I have read about some ugly practises on LS a few weeks/months ago, and I am glad that some folks think of warning all of us about it and make us aware of that. The reason why I write today is to bump this issue again so it might be useful to somebody else. Let me explain.
I have replied two weeks ago to an online post (Craiglist) to cover a big event (that’s what I mostly shoot here since I arrived in DC), gathering 250 people coming from all around the world (trumpets please!), but without knowing where it was as there was no indication, The organiser came back to me with great compliments about my works (it’s always flattering, though I never forget I am not the only one and not the most wellknown and that we are a lot to be able to do as well) and asked for my rates + a quote for a big 3 days family event to be covered in Las Vegas (!!!)... Come on! Ain’t there no good event photographer in Nevada so the guy has to sollicitate a DC folk like me. I thought that I could probably be in competition with some others of course, and sent my quote back anyway. Response came quick (but still without any serious contact info from the dude, no adress, no phone number???): they are going to choose me to cover the event, just wait to get the final confirmation of the “planing committee”. Plane tickets, housing and meals will be covered (of course) and he asks for my contact info (adress, phone number) to send me a confirmation letter.
But my adress and contact was already provided in the quote I sent, hasn’t he read the quote properly? Then right away in the next sentence… and that is precisely where I am glad that I read about such practise on LS before, right away he writes to me what follows:
“An advance payment will be made to secure your services.”
“Advance payment” means that pretty soon the guy will ask me my banking informations. But who is he? I don’t know him at all. When I read “advance payment” I immediatly thought of things I had read in previous posts on LS abouth photographers who had been cheated and get into troubles with their bank, etc…
“Advance payment” felt to me that he was trying to catch the fish (me) with a big nice juicy worm…
I kept calm, quietly and respectfully replied to him mentionning my contact info is on my quote, and asking in the same time his own contact info (adress, phone number) so we could be in touch at the soonest and easier.
Guess what: not heard of him back…
After that I googled the name of the Grandfather(a scientist) for whom this big party is organised. Guess what: this old scientist appears nowhere on the web…!As we say in French, I didn’t “smell” this at all, for me, that stinked…
So guys, take care, think about it when a flattering possible client you don’t know and who doesn’t give his real contact is communicating with you and proposes “an advance payment to secure your services”...
I still wonder if I thought wrong and just went paranoid, give me your input if you want.
Best to all,
Stéphane
by
Stephane Janin
at
Tue Mar 18 13:45:19 UTC 2008
(ed. Mar 18 2008)
Washington DC,
United States
| Bookmark this
| Digg this
|
|
|
via RSS
via email
