Pianotech

  • 1.  New Email Spam

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-06-2023 14:16

    Got the initial email yesterday to my personal email, not my work one, which I thought was weird. Unfortunately I replied. When I got the reply below, I priced together that it was a spam. Thought y'all would like to know. Don't fall for it!

    My name is James Samual, I have 2 piano's, 1 Steinway grand piano, and 1 upright piano in my home in Tennessee, and I have stop using them some years back since I heard my ear problem, So I have two grandson that I want to pass it to because they have a music group So i want to service it before giving them as gift, But they are relocating here in Same State with you soon so I want the piano's to be a surprise so by the time they settle I will present it to them as a surprise, so it would be better for me to service the piano's that's why i am contacting you for the service, so can you do the servicing for me? it will have to be shipped from Tennessee to your shop if you can do the servicing for me as I'm currently recuperating from an ear surgery so i am paying with a cashiers check and have the piano's shipped to your workshop for the servicing, Get back with your information below:

     

    Full name:

    Mailing address:

    City:

    State:

    Zip code:

    Cell phone number: 

    I want a full general service so let me know how much it will cost to tune the two pianos and general service? I can communicate with you now via text or email, my cell phone number is 205-360-4558.  

    A Google search of the phone number also hints that it's a fake, or at least not connected to anyone by that name.



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    Benjamin Sanchez, RPT
    Piano Technician / Artisan
    (256) 947-9999
    www.professional-piano-services.com
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  • 2.  RE: New Email Spam

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-06-2023 14:31
    One obvious clue that this is a scam are the grammatical and spelling mistakes. Not that everyone has perfect spelling and uses the right grammar, but when those mistakes become obvious, it's a definite red flag. 





  • 3.  RE: New Email Spam

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-06-2023 16:32

    You beat me by two hours.  I actually got this email a few days earlier:

    Hello,
      My name is James Samuel, I am looking to service Steinway grand piano and upright piano. This piano was a gift from my grandfather, it has not been used for like 3 years or more and I want to service and transfer them to my grandson. I'd love to hear about your experience and service cost, etc.

    Thank you.

    I was suspicious but responded with generic answers.  Today, I received the exact same message you got.



    ------------------------------
    Jim Fariss, RPT
    PTG Vice President
    +1 (719) 425-8845
    VP@PTG.org
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  • 4.  RE: New Email Spam

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-06-2023 16:40
    I also responded generically, with suspicions.
    I'm glad you posted this.
    I got the same response today.
    Nancy Salmon, RPT





  • 5.  RE: New Email Spam

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-06-2023 21:20

    In my experience, anyone who is cold contacting you for legit service will never leave this much information. They generally don't know what they have, nor how to communicate, and are afraid of making the call. Their message would generally say something like: I live in such-n-such city and just inherited my mom's piano. Can you tune it? To those people my generic reply is Please call me so we can talk a bit about your piano and what it may need. About half the time they have simply emailed me along with several other techs in the area and are just price shopping. The rest of the time they make the call and we talk, usually scheduling an appointment. Price shoppers usually go with the first person that responds and offers a price they can afford and I never hear from them again. Fine. 

    A message like the one you received I would simply ignore and delete. A person who is intelligent enough to write this detailed a message has spent too much time plotting it out trying to make it sound convincing. It's not. They're not. Buh bye.



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    Geoff Sykes, RPT
    Los Angeles CA
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  • 6.  RE: New Email Spam

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-07-2023 06:14

    Received this scam as well
    A more curious question may be, How did this bad actor get the PTG E-mail list?
    Seems too consequential as to the number of members who are receiving the same phishing email.
    Is it possible the HO or the new software company has a hack ransomware or glitch hiding in the system somewhere?

    Gerry



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    Gerry
    Gerald P. Cousins, RPT ~ Director of Piano Service and Resources
    West Chester University of PA
    gcousins@wcupa.edu
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  • 7.  RE: New Email Spam

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-07-2023 07:49
    Not *everyone* on the PTG mailing list(s) has received it (yet), so either that is not the source the spammer is using or *some* of y'all are just more spam-attractive than the rest of us?

    __ Alan Crane, RPT 
    316-680-7435  cell/txt 







  • 8.  RE: New Email Spam

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-07-2023 17:41

    I first received that scam email years ago -- like ten or fifteen years ago. Apparently it works since it keeps on being used.

    ddf



    ------------------------------
    [Delwin D] Fandrich] [RPT]
    [Piano Design & Manufacturing Consultant]
    [Fandrich Piano Co., Inc.]
    [Olympia] [WA]
    [360-515-0119]
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: New Email Spam

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 06-07-2023 19:42

    This just seems like a scam at first glance.  If not that, at least someone I wouldn't be eager to work with.  When they talk about shipping the pianos to my shop and also talk about the form of payment in the first contact, it's just weird.  "I have stop using them some years back . . ."  If he ever used a piano, he should have some inkling that they get "serviced" at home.