Scam-watch out

metroshane · Jan 10, 2005

I haven't been around here in a while, but I recently came across a scam and wanted to make sure folks were aware.

I got a personal email, addressed to me as a photographer, advising in broken english that they were a wedding planner and were looking for a wedding photographer. I gave them a bid, one on a high side at that, and they said that they'd pay it plus travel (I'm in Dallas, they're in Houston). Then they said the family gave them a $5000 cashiers check and If I'd deduct my charges and send a western union for the rest of the $5000 do "the dress maker", they'd send me the cashiers check.

The scam is that they want you to send money to the "dress maker" before they give you the cashiers check.

first email

Hello photographer,
>
> I seek for your photograph service.i have given the contract to stand
> as the orgerniser of a wedding ceremony which will definitely take
> place on 26th febuary 2005 in hoston Texas.usa In a bid to make it
> most perfect occation i here by require the service of professional of
> which you have been choosen as the photographer of the day.
>
> With this , I would want to know your cost,including flight and
> service charge.
> Thanks Best Regard.
> please get back to me soon.
> Kindest Regards.

second email

Hello Shane,
Thanks for a favourable respond to take up the service.Having goting the price ,we are pleased to inform you that the some of cashier check of $5,000 will be sent to you.

This cost will include your charges and the dressing maker of the day,who took care of the decoration and other material on the day.

There for , i here by urge you to send the balance of to the dressing maker as his professional charges through (WESTERN UNION). so i want you to send this information.
FULL NAME STATE..
CITY..
ZIP CODE..
COUNTRY..
CELL PHONE..

To be written on the check .i would be so much appriciate your good service, if you can surprice me as recommended and i promise to give you a greater opportunity in new year for a greater and highly exposed show.
please get back to me soon.
Kindest Regards.

I can see how this would lure newbies...so watch out.

walter23 · Jan 10, 2005

heh, I received about 20 emails for a variation of that scam when I was selling my car awhile ago. They wanted to send me a cashier's cheque for $10,000, of which I was to send the remainder (after taking my car money) to some guy. It came with some stupid story about a business transaction that was cancelled and a desire to reuse the same cheque to avoid teller fees or something.

My understanding of it is that they actually send you a cheque, and a very realistic looking one at that, that your bank will very possibly accept (or you might just deposit at an ATM). Of course, after you send the balance to the crook, the bank finds out it's forged and you're liable for it (which is stupid, in my opinion - if the bank accepts the cheque, they should be the ones liable for it).

Corry · Jan 10, 2005

Wow...not that it applies to me yet, because I don't make any money yet, but thanks for posting that anyway! Many people who recieve things like that probaby never suspect anything.

airgunr · Jan 11, 2005

It's a pretty common scam. They cruise the web looking for people selling services or individual items. I've had them contact me several times concerning different items I've posted for sale on forums.

They don't work off of Ebay or sites like that. Usually they go after people who post in interest specific forums.

terri · Jan 11, 2005

Gosh, it's been a month of Sundays, Metroshane!

Good to see you around. Thanks for this!

Ant · Jan 11, 2005

Quite frankly anyone who falls for this sort of thing deserves to get ripped off.

Won't happen to me though, I gave that nice Nigerian princess who e-mailed me the details of my bank account and as soon as she deposits that $2000,000 that she needs to get out of the country into it I'm sorted for life.

will965 · Jan 11, 2005

Hahahahaahha :lmao:

Artemis · Jan 11, 2005

Thing is, its not even safe to say "Heres my details" because all they need is your details, then they start opening new accounts under your name, then your doomed...

Corry · Jan 11, 2005

Ant said:
Quite frankly anyone who falls for this sort of thing deserves to get ripped off.

Won't happen to me though, I gave that nice Nigerian princess who e-mailed me the details of my bank account and as soon as she deposits that $2000,000 that she needs to get out of the country into it I'm sorted for life.

UGH! We get those Nigerian Scam things in email and fax!!!!

Karalee · Jan 11, 2005

Ive heard of these weird scams before :-? scary stuff!

walter23 · Jan 11, 2005

Artemis said:
Thing is, its not even safe to say "Heres my details" because all they need is your details, then they start opening new accounts under your name, then your doomed...

Well that's not usually how the 'nigerian scam' works. They lure you in with promises of riches, sometimes they'll even fly you to a different country and parade you around in a limosine, but meanwhile there will be all sorts of problems like:

1. officials who need to be bribed ($5000 please)
2. Paperwork to be filed ($5000 for legal fees please)
3. Shipping container and private airplane to move the cash ($5000 please)

etc. etc. etc.

Pretty soon you're out almost all your savings (if you're greedy and stupid) and then they disappear, and you don't see your 20% of $25,000,000

It was a very effective way to make money for the people running these scams, because of the fact that they'd actually let you come visit with official looking people in their country and treat you like royalty. Frankly I think it's awesome when people from poor countries prey on the greed and naiveity of stupid north Americans. If you think you're participating in some wonderful fraud and going to walk out with a few million in your pocket I have no sympathy for your losses