Expert Advice: Photographer Scams

Online scams are nothing new. These days, as schemes get more and more elaborate, it seems that anyone can fall victim. Photographers are no exception.

In recent weeks, several of our members received emails containing what looked like a terrific assignment. The sender, purportedly an editor from Cosmopolitan.com who found the photographers on Wonderful Machine, asked them to produce a fashion shoot. But some details did not quite add up and, one by one, the photographers started forwarding these emails to us. 

We are sharing the story here to help all photographers stay alert and protect themselves against similar scams in the future.

Fake assignments

“Hello, My name is Steven Brown, and I’m the booking Director and a contributor on www.cosmopolitan.com,” read the initial email. “I’m looking for a professional photographer to produce an independent outdoor fashion photoshoot for the magazine.”

Brown, who also identified himself as an “associate editor,” was inviting his prospects “to concept, shoot, and produce 25 images with a “smart, fun approach and distinctly Cosmopolitan style.” The images would become editorial content, which he planned to publish on “www.highnobiety.com”

In exchange, he was offering photographers a $2,000 fee, credits for the images, and “more gigs to come.” An additional $4000 was budgeted to cover the cost of two models, a hair/ makeup artist, and a wardrobe stylist. The client was to provide outfits.

 “If you find this interesting enough,” Brown offered, “please apply with personal info and samples of your work.” That was perhaps most bizarre: editors don’t usually provide assignments and then ask for a portfolio. It happens the other way around.

As we started reading carefully, several other red flags appeared:

• The email came from a Gmail address. If it were a real assignment, it would likely come from a Hearst or Cosmopolitan email address.
• There was no email signature, which is unusual.
• The phone number did not seem to belong to Cosmo. Nobody answered when we dialed; instead, there was an unidentified voice instructing callers to leave a message.
• The project description, which was attached to the email, was not on Hearst or Cosmo letterhead.
• There were several typos and syntax errors in both the email and the project description.
• The real Steven Brown’s job title is Bookings Director, not booking Director.
• The author referred to his parent company as Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. However, Hearst Communication owns Cosmopolitan Magazines.
• The URL provided – www.highnobiety (where the images would supposedly be published) – did not work. A Google search did not provide any other reference to that publication at all, let alone a connection to Hearst or Cosmo. Do they mean https://www.highsnobiety.com/?

In the 12 years Wonderful Machine has been in business, this is the 3rd or 4th time this has happened. In doing some research, it appears that fake assignments are some of the most common scams used against creatives. In this case, our members were cautious and did not choose to accept the offer. What would happen if they took the gig?

If accounts of previous such scams can serve as an indication, the photographer would most likely receive a check from the “client.” This check will include the payment for their fee, as well as the talent. The sender would then ask them to deposit it into their account and promptly send a payment to the talent agency (or another service needed to prepare for the shoot). If the photographer followed these directions, their bank would initially accept the original check, after which the photographer would dutifully send their check to the talent agency. So far, so good. Except the agency would not be legitimate — it would be associated with the scammer. In the meantime, the photographer’s bank would discover the cashier check was also fake and it would bounce. By that time, the money has already been sent, and the editor is nowhere in sight. Goodbye fee! Goodbye contract! Goodbye gig!

How to protect yourself

It’s only natural for freelance photographers who are trying to market their business to share information about themselves and their work with as many people as possible. This, of course, includes strangers.

The internet provides countless legitimate business opportunities, but it’s important to be aware of the risks. Here are some precautions that can help photographers protect themselves against scams:

• When considering assignments from people with whom you have never worked before, ask a lot of questions. Where is the shoot taking place? When? Who else is working on it? If you do not receive sufficient information, it should raise a flag. And if you do? Verify that information using Google and LinkedIn.
• Read everything carefully, paying attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation. 
• If something looks weird, paste fragments into Google and see whether anyone else has received a similar message. Scammers are too busy to write unique letters to each individual they are attempting to scam. Yes, they do copy and paste! So check if anybody shared anything on a blog or some online forum. Are there any company reviews coming up?
• Call the phone numbers they provide and try to talk to people. If the phone number doesn’t seem right, call the main phone number for that company and ask for that person. If they do not answer, or insist on communicating via e-mail only, it definitely is a warning sign as well. You might also vet names and numbers by visiting Unknown Phone or ICANN lookup.
• If you suspect you are a target, ignore the e-mail and do not engage the individual. Instead, report the case to the Federal Trade Commission by calling their hotline 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357) or filing an online complaint on their website. You can also visit the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Fraud Complaint Center.

Last but not least, share your story – write on your blog, post on social media, talk to other photographers. There is no better way to combat scammers than to publicize what they do and make other people aware of their tricks.

To learn more about photographer scams, read:

• PND’s Scam Alert: Phishing Scheme Targets Freelance Photographers and Update on a Photo Scam: Photographer Lucky to Get Money Back After Fake Fader Assignment
• Photoshelter’s 4 Scams that Target Photographers
• Petapixels’ Photographers, Beware These Fake Gig Scam Emails
• APhotoEditor’s Scam Alert: Fake Magazine Shoot (Departures, W, Others)

Please also reach out to Wonderful Machine by emailing or calling us at 610 260 0200!