![\"scam-1](\"https:\/\/www.dreamweddingshawaii.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/scam-1.jpg\" "\\"FAKE")
<\/a><\/p>\nI’m sure you’ve heard of the TV show, Catfish, where people pretend to be someone their not to entice their victims into having an online affair. \u00a0It’s both an entertaining and sad show to watch, and I admit, I’m addicted. \u00a0Here in the wedding industry, we’ve been dealing with our own catfish for decades. \u00a0Every week or so, I receive an obvious fake wedding inquiry, most likely by someone in Nigeria, whose main goal is to scam me out of my hard earned money. \u00a0 Eventually, they want my address so they can send me a fake cashiers check for a ludicrous amount of money.<\/p>\n
Their inquiries start out innocent. \u00a0They ask for a price, I give them a price, and they drastically over pay the amount I quoted them, telling me that they are looking for US Dollars to spend on their trip. \u00a0They mail me a fake cashiers check, tell me to take out my cut, and send the left over back to them in US Dollars via Western Union. \u00a0And they want their money before their check bounces. \u00a0 I never fell for this scam, so I’m not speaking from experience. \u00a0This is just something I’ve heard through scam warnings issued by from the FBI.<\/p>\n
It’s not just my company that are getting these emails. \u00a0If you’re in business, you’ve probably ran across one of these characters before. \u00a0My parents got a few of these fake checks from property rentals they advertised on craigslist. \u00a0I believe my father also got a $5000 order for Intel processors at one time. \u00a0 The check that came in the mail sure looked real.<\/p>\n
Less and less businesses have been falling for their scam, so\u00a0ately they’ve been getting a bit more creative.<\/p>\n
They’re still stupid though, as they’re not even good liars. \u00a0They are just more creative…<\/p>\n
But now, instead of sending me a straight email, they are texting my company’s cell phone. \u00a0Pretty cool huh. \u00a0 And they want me to reply back with an email… Today, because I was bored, I did.<\/p>\n
Here’s a recent exchange I had with Julias Akinruli. His email is\u00a0juliusakinruli@outlook.com. \u00a0 He claims to be from Ohio, and work in Canada for Long & Foster Real Estate Companies, Inc. \u00a0 You have to admire the creative effort.<\/p>\n
Our recent email exchange is below, enjoy!<\/p>\n