Internet Scams

Below are some examples of Internet scams that may affect you as photographers. If you feel you have been a victim of a scam or have made a payment and are worried we recommend you contact the authorities as soon as possible. If you are aware or been a victim of other scams please let us know so we can warn others.

Things to look out for when determining whether a contact is a scam or genuine:

1. A reluctance to part with any specific details and contact numbers etc...
2. Very bad use of English in the e-mail text
3. Facts that don't add up (asking you to send money abroad to the wedding decorator, continually changing the wedding dates in accordance with the cheque arriving)
   

Typical scams we are aware of:

1. The following is a copy of enquiries sent to photographers where the individual asks for a price for photography plus expenses such as hotel costs and transport. As you can see it is in very broken English. it is likely that this would result in the enquirer sending a cheque for a higher amopunt than is requested and then asking for the balance to be sent to a thrird party to cover some other expense. Once this payment is sent to the third party, the original payment may be found to be fraudulent:
   
   Good day, My name is MATT HARRIS,further to our wedding preparations between i and my fiance JOANNA in GLASGOW,(SCOTLAND) in the month of AUGUST.We are looking for agood photographer who will come and snapshoot our proposed event. We were highly impresed on your webpage and we hope to have the best of your services.At this time,we are leaving for Cardiff on a pre wedding honeymoon. We would require to have the list of your available dates between 4th -5th SEPTEMBER 2009.Let me know your charges for your services if you are to work for at most four Hours on that day. we require the below. :250 copies of photographs pictures taking :All colored :5 x 7 in size :2 Albums required The 250 copies covers the bride and the bridegroom, their parents,the officiating ministers and our guests.If you can out,we will pay the transportation charges to and from the party venue.Please indicate in your email if you can out,what it will costs either via Plane or through Car transport to GLASGOW,(SCOTLAND) and what amount you will receive working for the budgeted hours at the occasion. Moreso,please do calculate the total cost for working service and your transport fees down to the venue,don`t worry the Hotel accomodation will be provided for by us.Waiting to read from you soon as possible email me at (matt_harris49@yahoo.com). Best regards,
   
   **Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true it generally is!!

2. We are aware that some photographers have been contacted by individuals with a view to scamming. Generally these are common scams, a problem on many web sites and not limited to ourweddingmemories or photographers.
   
   The scammer will ask photographers what the charges would be for an assignment abroad and say they will include with payment, travel expenses, accommodation etc. and make payment up front. If the photographer agrees to the proposal, the scammer makes payment by cheque. As the scammer is based abroad, they will generally mention that they owe a certain individual an amount of money and as the photographers is based in the UK, they will increase the amount by the said amount and ask the photographer to send the balance by cheque to this third party.
   
   Unfortunately the initial cheque will be a fraudulent payment made using stolen cheques, the cheque will seem to be cleared in your account and the funds able to be drawn on. However, when the genuine account holder realises they have been a victim they will contact their own bank and cancel the cheque. As the payment was made fraudulently, the funds will then be returned to the account holder.
   
   The photographer will be out of pocket if they have sent a payment to the third party. These funds cannot be reclaimed as payment was made from the genuine account holder.
   
   Our advice for any contracts or assignments is to only do business with trusted individuals, preferably whom you have met in person and stick to your usual terms and conditions. Never agree to accept a larger payment than you have quoted and send the balance to a third party.
   
   **Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true it generally is!!
   

3. A second possible scam is of someone claiming to represent AW Photography, a photography company in the USA. It is unclear what this individual wishes to gain as we are unaware of any request for payment thus far. The company in question claims that these individuals are not connected in any way with them and we have added their response below. If you have taken this any further or have more information, please do let us know.
   
   The potential scam goes as follows:
   
   Good day, i came across your advert while surfing the internet in search of good and qualified photographer. Aw photography which is the company i represent, is based in the United states. You can go through their website: www.awphotography.com

   With regards to the new innovation that will bring about the extention of the company which is based in the United State to the Uk, they will be needing photographers to handle any photographic job (wedding etc) related to the uk residence. I have gone through some of your photo works and am impressed.
   
   Do get back to me if you are interested so i can link you with the company direct. I am more like an agent getting professional photographers for the company whenever they need one. This is due to my excellent performance and good records with the company. Will be waiting to read back from you.
   Regards,
   Macathy.
   
   The response from AW Photography goes as follows:
   
   We have become aware that someone is using our company name and information to try to scam others. We are currently pursuing options to try to bring this to an end and apologize for inconveniences you are experiencing. Below is our official response to inquiries about this person.
   Official Response to inquiries regarding Anthony Macathy, Leonardo Macathy, or Mark Woobster.
   
   If anyone should inquire about an individual referred to as Anthony Macathy, Leonardo Macathy, or Mark Woobster, it is very important that you let them know the following:
   
   
   

   • Anthony Macathy IS NOT employed with AW Photography
   • Anthony Macathy DOES NOT represent AW Photography
   • and we DO NOT KNOW HIM or have any association with him.
   
   Although we do not understand the reasons for his actions, he is obviously misrepresenting himself and we recommend the follow steps:
   
   
   • Halt all communications with Anthony Macathy.
   • Share your name, phone and email with us and we will pass this information to the law enforcement and hopefully get Anthony Macathy's actions stopped.
   • It is also wise to contact the local authorities in your area to report the fraud.
   • Make a formal complaint with the email company Mr. Macathy is using.
   • YAHOO: Fill out an abuse form with 'yahoo.co.uk' at this link: http://help.yahoo.com/fast/help/uk/mail/cgi_spam.
   • REPRESENTATIVE: We have been unable to locate a way to make a formal complaint with representative.com. It is even possible this website is owned by Anthony Macathy. If you have any information on this site, we would appreciate your sharing of knowledge.
     
     Thank you,
     Abbie Cooke
     
     

4. UK photographers are being targeted to launder money and get ripped of by con merchants.
   
   The scams work roughly as follows
   
   They book you for a wedding. Some scam artists might pose as a reputable foreign company often steeling their names and setting up authentic looking email addresses.
   They will then send you all the money in advance and often a few thousand pound extra. The extra few thousand pounds is sent with instructions asking you to forward the money to other wedding services such as a decorating service.
   
   The cheque that you receive will be counterfeit and use stolen identities. If the cheque is a business cheque use the net to get the company details and check for yourself, they may not know that their identity has been stolen. If they do not recognise the name on the cheque or do not have any details or knowledge of this cheque being drafted please make them aware of your findings so they can take action and not suffer financially. Recommend that they also make the police aware.
   
   The scammers are looking to take the money off you before the cheque is recalled by the bank losing you thousands of pounds.

5. Hello,
   I am Rev. Pastor Edwin Donko, District pastor of International Central Gospel Church, Greater Accra Region. I got your details from the UK tourism directory, we will be coming over to Greater London , our silver jubilee wedding anniversary with family coming up on the 22th of March but we will be arriving on the 21st of March 2008. I will need the services of a professional photographer that will cover our entire vacation from the 22th through to 23th March.
   
   Could you please send me more details about your work and what the cost of your services for the 2 days coverage will be? ICGC GHANA will be paying you in advance of our visit as they will be covering the total expenses for our wedding anniversary so that we will be assured of a photographer during our stay. An early reply will be appreciated.
   
   Please acknowledge if you can offer us your services and give me a call on my direct line (+233-274-767-779 ) as soon as you receive this email, so we can conclude on all other arrangements ASAP, as time is not really on our side.
   God bless you,
   Rev. Pastor Edwin Donko, ICGC GHANA.
   Direct Line: +233-274767779
   

**Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true it generally is!!