319-313-6355

SCAMMER!! Sent me a fake check. I reported to Delray Beach police. He used name Matthew Moore. Targeted Wedding Photographer. Check drawn on Northern Trust Bank, Called me Dec 13, 2019.

This scammer contacted me stating he was looking for a bartender for his wedding, since I offer mobile bartender services. He said that his boss was paying for the bartender service and will be sending a check for the payment. Three days after depositing the check it bounced and will not respond to my emails or texts.

Put this number in their contract for my photography business. Contacted me with another number and they messed up their numbers in the contract. And they were suspicious anyway when they contacted me but I trusted them. Then sent me a check and it locked my account. They tried to get money from me to pay their DJ for the wedding because they sent me the DJ money as well and my money. Already a suspicion. That day I found out the check was fake so now I have to deal with that fake check in my account. Don't trust this number!

I had the same thing with them for a wedding as well, but im a Photographer. Gotta deal with the check locking my account now. Good thing I found this now tho! Thank you for your post!

Same experience as everyone above. I’m a wedding photographer in California. I was told they were going to send me the money for myself and the DJ, which I disagreed to. But they still sent me a check with more than I needed anyway. I deposited a check, slept on it and went to the bank first thing to have it investigated. My account isn’t on hold but they removed the deposit.  Now a person from this phone number is texting me and asking for their money back. Telling me the same narrative as everyone above.

Contacted needing an Makeup artist. Sent a check which I told them I wouldn’t take unless I got it verified. Sent way too much saying it was for both me and the photographer which no info was provided on them either. Sounded sketchy when she contacted me but gave the benefit of the doubt. Looked up the number when she finally decided to give me the phone number to contact her. Looked it up and read the reports. Will not be depositing the check to avoid issues.

Same thing is happening to me now! So glad I trusted my gut and did some investigating to know this is false. Said the money was for me and the DJ. Glad to know I am not alone in this. Hopefully she/ he will leave people alone....

This person as Thersa Ba, Groom Ove Gerlad. Getting married at my local state park- I charged $600. They asked for my address and etc. I told them if I didn’t speak to them yet- because of my experience NO bride or groom books without speaking to photographer yet in person or over a call. Anyways, made it sound super real. sent me a check of $2650, because boss was too pay for his contribution. Fishy, i know. Well- I deposited the check and $500 went through first and the remaining next day. I sent them back the $500 to put towards DJ. Then my bank paused my account because of potential scam activity, sure enough. Yes it was and I’m out $500 because I zelled  it back to a email that is emandug99@gmail.com.

I’m just beyond myself.
Stay safe people.

Also I must add they sent me $2650 because the boss “included the DJ, so send back his part and you keep yours after”

Contacted me as a wedding photographer, same story as above. Sent me a check for $2650 because "their boss included payment for the DJ." I didn't deposit the check and contacted local authorities

Wow....same exact story happened to me. Every single detail. Gladly, decided to check the number out before sending anything their way. WAY too fishy with the details & how they were acting!

This just happened to me today...

Something just happen to me!!!  Sent check said his name was Zion. Never wanted to talk, or fill out contact. Looked up his number and here we are! Just wondering what is he getting out of all of this?

Quote:

Just wondering what is he getting out of all of this?

Seriously?  You can't figure that out from reading the other posts?

Business Scam

Well known business scam.  Generally, it goes like this:

They will text or email you with a fairly large order to get your attention.  Almost all communications will be by text or email (because they are foreigners and English is not their first language which is oft times obvious in the quality of the text or email) and there will be some excuse, such as they are deaf, or sick, or somewhere that doesn't have phone service (then how did the text get out?).  They want to know if you take credit cards, and if so, which ones?  They don't care about the price since it will always seem reasonable or low.  They then tell you that they want to place the order, and have someone pick the order up, who conveniently does not accept credit cards and that is the only way they have of paying right now.  So they will overpay you and tell you to send the difference by untraceable means such as Western Union to this person for them.  Eventually the card they give you will be reversed and you will be out the money and the fees.

They have now also started using the same scams they use on Craigslist, i.e. fake checks, money orders, and PayPal.  They tell you they will send a cashier’s check or money order for that amount plus extra for someone else, be it a driver, or a planner, or even the florist or decorator.  Of course, none of those people will accept checks either, or they make an excuse that it easier for them to send one check to you for everything.  They count on the fact that people don’t know or realize that the funds being made available by the bank and the check actually clearing are two completely different things.  They ask you to wire that extra money by untraceable means such as Western Union or Moneygram.  The check or money order turns out to be bogus and you end up out the money you sent plus the bank fees.  Also, if the check is big enough you may end up being charged criminally.  Please note that check was probably mailed from somewhere in the US, so it is very important that you take the check and the envelope it came in to the Post Office and have them forward it to the Postal Inspectors.

In the case of them using PayPal, the same thing happens.  They send a fake email looking like it came from PayPal, get you to pay the shipper, and then find out that the e mail was fake and no money is available.

I am Also a photographer and the SAME EXACT situation just happened to me. Theresa Ba and Ove Gerald as bride and groom — signed the contract and sent over a check for $2650. They also stated that the DJ money was sent over accidentally. So glad i didn’t Cash the check! I had a weird gut feeling, NO bride/groom would ever send payment without getting on the phone, meeting in person, etc

Scammer. Sent money for wedding Photography and DJ money? We only agreed on deposit for the photography and sent us $2650. WAY more than what we agreed on. The number they texted us from was not the one of the contract. The check was fake- no number or bank logo. The check was also created on Sunday- banks are closed. They keep asking for the check to be deposited right away.

The bride and grooms name is Theresa Ba and Gerald Ove.

Same story. A “bride to be” emailed me booking me (a wedding photographer) for their wedding. First red flag was that they used the ADDRESS of a local venue (not the venue name and that they had not yet booked) and told me the wedding was in 2 months (second red flag, who books a wedding venue 2 months in advance?) I kindly declined and they kept ignoring my messages saying they would send a $500 deposit from their bosses company. I called the venue that was associated with the address and they told me no one by the name of “Theresa Ba and Ove Gerald” had booked the venue.
Please do not be giving out addresses for a deposit check from these people. Y’all be safe out there.

This person is targeting Columbus, Ohio wedding vendors. Please be careful. I have lost $2750 to him because I wanted to send back the difference and my deposit money, I wanted to cancel him. His name is Zion right now. I made him call me but he muted himself. Please protect yourself. I'm only starting out, even quitted my job to persue freelancing, and this hit my first thing. He's on The Knot so I thought he was legit. The bank won't allow the dispute. The police doesn't protect you. You really are on your own. Be safe with your business and I hope the best for you guys. Me? Still gonna pursue my dreams, I don't have $3k to lose but I reckon, it's all a test of faith. Right?

Had the same thing happen to me.. She or he is sending me threatening emails saying they know where i live now. I did not deposit the check because it had no return label and was not the amount we agreed on. I knew it was a scam.

Usually the scam works by sending you a bad check. If that is the case, the police should be interested. That fraud. Try the Post Office, that might qualify as mail fraud.