Scammers Are a Hoot!

Darter02Darter02 Registered Users Posts: 947 Major grins
edited November 21, 2013 in Weddings
So I received another email from a scammer. This time they actually tried to use good English, but still missed the mark. It's one of those scams where they say they want to send a cashier's check for the full amount in advance. I guess they make it for more than you quote, and ask it to be wire-transfer back, or something. All I know is someone must fall for it or I wouldn't have gotten two of these in the past year.

I'll include a copy of the email, just so others can keep an eye out for this sort of crap. My favorite part is where "she" lets me know it will be an indoor wedding. The date is supposed to be in JANUARY. In Wisconsin! Considering it can be subzero outside I'm glad they're planning an indoor wedding! LOL
Hello ,

Good to hear back from you i have been busy with some other arrangements for my wedding and i hope you understand and am glad to hear that you are available for my wedding .

I want you to know that this is an inside wedding and the order of events will mail to you a Month before the wedding day,my event planner is busy working on the event cause i want a very nice event for my wedding but the order events is likely to be pictures first, then the wedding ceremony , and then the reception but let me discuss this with my Fiance because its our wedding so we have make the decision together . I hope you get me right

I want you to know that we will be taking formal pictures so i will like you to recommend 20 to 40 minutes set aside for taking formal pictures because we have a very small family from both my side and the groom side and friends we will want to take pictures with . So it will be easier if we can take the pictures before the ceremony because it will be more relaxed with fewer time constraints and would want a perfect job from you

The wedding is on the 5th of January and we will be in need of your service from 12pm to 5pm also we are expecting only maximum of 130 guests i.e 100 adults and 30 children .

And also there will be a table place set for you at the reception , so you don't need to bring your own food but it will be nice if you can just give me an hint of what kind of food you want us to arrange for you i.e if you are vegetarian or eat all kind of foods .

Further more , there will be special important parts/people at the ceremony or reception that i would want you to take a picture of .I will send the list of the important parts/people to you a week before the wedding day.

I need you to get back to me with your charges, I just called my Father-Inlaw who will be in charge of your service fees he told me that your payment will be paid to you via certified check so he has asked me to ask and you will get your payment upfront, all you need is to get back to me with the details needed for your payment such as Name in full, Address and your charges so as for me to secure your service for my wedding party.


I will send you the venue address once you agree to everything i stated above and also waiting for the details to issue on the payment...

Will be expecting to read back from you with the details I have asked for thanks so much and God bless.

Regards,

Angie Melo

Comments

  • Matthew SavilleMatthew Saville Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,352 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2013
    Wow, that is pretty thorough, I like how they talk about setting a place for you at the reception etc. Clearly this person understands wedding photography enough to know how to work the scam. It's a shame that there are unscrupulous people out there who have to resort to this kind of scamming in order to survive....

    =Matt=
    “My first thought is always of light.” – Galen Rowell
    My SmugMug Portfolio • My Astro-Landscape Photo Blog • Dgrin Weddings Forum
  • Darter02Darter02 Registered Users Posts: 947 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2013
    Matthew Saville wrote: »
    Wow, that is pretty thorough, I like how they talk about setting a place for you at the reception etc. Clearly this person understands wedding photography enough to know how to work the scam. It's a shame that there are unscrupulous people out there who have to resort to this kind of scamming in order to survive....

    =Matt=

    I've seen earlier versions of this scam on other forums and they seem to be evolving in the details.
  • puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2013
    Darter02 wrote: »
    ...It's one of those scams where they say they want to send a cashier's check for the full amount in advance. I guess they make it for more than you quote,

    If I got something like this,I might just be tempted to say, 'Fine, send the cheque, let me cash it and can I keep any extra above my quote as (possible) payment for any potential loss / damage to my gear on the day ... and I'll settle up afterwards if it's not needed ... ' - just for a laugh / see what happened :)

    pp
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  • Darter02Darter02 Registered Users Posts: 947 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2013
    From what I understand, it's never a good check. They apparently pressure you to pay the balance in the three days it takes to actually clear the check with the bank. I'm sure there's a heart wrenching sob story to go with why they need the excess payment back ASAP...
  • aj986saj986s Registered Users Posts: 1,100 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2013
    Darter02 wrote: »
    From what I understand, it's never a good check. They apparently pressure you to pay the balance in the three days it takes to actually clear the check with the bank. I'm sure there's a heart wrenching sob story to go with why they need the excess payment back ASAP...

    X2. I had a friend selling a car, and received multiple offers of similar scammitude. They were obviously scam because of how poorly they were written, and/or where they were from. They wanted to send a check for more than the cost of the car, and have the extra forwarded to their "shipper". He decided to play along, and actually went as far as accepting a couple of checks, and depositing them in his bank. The urgency of the subsequent emails for him to forward funds to the shipper were rather amusing. Within a week or so, all the checks bounced of course. And the emails suddenly stopped, too. Hmmmm.....rolleyes1.gif
    Tony P.
    Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1)
    Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play
    Autocross and Track junkie
    tonyp.smugmug.com
  • Matthew SavilleMatthew Saville Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,352 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2013
    aj986s wrote: »
    X2. I had a friend selling a car, and received multiple offers of similar scammitude. They were obviously scam because of how poorly they were written, and/or where they were from. They wanted to send a check for more than the cost of the car, and have the extra forwarded to their "shipper". He decided to play along, and actually went as far as accepting a couple of checks, and depositing them in his bank. The urgency of the subsequent emails for him to forward funds to the shipper were rather amusing. Within a week or so, all the checks bounced of course. And the emails suddenly stopped, too. Hmmmm.....rolleyes1.gif

    Not only that, but if you actually cash the check in an attempt to scam the scammer, you can go to jail / prison for bank / check fraud. I think. Moral of the story: Don't do it. There is absolutely zero free money in it.

    Of course there are also those who lead on these scammers, in their spare time just to entertain themselves, because as much time as you can waste, they run out of time to actually scam real victims, thus "saving" others from a similar fate. At least that's what the tactic is at "419 eater". (google it)


    =Matt=
    “My first thought is always of light.” – Galen Rowell
    My SmugMug Portfolio • My Astro-Landscape Photo Blog • Dgrin Weddings Forum
  • Darter02Darter02 Registered Users Posts: 947 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2013
    I forward the email I got to you, if you feel like being the hero! Laughing.gif
  • aj986saj986s Registered Users Posts: 1,100 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2013
    Matthew Saville wrote: »
    Not only that, but if you actually cash the check in an attempt to scam the scammer, you can go to jail / prison for bank / check fraud. I think. ......

    Sort of agreed. Take the money from your bank as cash, you'll be expected to return it, or have it deducted from your remaining balance, after the check bounces. But if you deposit the check and then simply wait for the funds to clear, and then un-clear, I'm not certain that's a criminal offense. I guess it they could prove that you 100% knew the deposited check was fraudulent, then maybe they could pursue something.
    Tony P.
    Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1)
    Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play
    Autocross and Track junkie
    tonyp.smugmug.com
  • Matthew SavilleMatthew Saville Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,352 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2013
    aj986s wrote: »
    Sort of agreed. Take the money from your bank as cash, you'll be expected to return it, or have it deducted from your remaining balance, after the check bounces. But if you deposit the check and then simply wait for the funds to clear, and then un-clear, I'm not certain that's a criminal offense. I guess it they could prove that you 100% knew the deposited check was fraudulent, then maybe they could pursue something.

    Yeah, that's what I was getting at. They might accuse you of being in cahoots with the scammer or something, by knowingly cashing a fraudulent check.

    Maybe I'm just watching too much White Collar? No wait, you can never watch too much White Collar.

    =Matt=
    “My first thought is always of light.” – Galen Rowell
    My SmugMug Portfolio • My Astro-Landscape Photo Blog • Dgrin Weddings Forum
  • Darter02Darter02 Registered Users Posts: 947 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2013
    I just received another sally in my in box. According to my Stacounter visitor path it's from Lagos, Nigeria. They used Yahoo Search to look up Wedding Photographers. I was 191 on the list of all photographers in the state. I guess that's not too bad having only recently opened here in Wisconsin this past January. Laughing.gif
    Hello,
    My name is Lola Smith,i live in Mt Horeb, WI(USA). I am presently in London(UK)but will be moving back home soon and I'll be getting married shortly after my arrival in the states to my fiance Ken Andersson.We will need a wedding/party Photographer to help us in making up our ceremony from the church to the hotel reception.We will like to find out what your plans are for January 23,2014.This is the date of our wedding so kindly let us know your availability for this day.We'll take responsibility for your expenses regarding our plans.we might not be able to meet you soon as planned,due to our unavailability in the states but,we are willing to retain the date,that's to make deposit for booking prior to our arrival to be sure we are interested in your service,if we really are.Waiting to get your response.

    I asked where in my small town they live as we could be neighbors! This should be a hoot...
  • FoquesFoques Registered Users Posts: 1,951 Major grins
    edited November 21, 2013
    Depositing a fraudulent check can be held against the account owner. I've seen this happen before.
    I've worked in an organization exploring and prosecuting this kind of stuff a good while back
    Arseny - the too honest guy.
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