lizziekira
Member
Hello fellow geeks,
In the past month I received ample bookings from people who have found my website on Kyotee, an online business directory. Before I go any further, i must say that I have no problem with Kyotee as I know these people were not affiliated with them, and are merely using it as a resource.
BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My first enquiry was regarding a lavish wedding in Scotland hwere they would fly me up there, pay for hotel, and they wanted to hie me as a personal make-up artist for the day, and do all the nails for the bridal party, etc. In total the trip would have cost £1000. Ithough they must have heard of me from word of mouth otherwise surely they would have got someone more local.
I just went on holiday for 2 weeks and found two more enquiries from my Kyotee ad, one for a wedding in wales, a mother in the states contactinh me for services around £1000 total , and another from a chap in the states whose daughter was getting married in manchester.
All fair and well, I submitted an itemised bill of services, and booked the hotel for one of them. They sent me an e-mail saying they would send me a cashier's cheque for £4500 from which I should take my money and send the remaining money onto their dressmaker, whom they owe £3500. They wanted me to send it via Western Union.
Immediately I heard alarm bells. You should never use Western union unless you are dealing with a trused source.
I gave my first client the benefit of the doubt and agrred to do this as she seemed very stressed with the wedding, so anything i could do to help. I have not yet received the cheque.
When my second client asked me to do something similar I though either because they are american they may do things differently to Uk, or they are up to something. I googled the keywords "wedding" and "western union" to research this. I came up with this website for photographers check it out: http://www.joewein.de/sw/fraud-wedding-photographer.htm
Looks like you receive the cheque, wait for it to clear your bank, send on the excess money, then the cheque ends up being fraudulent. Not really sure how this works, but i'm just glad I caught this in time. When i receive the cheques I am handing them straight over to the police. I have also contacted Kyotee to warn them of what is happening so hopefully they will send out an E-mail to all their advertisers.
If you do get an enquiry watch for these signs:
I hope I have explained this clearly. If you have any questions pm me or send me an e-mail and I will e-mail you copies of my e-mails to show you what to look for.
Disappointing as it was to find out this was not genuine business (it would have paid off my car!!) I am glad that I saw it coming and did not risk loosing thousand of pounds that I did not have.:cry:
Best regards,
Elaine
In the past month I received ample bookings from people who have found my website on Kyotee, an online business directory. Before I go any further, i must say that I have no problem with Kyotee as I know these people were not affiliated with them, and are merely using it as a resource.
BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My first enquiry was regarding a lavish wedding in Scotland hwere they would fly me up there, pay for hotel, and they wanted to hie me as a personal make-up artist for the day, and do all the nails for the bridal party, etc. In total the trip would have cost £1000. Ithough they must have heard of me from word of mouth otherwise surely they would have got someone more local.
I just went on holiday for 2 weeks and found two more enquiries from my Kyotee ad, one for a wedding in wales, a mother in the states contactinh me for services around £1000 total , and another from a chap in the states whose daughter was getting married in manchester.
All fair and well, I submitted an itemised bill of services, and booked the hotel for one of them. They sent me an e-mail saying they would send me a cashier's cheque for £4500 from which I should take my money and send the remaining money onto their dressmaker, whom they owe £3500. They wanted me to send it via Western Union.
Immediately I heard alarm bells. You should never use Western union unless you are dealing with a trused source.
I gave my first client the benefit of the doubt and agrred to do this as she seemed very stressed with the wedding, so anything i could do to help. I have not yet received the cheque.
When my second client asked me to do something similar I though either because they are american they may do things differently to Uk, or they are up to something. I googled the keywords "wedding" and "western union" to research this. I came up with this website for photographers check it out: http://www.joewein.de/sw/fraud-wedding-photographer.htm
Looks like you receive the cheque, wait for it to clear your bank, send on the excess money, then the cheque ends up being fraudulent. Not really sure how this works, but i'm just glad I caught this in time. When i receive the cheques I am handing them straight over to the police. I have also contacted Kyotee to warn them of what is happening so hopefully they will send out an E-mail to all their advertisers.
If you do get an enquiry watch for these signs:
- The e-mailer introduces themself as a professional and gives you part of their life story,
- Their english is very poor with broken sentences and mad continuity
- They want you to receive a cashier's cheque or banker's draft.
- They want you to send money via Western Union
- All expenses and travel paid.
- They give you a random address that seems to have no specific venue for the wedding, or certainly no the type of lavish wedding you would expect it to be.
I hope I have explained this clearly. If you have any questions pm me or send me an e-mail and I will e-mail you copies of my e-mails to show you what to look for.
Disappointing as it was to find out this was not genuine business (it would have paid off my car!!) I am glad that I saw it coming and did not risk loosing thousand of pounds that I did not have.:cry:
Best regards,
Elaine
