Yikes

Sorry guys, mea culpa on the lack of postings. There has been some significant updates, however.

1. Got a referral on my own through hustle and grit (an a little moxie). Met with potential client, spoke Spanglish, and felt very good about it. If the family can afford me (very serious case), it could be a very big deal. (My arm is now very sore from patting my own back.)

2. Picking up more traffic referrals. Should be interesting.

3. Putting my services out there more. This has become a double-edged sword. Yeah, name recognition is great. But when you offer a service in public forums, you tend to have to weed out the crazy pyramid schemes. Today I decided to have some fun with it.

The following is a verbatim account from a sketchy email received off of a listing for my contract attorney services. Enjoy:

The first email (italics will be running commentary):

"let he have you number I have something I think you would be intrested in."

Oh my God, I'm simply positive this must be the San Francisco Public Defender's office emailing me to let me know that without interview I have been hired as a Defender IV and have a corner office and get to make a press conference every Wednesday. Or it's a sketchy scam. Either, or.

To which I replied:
"*******,

Given the fact that you have given me no contact information besides your email address, have not identified where you need work, or the scope of the work needed, and the lack of formality and grammar in your email, I am highly skeptical of any potential work.

I apologize if this email comes across as rude. I simply am playing the odds that when I place my services on a public forum, from time to time, they are met with "get-rich-schemes" and frankly, scams.

Your tone, lack of information, and lack of professionalism triggered that instinct.

If you have a legitimate need for legal representation, or to consult with a professional attorney, please feel free to respond. For other inquiries, please move on.

Regards,

Patrick Coughlin

Attorney at Law

That ought to show her... Wait, no. She retorts:

"**** This is not a job.****


I am looking for 9 serious people looking to make an online income. I
will train you in exactly how I make over 3k each week.


http://174.132.147.250/*******
(website altered to avoid any potential viruses or false interest in whatever the hell she's selling.)

Sigh... despite your overuse of asterisks, and ridiculous claim that I could make more than First Years at Latham, why am I compelled to respond? Why, God, why? Oh yeah, so that I can have something half-interesting to post on my neglected blawg. Proceed.


"See, now you've really piqued my skepticism.

You're offering me, if my math serves me well, 150 thousand dollars a year.

And, as you note, it's not for a job, but a "real business with real results."

Your website (with just a super professional domain name- not sketchy at all) indicates nothing. The only things that could possibly come to mind are either a sketchy pyramid scam, selling rock cocaine, or some combination thereof. (If any combination of the latter is the case, then by all means contact me, as you will surely need representation. And yes, I did just call you Shirley.)

Ok, so I'll end my email with this. I am looking for a job- namely any kind of contract work that puts to use what I have invested time, money and energy in to achieving. I value hard work, and anything that gleams of the "easy life," makes me sad and nauseous. (In fact, I took two Dramamine after your response- apologies if my language gets more and more incoherent. Drabbledonk.)

And, in terms of getting my own "business," I kind of already have one. I have a law firm. My name's on it, and I have these funny little white pieces of paper that I give to people when the express genuine interest in my services. A privilege not extended to those trying to scam the hell out of me.

Again, sorry if my tone has gotten even more sarcastic. I just value hard work, and when I feel that people are trying to make a living off of desperation and ignorance, I tend to get a little defensive.

No reply needed.

Take care,
Patrick Coughlin
Attorney"


What's that term you gamer kids are using nowadays? Oh yeah, I believe it's "pwnd."