# I feel so special. I finally got a scam e-mail for weddings.



## CCericola (Mar 14, 2012)

Hehe. Here is the scam e-mail I got. I filled out the e-scam report on the FBI website. Might help, might not. At least I did my part.

From:     Kelly Rodriguez <hpharaon@outdoormedias.com>
    Subject:     INVITATION FOR WEDDING SHOOT IN CANADA
    Date:     March 14, 2012 3:53:39 PM EDT

Hi! I'm Kelly Rodriguez. 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.


* 11x14 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 Rodriguez.
kelly123001@gmail.com


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## 480sparky (Mar 14, 2012)

CCericola said:


> - What is your base price fee for what I am asking?



$48,417.32 US.  Sign the attached contract, and return with a deposit of 50% ($24,208.66 US).



CCericola said:


> Is that negotiable?



Nope.



CCericola said:


> - Your availability/ schedule for the 12th of MAY? You available?



Not a problem.



CCericola said:


> - willing to travel ?



Yepper!



CCericola said:


> considering both the lodging and the travels will be taken care of.



My travel & lodging expenses are included in the price.


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## yoursandminestudio (Mar 14, 2012)

How do they get our email addresses and what is their purpose for sending out these spam emails?  Any Ideas?

Don Pedrino
Los Angeles Engagement Photography - Yours and Mine Studio


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## SCraig (Mar 14, 2012)

yoursandminestudio said:


> ... and what is their purpose for sending out these spam emails?  Any Ideas?
> http://www.yoursandminestudio.com


Um, just a guess, but maybe they are looking for a wedding photographer?  Why do you think it's spam?


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## yoursandminestudio (Mar 14, 2012)

It was just weird... They didnt even use my photography email, got to my personal one and it was obviously a mass email because i was BCC'ed on it.  But I dont know why its a scam persay.  I feel like a bride who is mass emailing wedding photog's is going to be very difficult to work with. (Personal Opinion)


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## andreanefraser (Mar 14, 2012)

I just received the exact email...  I knew something was wrong just by the way it was written.


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## Josh66 (Mar 14, 2012)

yoursandminestudio said:


> How do they get our email addresses and what is their purpose for sending out these spam emails?  Any Ideas?
> 
> Don Pedrino
> Los Angeles Engagement Photography - Yours and Mine Studio



You know how everyone drops their business card in the little jar for a chance at winning a 'prize'?

Guess what the prize is.


edit
That may not be what happened here - but that is a major source of information for scammers.  They just ask for contact information, and thousands of people hand it over without even thinking about it.


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## SCraig (Mar 14, 2012)

yoursandminestudio said:


> It was just weird... They didnt even use my photography email, got to my personal one and it was obviously a mass email because i was BCC'ed on it.  But I dont know why its a scam persay.  I feel like a bride who is mass emailing wedding photog's is going to be very difficult to work with. (Personal Opinion)


Or she may be a bride who knows exactly what she wants, has the money to pay for it, and is trying to find someone to provide exactly what she wants.

Maybe it is a scam, I admit it is somewhat odd especially since it wasn't sent to your photography email, but I honestly don't see anything that unusual about someone asking for pricing on exactly what they want.


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## Derrel (Mar 14, 2012)

SCraig said:


> yoursandminestudio said:
> 
> 
> > It was just weird... They didnt even use my photography email, got to my personal one and it was obviously a mass email because i was BCC'ed on it.  But I dont know why its a scam persay.  I feel like a bride who is mass emailing wedding photog's is going to be very difficult to work with. (Personal Opinion)
> ...



Ummmmm....you seem to be a genuinely trusting individual SCraig....I find myself a bit short of cash this month for expenses...could you perhaps see your way clear to loan me $50,000, just until the first of next month?? I'll pay you back, with interest! Cash would be preferred. I can arrange a courier service to pick the bag full of cash up anywhere in Tennessee. Thanks so much! Signed, Scammer D.


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## 480sparky (Mar 14, 2012)

SCraig said:


> yoursandminestudio said:
> 
> 
> > ... and what is their purpose for sending out these spam emails?  Any Ideas?
> ...



First, the wedding is in Canada, the OP is in New Jersey.  Kinda out of the OPs area, I would think.

Second, they simply copied someone's website:



> 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 .
> ...


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## mommy-medic (Mar 14, 2012)

If its a scam, what do they stand to gain? 

I agree it's a phony or phishing email, and would bet that if you replied as if you believed them they would want bank info "to wire you money from a rich Nigerian relative". 

Just an odd approach.


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## yoursandminestudio (Mar 14, 2012)

LoL Derrel!

Yeah it's the second one I got.  I mean no harm in responding but I am just not sure what the point of it is.  I have never given out my personal email address for photog stuff but someone must have gotten it obviously.  Anyways, The good thing is I googled her name and email address and found this forum so I signed up.  Gotta play around on here now and see what it is all about!




Derrel said:


> SCraig said:
> 
> 
> > yoursandminestudio said:
> ...


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## Josh66 (Mar 14, 2012)

mommy-medic said:


> If its a scam, what do they stand to gain?


Wedding Photography Service Needed Scam - Fraud
Drew Faber Photography Alert for Other Photographers
Fraud attempts target wedding photographers

The second link explains how the scam works pretty good.

edit
Really, they all explain it pretty good - the seconds one just wraps it up quicker.


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## SCraig (Mar 14, 2012)

Derrel said:


> Ummmmm....you seem to be a genuinely trusting individual SCraig....I find myself a bit short of cash this month for expenses...could you perhaps see your way clear to loan me $50,000, just until the first of next month?? I'll pay you back, with interest! Cash would be preferred. I can arrange a courier service to pick the bag full of cash up anywhere in Tennessee. Thanks so much! Signed, Scammer D.


That's not necessary.  Just send me the account number and account holder's name where you want the money deposited and I'll take care of the rest


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## 480sparky (Mar 14, 2012)

O|||||||O said:


> Drew Faber Photography Alert for Other Photographers



Those who put white letters on a black background should be shot, drawn & quartered, hung, poisoned, spiked, racked, drowned, burned at the stake, knees split, thumb-screwed, keel-hauled, stoned and branded.


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## Tee (Mar 14, 2012)

Here's what you do:  lean back, interlock your hands behind your head and give a slight nod.  You made it.  Light cigar or other smoke related product.  Enjoy fleeting fame for a few minutes.


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## Overread (Mar 14, 2012)

Sparky you need to draw and quarter last not first. If you do it first then all the rest is just mutilation not torture cause the bodies rather dead after being quartered


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## theHphoto (Mar 14, 2012)

> From:     Kelly Rodriguez <hpharaon@outdoormedias.com>
> Subject:     INVITATION FOR WEDDING SHOOT IN CANADA
> Date:     March 14, 2012 3:53:39 PM EDT



Hello, I am new on this forum but I found it while I was trying to see if the email from From:     Kelly Rodriguez <hpharaon@outdoormedias.com> is a scam. So, I just want to say Hello and to mention that I got the same email.


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## 480sparky (Mar 14, 2012)

Overread said:


> Sparky you need to draw and quarter last not first. If you do it first then all the rest is just mutilation not torture cause the bodies rather dead after being quartered



I do all that so fast, the poor victim is perfectly conscience through the entire process.  They are all so excuisitely timed that the ME cannot determine COD.


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## Josh66 (Mar 14, 2012)

Three people in three states got the same email.  I don't think there can be any doubt any more that it's a scam.  


For those that don't want to click the links, here's how the scam works:

They send you a money order as payment for your services.  Since they are out of the country (Canada in this case), they ask you to use part of that money to pay the cake guy (or whatever - some other vendor), who is actually in on the scam.
You pay the cake guy.  Then, too late, your bank informs you that their check/money order was no good.

Now, you're out however much you paid to the other guy, and all you have to show for it is a fake money order.


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## 480sparky (Mar 14, 2012)

O|||||||O said:


> Three people in three states got the same email.  I don't think there can be any doubt any more that it's a scam.
> 
> 
> For those that don't want to click the links, here's how the scam works:
> ...




So the check you sent me is fake?


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## Overread (Mar 14, 2012)

Cheque!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Josh66 (Mar 14, 2012)

480sparky said:


> O|||||||O said:
> 
> 
> > Three people in three states got the same email.  I don't think there can be any doubt any more that it's a scam.
> ...


Hey man, I don't care what your bank told you - my money is good.  Money of pink paper isn't unheard of, and lots of Presidents wore a monocle.


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## 480sparky (Mar 14, 2012)

O|||||||O said:


> ........lots of Presidents wore a monocle.



Yeah, but how many presidents wore pink tu-tus, cowboy boots and Dr. Seuss hats?


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## bergenjente (Mar 16, 2012)

I got the same exact email, but it was from Kelly Brown.  Same fiance, though!  haha!  And same exact "wish list".  Maybe she decided to change her name before the wedding.    Total scam!  




SCraig said:


> yoursandminestudio said:
> 
> 
> > It was just weird... They didnt even use my photography email, got to my personal one and it was obviously a mass email because i was BCC'ed on it.  But I dont know why its a scam persay.  I feel like a bride who is mass emailing wedding photog's is going to be very difficult to work with. (Personal Opinion)
> ...


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## Brohart (Mar 16, 2012)

Hi, Good morning . This is Kelly . Still havent heard back from you ... Just checking in to see if you got my previous email . PLEASE 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 Ontario, CANADA . 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 Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street, Toronto. 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 .


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## Brohart (Mar 16, 2012)

this is her second email to me, this time she was Kelly Brown


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## 480sparky (Mar 16, 2012)

Brohart said:


> this is her second email to me, this time she was Kelly Brown



That's because she got married to Mike Brown.



CCericola said:


> ............Hi! I'm Kelly Rodriguez. Mike and I will be getting married soon.....


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## Brohart (Mar 16, 2012)

I tracked the email back to Nigeria, (go figure) I guess that Prince is getting married to Kelly.
thanks to the wonders of IP address embedded in almost every email mystery solved ...​Scooby Snacks for all my friends​


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