Videographer / Photographer Scam

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 31 Jul 2008 Posts: 2

In a somewhat newer twist to these 419 scams, I received the following e-mail via a link posted on a website for various bridal industry vendors:
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FROM:
Cheryl Hubbard
[email protected]
Phone: 7149820892
Fax: 7149820892

EVENT DATE: 10/18/2008

REQUEST MESSAGE:
I need the TOTAL COST of Ur service for 8hrs from 11am to 7pm, Includes:
VIDEOGRAPHY PACKAGE
8 HOURS VIDEO COVERAGE
2 VIDEOGRAPHERS AT THE CEREMONY
FULL EDITING, TITLES, MUSIC, SPECIAL EFFECTS
DVD MENU, DVD CASE WITH DESIGN, 3 DVD COPIES
MUSIC VIDEO HIGHLIGHT RECAP
I would have giving you a phone call, but there is a little problem with the network of my area so bear with me in a couple of days.
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Notice the typical spelling and grammatical errors, and the reference to the "problem with the network of my area", an oddly phrased comment. In the USA, we would be more likely to say, "There are problems with my phone company right now", or something similar. A quick call to try to verify the number revealed that it is not in service (surprise, surprise!).

Another clue that this is bogus is that 99% of brides do NOT know what they are looking for. This "bride" seemed to know a great deal of the lingo that we videographers use concerning the proudction aspects of a wedding video.

On a lark, I e-mailed this person anyway with the following:
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RE: Request for Videography information

Ms. Hubbard,

When is the best time to contact you via phone? I have a couple of questions I need to ask you concerning your event so I can provide you with a proper Videography package that best suits your individual needs.

Looking forward to speaking with you,

(My name)
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Of course, my real contact info had been changed, other than a trash e-mail address. Here is the reply I received:
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(No subject line listed on this e-mail)

Hello ,

Thanks for the mail, i do appreciate the fact that you will be free to cover my wedding. I just finished discussing with my wedding planner and we have reached to an agreement that you will be taking the contract to videograph the wedding and we have made our choice to settle for the package for $2500.00,

As for the payment you don"t have a problem with that cos my i will be making payment via check address and mailed to you, you can go on and provide me the name you want the payment to be addressed and the your address that it will be delivered to so that you can sign, your contact phone number.

I will be making 50% deposit payment for now just to keep the date secured and later sending you the remaining balance before the wedding day

Further detail will be mailed you as the date unfolds, my wedding planner will be coming to state very soon to meet with all vendors that will be present to render their service on that day to sign all necessary document before the wedding day.

I would also advise you feel free to ask him any question as regards your service and the wedding.

I enjoin you to put in your best because most of the video and pictures will be on a Celebrity showbiz here in London, UK.

Like i told you earlier on, i could have making this a phone order but there is a little problem with the network of this residential area so bear with me in a couple of days.

Acknowledge this mail and get back to me with necessary detail as regards the payment.

Best regards,

Cheryl Hubbard.
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So, other tip-offs are apparent here: the "baiting" approach used by the scammer, trying to play to my ego with the "Celebrity showbiz here in London, UK" phrase. Oh yeah? Which one? LoL!

Also, the spelling and grammatical errors are even more rampant in this e-mail. Another clue is the signature, nobody signs their full name, they only use their first name.

Most amusing of all to me is the fact that this idiot is assuming that I will take the "gig", and has decided all on his own what my going rates are to be for him / her based on a non-existant conversation with a MALE bridal planner (only in the movies!).

Just popping in the e-mail address into Google, I found the following link:
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/manchester-tn/TN1T68LRQD3KM3476/p14

Here is the post that this e-mail appears in:
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NUHU RIBADU
Mombasa, Kenya
Nov 17, 2007

Dear Scammed,

Thanks for pasting this information and also to create an awareness about this dwindling effect ravishing the name of my country. Well am the economic and financial crime commisssion efcc head and we have been trying very hard here in nigeria to clean our name.
I know this checks and money orders are all from nigeria.
If ther is any case parttrning to FAKE CHECK AND MONEY ORDER PPLEAS DO MAIL US AT [email protected] and [email protected] SO NECCESSARY ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AND THIS SCAMMERS WILL BE BROUGHT TO BOOK.
THANKS USA
I LOVE YOU ALL.
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Apparently, they are using the phoney money orders, checks and / or American Express Travelers Cheques, sending them via FedEx to individual homes and businesses.

Of course, the packages themselves can be tracked back to the point of origin, but these slimebags typically use phoney names and addresses.

Because I was royally pissed that this idiot has wasted my time, I wanted to tie him up and waste a lot of his, to help keep him occupied and away from other "marks" that he might target and deal with me as much as possible instead. I sent him the following message using a phoney name and a new Gmail account:
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TO: [email protected]
FROM: John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt

Mr. Howard Wentworth,

I am available on your wedding date of September 4th, 2009.

We charge $12,500.00 for complete coverage of your Bar Mitzvah, and will provide you with a high definition Blu-ray DVD and player as well as an HD TV to play the photos with for your high-tech digital photo album.

We only require a depository amount of 50%, or $6,250.00 to secure your event's date. The remaining balance of $8,500.00 will be due when you come to pick up your digital photo album and the new electronic equipment to play it with.

Also, how many copies will you require? We typically offer four (4) copies, but if you need more, we can provide them for only $500.00 for each additional copy.

Let me know if you have photography clearance for "The Pavilion" location you mentioned in your previous e-mail, and if the Rabbi has also cleared us to shoot your event, since sometimes they object to flashes during the Bat Mitzvah ceremony.

In closing, let me congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials! It is always such a blessed event to become married on such a beautiful day as the one you have chosen. I think you will be pleased with our pictures of you and your bride for years to come.

Regards,
John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt
*Photographer to the stars*
JJJS Photography
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Notice that I used the first several initials of his e-mail account to make up a phoney name for him, just to see if he responds to that name or not, even though he never used that name nor contacted my phoney "company" that I also made up. I acted as if we had previous correspondence throughout the message, and as if I operated a premium Photography service (which I do, anyway, just a different name).

Also take notice that I intentionally mixed up a "Bar Mitzvah" and "Wedding" throughout the entire message. I also ignored the fact that this had previously been projected as a female, 'Cheryl Hubbard', not a male name as I stated. I also intentionally screwed up the dollar figures, just to see if he catches that or not ($6250.00 and $8500 add up to $14,750.00, not $12,500.00 as I stated was the total amount). Let's see if our predator will object to any of these facts and figures. My giess id he will NOT object at all, and in fact, accept my new terms, thinking that he has a bigger fish on the line. yeah, RIGHT....bigger fish....how about a SHARK that is about to take a bite out of HIM!

I will post the results of this e-mail as they arrive. My goal is to get him to send cash, US dollars, to a P.O. box I have, or possibly another business address I have that a friend works at and handles ALL of the incoming postal mail. We'll see...I'll ask him to send a photo of the bride and groom holding up a cool 419 type of sign, too, if I can get him to do that as "proof" that the couple is real. I'll put some thought into what kind of cool new sign will work best, one that hasn't been used yet.

I just wanted to post this info here to help warn anyone who thinks that they may be getting a legitimate bride or groom booking them for photography or videography services.

Always ask for a WORKING cell phone number, or daytime employment number, the actual place that any ceremony will be performed, name of the officiant, written clearance to shoot in that location, full names of the bride AND groom, etc.

Best of all, just don't reply at all. The time spent that is wasted pursuing anything with these scumbags is time that you could have used more productively building your business or skills instead.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

I was tracking along with you there for a while- your company slogan could even be 'Your name is our name, too!' Wink

But, a couple of points to mention:

Quote:

My goal is to get him to send cash, US dollars,

That would be what is referred to as cash baiting, and not something we do or talk about here. If you continue to publish your emails, please don't bring this up.

Quote:

I just wanted to post this info here to help warn anyone who thinks that they may be getting a legitimate bride or groom booking them for photography or videography services.

You won't find many members here who would be susceptible to this scam, since we deal with variants of overpayment scams all of the time. It will be able to be searched on Google, though, which will warn potential victims doing research- that's a good thing, and hopefully they will heed your advice. Very Happy

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 31 Jul 2008 Posts: 2

Thanks for your comments and input, Tsnerd. I appreciate you taking the time to read through all of the crap I posted and to offer suggestions as well.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

It wasn't crap, and you are welcome. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 8:19 pm

You probably know, but the overpayment scam involves the scammer sending a bogus check to the victim for more than the amount due, and asking the victim to send the excess by Western Union to a third party (probably the wedding planner in this case).
The check then bounces, leaving the victim out of pocket, and possibly in trouble for banking the dud check.

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