Scam E-mail

[buckry]

I just got this email from a supposed wedding client. I'm not sure if this

exact text is common for scammers trying to dupe photographers, but I thought

I'd throw it up here just so everyone else can see it and hopefully avoid it if

they get it too. The things that stood out for me was the extreme short notice,

the fact that they were outside the US, the very very short duration they would

need me for on the day of the shoot, and most obvious of all was their offer to

publish my work in a british magazine. So anyway, if you're a wedding

photographer and you're listed in wedding directories as I am, keep your eyes

peeled for this sort of thing, and remember if it seems too good to be true, it

most likely is.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

 

Hello

How is Business?

My name is David Smith. I reside in

UK. The reason am contacting you is that my daughter will be

getting married soon in the United State on the 29th of OCT 2006

and I will like you to take care of the Photographs. I came across

your advert on the Internet and am impressed with your services.

All expenses would be taken care of;/perhaps

you can give me the total/Quotes charges, plus the transportation

cost for you down to VENUE @ The Catholic Diocese-

112 East Market Street - Logansport Indiana 46947

 

Please I want the best services from you, because this is my only

daughter so I want the best for her. So your best effort is needed

at this occasion.Pls Let me know the charges for your service if

you are to work for at most 2 Hours on that day,10 am to 12 noon.

We want about 60 beautiful wedding different photos in coloured

form in the church and reception and of both

the bride and the bridegroom, their parents, the officiating

ministers and our guests.We will want you to work for 1 Hours at

the occasion,so kindly get back to me with the total cost

including transportation charges to and

from the venue.Also,we will have the photographs snapped at the

wedding forwarded to the Publisher of a Magazine Company in United

Kingdom so they could feature it in their celebrity journal. At

this moment,.

I look forward to your response.

David Smith

[mjdc73]

I also believe this to be a scam. I got an email like this late last Spring...but the people were from Germany or France....I can't remember the exact details. The email was worded exactly the same. I think someone else on this board also got an email like this recently...maybe a month or so ago. I am not sure the point of this scam......maybe someone else has some input.

[buckry]

I sent an email back to these people to bait them, but I'm sure it's the counterfit money order scam. They send me a money order for more than I'm asking, and I send most of it to someone else. I bet my wife that they're going to ask me to send it to their florist.

[steve_sandala]

In my case, the tip off was that the guy called himself "Fatty". Unless that is a common

nickname in the UK.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

[jordan_prussky]

this scam has been going on for a long time. I think there were a few posts about this a while back. If it looks to good to be true, it usually is.

 

The scam is: You quote $2000 (or whatever) and he sends a cheque/wire for $4000. Since you're honest, you let him know that a mistake has occurred because he sent too much money. He then asks that you send him a refund for the extra $2000, (money order, bank draft or wire but no cheque), as quickly as possible. He gets your (real) money order/draft, cashes it and disappears. In the meantime, his $4000 cheque bounces and you're out whatever you "refunded" to him.

[jordan_prussky]

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009Qcq&tag=

 

here is the post dated sept 2004

[daydreamsart]

They seem to be putting a LITTLE more effort into them, but still, every line (and between the lines) read "SCAM" to me. Here's one I got yesterday:<br><br>

 

Hello, How are you doing? Thriving!!!

My name is Terry Ray, i'm from Rathmines , Ireland ( Europe ). I will be coming over to Idaho with my new bride Nicole Barnes who's also Irish by nature to start my new work with the Coca-cola Co. And just before then we will be getting married on the 5th of November, 2006 and we are looking for the best wedding photographer to take care of our photography. We require the best of photography on our wedding event for the best memories of photography for our children in future and as a matter of fact we have budgeted quite a handful of funds to get the best of photography on the day of our wedding event. Also, the event will be taking place in 2 locations that is from the church to the reception which is also where the Party Venue wil take place where our guests will wine, dine and dance. We are expecting at most 100 guests on the day of our occassion because most of our families in Europe and in the United Kingdom will be present for the occassion. Also, we would like you to know the reception will be taking place @<br>

Best Western CottonTree Inn<br>

1415 bench road, pocatello Idaho <br><br>

Here's what we desire as per photography on the day of our event, you could arrange a customized package for us; <br>

Wedding Day Photography (includes 7 hrs of coverage)<br>

> Online Proofing and Ordering<br>

> A full set of Proof Prints<br>

> Leathercraftsmen Album (12 pages 24 sides, about 50 Photographs)<br>

> Engagement Session or Post Wedding Session<br>

> 2 Parent Albums (each includes 12- 5X7) (these can be coffee table

> albums instead)<br>

> Coffee table Book<br>

> High Resolution CD of all the Images and all negatives on Dvd. and other optional items. Please let me know if you are available on this date and also if you're willing to help. Have a nice weekend, thanks.<br><br>

 

Terry Ray

[jimstrutz]

I've gotten a couple of these. I sent an email back to the first one telling him he needed to work on improving his line or this scheme just wasn't going to work. He needed a little more creativity. Sure enough a little later I got another, and it was greatly improved, but still too obvious.

 

One has to wonder though, have all the Nigerians moved to the UK? And why are they all named Smith? :)

[nicola inglis]

But how can a person residing out of the country ever book a photographer for their wedding if you assume all overseas contacts are scams?

 

It's not so uncommon for tourists to come here to get married, at some point you have to trust people a bit I think. At least enough to reply civily to their initial email.

[medina photography cherry]

NO COMMENT

[austinphoto]

It's a scam! don't get involved! I've gotten the exact same letter.

[jonj]

I got one from GA, it's wild that she has never seen any of my photos but is so willing to send me a check...

 

 

Hi,

My Name is deborah collins and am based in Tucker

GA,am getting

marreid and want a good professional photographer to

cover the occassion,please i dont want any

dissapointment and i want the day to be a memorable

one forme and my husband.How much would you accept for

a seven hours event and i want the best in terms of

coverage both still and video coverage.A lot of

poepole have promised to help out with the occassion

and they want a bill for it so let me know on time so

i can have a check forwarded to you.

Debra

[Jerry_]

If the English style is not "keying in" scam to your brain, maybe the jerks who created the e-mail are trying Mr. Barum's old quote: "There's a sucker born every minute."

[daydreamsart]

Nicola, It's not the fact that the person is from overseas, it's the the letter itself. I could go into details, but the scammers obviously read these forums and I don't want to help them improve. Replying only makes things worse. I'd rather err on the side of protecting my ASSets than take a chance on something that's pretty much guaranteed to be a scam.

[aaron l]

A lot of these scammers, including the ones supposedly from Nigeria, are guys sitting in internet cafes and houses in the UK. I saw a video of a couple guys who set up a sting to catch a guy trying to buy laptops with fake checks. The guys Fedex'd a fake laptop to the guy and the "agent" in the UK, who was on the chat board, was waiting and video'd the arrival of the fake laptop. It was quite entertaining.

[zofia]

On top of getting a scam email at least once a month I also have had MULTIPLE phone calls

last spring from a "Nigerian" man with a seriously thick accent saying, "You will take pictures,

I will send you check, yes?" Seriously? The thing that gets me is someone IS falling for these

ploys. Sad and pathetic really. They called so often and the number showed up as

000-000-0000. Lovely. People are awful sometimes, huh? I changed my phone number....

[meldell]

I got the same letter (a few words different!) Thanks for letting us know about the scam! I wasn't sure if I should write back or not...

[ned1]

Scams that depend on the suckers dishonesty are bad enough, but ones that depend on "cheating an honest man" are despicable. Things like this should be a hanging offence.

[sam_ellis]

I don't know, I shot the wedding of an Ethiopian couple two weeks ago and have bride coming over from Irelan next month. Not everyone overseas is a scammer.

 

Would this situation sound suspicious? They are Ethiopian, live in Kansas, and are getting married in Maryland.

 

You could always play along and if you get a check for more, say they will get a refund at the wedding. This will cover any incidentals :)

[dennis_randolph]

I have recieved similiar e-mails.

I told them that the only way this could be done would be by the money being sent to me via Western Union.