But I didn't want to accept until I investigated the contractor.
You are "the contractor". That person is "the client" or, in this case, "the scammer".
Please be careful from whom you accept the job offers and what information you share with such people
Of course you should never accept a contract until you have discussed the scope of the work properly with the client.
Those are easily identified as scams. Fake locations (timezone is all out of whack), all involve paying money under the ruse of "payment testing"...
