

I will be waiting for a confirmation message immediately the check is deposited.

Further instructions on how to make payment to the graphic artist will be emailed to you shortly.

Kindly confirm in your response if you have

* Received the check in the same amount stated above
* Deposited the check yet, if YES
* Please confirm the day of deposit

The same graphic artist will be responsible for the installation of the decal and also the removal of the decal when the program is completed.

The decal installation will be done at your address. A telephone appointment will be made with you prior to the installation to stipulate a convenient day and time for the installation process.

You will review and sign a copy of the contract that will be handed to you by the graphic artist indicating how long you want your vehicle to be wrapped for, and giving us full consent to wrap your vehicle for this Ad program.

Kindly send me an email or text message as soon as the check is deposited today.

Do not hesitate to email or call me if you require additional information. Acknowledge receipt of this email immediately and looking forward to your email with status update.

I'll await your swift response.
Best Regards,
Glen Hovey
glenhovey2@msn.com
RedRain Energy Drink®


(817)523-8956

Alina,

Report reaching me this morning has it that funds have  been authorized on the check payment in the amount of $2450.00 that was sent to you for the decal wrapping of your vehicle.

You are to deduct $300.00 which is accrued to you for the first week and forward the balance to the graphic artist head office via Westernunion transfer. A LOCAL graphic artist will be assigned and sent to your address to install the wrap on your vehicle.

The same graphic artist will be responsible for the installation of the decal and also the removal of the decal when the program is completed.
Below is the name of the receiver. Kindly get back to me with the transfer information (MTCN # and the exact amount sent).

All transfer charges should be deducted from the remaining balance.

Please visit www.westernunion.com to check agent shops close to you and make transfer through them.

Transfer charges/cost $30 and should be deducted from the remaining funds after you must have taken the $300.00 accrued to you.

Below is the Graphic Artist Western Union Transfer Details to send the Money to:

Graphic Artist Head Office Rep. Receiver's Information:

FIRST NAME: XIAOQIAN
LAST NAME:  DENG
ADDRESS: 8 Huguang Middle St
CITY: CHAOYANG
STATE: BEIJING
COUNTRY: CHINA
EMAIL: redrain@graphic-designer.com

Kindly get back with the information below once the transfer has been completed.

MTCN Number & Total Amount Sent

FAQ:
-Why am I sending money to China?

The head office of the graphic artist is China. In addition, the decal wraps are produced and manufactured in China. Cost of sending to china is less than sending within the state that is why they prefer all funds directed to the head office (China). As soon as payment is acknowledged by them, a local person (graphic artist) in your zip code will come to your house and install the decal wrap on your vehicle. An appointment will be made with you over the phone to stipulate a covenient day and time for the installation process.He will also come along with the contract and all other document including preview pictures on how your vehicle will look when installed.

-How do I receive subsequent payment?
Payments will be mailed to you address weekly once the wrap is installed on your vehicle.

Do not hesitate to email or call me if you require additional information. Acknowledge receipt of this email immediately and looking forward to your email with status updates.

I'll await your swift response.
Best Regards,
Glen Hovey
glenhovey2@msn.com
RedRain Energy Drink®
(817)523-8956

Make More Money: Master Classes for Freelance Writers

Are you a freelance writer that wants to give your career a boost? Want to make more money? Join my Master Class for Freelance Writers. 

On my work site, I recently set up content creation classes for those who want to learn how to write interesting articles and blogs for their brand's website. It occurred to me that freelancers may be interested in signing up, too, so I am announcing a master class for freelance writers.

This week-long class will feature:

-How to hook a client without selling out

-Make your call to action sizzle so your readers can't wait to hire you

-Twitter tricks for sharing your business that no one has told you

-A full critique of an article that you wrote with ways to improve your writing style

-An analysis of your writing brand and tips on improving it

Why should you take a class from me? I have been a freelance writer for almost two decades and have worked with big brands such as Angie's List, Zappos and StubHub, as well as big publishers such as Prevention Magazine, USA Today and more.

Click over to my site to sign up now before spaces run out.

Does RantLifestyle Pay its Writers?

If you are thinking about applying at RantLifestyle, you may want to hold off. This is an email I just received about their pay:

Hello, thank you for contacting me. My name is Chris Gamble and I am the Hiring Manager for RantLifestyle. RantLifestyle is one of the fastest growing websites on the internet with over nine million unique visitors over the last 30 days and over 200 million page views during that same span.

To start, all writers must start as unpaid contributors. There is no quota to meet but writers are working to improve their writer’s score to join our paid staff. If your writer’s score is good (we rank writers on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the best) you could be asked to join our staff as a paid writer. There are two tiers of paid writers. The first tier makes $25 per month with a 50/50 split of the advertising revenue from page views that also comes with a quota of 25 articles per month that must be met in order to be paid. The second tier can be paid anywhere from $150-250 per month plus the 50/50 split of advertising revenue. The second tier comes with a quota of 40 articles a month.

Articles have to be at least 200 words and generally no longer than 750 words. Writers are given the freedom to come up with their own ideas but we do offer suggestions and have some slideshows that our authors sign up for on a first-come, first-serve basis. Slideshows are where authors make the most money when it comes to revenue share since each slide counts as a page view.

If this interests you please send me a writing sample and we can move forward. I look forward to hearing back from you. If you have any questions please let me know.

How to Make More Money as a Freelance Writer

Tip number one? Stop calling yourself a freelance writer. At least that is what Marco Massaro wrote in this very helpful article:

How To Make More Money As A Freelancer

It is one of the best articles I have read on freelance writing in a long time. Give it a read and tell me what you think.

Tips to Make Writing Easier

I must admit.  I’m a speedy writer. Not to say I don’t work hard to get stories in by their deadline, research new markets and craft queries. I just don’t like wasting time. I want to get it done and move onto the part I love, the actual writing.

Here are some ways I get to the fun part.

Reference at Your Fingertips

Everyone knows that you need a good dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, and, of course, The Writer’s Market. But thumbing through these can waste huge masses of time. Besides, why buy these reference books when you can easily access them on the web? This saves time and money! Wordsmyth has a dictionary and thesaurus that are quick and easy to use. All you have to do is type your word into the box on the left-hand side of the screen. The site will give you the correct spelling, synonyms, definition, and a list of related words.

Merriam and Webster Online not only has a dictionary and thesaurus, but also Encyclopedia Britannica  for a small monthly fee. This site also helps you with research related to the words you look up by providing helpful links.

Another great reference site is Writer’s Market.com. The digital version of this long time writer’s staple offers instant access to thousands of editors and agents just for $29.99 for a six month subscription. This is a great time saver because it is constantly being updated. No more getting returned query letters because of address changes or business mergers.

Speedy Research

Doing research is one of the biggest time eaters there is for writers. Going to the library can take up a whole day. And typing random terms into search engines can be just as time consuming. Finding several sure fire research sites is the best way to maximize writing time. The key is to stay focused on your topic. Say you are looking for information on the best places to go salmon fishing. You find several great articles on salmon fishing, but a few pop up about salmon recipes. Even if you are tempted, don’t stray over to other topics that may pique you interest. Stay focused! It saves precious time that you need to write your story.

Need really detailed information like statistics or government documents for your story? Don’t shlep to your local government agency. Turn to sites like Fedstats.gov or Firstgov.gov. Fedstats.gov has statistical data, statistical profiles of states, counties, cities, congressional districts, and federal judicial districts, while Firstgov.gov has just about any other kind of information you could want related to government agencies and policies. 

Do you want to have just one website bookmarked where you can find all the research help you could ever need? ProfNet is the ultimate online guide to Internet research. The site includes links to expert advice, reference facilities, and news, as well as help and advice columns.

Speedy Inspiration Spawners

Expending too much time and energy trying to think of  ideas for the stories themselves? The Story Generator, at Freelance Writing.com, can give you the inspiration you need with the click of a mouse. Weekly it provides new ideas in the form of the latest surveys and facts. These bits of intriguing information may inspire you to give your character a new pastime or occupation, or may give you the perfect idea for an article. A recent survey about mothers getting information from the Internet gave me the idea to write an article called “Moms on the Web.”

Another terrific place to find ideas is the covers of magazines. Standing in front of a magazine stand is a great way to jog an idea loose if you are a nonfiction writer. 

Try this: Go down the rack of publications and randomly pick one. What subject does the publication specialize in? Think about that subject. Say you picked the magazine Cat Fancy and you want to write a children’s book. Do the characters in your book have pets? Could the character be a pet? A cat? You get the idea.

Better yet, for instant inspiration, go to Creative Writing Prompts and choose a number at random for quick inspiration. 

Swift Enlightenment

For most of us, going to seminars and workshops is a wistful fantasy that we put off until “we get more time.” Well, the time is now, thanks to online courses that are just as easy to attend as reading an email. Many courses simply come to your email, letting you complete each lesson at your ease. Best of all, many of them are free!

Make Time Your Own

Just remember to actually write.

The worst problem with using the internet for research is getting so distracted with email, games, and forums that no real writing gets done. Remember to focus, and to turn your web connection completely off when you are done. Leaving it on is a temptation to procrastinate. And procrastination is the worst time waster of all.

How Sidekick by Hubspot Can Help You Find Work

Right now, as I'm writing this, I'm watching alerts pop up on my screen. They are telling me that a potential client is actually opening and clicking on links in the email I just sent her. I love not needing to wonder if my emails get opened and if my clip links get clicked on.

How am I spying on my clients...or anyone else I send an email to? I installed the free app Sidekick by Hubspot into my browser. It sends me alerts when people open my emails, tells me how many times they open the email and what links in the email get clicked.

This is incredibly useful because I can see what email subjects work to peak a potential client's interest, what clip links attract the most clicks, etc.

Start using this puppy right now. You'll be glad you did.

P.S. I don't get anything for telling you about this app. 

Crappy Potential Freelance Clients

I've been really busy with clients lately. I love helping clients, but nothing gets me more steamed than potential clients wasting my time. This week I dealt with the all time, number one time waster.

First, he refused to look at my site to see what type of services I offer and wanted me to type it all out in an IM for him. Then, he told me that he had a budget of around $3,000. When I quoted him a price of $1,000 for my services, he changed his mind and told me that his budget was actually $400, but he could throw in an extra $100 if I could do the entire job. Plus, he wanted everything done ASAP and wanted an in-person meeting! Oh, and there's the charming fact that he said he wanted a local Texas writer, but wanted to pay Indian rates.

I told him what services I could provide him for $500 and that there would be no in-person meeting. I mean come on! There's no reason for an in-person when you can Skype. Besides, I'm not going to meet someone who randomly contacted me on the internet who has already lied to me.

After almost a solid week of him emailing me about how I need to help him and do his whole project ASAP, I got really fed up. I told him that instead of half up-front I required the total payment up-front. I mean if he's this big of a pain in the butt now, imagine what he'd be like during the project. After all of his emails, I didn't trust him to pay the other half, especially after he mentioned that several other writers disappointed him. Here was his response:
"Ok. Let's not start the work without any trust. If don't believe me, I don't need to believe your experience and trust.
Thanks knowing you and willingness to work with me.
All the best!"

Well, let's see, dude. I have tons of references and screenshots on my site, proving my professionalism and I have tons of publishing credits. What do we know about you? That you are super unprofessional in your IMs and emails and expect someone with more than 16 years of experience to work for chicken scratch. 

I just can't get over his nerve. 

You Don't Need Page Views

Do you need a lot of page views to your site to become a well-paid freelance writer? Nope. Take a look at my article:
http://www.alinabradford.com/blog/pageviewsdontdefineyoursite
The part that pertains to freelance writers is at the bottom of the article. Hope you enjoy!

Hi Again, Stranger!

I guess I should check in and let my readers know what I have been up to lately since I haven't written much. I've been working on my three websites:
AlinaBradford.com
ArtQuestionsAnswered.com
HomebodyStyle.com

I decided I have too much on my plate so I've been whittling things down. I've raised my rates to weed out projects and I have also deleted all but one of my Blogger blogs.Yup, this is the last one. I'll still be writing here, just not as often.

Google's Matt Cutts' Spam Around The World Music Video

Got spam? Matt Cutts knows what to do with it in this catchy music video.