Is this a SCAM? How to handle it

There’s a gigantic scam going around, and I see posts about it almost daily. At first I thought it was just wedding photographers they were targeting with their crazy requests, but it’s apparently ALL wedding vendors. So how do you know if an inquiry is a scam?

1) They will state they can only pay with a credit card. This seems a little harsh to write off someone just because they request to pay in that way, but it’s alllll the same. “Do you accept all major credit cards?” “I can only pay with a major credit card.” And they will inform you of this like a million times.

2) They have the worst grammar. I admit it, I am a Grammar Nazi. When I get an email with terrible grammar, I immediately cut my eyes at the screen. However, the grammar these folks use is the absolute worst, and usually has odd punctuation. This is because the majority of these scammers aren’t from America. Someone recently even posted that they asked a scammer where they live, and they responded, “In the USA.” Uh…

3) They, for some strange reason, always ask for family portraits for multiple families, and ask about prints or canvases.

4) They usually don’t have a specific date, and instead ask if you have a date for them to hold their session on.

5) They are almost always having some large event. Examples would be family reunions, big anniversaries, surprise parties, etc.

6) They can’t talk on the phone due to being deaf, having a recent ear surgery, etc. Example: “I want you to know that I am in the ICU just recuperating from an ear surgery I undergo.” Dead giveaway here? They typically won’t allow cell phones in the ICU due to the medical equipment. And if you’re in the ICU, there’s a pretty good chance you aren’t able to send out such vast emails and texts. 

Soooo… How does their scam work? Because they are generally having a large gathering, they claim they are renting a venue. When you agree to do their session, they will ask to pay with a credit card, but also send you an additional amount for YOU to pay their “event coordinator”. When you run their credit card for the amount, it will go through. You’ll then go to your bank, have a money order made for said “event coordinator”, and then shortly after they get the money order, that’s usually when the REAL owner of the credit card realizes a large amount has been charged, and they file a dispute. This will then be taken out of YOUR bank since you processed it, and you are out the money order that has actually just gone to them.

How do you handle it? Some people have decided it’s fun to just mess with these folks. I definitely did for one (Charlotte readers will get a kick out of it). However, I like to consider the people that have unfortunately had their credit card information stolen, and I’d rather help them out. I will lead the scammers on until they provide their credit card information. I’ll then call the major companies, such as Visa, explain the situation, and they generally provide me with the direct bank to report the card as stolen. The last bank I spoke to had placed me on hold while they called the owner of the credit card. When he came back on the phone after speaking with the owner, he said they couldn’t believe it’d happened because nothing had happened to make them think their card had been stolen. He said they were extremely grateful, and had been able to cancel the card before they had any issues. It might seem like a bit much to some to go out of their way to do this, but just a few minutes of a headache for you could mean saving the banks and innocent victims of fraud weeks or months of trying to sort out an issue.

Here are two examples of my interactions with these scammers. Enjoy!

Just remember – if something feels off about a client, there’s probably something to it. Play it safe, and suggest a call or meeting in a public place to ensure they are legit.