If you are going to try to scam me, at least change the text in your email..
I’ve received the same email twice about shooting a last minute wedding. I’ve pasted the message below. So far I’ve received the email from hpharaon@outdoormedias.com and kellybrown1977@gmail.com and have been asked to forward my response and price list to brown14110@gmail.com and brown15110@gmail.com. Both emails have been sent from a person calling themselves Kelly Brown. I’m not sure if the email accounts that sent the emails were hacked or created falsely, either way please be on your guard! Never agree to send money to another vendor on their behalf, or send money back to a client because they paid you too much in their deposit. Most of the time if you have ‘booked’ a wedding this far, they have sent you a fake money order, and you will be out the money you sent and the banks fee’s for trying to cash a fake money order. Have it checked out before you try and deposit one if you ever get a money order, better yet, try to avoid money orders all together. I would say avoid all oversea’s inquires about your business, but I’m talking to a lovely Bride who is currently in Kenya, and I worked with a Bride in Zambia for a week who was just putting the finishing touches on her wedding. My point is simply this, be careful. Know who you are talking to, and if it sounds fishy it might be. Do a quick Internet search on the text that sounds like a scam as well as the senders email. Photographers, I’m calling you out now! Please make a blog post of every sketchy email you get! We can make this super easy for everyone to avoid a scam if we broadcast every case we interact! With that being said, here is the email I have received twice already. Please pass this along!!
Hi! I’m Kelly Brown. Mike and I will be getting married soon. We will be needing some one ASAP to photograph our wedding occasion scheduled for , 05.12.2012 starting from 10;00 AM – 04;00 PM . So what I am asking is -;
A package which includes six hours of shooting time plus a 20 page custom designed album .
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES:
* 6 hours of photography; Mix of color and black and white, creative effects.
* 350+ professionally processed wedding photos, some in print and on CD or USB)
* 20 page custom wedding album – all prints on archival quality .
Album in top quality, elegant and built to last a lifetime for the memory of our kids and families.
* 11×14 Portrait Print – We’ll choose any image from the wedding photos .
So some questions I have are ;-
– What is your base price fee for what I am asking? Is that negotiable?
– Your availability/ schedule for the 12th of MAY? You available?
– willing to travel ? considering both the lodging and the travels will be taken care of.
Please email back confirming your availability. Thank you
Kelly Brown.
brown15110@gmail.com
UPDATED – Just got this second email from ‘Kelly Brown’. All the more reason’s to think something is wrong. No physical address, nothing officially booked, cannot talk on the phone. I replied to the first message ‘So you already sent this to me.. What are your goals here?’ And they reply with this in the email? ‘Still havent heard back from you’ … ‘But following your response to my introductory email . I’m optimistic about this arrangement working.’ Come on. Seriously? Here is the full second email.
Hi, Good morning . This is Kelly . Still havent heard back from you … Just checking in to see if you got my previous email . PLEASE READ BELOW… I will want you to get back to me with your package price list . Thank you .
I was just going to be sure you got this right. Ps: Wedding is May 12th,2012 . And in Gainesville, Fl. Like I said, Full travel (airfare, ground transportation and hotel) will be taken care of . We already have a booking agent set aside to handle that . You see, you probably wont understand how hard it is finding some one locally for the shooting of our wedding . They are either booked up or not good enough so we decided to check online a few websites including pdnonline, ppa, etc. So we’d definitely hate for this to be a waste of time.
I will let you know an exact address in the coming week(s) . I have a friend working on that right now. I will let you know asap when something has been booked. So the address will virtually be The Paramount Plaza. 2900 Sw 13th St, Gainesville, FL 32608. Nothing on file yet . We are expecting about 100-150 guests over . Both indoor and outdoor shooting right from the wedding ceremony,reception etc…
It has been hard finding the perfect photographer for the shooting. But following your response to my introductory email . I’m optimistic about this arrangement working . So I put it you’re willing to travel . We are currently in Manchester, UK for an important visit ahead of my seminar. So I hope to work out an arrangement ahead of my arrival back to the states. You see, I am physically impaired (Hearing). So e-mail works fine for now . We can work out all of the details ( via email) .A quick question though, Will you be emailing us something like a standard contract agreement knowing for sure you will be available for the 12th?
E-mail your package price list and let us know if you will be available for the 12th.
Thank you .
Kelly .
Loving the responses, please keep posting about any scams you encounter! Kelly Brown was not my first, but I’ve deleted the other emails.. I’ve had a ‘bride’ go as far as sending me a fake money order and ask me to send money to another vendor. Which I did not do.
Do your research, keep your business safe, and Keep Shooting!
– Chris W ‘WhonPhoto’
