An e-mail I got this morning... I kinda think it looks a bit fishy, but what do you guys think?
It's from a hotmail address, and TO a hotmail address, which isn't mine. Subject: PHOTOGRAPHER NEEDED ASAP
Hello,
My name is Kelvin Luciano. Am freelance modeling agent working for casting 123 model company which is based in the US and has branches also in Europe. I saw your profile and pictures while surfing the internet, I appreciate them and I would like us to do some works together. I presently have good offer for you. I want to know if you are interested in Photographing for me because I need pictures of a good looking Model who will be on the magazine cover of one of my clients but i have seen the model am to use but right now i need a very good and potential photographer who is going to help me to take her shoot. Please let me know if you are interested in the deal. You stand a chance of making reasonable $750 from this deal to start, and even a noticeable fame. Let me know if you are interested in my offer and I would give you further details.
Sounds like arse to me mate. If you want to dig deeper i'd found out which magazine he's talking about and where did he see your pictures? I would expect a cold-caller to be more forthcoming about these details.
The name is distinctly American (Irish-Italian), but the poor grammar sounds a bit too African for someone working in the US and occasionally Europe. "I presently have good offer for you." No one talks like that!
It's like reading through a mad gab book. A professional would not have such terrible grammar--even if he was based in India. Any self respecting professional would not send an email like that without at least having it read by someone who speaks proper english first.
looks like you caught a fish there. I love "I would like us to do some works together." I think this person needs to take a few more english language lessons before he tries to scam you.
"even a noticeable fame" like fame wouldn't be noticed?
Do you guys know that the practice of sending out emails like this makes up a lot of jobs across seas? A lot coming out of nigeria. There are actually rooms of computers, and people are paid to send out tons of these emails. I forget what the number was, but I know that millions were taken in last year. In fact...if anyone can find the article, an American Accountant was just taken in for more than 70K dollars by one of these scams- an accountant!!!! I think it was in a New Jersey Paper.
It's like reading through a mad gab book. A professional would not have such terrible grammar--even if he was based in India. Any self respecting professional would not send an email like that without at least having it read by someone who speaks proper english first.
I work with engineers from other countries where english is their second or third language and their emails look just like this, so I would not dismiss it on that alone, but it is a red flag and this does seem fishy.
