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UPDATE! Warning to All MTs in the DETROIT, LAS VEGAS, NY,NJ and SOUTH FLORIDA Areas
Warning to All MTs in the NY, NJ, and South Florida Areas
Man Calling with Sham Job Offers Stalking Practitioners
Update April 27, 2011: We received a report that Steven Min has recently attempted this scam in Detroit as well.
Update April 26, 2011: While Steven Min was arrested last September, it appears he's out and back to his old tricks again, in Las Vegas. Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to see Barbara Potter's latest report. He has typically targeted massage therapists in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Las Vegas. MTs, please be aware!
Update, March 27, 2010: We have received reports that this man has also pulled the same con on massage therapists in the South Florida area.
ABMP received the following letter from Meg Darnell, LMT , Director of Alumni Services, Swedish Institute. In the past, some ABMP members have been harassed by this individual. We take this warning very seriously and ask that you please pass on the information to other therapists.
March 2010
I am once again sending this to alert you of someone who has tried to prey on massage therapists in the past.
I am sorry to have to report that the man named Steven Sung, also known as Steven Min and Steven Yamamoto, who has been soliciting massage therapists with dubious get-rich schemes for the last eight years, is back on the scene.
This time he calls therapists and offers work in his spas and says that he would like a late-night meeting. It has also been reported that he is in New Jersey and has tracked down a therapist that he met the last time he was preying on our profession. The phone calls come late at night and early in the morning and are repetitive. The therapist who first reported this to me contacted the police who in response called him and told him to stop. This seems to have set off a rampage of web postings suggesting that the therapist has investigations against her and worse.
I am sending this email to as many therapists as I can reach, as well as to the New York State Board and the New Jersey Board of Massage Therapy, with the hope of reaching all massage therapists in our area. I am reaching out to a lawyer and an investigator who were both helpful the last time this man was contacting therapists. I am not sure what, if anything, can be done to stop this man.
While it may seem obvious to some, I am strongly suggesting that everyone ignore his phone calls. Do not engage, do not suggest that we know what he's up to or try to stop him, as I believe it will cause more phone calls and harassment. Just ignore him. Originally he had just one phone number, but now it seems there are many and they are from New Jersey. These job offers are not legitimate and you may be at risk by responding to them. At one time I believed this man was harmless but have come to believe that he may be dangerous.
Many therapists from our school, as well as the schools in our surrounding area, have contacted me because they have seen or heard about the school's warnings and did not respond to his solicitations. Some, unfortunately, have not heeded the warnings and have met with him--only to find that his offer amounts to nothing.
He is contacting therapists in the entire tri-state area. I implore you to ignore these solicitations and to pass this warning on to your colleagues.
As always, graduates, please remember to trust your instincts. If something feels funny or strange, listen to your wisdom. As a general rule, if something sounds too good to be true, it very well may be.
Meg Darnell, LMT
Director of Alumni Services, Swedish Institute
New York, NY
Views: 1767
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Barbara Potter on
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Hi Lara,
I do outcall mobile massage in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada. I did post on Craigslist at one time which I no longer do. It was maybe last year or the year before and this same person Steven Sung called me and said he was connected with the Wynn in Las Vegas and had the same story. He called me maybe a dozen times and I believe he also called quite a few of the other legitimate therapists in Las Vegas as well who were also posting on Craigslist . He said he was a high roller poker player also and there is one with that name as I looked it up on Google. He wanted to meet so I could give him a massage to test my abilities. He also offered very large amounts of money to work for him on high-rollers at the Wynn late at night as they went to him for referrals. Heck no. I told him I was not interested and finally he stopped calling me. I did mention at the time on Craigslist about him and so did a few others.
Thanks, Barbara Potter
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Permalink Reply by Amanda K . Steach, Nctmb on
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thanks so much for the heads up on this ! i have been seeing an increase in unusual junk mail as well , all with offers for working overseas as well as some odd ones for schooling . would that be a part of the scheme or maybe someone else ? i have contacted most of my classmates and forwarded the email i received so they don't fall prey to this . they are a bit younger and though not naive, but could be easily lead . thanks again for the heads up !
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Permalink Reply by Rosie Klauk on
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Thank you for sending this along.
Rosie
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Permalink Reply by Lara Rininger on
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Hi Lara-nice name :)
He contacted me by email about a employment position he had for me or something to that effect. I just marked it as spam and ignored it. I appreciate the the warning.
Thank you,
Lara Nabours
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Permalink Reply by ABMP on
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ARREST MADE, VICTIMS PLEASE CONTACT POLICE
UPDATE OCTOBER 8, 2010
As reported in The Morning Call:
Seven Min was arrested on 9-18-10 at the Sands Casino for a Impersonating a Public Servant. Steven Min posted a job posting on Craigslist for Certified Massage Therapists to be hired for the high rollers at the Sands Casino to conduct massages for $160.00. Steven Min has identified himself as a Pennsylvania Gaming Board member and an employee of the Sands Casino. Steven Min has no affiliation with the Sands Casino or has ever been a Pennsylvania Gaming Board member. Min is not a state employee. Steven Min is currently incarcerated at the Northampton County prison under $10,000 straight bail. If anyone has been a victim of this scam please contact Investigator Moses Miller of the Bethlehem Police Department at 610-997-7674. The investigation is ongoing.
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It's me again. He is back in Las Vegas. He called my friend today and set up an appt for this evening. She works with me sometimes and mentioned my name and he said he knew me. She called me and I immediately told her he is a fraud and
that I never met him but had many calls. He called her from this number
718-775-5465 You can also type that into google.
He is just said Steven was his name. She met him for a few minutes in the lobby Palace Station and he set up a meeting for her to massage a client this evening. I sent her this link and she said yes that was the guy she met in the lobby today. He is targeting Las Vegas again legitimate therapists..
http://www.ripoffreport.com/directory/Steve-Min.aspx
http://www.ripoffreport.com/casinos-cardrooms/steve-min/steve-min-steve-minh-high-rol-44bbc.htmhttp://www.abmp.com/news/man-arrested-for-luring-mts-victims-encour...
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Permalink Reply by Abram Herman on
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A similar discussion is happening right now on our Facebook page that you might be interested in: http://www.facebook.com/ABMPpage
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Permalink Reply by Jeanne Murphy on
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I was contacted earlier this month by this man - I live in the Detroit area. Said he was looking for massage therapists to give massages to the high rollers at the Detroit casinos. I told him I was not interested, too busy. All the casinos have their own spas and massage therapists. He called himself a broker. Just went by the name Stephen. He is stilling using the same phone number that Barbara reported earlier.
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