|
|
|
|
Alert! - Wedding Vendor
Scam
This was
sent to me from Richard Markel of Association for Wedding
Professionals International (AFWPI)
Dear
Friend;
This
email is for wedding professionals.
This
scam and similar ones goes beyond wedding consultants. If you have
a shop, or sell product on or offline you can be a target.
I
received a warning from Nancy Tucker of Coordinators Corner about a
scam that was attempted by a person outside the US.
I have
seen and heard of several others that were attempted by companies
in and out of Lagos Nigeria. Here is the warning:
I'd like
to get the word out about a scam that is going around and some
coordinators have been caught in the snare. I received an e-mail
from a man in "Germany" who wanted to set up a wedding for his son
ere in Colorado. He gave me sketchy details of what he wanted. It
sounded real. After a couple of e-mails, he said that he'd hired
his vendors from the UK (being the photographer and videographer)
and when I received the check I was to deposit it and send each of
them $3000.
(red flags going up!) The cashier's check was sent by a client here in the US. After about 4 weeks, many e-mails and several phone conversations with his "son", I received the check. I had the bank check it and they said they agreed with me that it was bogus. The next day I phoned the "issuing" bank and they confirmed it to be counterfit. I
e-mailed this man that I had received the check but it would take
at least 15 days to clear. They actually called me and asked that I
write these two checks on my account so they could get the vendors
here for the "wedding". I informed them this wasn't going to
happen.
Long
story short- Be VERY CAREFUL if you receive anything from out of
the country. This is originating in Nigeria. Don't get caught
because if the check is deposited and you write any checks against
it, you are responsible for them.
Sincerely,
Tanya W.
Porter
Tanya is with WEDDINGS, ETC. LLC and can be reached at tporterweddsetc@hotmail.com Here is
additional information on this scam and who to report it to.
To see
the description of some of the fraud see http://www.ifccfbi.gov/strategy/wn040209.asp
To
report an internet fraud the division of the FBI is http://www.ifccfbi.gov/cf1.asp
They do
not have a phone number or a direct email however they have a link
for you to Contact them.
Another
email from one that was approached follows via another method of
getting to you:
I wanted
to add a small bit of information regarding the Nigeria fraud.
Please also be very careful of Internet Relay Calls. They were
originally designed for the hearing impaired. However, these scam
artists are using them to get in touch with people in the bridal
business. They also are not only from Nigeria they are working out
of the Netherlands, and Holland, with more countries to come I am
sure I have had this happen three times this past summer alone.
They want to order large quantities of wedding merchandise. When
you refuse to work with them, they can become very
belligerent.
This
info came courtesy of cyndi@ladyslippergardens.com
Thank
you Cyndi.
Please pass this email onto all your wedding associates that may not be receiving my emails. Best
Regards
Richard Note: I
have heard of this type of scam from a number of other people, on
various forums throughout the internet. Be very wary of ANYTHING
that remotely resembles this type of deal. There are variations of
this basic scam. It almost always includes an out of country
relative planning the wedding in the US (not necessarily in your
area). YOUR name came to them highly recommended and want your
services (money is no object) and either a cashier's check or bank
check, which is always bogus. This goes with the saying "if it
seems to good to be true, it probably is".
Ed / The
Gadget Bag
|
© copyright 2004-2007 - Ed Wardyga - All Rights Reserved >>HOME |