PSA – Look a gift horse in the mouth [update!]

Posted on by Ryan Francis

Hi, all.

Quick update to my PSA – Look a gift horse in the mouth post. The same person contacted me again without realizing it. I now feel comfortable posting the false identity of the person. I held off on posting this because the notion of doxxing someone is terribly problematic to me. I know it’s just email, but… Anyway, here is the exchange.

life coach
2 messages

Steve Kolish <stevekolish386@gmail.com>
Mon, Jun 26, 2017 at 3:16 PM
To: info@soundingboardlearning.com
Hello, i’m steve, i would like to know if you are a life coach ….And if you do accept credit card as payment??i’m hoping on your quick response.

Ryan Francis <ryan@soundingboardlearning.com>
Tue, Jun 27, 2017 at 9:13 AM
To: Steve Kolish <stevekolish386@gmail.com>
Hi,

Do you recall our conversation a little over a month ago?

Ryan Francis
Personal Fulfillment and Self-realization Coach

Sounding Board Learning
ryan@soundingboardlearning.com
(408) 657-7257

Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires clients to maximize their personal and professional potential. – International Coach Federation Code of Ethics

 

And I got no reply. I just want anyone maintaining a coaching practice to see the email address.

Good luck,
Ryan

Published by Ryan Francis

96 thoughts on “PSA – Look a gift horse in the mouth [update!]”

  2. Thank you for posting this!!!! I received the exact same emails from “Steve.” I found your article after searching this particular person’s email when I began to think these emails were fishy. Thanks again!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I have just received email from him also searching for a LMHC for four of his family members. Thank you so much for posting this because it seemed very fishy.

    Liked by 1 person

    2. I just received email from
      kolishsts@gmail.com
      Claiming it was Kris Thompson trying to set up recurring appointments for four female family members. Never balked at the $2000 I was going to charge.
      She didn’t want to pay the invoice I sent from square. And didn’t want to work with PayPal. She only wants to pay through Quickbooks online.
      Did this person be a back door that allows him /her to dwindle my money out after the invoice is sent?
      She says she is hard of hearing and in the hospital and needs my services for her daughters and nieces. It all sounds hinky to me.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. It is hinky. I’m guessing it’s a charge back scheme, though someone else had the same script until they asked if the coach could front them money for a rideshare for the women…

        Like

  4. I am warning all of my colleagues about this. I fell down the email rabbit hole last night and today and it ended the same way. with silence on his end after I suggested that he pay with a check. What I cannot figure out is what the end game is. What does he hope to accomplish?

    Liked by 1 person

    2. I recently engaged with this scammer, just to see where it would go. Eventually, he asked for my credit card merchant information to pre-pay for sessions. I assume there’s some social engineering of the CC servicing company by pretending to be me.

      Like

  6. Thank goodness I searched this person’s email (stevekolish368@gmail.com). He has been emailing me for the last 4 days with the same scheme (hearing impaired, looking for a life coach for four family members, wants to pay by credit card to set up sessions for them while he is in intensive care for lung cancer surgery). He took it a step further which led me to think this was complete and utter BS. He asked if I could charge a ridiculous amount for services then refund him a portion of it to a personal bank account because the limo driver bringing his family to therapy didn’t take credit cards, and that he wanted to tip me $100 for my troubles. I was like, who the heck does that??? What professional driver doesn’t take credit cards and hasn’t he heard of UBER? Duh? Thank goodness for your post which I found on google. I wonder if I should report this to the chief of police who is a friend of ours to refer this to a cyber crime unit or something as I think the scam was to probably run a stolen credit card to get money out of it and inadvertently cause ME to engage in fraud. Again thanks for this post. You saved me from getting the wool pulled over my eyes!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Thank you so much for posting this. He is currently emailing me, claiming to live in New Jersey. Same exact conversation, almost to a T. Thank you so much for this PSA! This is so bizarre.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. This guy is still at it. I googled the email because the contents of it seemed odd. He’s changed it a bit now to kolishsts@gmail.com, but same general content. Thank you for the PSA! We all appreciate it! I appreciate you looking out for us!

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Today was my day! The incredibly prolific nature of this scam makes me wonder if it really does work enough to be profitable.

    Many thanks, Ryan, and the rest of you for hipping me to this guy.

    Now, trying to decide if I should just block the email or answer back.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. He sent me a text saying he’s hard of hearing and wanted to drive 4 hours to bring his girls in while he’s in the hospital with a driver. The number he messaged me on is (234) 301-0464.
    He’s out for something… strange?

    Liked by 1 person

  19. He sent me a text saying he’s hard of hearing and has two daughters and two nieces and … same story about being in hospital — been advised to stay off the phone and off any online blah blah – he said he had been hacked on square and on PayPal and was now restricted on using it – hmmm -maybe he used those and they are on to him – he told me I should get quickbooks as they are the most secure- maybe they need a heads up-I had a feeling it was fishy – thanks for putting up your post – Ryan – scary!

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Thanks Ryan, my partner was just approached by this guy on October 29 with an email. After trying to get what he was after, the thread was forwarded to me. I googled it and your experience came up. He was giving us the same line as Tania. Thanks again,

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Well my turn was today…
    Just went the rabbit hole email chain with him, and found our post… thank you. I just sent him the link to the article, I still don’t understand how he profits out of this?

    Liked by 1 person

  24. He is still at it. Same story and same email address. . . So glad my intuition said to google the email address. I am grateful for finding this thread!

    Liked by 1 person

  26. I’m so glad you posted this! “Steve” is still at it and just texted me this morning. I searched his name and phone number and he miraculously came up in this post! He text me: Hello, Am steve, i would like to know if you offer Life coaching ?
    Btw he texts from 1-234 area code. Lol
    I didn’t even respond, thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

  28. I’m so glad I found this thread! I received a text from him at 234-301-0464 “Hello, Am steve, i would like to know if you offer Life coaching” It seemed fishy so I googled the number and this came up. I’ll just ignore it. But wondering if anyone has reported this? Not sure how/where to report it but just wondering. Thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

  29. He is still at it. I am glad I found this post. Every fiber of my being said BS. Thanks for the verification. I am contacting the local police department and family that works for the FBI. I will let you know the results if any.

    Like

  31. He’s been texting me for the last few days as well, from the same number someone else shared, (234) 301-0464, which is what I searched for and found this post. Thank you!
    I also played along for awhile to see where it would go, even though it felt off to me from the beginning. Same story as everyone else, along with not being able to use PayPal or Square due to supposedly having been hacked. Then he suggested I use this. “I suggest you sign up for MagicPay online that is more secure and faster.
    Here is the Link if you need help
    https://www.magicpay.net/sign-up/“.
    That’s where I stopped the conversation, and decided to report him. I’m going to contact my local police as well.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Got another call from
      724 400 3775
      Seibkel Jeffrey-
      Same requests coaching for 4 of the ladies in his family etc do I take credit card ..all that. How is he still doing this after a year ? He must be getting some success if he’s still doing this… right ?

      Liked by 1 person

  33. He’s still at it. My wife is a psychotherapist and received the same email. He goes on and on about how he wants sessions for his daughter’s and nieces. Thanks Ryan.

    Liked by 1 person

  34. Thank you for posting!! I received the exact same email. Something intuitively felt “off”…I never look up potential client information as I like to start with a clean slate, but I trusted that voice. Sure enough – here we are. So grateful – to the spam folder this goes. Blessings on the continued path!

    Liked by 1 person

  37. I totally understand what he is up to. I got the same emails from Steve. I gave him my cell phone because he wanted to text me. We own a counseling practice. I gave him options for Dr. Brown, myself as a Life Coach and our Intern. He chose me. He wants me to charge his cc $3500.00 to cover 8 sessions for his daughters and nieces. I am to direct deposit to him $2500 to cover Limo driver, refreshment, accommodation fees etc. Its a surprise for his family so they can deal with his illness as he is hearing impaired and in the hospital. I am also supposed to keep $100 as a tip. He uses the name Kris Thompson. I had him send me his drivers license and he did. It is either his or stolen. Steve Kolish 11631 NW 45th st Coral Springs, FL 33065 DOB 04/30/1957. I called the local police and they said he hasn’t committed a crime so they cant do anything. Steve said the credit card is from US bank. I called fraud dept there at US Bank and they have never heard of such a thing. I then called Chase Bank Fraud and they said “well you don’t have to do it if you don’t want”. Really? No kidding. He sent me all the credit card info and I told him I needed the credit card with his name on it because the terminal said the names don’t match. Then I told him it went through and I asked him where I was to send him his money? NO RESPONSE…This is what he does…You charge the card. You go to your bank and get out the excess money and send it to him. The owner of the card files a dispute of the charges due to fraud and the charges get reversed. The problem is that you already pulled out $2500 and sent it to him so now you are upside down in your account. DUH!!! His email is stskol996@gmail.com and the phone number he uses is 504 564-7145

    Liked by 1 person

  38. New AKA. Steve is now Kris Thompson and new email = kstve1@outlook.com. Same M.O., hearing impaired 4 females, 2 sessions each a week, do I take credit cards… etc. I live in a tourist town in the middle of the Arkansas Ozarks of only 2000 so we know each other… he isn’t one.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. Thank you for posting this! I’m a life coach and he recently contacted me using this email stskol996@gmail.com. Same story about his nieces and sister. Wanting to book a very large expensive coaching package for them. So thankful you posted this! Blocking him now.
    Take care,
    DaNae

    Liked by 1 person

  40. Well, I’m so grateful for your posting Ryan and all of the replies. I have emails that started about a week and a half ago. I guess this scam extends to spiritual direction also.
    On Jun 7, 2019, at 9:25 AM, kolish sts wrote:
    Yes i will be undergoing lungs surgery in few days.
    i want you to know that the ladies will start their session on the 18th of June and I prefer Tuesday and Thursday 11:00,so i hope those time is open ?
    sharon 20yrs…..linda 18yrs……………puala24yrs…..shawn …..22yrs
    Yes i got it now. I will like to know if you have any other card merchant, Have been hacked on paypal nd square before and restricted from using it ?

    Liked by 1 person

  42. Contacted me today from stskol996@gmail.com. Same story. Hearing impaired and in the hospital. Wants a quote for services for four women in his family. For 32 hours of Reiki work/life coaching. To consol them while he is recovering. Seemed off from the start. Thank you for posting this!

    Liked by 1 person

  46. I got the same person (new name from before) with the same scamtwice this year. Also asking for Reiki sessions. The email address is patriciamelvin928@gmail.com.
    “Thanks for your responses,I’m a hearing impaired that why am contacting you via text,i will like you to know the Reiki sessions is for 4 ladies in my family, so I want you to get back to me with total estimate for once a week 4 (Females) for 8 weeks and i want the session to be 1 hours in person,so i will like to know the total cost for the service asap”
    I told them I hope they find a more meaningful way to make money. Sigh. I may report, but also not sure who to report to.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for adding the email address to the thread!

      As far as I know, there is nothing to report. 🤷🏻‍♂️ At this point, I wonder if it’s different people using the same script…

      Like

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