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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel giving email is/could be dodgy?

34 replies

Geomi · 12/04/2022 21:26

Long story (will try to make it) short. Moved to new area and made a new friend recently. They’re moving home and have asked if I can give them a business email address for them to process move “so they can make out they’re earning more than they are”. I’m slightly wary about this and not sure if I’m just being over cautious…I endured a pretty horrific experience with member of family and fraud plus started a new job recently and don’t want anything to be flagged up/get into trouble. How to navigate and say I just don’t feel comfortable with this? In general I do feel I do more favours than other way around with this friendship but not sure if I’m just overthinking here?

OP posts:
EatYourVegetables · 12/04/2022 21:29

In what sense could this NOT be dodgy??

Hellocatshome · 12/04/2022 21:30

Definitely do not do this!

HollowTalk · 12/04/2022 21:32

I don't understand what they want you to do. Do they want you to say that you are employing them?

HollowTalk · 12/04/2022 21:32

I think you have been targeted. I'd back off from this friendship very very quickly.

Namechangeplease · 12/04/2022 21:32

You’re not being over-cautious at all. They’re trying to make it seem like they’re earning more than they are ie. committing fraud. Definitely don’t give them the email address.

OneTC · 12/04/2022 21:32

Yes it's dodgy and this person is not your friend

housemaus · 12/04/2022 21:34

Nope, this is mortgage fraud.

They're not a friend if they're asking you to break the law for them. Tell them you're not willing to commit fraud for them - if you want to be less blunt, say you 'can't jeopardise your business as you only declare X number of employees and your accountant would kill you haha'.

(In reality, I'd just say - did you actually just ask me to commit fraud, you cheeky fuck? and then never speak to them again. But I know it can be hard to navigate with someone like this who clearly has more front than Blackpool if you don't want to shake a new friendship. But you don't want to be friends with this person - they're a shit who only cares about themselves, or they wouldn't have asked you to do this)

Baileyscheesecake · 12/04/2022 21:34

Just say sorry I can’t do this. You don’t have to explain why but if it makes you feel better say due to previous bad experience you’d rather not. I’m sure others will also remind you that no is a complete sentence!Don’t feel bad - they are in the wrong for asking you.

CheapFoodShits · 12/04/2022 21:35

Dodgy as fuck.

Antarcticant · 12/04/2022 21:36

Dodgy McDodgy from Dodgyland.

StarMouse879 · 12/04/2022 21:39

You say "no, I'm not comfortable doing that." And don't entertain any further discussion.

dudsville · 12/04/2022 21:41

Nope. That's a weird request.

MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet · 12/04/2022 21:44

No friend would ask you to do this. Dodgy as anything.

Original poster
Geomi · 12/04/2022 21:45

It’s not for a mortgage - they’ve basically said they need an email with a business address, they don’t do anything but their letting agent sends confirmation to a business email and I’ll get a link to confirm it….HmmConfused

OP posts:
unfortunateevents · 12/04/2022 21:54

This makes absolutely no sense - how can you "give" someone a business email address? Do they mean they want to provide your (presumably work) email address to the letting agent who will then email you for confirmation of this person's salary? So they are both intending to defraud the agent/landlord and also ask you to participate in it?!

rattlemehearties · 12/04/2022 21:56

Can you clarify what they are asking?
It sounds like you're asking them to set up an email address alias at your business and lots of replies here are responding to that.
But do you mean that just want your work contact details? What do they want you to confirm - are you being a reference?

TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo · 12/04/2022 21:58

Don't be backtracking now OP after "to make out they are earning more than they are"

How do you not know yourself that this is dodgy as fuck???

Dancer47 · 12/04/2022 22:01

@Geomi

It’s not for a mortgage - they’ve basically said they need an email with a business address, they don’t do anything but their letting agent sends confirmation to a business email and I’ll get a link to confirm it….HmmConfused
Why don't they make a new email address for themselves on gmail, protonmail or anything else? You can call yourself anything you want??
housemaus · 12/04/2022 22:02

Even if it's not mortgage fraud, it could be considered fraud by false representation. And even if the chances of getting caught are slim, it's still a stupid and reckless thing to do considering it's relating to your business.

Fraud by false representation (Section 2)

The defendant:

made a false representation
dishonestly
knowing that the representation was or might be untrue or misleading
with intent to make a gain for himself or another, to cause loss to another or to expose another to risk of loss.

The offence is entirely focused on the conduct of the defendant.

Original poster
Geomi · 12/04/2022 22:11

To clarify - they have asking me to tell them my email address for my job (not my business) they need a business email address to give their letting agent.

I’m not backtracking I’m writing verbatim what they said in the second message but the alarm bell for me was the “just to say that I obviously earn more than I do” but glad the responses on here have confirmed I’m not being paranoid after past experiences.

Sorry
@ TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo How do you not know yourself that this is dodgy as fuck? How do you not know yourself that is also a cheeky as fuck way to word a question without being so patronising? there’s a nicer way of saying things Smile

OP posts:
DDivaStar · 12/04/2022 22:19

Sooo dodgy. Do not get involved.
I can't imagine your work would appreciate you using your work email for other people's correspondence either.

FloraPostePosts · 12/04/2022 22:20

@Geomi

To clarify - they have asking me to tell them my email address for my job (not my business) they need a business email address to give their letting agent.

I’m not backtracking I’m writing verbatim what they said in the second message but the alarm bell for me was the “just to say that I obviously earn more than I do” but glad the responses on here have confirmed I’m not being paranoid after past experiences.

Sorry
@ TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo How do you not know yourself that this is dodgy as fuck? How do you not know yourself that is also a cheeky as fuck way to word a question without being so patronising? there’s a nicer way of saying things Smile

Right, so they are asking you to pretend to be their employer and tell the letting agent they earn more than they do in their genuine employment.

So that is fraud.

Steer well clear. And if you didn’t spot it was out and out fraud, then be very very careful about who you befriend in future, and don’t do anyone favours.

Fraaahnces · 12/04/2022 22:22

Still no. Just because that’s what they’ re telling you they want it for doesn’t mean that’s why they’re using it. As Barbara Bush used to say, “Just say No!”

Cheeserton · 12/04/2022 22:22

I voted YABU because I can't believe you have to actually ask. It can ONLY be dodgy and possibly lead to trouble.

FloraPostePosts · 12/04/2022 22:24

Right, so they will give the letting agent your email address as their employer, and are asking you to pretend to be their employer and tell the letting agent they earn more than they do in their genuine employment.

It is fraud.

And would also lose you your job.