Travelers Cheque Fraud/Counterfiting

[newbie_photog]

I was tenitively booked to shoot an event out of town. I charged them $800 for an 8 hour event. Today I got $2000 in blank travelers cheques, from someone I don't know, that were obviously counterfit with nothing else in the envolope. I took them to the issueing institution and confirmed that they are counterfit and they are investigating it on their end. When I got home from there I checked my email and got an email saying that due to a managerial problem had occured and that they had sent too much and to cash the check take my payment and send the rest back to them via information that they would provide. To this point all contact has been via email and I have not been able to get the persons name or an exact location of the event. I did however have them email me the tracking number to match that it infact was the same person.

So this post was for two purposes one to let people know that this scam is going on and to ask what you all would do. Do I give them the benifit of doubt and tell them I could not cash the checks and try to get paid and still do the shoot (if there really is a shoot), do I tell them that the checks were counterfit (possibly someone is trying to run a scam on them)?

thanks for the input sorry this is so long
Jared

[newbie_photog]

I was tenitively booked to shoot an event out of town. I charged them $800 for an 8 hour event. Today I got $2000 in blank travelers cheques, from someone I don't know, that were obviously counterfit with nothing else in the envolope. I took them to the issueing institution and confirmed that they are counterfit and they are investigating it on their end. When I got home from there I checked my email and got an email saying that due to a managerial problem had occured and that they had sent too much and to cash the check take my payment and send the rest back to them via information that they would provide. To this point all contact has been via email and I have not been able to get the persons name or an exact location of the event. I did however have them email me the tracking number to match that it infact was the same person.

So this post was for two purposes one to let people know that this scam is going on and to ask what you all would do. Do I give them the benifit of doubt and tell them I could not cash the checks and try to get paid and still do the shoot (if there really is a shoot), do I tell them that the checks were counterfit (possibly someone is trying to run a scam on them)?

thanks for the input sorry this is so long
Jared

[newbie_photog]

Sorry accidently double posted this if a mod could remove one it would be appreciated.

[IndyJeff]

Personally I would just keep the check, of course you can't cash it, and when they email asking why you haven't sent them funds tell them because you have booked another job on that day which paid more. If they want to change the date you will be happy to make another appointment and reschedule. To do so however does require an extra charge which their original check is $150 short of so, if they send the additional funds along with the new date you will be happy to reschedule it.
From this point on you will be keeping their check as all deposits are non-refundable. You have deposited the check and if they want to take legal action against you fine but, your contracts are air tight and it states that no refunds and all deposits are kept whether or not the work is preformed.

Have a little fun with them. They know the check is no good so what are they gonna do? Call the cops? Bwhahahahaha

[ssim]

I highly doubt that there is a shoot at all. I agree that you should just have some fun with them. Of course if you do, you need to keep us apprised as these always are a good read.

[newbie_photog]

Me keeping the check is out, they were travelers with the AAA logo on them and have been reported and forwarded to their Fraud department. I work for a police department so I am pretty quick to report stuff like this. They certainly won't be getting a refund, I just have to find a good story to put up I guess.

I pretty much guessed that there wasn't a shoot but I wanted to see what you all thought.

[sspellman]

NewB-

This is a standard scam often called the Nigerian or 419 scam. I use PayPal for all out out of town or first time clients. It eliminates all this bull****.

-Scott

[Village_Idiot]

This happens a lot, just usually in online purchases or different context

Read up at Snopes.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/cashier.asp

[newbie_photog]

Thanks for the info Village, I don't keep up on the paticular scams much but I am generally pretty careful about it. So I guess I will be going with sspellman's idea and use paypal for out of town customers.

[Village_Idiot]

Thanks for the info Village, I don't keep up on the paticular scams much but I am generally pretty careful about it. So I guess I will be going with sspellman's idea and use paypal for out of town customers.

Meh...Paypal isn't the most secure either. I've had bad experiences with them as a seller.

I sold something and the buyer reported "non receipt of item" three days after he paid and one day after it shipped. He got the item and after calling paypal like 3 times and them denying that they talked to me and got some important information on one of those occasions, reversed the transaction giving the money back to the buyer and charging a credit card of mine for $250. I called the credit card company and they took care of the charge and paypal, but it was a huge hassle and took over a month to get cleared up.

Just make sure you use your credit card with them and if you think it's a scam, don't hesitate to check it out.

[gkas]

There never was a shoot.... they were never going to pay you anything. It was all a scam.

[rhys]

It's a varient of Chief Unga Bunga of Boogie-Woogie Land dropping dead and you having to send $10,000 to cover bank fees in return for which you are promised a portion of a mythical large sum of money.

[PhotosGuy]

Do I give them the benifit of doubt... It's a well known scam. Sometimes they use bad "certified" checks.

[newbie_photog]

I'm just glad I didn't try to cash the checks. It is much better to out a gig than out a gig and the extra money too. Thanks for all the info.

Jared

[rhys]

I'm just glad I didn't try to cash the checks. It is much better to out a gig than out a gig and the extra money too. Thanks for all the info.

Jared

Honestly it's so hard to keep ahead of all the scams. It's got to the point where credit cards aren't worth taking and cheques need to be checked by the bank before you know whether they have gone through. Cash isn't that great either because of the relative ease with which money can be forged. We're almost back at the point where we'll have to exchange chickens, eggs, cheese, milk and horsemeat in exchange for services.

[Rubi Jane]

I'd want to have a little fun with them and try and get some info to help AAA with their investigation.

Perhaps you tell them you have deposited the T-cheques into your account using an instant teller and they take 5 business days to clear but when the funds are in your account you'll email them and get the address to send a cheque for the difference.

Then email them a few days later saying the T-cheques cleared and you have a cheque for the difference - see if they are stupid enough to give you a mailing address. If they do shoot it over to the AAA along with their email addres so the can get an IP. If they don't reply ...oh well ;)

[Scott_Quier]

Honestly it's so hard to keep ahead of all the scams. It's got to the point where credit cards aren't worth taking and cheques need to be checked by the bank before you know whether they have gone through. Cash isn't that great either because of the relative ease with which money can be forged. We're almost back at the point where we'll have to exchange chickens, eggs, cheese, milk and horsemeat in exchange for services.A little off topic, but this is why I carry a "Counterfiet Detector Pen" and check all bills over $5 before I accept them. I even check the $$ I get from the bank teller before I leave the counter. I've had a few of them smile and others that ask what I'm up to and that I don't have to worry about it. I just ask them if they will replace a bill that I later find to be junk. That quiets them down in a hurry.