Pet Relocation Scam

my husband and I almost got duped by this. a girl from facebook posted a picture of her bulldogs. my husband commented on it and then she started contacting my husband saying that she was going to give the puppies to him because she was going to London and she couldnt take care of them anymore. i asked him to ask her where she is from and she said she is from the US. he asked her why of all people, she would be giving it to him when they barely knew each other. after several messages, assuring that she really wants to send the puppies to him (she even mailed him photos of the puppies), she asked for details. i was reading their conversation and i was doubtful of the fact that she is from the US and London is nearer, and why would she ship the puppies to halfway round the world when she can give it away to her neighbors or friends.

she then asked for details, mailing address, phone nos., etc and he asked if he was going to pay for anything. she answered that it's only $100 for the shipping if there would be no personal caretaker for the puppies or $200 if he wants one.my husband said he can only afford $100. and she said it would be okay, and she would just put food in the puppies cages. she said that the courier would ship it direct to our doorstep and the shipper would be emailing us regarding the details and we have to pay first before we deliver. she was in a hurry to get the info and to log off since she said, she was off to book the flight for the puppies.

i was still in doubt about it so we waited for the email to come. i was more in doubt when i read from the email of the supposed carrier that the puppies would be coming from nigeria!!!! and the english was bad--- i thought it would not be possible that a company with bad grammar and with unprofessional english as this would exist. so i did dome googling and never found their website but only found articles and blogs on pet relocation scams. good thing we didn't get too excited about the puppies (which were sooo cute in their photos)

if forgot to mention that i had this gut feeling that it was too good to be true ( getting two bulldogs and paying for it for only $100) when i looked at the girl's profile in facebook. she had no other photo than herself- and no details too...to protect the person, i would only give her first name as shown in her Facebook profile- Sandra - just in case she is innocent.


here is the content of the email from intpet movers" intpetmovers@googlemail.com

INTERNATIONAL PETS DELIVERY AGENCY NIGERIA

INFORMATION ABOUT THE DELIVERY AND RELOCATION OF YOUR PUPPIES
We are professional pet movers responsible for the relocation of pets to their new families.When you contract with us, you are assigned a PERSONAL PET MOVE COUNCILOR who will work with you to arrange the fastest, most direct flight for your pets. We work with your relocation schedule to ensure as smooth a move as possible. We handle all of the following:

(1) Prearrange all necessary flights with major airline companies,ensuring a direct connection when possible.
(2)Make sure that all necessary shots are current and that all paperwork is in place.
(3) Pick up your pets at your airport.
Meet him at the destination airport and deliver him to your home. We wish to inform you that your puppies have been registered to be transported from NIGERIA,LAGOS , To your air port destination and to your information below.


Name: D
Address: --
Telephone number: ---
Country nearest airport: ---phillippines

DEAR CLIENT

WE ONLY DELIVER PUPPIES WHEN CHARGIES ARE BEEN PAID , IF YOU WANT US TO DELIVER YOUR PUPPIES YOU NEED TO PAY FOR THEIR FLIGHT TO YOUR LOCATION . YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE SUM OF $100 THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER TO THE INFORMATION BELOW AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT THE PUPPIES WILL BE SHIP WITH THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLIGHT.


Name.................... .....MR Obafunmi Adekunle
Address.....................129 Isolo,lagos,pmb 31026,NIGERIA
Country.....................Nigeria
Zip Code...........23401
Amount..................$100

EMAIL THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO US FOR CONFIRMATION ONCE THE PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE AND AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION,THAT IS (YOU EMAILED TO US THE MTCN AND THE SENDER'S FULL NAMES ),THE FULL DELIVERY SCHEDULE WILL BE SENT TO YOU INCLUDING ALL NECESSARY INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR PUPPIES.

CALL US AT:+2348085818275

General Manager,
Henry Stonebreaker,
THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION,
Secretary,
Scarlet Stanstead.

AIR ANIMAL WORLDWIDE PET DELIVERY TEAM, WASHINGTON AIRPORT BRANCH UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .

Airport Contact Information

Tel............ . ...............branch +2348085818275/ (DIAL AS YOU SEE )
Airport Email............... intpet_movers@in.com

The best job in the world

I always claim that the song, "Journey" by Ms. Lea Salonga actually hits home. I have been to many places, literally and figuratively, that I can actually tell myself and others that I have journeyed far and wide.

This is not meant to brag or to flaunt whatever I have accomplished or failed to accomplish. I just want to tell you about my life.

In my younger years, I have experienced show business. I was not really a star, but I was able to experience how it is to guest on tv shows, do a recording, have a little concert/recital, something like that. I was able to join talent contests- win in some and lose in lots of it.

In my elementary days, I got the first taste of having a business. I sold little "lala" chocolates, tira-tira, Big Bang, Cloud 9, and the like, to my classmates. In first year high school, I moved on to "puto". After that, I proceeded to preparing sandwiches with all sorts of spreads and I sold them to my classmates and some teachers. In my fourth year, I repacked peanuts, cornicks, butong pakwan, pusit, etc. and sold them at school.

In college, I laid low in selling for awhile. But I joined musical theater at that time, and started with a new sport- diving (not scuba diving but the olympic diving thing!). I got to compete again too!

I went to law school after college, and tried all sorts of jobs. I got a teaching job in a university. At first, I was only doing it part - time but I got promoted to full-time status. I became a full time prof and a full time law student. It was tiring! I resigned after a few years, and was recommended by a friend to a Japanese family whose kids need tutoring. I grabbed on the opportunity and enjoyed it. A year after, I got a job in a government office as a speechwriter. I became a "consultant' (for lack of a better term to suit my job description as there was no item available) for a few months. But since the job was co-terminous with my boss, I had to leave when he retired.

After that I focused on the bar exams. With a lot of luck and prayers (from my family and friends), I passed it.

Then I got invited to a job interview for a job in a newly-established company that I have never applied to and never heard of. I got called to work for that new company several months later. It turned out to be a call center. But I accepted even if I was already a lawyer then. It was a training job though. What a career shift! But I still taught during Saturdays.

After a year, I got married and another year later, I was blessed with a baby boy and I have a new job.

Then a great opportunity opened up for me. I applied and was accepted as another government employee in my dream office. I was assigned to handle the media and I enjoyed it a little.I got transferred to a new department which I liked also. Then I got promoted promoted. Life could really be sweet!

During this stage in my life, I was faced with two bosses - my office (a demanding and irritating one) and my baby (very demanding, terrorizing but I never get tired of it). As my office demanded more from me, so did my baby who is getting bigger, smarter, naughtier but more loving. And who would have thought that an infant could create such terror in the minds of a new mother!! Each tiny whimper, every red spot or even a small cry can make my brains run fast forward and think of possible bad scenarios that could happen or might have happened.

It's no joke. A baby is a very demanding boss. You get no pay either, no vacation leaves, sick leaves, bonuses or other fringe benefits. Each day of feeding and taking care of the baby is a lot of hard work and it can really tire one down. But how can a mother resign from motherhood when the little angel laughs and smiles as if the whole world revolves around her? How can one say "no" to an angel?

So no matter how hard motherhood is, I wouldn't trade it for any job in the world. There is no contest that motherhood is the best job in the world.

And I got that job.

How do you know it's time to say goodbye

We all have our own dream jobs. It might be something glamorous, one that involves travel, one that gives away certain perks that normal people don't receive, it may give someone power or prestige, or it may be something that is plain weird.

When I was about five years old, I wanted to be a singer. Why? Because I can sing. Period. When I was a little older, I wanted to be a teacher. Why? Because I liked watching my teachers erase the board. I thought that would be a cool job. When I was in grade six, I wanted to be a computer engineer. Why? It sounded good. When I was in second year high school, I was influenced by my Papa to be a lawyer. Come 4th yr, I wanted to be a doctor. But since I wasn't able to get in the quota course of Public Health, I chose my second choice which is Political Science. So, I was on my way to becoming a lawyer. In the middle of my college years, I dreamt of becoming a factory worker- one that entails no thinking - just pure counting of how many Storck candies one would put inside a bag, or packing biscuits in a box or plastic.

I was able to reach all those dreams, except the computer engineer dream, the doctor thing and the factory worker (until now, I'm trying my best to achieve that last one - either as owner of the factory or a business woman who repacks goodies in boxes or bags.)

I also dreamt of working for a particular government agency which I am now able to achieve. Am I happy? The first few months was hell. It was difficult adjusting and I still had no friends at works. The next few months, things improved and work became tolerable. I am not really complaining, it's just that, the work was unexpected (I repeat, the WORK, not the WORKLOAD). It did not give me the satisfaction that I crave for.

After all the promotions and the increase, I feel like quitting any day from now. Why? Because I am not happy.

Some say that in any office setting, there are relationships that develop (professional or otherwise) that may either allow one to grow or not. There is also that thing called "politics" in the office which actually drag the office down. And there are some officemates who make one really hate going to work everyday, for one reason or another. Not to forget is that concept of "professional differences".

For some, these are challenges that spice up a workplace. For me these are challenges all right, but they really make going to the office suck. I may be patient but I don't have that much patience to endure this. It makes me unhappy, and it makes me feel that I am not successful in what I do anymore.

Just an example. Whenever I hear my phone ringing any time of day or night (and mind you, my ringtone is my baby's laugh, my heart starts to palpitate and my heart starts to beat double time and my brain goes on a rewind of events (What have I missed doing this time? Did I do anything wrong?). Despite the medical coverage benefit that we have in the office, I might not be able to enjoy it because I would probably die of a heart attack any time soon.

The pay and the benefits are great, but it's getting not worth going to the office everyday anymore.

So how does one know when it's time to say goodbye to a certain work?

The easy answer is when one is not happy anymore. But how is happiness or the lack of it gauged? Is happiness based on the salary or benefits? More money means more food on the table, less worry on how to make both ends meet or more people that could be helped. Is it based on the self-worth that one feels when one enters the office? Is it the power that one wields because of the position that he or she occupies? Is it the consideration that the work has the potential to allow one to help others in the future, or propel one to stardom or god status?

For me, it all boils down to one thing- money and power can't buy happiness. So why stick with hell when you can settle for heaven, purgatory, or just plain Earth?

I'm going to start baking now so I can pack my cookies in nice, colored boxes for selling later.