Industry News: Another Magazine Photo Scam

We recently heard from some photographers who got emails from an editor claiming to be Jack Moss from anothermag.com. “Jack” asked the photographers to produce a fashion shoot. However, some details did not quite add up; and one after another, photographers started forwarding these emails to us. 

The “Assignment”

“I’m Jack, a beauty, fashion and lifestyle writer and editor at anothermag.com, a subsidiary of Dazed media and Dazed digital,” read the initial email. “I saw your profile on wonderfulmachine.com which led me to some of your work online and after going through your portfolio, I would like to learn more about your services.”

Jack was inviting photographers to “concept, shoot, and produce 36 images, featuring 3 models.” The scammer also mentioned that “you will be required to work with a company recommended hair/makeup artist and a wardrobe stylist, and bring a smart, fun approach and distinct style.” Here’s part of the PDF he sent to the photographers:

The scammer offered $3500 in photographer compensation — $1500 upfront and $2000 after the shoot — while earmarking $9500 for the total shoot budget (to include talent fees). The client would supply the wardrobe. Additionally, the photographer would hold the full image rights and said images would be posted as editorial content on AnOther Mag’s website for a year. 

Red Flags

Here are a few of the red flags that gave away the con artist:

• The email came from a Gmail address. If it were from the real Jack Moss, it would likely come from a Dazed or AnOther Mag email address.
• There were typos and syntax errors in the email and the attached project description, which would be uncharacteristic of someone in a leadership position at a mainstream magazine.
• Adam Lerner, one of the targeted photographers, mentioned that things felt “off” with the initial correspondence. To cover his bases, he set up a chat with the client to discuss the assignment and received a call from an East Hampton, New York phone number. During the call, Adam said, “he had answers to all my questions despite being completely flat in his demeanor. No enthusiasm, so I wasn’t completely re-assured to the legitimacy of this shoot after the call.”

Next Steps

In doing some research, it appears that fake assignments are some of the most common scams used against creatives. In this case, the photographers were cautious and didn’t bite on the offer. What would happen if they took the gig?

If accounts of previous photographer scams can serve as an indication, the photographer would most likely receive a check from the “client.” This check would include the payment for their fee, as well as for the talent. The sender would then ask the photographer to deposit the check and promptly send a payment to the talent agency (or another service needed to prepare for the shoot). If the photographer followed these instructions, 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 that their check was fake and it would bounce. By that time, the real money would already have been released to the con artist, and the “editor” would disappear. Goodbye fee! Goodbye contract! Goodbye gig! Here’s what that check would look like, via Jon Morgan:

As you can see, the scammer sent Jon $7,500 to cover his upfront fee ($1,500) and the talent compensation ($6,000). A final $2,000 would be given to Jon after the work was done, bringing the total to the $9,500 mentioned in the brief. 

Protecting Yourself From Photographer Scams

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 protect yourself against photographer 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? Verify that information using Google and LinkedIn.
• Be skeptical of the example images used in mood boards. Akilah Townsend, another photographer who got an email from “Jack,” figured out it was a scam in part because “the images he used weren’t tasteful, in my opinion. They didn’t look like what AnOther Mag would produce.” While subpar imagery might not be strong enough evidence on its own, it definitely should make you think twice.
• Akilah also saw that the Gmail address was weird and did some online research to get to the bottom of things. She said the final nail in the coffin was when the scammer “signed an email with a different editor’s name” — Akilah Googled that name and found out that person, Ethan D’spain, was at a different magazine. “My agent asked who the other person was and [“Jack”] claimed it was his friend helping with the project,” Akilah said. “Too many fishy things.” Here’s that second email the scammer sent to Akilah and her agent, Candace. Note the misspelling of “D’spain:”

• If the potential scammer is using the name of a real creative, email that person to confirm it’s not them. For example, Francis Hills reached out to the actual Jack Moss, who quickly replied by saying he did not send the initial email. 
• 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 — especially if English is not their first language! 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. If the phone number doesn’t seem right, call the main phone number for that company and ask for that person. If they don’t answer, or insist on communicating via e-mail only, it definitely is a common warning sign of photographer scams. You can also vet names and numbers by visiting ICANN lookup.
• If you believe that you’ve been the target of a scam, you can submit a complaint with 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.

Further Reading:

• Wonderful Machine: Expert Advice: Photo Assignment Scams
• Wonderful Machine: Industry News: Cosmopolitan Photo Scam
• Wonderful Machine: Industry News: Miami Vibes Magazine Photo Scam
• PDN: Scam Alert: Phishing Scheme Targets Freelance Photographers
• PDN: Update on a Photo Scam: Photographer Lucky to Get Money Back After Fake Fader Assignment
• Photoshelter: 4 Scams that Target Photographers
• Petapixel: Photographers, Beware These Fake Gig Scam Emails
• aPhotoEditor: Scam Alert: Fake Magazine Shoot (Departures, W, Others)

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