Scam Alert:

Wedding photographers paid by large cashier's checks

This scam that targets professional photographers in the UK, US and maybe other countries is run by criminals in West Africa. It is a variation of a similar scam involving cars and other big ticket items sold in classified ads. The criminal poses as someone arranging a wedding. He contacts a professional photographer to book him for a wedding. Then he/she sends a large cashier's check as payment. The check is larger than the amount of the photography package.

The photographer is asked to cash the check and wire the extra amount to a third party, supposedly a wedding planner, a band or other entity associated with the wedding. The check is fake and the victim wires several thousand dollars of his own money to the criminals if he falls for this scam.

Please send us any such emails you may have received and we will publish them (withholding your name and email address, of course) to warn other photographers and to assist law enforcement investigating such cases.

Example email:

From: Van Kennedy [mailto:vankennedy1@yahoo.co.uk]
To: photographer  
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 1:51 PM
Subject: Your Photographic Service Is Needed

Hello, my name is Van Kennedy. I reside in Amsterdam, 
Netherlands. The reason am contacting you is that my 
daughter will be getting married soon in the state, on the 
7th of May 2005  and I would like you to take care of the 
Photographs. I came across your advert on the Internet 
and am impressed with your services. 

All expenses would be taken care off; perhaps you can 
give me the total/Quotes charges,plus the Flight cost for 
you to down to Amsterdam, Netherlands. Hotel accommodation 
would also be gladly attended to.

Please I want the best services from you, because this is my 
only daughter so I want the best for her. So your best is 
needed at this occasion.

I will like to know where you are currently residing as 
at now, so that I could start the preparation on how 
you would be coming down.

I look forward to your response.

Best Regards,

Source: http://www.joewein.de/sw/fraud-wedding-photographer.htm