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I was contacted by a wedding planner asking me to quote for a 2 day wedding shoot. Big event with 135 guests!! I am available for the dates so I email the guy back with a quote and this is the response I get:-


I will get you more details on how the schedule will be so that you can also arrange your programme.

Like i told you earlier that i am a planner, i have to arrange for the following:

1. A wedding photographer

2. Magazine Company

3. Caterer

4. Transportation Arrangements

5. Coverage

6. Decorations

All the above is what i will be responsible for but the most important to me of all is the Wedding Photographer and i think you will be the one. For this, i will firstly make out your own payment to you so that you can arrange for all your necessary things you need for the 2 days and the payment will be made by the Groom's committee of Friends and i will like to make the payment out to your name first so that every other procedure will follow.

I will like you to Acknowledge the payment of £5,000 in a form of Cheque and after you have received the payment then you can help me send the left over funds to the other people i have listed above so as to make them arrange for their service too for the day.
I would have love to do all these things my self but as a Planner i have a lot to do and i am so tight to run around any how.

I really hope you will understand the way i feel.
To complete the whole procedure i will only need your name to be on the cheque, the address it will be mailed to, your phone number, and your zip code.

As soon as i get this information i can forward it for the cheque to be drafted as soon as they can.
Mean while i will compensate you for any incoveniences i may likely to cause you during the process of sending back the left over funds.

I will wait to read from you soon.

Regards.

end - - -

Now I would add that my quote is no where near £5000!! I know it's a scam, but where is the sting?

Just thought I would share this with you, be interested in your comments.

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Alan
D4 & D700


http://www.alanwilliamsphotography.co.uk
BLOG: http://www.ayrshireweddingphotographer.org

Not awake yet, but "zip code"? No one talks like that around here do they?

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Building a list of valid names addresses and emails is probably enough to sell to certain marketing companies.

They are also finding out if you are available on certain dates (will you be at home or will your house be empty).

The message falls down on so many levels that it seems very poor.

Translation to English is poor
Use of Zip code for a UK contact

And most fundamentally...
A wedding planner who will be too busy to organise the wedding so you have to help them?

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Nikon D90
Nikkor AF-S DX; 18-105 f/3.5-5.6G VR, 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR, 35mm f/1.8G
Speedlight SB-700

http://keystrokesukimages.com

Maybe they are trying to make you sign a check for them.

I would definitely evade it, it's hard to know what they're up to, but one possibility is they'll have the customer make the check in your name, you pay those guys, they don't show up, and the customer brings you to court to have their money back.

They could be legit, but I very much doubt it. Especially if it's the first time you deal with them, it feels fishy.

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Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T2i, Canon S90
Lenses: Tamron: SP70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD, Canon: EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens, 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III, and EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Retired camera: Fujifilm Finepix s700

“I will like you to Acknowledge the payment of £5,000 in a form of Cheque and after you have received the payment then you can help me send the left over funds to the other people i have listed above so as to make them arrange for their service too for the day.”

It’s an old scam.
The hook if you want to call it that is the “imaginary” left over funds.
The cheque for $5,000 isn’t any good and takes a week or more to clear. You on the other hand have to disperse “real” money back to the scammer, knows as “left over funds”.

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Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
Visit my work here

the sting is: you get a cheque worth 5000, and pay the other "companies" their share, then your bank tells you a few days later that the check bounced/was invalid, you've paid the scammer the 5000-your fee.

I think peteaarhus is right. Not only do you not get paid, but you also pay the scammer money from your own pocket...

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