heather_tidd Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I got an email from a bride that wants a photographer to shoot her wedding in Mexico. She filled out the contact form on my website...do you think it could be a scam?I have never had anyone ask me about traveling that far for a wedding...so I just don't know what to think. Maybe I am just getting that good? ;)I told her that we should meet but she lives in Canada, so that won't work...it just seems weird that she is in Canada, I am in the US, the wedding is in Mexico...? Any thoughts? I certainly don't want to turn her away if this is real. Thanks for taking the time to read all this! -Heather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Look carefully at the language used in any communication from this person. I'll just about guarantee that the English is awkward, and that you'll see hints leading up to a request that you accept a check larger than you'll need for your services, and hopes that you'll not mind using some of the extra to take care of some extra details. If your instincts are to even wonder, the odds are <i>extremely</i> good that this is just another variation on this common scam. It's flattering for just a moment, but it's usually a (clumsy, really) scam. Be careful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heather_tidd Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 I have had quite a few of the typical scam emails and this one doesn't seem anything like that. Here is her most recent email about talking on the phone: "Hi Heather, Sorry, I thought this would work for me, but I'm going to be too busy at work today. Is there any way I could contact you one evening this week? Thanks, Kristin" So...I don't know. I guess I will talk with her and just feel out the situation? And I won't cash any checks with overages to pay someone else! :) Thoughts? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielserrano Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 If you think this is a scam, maybe it could be. by the way I'm from México and do a some wedding in the US, so I guess you can do some weddings in México, too. there are a lot of good places here.. so if you don't think its a good idea to do this job, tell her you got a friend in Mexico. here's a link to one of my wedding of 2007. http://nogalesdefiesta.com/carinajorge/ saludos desde mexico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colleendonovan Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I don't think it's a scam. Let her call you this week (or ask for her phone number and call her) and see where it goes. THere is no harm in following this up. If she starts doing the whole cashiers check/overpaid thing stop communicating with her. Get your passport ready and buy some sunscreen. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverhaas Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Talk with her on the phone and see how it goes. Typically the scammers won't talk on the phone, because they can't speak your language. If this is a scam, it's much better than the e-mail that I received this week stating that "I having found your website want you to be photografer for wedding in Minesota in July." That one went straight to junk mail .... Talk to her, get the details and let her know that due to the number of scams out there, that you're somewhat hesitant... I think it's ok to ask the potential client for references too, especially in this instance. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tholte Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I think it is a scam but do as Colleen suggests and see where it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_kinosh Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I work full time for an electronc component distributor. I get e-mails similar to this on a weekly basis. Want to pay by credit card, gmail address, bad english. Whjat th parts delivered to a different address than the card is assigned too. GUess thy are not picky on what industry they are glig totry and scam. I had a reply similar to that for a lens I was selling on this site. Twice actually. Just be VERY careful. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_sokal___dallas__tx Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Heather, If your quote from her e-mail is direct and not a corrected version, I suspect this may not be a scam. Invariably, the Nigerian scammers use new and interesting forms of grammar. As the others have said, proceed cautiously, but this could be the real deal. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_beaver1 Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Get a deposit up front, also check with the hotel, and verify the wedding there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael R Freeman Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Sounds perfectly legit to me. Many Canadians vacation in Mexico. It's not a stretch to imagine that some of us might also want to have a wedding there. Particularly if it's scheduled between the months of November and March! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 The out-of-town-wedding-scam has been around for a long time, and there's a reason that so many people immediately sense that that's what might be going on, here. Most of them originate in Nigeria, and they almost always refer to a bride located in another country (Canada, the UK, etc) who will be traveling to another destination (sunny Mexico, Aruba, etc). These destinations are chosen specifically to get the photographer thinking, "hey! paid vacation time in the tropics!" <br><Br> The scam: The out of town fake bride sends a fake bank check well in excess of the amount the photographer asks for as a deposit (or for the entire services to be rendered). The fake bride then says that it wasn't convenient to cut smaller checks (her uncle didn't think about it, etc), and would the photographer be kind enough to - given the timetable - please just deposit the entire amount, and use some of the extra to pass along a deposit to the band, or caterer, or other party/ies involved. Those other parties are generally accomplices in the scam. The photographer's checks are good (and the accomplices cash them), but the bride's fake check isn't, and the photographer is left holding the bag. <br><br> Sound like it would never work? It does, frequently. Variations include car sales, and all sorts of other services rendered. <br><br> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adityatw Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I can't believe there's somebody on this planet that has never heard about the Nigerian scam. Read this: http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/nigeria.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 That's a good link to the general overview, Aditya. <a href="http://www.joewein.net/419/fraud-wedding-photographer.htm" target="_blank"><b>Right here</b></a> is a link to a page that shows typical e-mail history surrounding one of these things. It would be hysterical if it didn't sometimes cost people thousands of dollars. Just google for "nigerian wedding photographer scam" and set aside a few hours to read all of them. Truly incredible! The good news is that if you're bored, and receive one of these solicitations to lose your money, you can actually have some fun baiting the scammers. There's nothing like a visit to <a href="http://www.419eater.com/" target="_blank"><b>419eater.com</b></a> to resture your faith in humanity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyepasha Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Thanks for the info about this variant of a scam I am aware of, although distributing funds when they have not cleared is just terrible business sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tholte Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Heather's deal may be legit but she should proceed with caution because it's difficult enough to collect money from out of state much less from out of the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 <i>distributing funds when they have not cleared is just terrible business sense</i> <br><br> Indeed! Some people are less worried about that when they think they've just deposited a bank's certified check, and the teller at their bank accepted it without comment. Forgeries are quite good, these days. <br><br> <i>a request to the board to not jump to conclusions without obvious evidence of a scam</i> <br><br> The truth is that a request from someone you don't know, who comes to you blindly via your web site without a referal from other customers, and expresses an interest in having you leave your country to cover their wedding... it doesn't matter if it was Canada/Mexico, or Italy/Germany, or Belize/San Salvador... the pattern exactly matches the usual scams. I honestly hope that Heather is onto a real contract, here (exciting!), but I hope also that you understand why so many flags immediately go up on hearing the initial information she presented. <br><br> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Michael Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 >>> it just seems weird that she is in Canada, I am in the US, the wedding is in Mexico...? Any thoughts? I certainly don't want to turn her away if this is real. <<< On her side: it seems plausible that she`d expect a US based Photographer would be better placed or cheaper for a Mexican gig than a Canadian based Photographer, and that she`d like perhaps the security of expecting that a US based website photographer might offer her more security than a Mexican Photographer. On your side and if one follows the logic above, then she would surely feel more secure with a Canadian based Photographer, because if there were problems then likely they would better addressed under Canadian jurisdiction than having to follow things up through the US system, not to mention the fact that she could more easily liaise with them prior to the event (if they were close by to her). What was it that she thought would work, but know it can`t ?: "Hi Heather, Sorry, I thought this would work for me, but I'm going to be too busy at work today. Is there any way I could contact you one evening this week? Thanks, Kristin" (op cit) I initially question the motives and intents of a prospective Bride who `wants me so much to do her Wedding` but has a problem(s) attending the first meeting at my studio. This same logic I apply to this protracted meeting and correspondence via email and telephone. Just my thoughts. Letting it run its course for a while is sound advice. Personally I would hasten the process by putting a few definitives in place early on. Such as a Non Refundable Booking Fee for all Destination Weddings for my time to be reserved, payable over the phone by credit card: just US$500.00 would be OK. Explain it comes off the total fee for the Wedding when the contracts are signed, which of course will need to be completed with seven days. See what happens then. Just my thoughts. WW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conraderb Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 heather - might be the real deal. only way is to call her. tell her that conrad erb sent her - I'm canadian, and we all know each other. one big happy family. does she speak english well? if not, watch out for a scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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