It probably doesn't affect most of us, but it shows how old scams get reinvented...
http://www.apug.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26665Wedding Photographers - caution, SCAM
I was contacted yesterday by a friend who does some wedding photography. He had been approached via email by an individual using the name Frank Priest and purporting to come from Atlanta. The story was that the individual's daughter (currently on holiday) was getting married at a UK church on a certain date and would my friend cover the event and provide around 80 photos in an album.
My friend quoted for the job, but became concerned when the individual's emails didn't seem to answer his questions (name and contact details for bride and groom, etc) clearly, although agreeing to pay the asking price up-front and by certified cheque. The individual was also stating that the photographs would be used in a society magazine.
Then things got stranger. The individual stated that he would like to pay three times the asking price into my friend's account and then withdraw the excess in order to pay other bills. "The reson for this is because the UK cheque will take a long time for it to clear here in US while it will only take 3-4 days for it to clear overthere." emphasis mine-Chris
My friend contacted me and I did a little digging and advised him to check with the church to see if the wedding was actually booked. Surprise, surprise the individual was using an anonymous Yahoo email account, no wedding was booked at that church on that day and my friend was the eighth wedding photographer to phone up and check!
If you do wedding photography in the UK (or elsewhere) or know someone who does, please be aware that the industry is now being targeted by scammers.
Chris
