Post by Pierre Stephenson on Sept 23, 2009 9:43:23 GMT -5
From the SEWPPA Webmaster
(that's South Eastern Wisconsin PPA)
Over the past few weeks, we (meaning Moments and Memories) have been contacted by someone claiming to live in London, but moving to Oconomowoc and getting married here and looking for a wedding photographer.
Yeah, red flags go up, but after all, it is entirely possible.
Who of us hasn't been contacted by a couple living somewhere else but coming here to get married? Who of us hasn't done all the contract-signing via fax and the payments vie credit card over the phone, and much (if not all) of the communication via email? Who of us hasn't gotten their first in-person meeting with the couple the week (or even the day) of the wedding?
So, yes, it's entirely possible. So I send a reply email explaining our program along with attached PDFs of the price list and contract. He sends back that he agrees to the term, and we'll get a deposit soon.
And then it starts to fall apart, and the red flags are joined by some sirens and balloons. It's been three weeks, now, with an email from my customer every other day. Amazingly, his command of the english language is getting worse with each email, and his obsequious manner starts to grate and make me suspicious.
Now he tells me to expect a deposit today or tomorrow. I won't be surprised if the check is phony, is more than the required amount (with an attached request for a refund of the overage), or both.
Yep, it's a scam. Gerry contacted PPA and confirmed it as such, and PPA says this guy (this time his name is Nick Ievy) finds his prospective victims in public directories (such as PPA's Find a Photographer service, or even SEWPPA's own LookForAPhotographer.com) and strings them along with a series of essentially empty emails -- after three weeks. I still don't have a signed contract, deposit, or know any information about the wedding or the couple. And in his initial email, he said it was he who was getting married; now it's his "client". Hmmmmm......
Now don't think that I've fallen for this -- I did think that something was up, but just wanted to see how it would unfold.
But if you've been contacted by this person, or in this manner by anyone, please be aware that it's probably a scam. If there's an element of doubt in your mind, contact PPA before you even reply to the inquiry.
Mike Sohns
SEWPPA Membership Chair and Web Site Manager
(that's South Eastern Wisconsin PPA)
Over the past few weeks, we (meaning Moments and Memories) have been contacted by someone claiming to live in London, but moving to Oconomowoc and getting married here and looking for a wedding photographer.
Yeah, red flags go up, but after all, it is entirely possible.
Who of us hasn't been contacted by a couple living somewhere else but coming here to get married? Who of us hasn't done all the contract-signing via fax and the payments vie credit card over the phone, and much (if not all) of the communication via email? Who of us hasn't gotten their first in-person meeting with the couple the week (or even the day) of the wedding?
So, yes, it's entirely possible. So I send a reply email explaining our program along with attached PDFs of the price list and contract. He sends back that he agrees to the term, and we'll get a deposit soon.
And then it starts to fall apart, and the red flags are joined by some sirens and balloons. It's been three weeks, now, with an email from my customer every other day. Amazingly, his command of the english language is getting worse with each email, and his obsequious manner starts to grate and make me suspicious.
Now he tells me to expect a deposit today or tomorrow. I won't be surprised if the check is phony, is more than the required amount (with an attached request for a refund of the overage), or both.
Yep, it's a scam. Gerry contacted PPA and confirmed it as such, and PPA says this guy (this time his name is Nick Ievy) finds his prospective victims in public directories (such as PPA's Find a Photographer service, or even SEWPPA's own LookForAPhotographer.com) and strings them along with a series of essentially empty emails -- after three weeks. I still don't have a signed contract, deposit, or know any information about the wedding or the couple. And in his initial email, he said it was he who was getting married; now it's his "client". Hmmmmm......
Now don't think that I've fallen for this -- I did think that something was up, but just wanted to see how it would unfold.
But if you've been contacted by this person, or in this manner by anyone, please be aware that it's probably a scam. If there's an element of doubt in your mind, contact PPA before you even reply to the inquiry.
Mike Sohns
SEWPPA Membership Chair and Web Site Manager