Anyone get an inquiry from Canada today?

[Mindy H]

I got a call earlier today from a potential customer. The man was calling me from Canada. Said he was going to be travelling here locally for a conference and wanted to schedule a portrait session for he and his girlfriend while he was here.

He asked quite a few detailed questions about services....more so than 99% of other clients before booking. Something didn't feel quite right while we were chit chatting. I actually thought it was another photographer or something fishing for info.

I emailed more info to him. I just wanted to check and see if anyone else got the call and got a strange feeling from it. There seem to be tons of photographer scams going on lately....just want to do what I can before he calls back tomorrow.

I double checked all of the numbers he gave me, email addy, etc....and they all match up, so nothing fishy there. Just a vibe....compounded by him being from outside the US.

Thanks!

[CaptainTom]

You've got to go with your instincts. Being careful is useful.
I hope it all works out to be up and up.

I haven't heard of any Canadian scams going on right now.

[dbphotos]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

You've got to go with your instincts. Being careful is useful.
I hope it all works out to be up and up.

I haven't heard of any Canadian scams going on right now.

Tom, your reply is pissing me off, annoying me and making me mad! Oh yeah! It certainly isn't living up to my expectations!

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by dbphotos

Tom, your reply is pissing me off, annoying me and making me mad! Oh yeah! It certainly isn't living up to my expectations!

I'm terribly sorry Mr. Bailey. Of course I would never say anything on this forum to intentionally upset anyone. I don't mean to get anyone mad regarding anything I say.
But, I must interject that my reply was meant to encourage and not discourage the original poster. In fact, I was hoping it would make her want to meet with me where I could use my gentlemanly charms to get her to spend a week with me in one of my several multi-million dollar hide aways on the Mediterranean.

I must sign off now because my nurse has informed me it is time for my 'happy pills'. When I neglect to take them I have been known to lie like a Turkish whore.

[SpeedRacerSlots]

Tom, you crack me up!

[Mindy H]

Tom....pass the happy pills please.

[Kalrog]

Originally Posted by Mindy H

Tom....pass the happy pills please.

Mindy - when you are done with them... please? I'll chase them with some scotch.

[CaptainTom]

P.S. Mr. Bailey is a good friend, and completely understands my problem...

[bondarnes]

To be on the safe side take Tom (or someone else packin' heat) along to the shoot.

[baldheretic]

I would only tend to worry about a scam when there's money being exchanged or if they're asking questions about proprietary aspects of your business.

As Tom says, trust your instincts but don't let paranoia get the best of you.

[janikphoto]

Originally Posted by baldheretic

I would only tend to worry about a scam when there's money being exchanged or if they're asking questions about proprietary aspects of your business.

As Tom says, trust your instincts but don't let paranoia get the best of you.

I would HOPE there is money being exchanged!!! I wouldn't shoot a bunch of Canadians for free! well, maybe Rush or Barenaked Ladies, but not some unknown Canadian.

[Coogie]

Something seems fishy about this. If they wanted a portrait session, why wouldn't they get it in Canada? Most of the time when people travel, they just get the usual snap shot type pictures. There is a chance that it's legit but if they attempt to send you a money order, it's most likely a scam - either sending you a bigger money order and asking you to refund the difference (with the money order being fake) or coming up with a bleeding heart story about how they have to cancel the trip and asking for a refund.

It's a sad that we have to assume the worst in people but that's how it is. Someone stole my identity last week and attempted to get a credit card in my name (and SSN somehow) last week so you can never be too paranoid.

[baldheretic]

Originally Posted by janikphoto

I would HOPE there is money being exchanged!!! I wouldn't shoot a bunch of Canadians for free! well, maybe Rush or Barenaked Ladies, but not some unknown Canadian.

It just seemed to me that what the OP was describing was a call from Canada just asking questions and that no deal had been struck at this point.
Maybe I read it wrong but all I was saying if there's a scam involved it comes at the point where the discussion turns to money exchanging hands.

Then you need to watch out for advance fee fraud or any other of a number of potential scams.

[lscottpht]

Hmm, I've had a lot of Canadian clients, but they are booking for a destination wedding. So, in that case, it's just as cheap for them to hire a Texas photog, or perhaps cheaper, than a Canadian one. It seems kind of weird that this is just for a portrait session, unless they want it representative of Texas. Usually, however, the scams pretty much say they want to book you for your services and do not ask a ton of question. It's a tough call on this one.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by Coogie

Something seems fishy about this. If they wanted a portrait session, why wouldn't they get it in Canada? Most of the time when people travel, they just get the usual snap shot type pictures. There is a chance that it's legit but if they attempt to send you a money order, it's most likely a scam - either sending you a bigger money order and asking you to refund the difference (with the money order being fake) or coming up with a bleeding heart story about how they have to cancel the trip and asking for a refund.

It's a sad that we have to assume the worst in people but that's how it is. Someone stole my identity last week and attempted to get a credit card in my name (and SSN somehow) last week so you can never be too paranoid.

Why not Canada? The Wife iis Canada and the Girlfreind is in Texas with him.