Members jimiv Posted February 21, 2013 Members Share Posted February 21, 2013 Hey Guys: Anybody have anything like this happen to you? Over the past year I have been getting e-mails from time to time sent to our webpage address. Not very many, maybe two other instances where the sender is claiming to be out of the country and is planning a wedding in some large city, but does not name the venue and tells us that they need a price. I usually respond by saying I need to hear from them via telephone so I can go over the particulars so I can give them a quote. Usually don't hear back.. This time, I get the initial e-mail and then I sent the response I just described. I then get another e-mail which gives particulars like amount of time; Number of players, ceremony music, etc. But pieces of the particulars sounded out of touch to me based on what I usually see. (A huge red flag was the fact that the wedding is supposed to take place in six weeks and they still have not named the venue). At this point, I am thinking scam for sure, but I send a quote anyway. So I get this today:Hi Jim, This is Melissa XXXXX. Sorry I have been a little sick. We currently plan on arriving back to the states by next weekend. So we can sit, discuss and finalize the details of our wedding. However, I have just been informed the check got sent out to you successfully. It was actually made out from a member of our family there who has personally decided to finance the booking of our vendors. Be informed!!! Check was accidentally issued out for more than the required deposit. So at this point, We ask that you deduct the total amount in full. Please see below.. I would suggest you cash the whole check, deduct the total amount in full! and kindly forward on the excess money to our agent ( for booking the other vendors).. I hope this is not an issue with you? Please understand how chaotic it has been planning from here and with the wedding so close. I will email you the name and the address information of our agent where to forward on the difference of the money as soon as you have gotten the check payment. I trust this is all going to be fine..Get back to me soon and let me know how you would like to proceed with this. Thank you So, they want me to cut a check for the overage and send it back? So they can get account numbers, names addresses, off my check etc? The deposit is 3 grand. I am thinking at this point to just report it and quit screwing around.. Anybody have anything happen like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted February 21, 2013 Members Share Posted February 21, 2013 Yes. We had one of these once a couple of years ago. Luckily they are pretty few and far between. For now anyway. Seems it's just another variation on the old "Prince from Nigeria" email scam.Musicians probably seem like a likely target to be stupid enough to fall for it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted February 22, 2013 Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 We also get the "just give us a price without any details" requests. My guess is a lot of those are probably other bands fishing around to see what you're charging. I'd be lying if I said I never did similar things myself, (although I'd like to think I'm a bit more discreet about it....lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted February 22, 2013 Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 jimiv wrote: So, they want me to cut a check for the overage and send it back? So they can get account numbers, names addresses, off my check etc? That's not how the scam works. The check will "clear" your bank, you'll send the excess back, and a week later the bank will take the money back and you'll be out whatever you sent them back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimiv Posted February 22, 2013 Author Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 Hey your name doesn't happen to be Melissa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nobodyknows Posted February 22, 2013 Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 Roadranger has it right - that is indeed the scam and how it operatesDo not send money and don't bank the cheque either - bin it and tell "Melissa" not to bother you anymore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members n9ne Posted February 22, 2013 Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 You should tell "Melissa" that, due to circumstances beyond your control, you're unable to cut her a check because your financial assets have been frozen by the government, due to a misunderstanding over some human trafficking charges. However, as a show of good faith, you have enclosed several grams of high-grade black tar heroin (include a small baggy filled with a substance that looks like heroin) for she and her fiance to enjoy....and if she's interested, you could supply "party favors" for the entire wedding party on her magical day.And if she has any out-of-town guests coming in for the wedding, you also have the means of providing female companionship during their stay, at a price commensurate to the level of companionship required.And finally, you could close by mentioning that you'll be flying to South America on business in a couple weeks.....and you were wondering if "Melissa" would be interested in accompanying you, so that the two of you can "discuss the wedding arrangments" and "get to know one another a bit better". Promise her that no harm will come to her, and assure her once again that no matter what she may have read in the paper or seen on CNN, those human trafficking charges were just a misunderstanding that got blown way out of proportion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimiv Posted February 22, 2013 Author Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 Hahahahaha, pretty funny. I mainly wanted to post this for informational purposes to anyone who gets something similar. it does seem like the past six months I have gotten more of these types of scammy emails than what should be the norm. Probably all from the same source, I can say that I am able to view where the hits on my website come from. city and country. Nothing from Nigeria, but alot of activity from Russia. Hmmmmmm. Hell, could be somebody from the next town over for all I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members n9ne Posted February 22, 2013 Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 I've thought before that, if there was a way to make it untraceable, I would make a two-sided photcopy of a $100 bill, then send them whatever money they requested in fake $100 bills. (I figure most foreigners probably don't deal much with US Currency, so they'd be less likely to spot an obvious fake.) They deposit the fake money in their own bank, and they get busted for counterfeiting.The only problem is, I'm sure the US Secret Service would eventually get involved, and very quickly track down the source of the funny money. And that would just suck all the fun right out the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted February 22, 2013 Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 Just FYI $100 bills are what fuel the black markets in most non-eu countries. They wouldn't try to deposit them - but maybe you'd luck out and they'd get wacked by whomever they tried to pass them to . I hear tell the Russian/Nigerian/Whatever Mafia don't have much of a sense of humor LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members trevcda Posted February 22, 2013 Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 guido61 wrote: Musicians probably seem like a likely target to be stupid enough to fall for it.... Hell, they're dumb enough to play for free at jam nights, battle of the bands, city sponsored events, grand openings and any number of other unpaid gigs where everybody else but them gets paid, all in the name of "exposure". Why wouldn't they fall for the possibility of a piece of 3K? Sounds like a pretty easy mark to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted February 22, 2013 Members Share Posted February 22, 2013 Say " cool story bro" I'll rip up the check and send cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted February 23, 2013 Members Share Posted February 23, 2013 Are they going to meet you face to face? Tell them to bring cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mr3lions Posted February 23, 2013 Members Share Posted February 23, 2013 A slightly less than legal option: Offer to proceed with the deal when they send you a $50 money order to cover the fees from your bank. Cash the money order, rip up the check, never answer another e-mail. It's not like they're going to go to the authorities because their illegal scam didn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted February 26, 2013 Members Share Posted February 26, 2013 Have them western Union the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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