A new attempt at an old scam. A potential client contacts me from Tampa to arrange for an inspection appointment that he won’t be able to attend. He also has a pest inspector to be there at the same time. We agree on a fee, and I send him my agreement through Adobe sign, which he signs, and my invoice.
In the meantime, I’m checking county records for house info, and learn that a guy in Wyoming just closed on it in March. I track down his phone number and ask him about it, and he has no knowledge of my guy Nick.
Nick tells me he has sent the check with a request that I give his “pest” guy his fee as well from the over payment he has sent. Now there are more red flags than a CCP May Day parade.
I write back and tell him I can only accept the invoiced amount. He replies that the check has been sent, and I can just deposit it and the cash will be available next day.
The Great Western Bank cashier’s check arrives vis USPS Priority Mail, and is written for $1,600 more than my fee. I call the bank and they tell me the check would not clear.
I now cancel the appointment and tell Nick he has to find someone else.
If you get an inquiry from a Nick Halan run the other way.
Had two of them here in TN the same week. Same basic premise…need an inspection, can’t be there, blah blah. Here’s the price…OK. Oh…sorry…phone was stolen, use this number instead (flags galore) I then get a check for substantially more than the inspection. Well the client area code didn’t jive with the location, the bank location was in Illinois, the company name on the check didn’t line up with anything, and the return address on the envelope was from NY. Called the bank (because “trust but verify”) and was told that those were on a series of stolen checks and no good.
THEN…got a call from another “potential” client (same area code and off a digit on the rest). Didn’t pick up. Received a check (same goofy stuff going on with that check) from them as well!! Another odd-ball check and company and return addresses that didn’t jive. Shred em and forget em.
Should have turned them into the Authorities!!
Oh…I did. Filed it with the Feds on their report site (can’t remember the acronym at the moment). Don’t know if it’ll make a difference but I always file it.
Just got my check in the mail for 1950.00. Same bull was stated. Will turn it in to be che ked.
Anytime that happens, run from the fraudster. 
I wonder if it’s the same outfit. My check was for $1,980.
Same here. “Client” from Tampa, check mailed from Edgewater, Fl, name on check, name on return address, all different. Just for fun, looked up the the return address, and none of the names have ever been associated with it.
Same crap happened to me in Ontario Canada twice some years ago. Easy to spot. Looks like Fla. is there new home.
Probably the same ones. I didn’t even get the date for the inspection or the address. Just sent the check. Told him I would hold it until I got more information.
Had one recently. I wore him out by making my responses and questions short and numerous, so he finally gave up.
I had the exact same thing about 3 weeks ago, I spoke with the listing agent (figuring it was a scam). The offer reviews for the house was 4 days prior to the scheduled inspection. I cut him off before I went as far as giving him anymore information and told him to scam somebody else. (Sorry John hall)…
It would appear with all the scams being posted, don’t accept or schedule inspections based on emails or text only. I never have and never will. I only schedule after phone conversations with the potential client and confirm it’s a real inspection. Not sure why others are still falling for this scam… 
Do you really need an answer to that??
I got another one just last week. I didn’t let this one go far though. When they gave an address and a preset appointment date/time (where pest guy was already scheduled) I looked up the address and saw it was listed. I told him I only schedule these through the listing agent. He then went dark with no further reply.
Thank you for this John. Just got text and flags came up for me. Looked up his name and this post came up. Text is almost to a tee but only difference is he is saying mold testing will be there at same time.
Thanks again
Just another update. I asked this guy how he found me he said through NACHI. Hope they find this guy.
Welcome to our forum, Nicholas!..enjoy participating. 
Get those all the time. The scam is you pay the “pest inspector” before the check clears and your out 16 hundred bucks. Of course the “pest inspector” is part of the scam.
This has been going on for years…if it is too good to be true, it probably is scenario.