Forums: Waiting for Godot:

She wants me to please call her back about my "use of photo materials."

WTF? Is this a weird new scam? I'd blow it off if I hadn't been sued for a million dollars before over my use of illustrations. But from Kenya?

I can barely understand the words which are thickly accented, mumbly, and way to fast.

They sound like "Okay, please call me at plus 254 07 380 5521tah." I'm only about 80% sure of any of the numbers. I thought it was '454' at the beginning, but there's no country code 454, so it must be a 254. I have no idea what to make of the 'tah' at the end. Was that another number?

Who the fuck are you? How'd you get my phone number? Why not send me an email? What photo materials?

//edit: Oops. Wrong forum. So sorry.

If its for real, they'll have to have it in writing to you before you should actually worry about it. A phone call does not qualify as legal notification.

There is a rash of photo related scamming going on at the moment too...

Originally posted by: rogue_designer
There is a rash of photo related scamming going on at the moment too...

Really? Like what?

Like calling some harried creative in Kansas all mumbly with vague allusions to infringement, I'd say.

It was probably just some mumu guys out having some fun.

Eyyyyy jambo jumbo!

Originally posted by: arigato
Like calling some harried creative in Kansas all mumbly with vague allusions to infringement, I'd say.

International calling seems like a pretty pricey MO. If they've got my phone, they've got my email.

Originally posted by: The_Spectre
It was probably just some mumu guys out having some fun.

Originally posted by: arigato
Like calling some harried creative in Kansas all mumbly with vague allusions to infringement, I'd say.

LMAO

I actually read something similar on the Etsy forums. Bizarre phone call wanting pictures for a magazine.

you should get all 419 eater on them and make em do some funny stuff for our amusement while you "save"other harried creatives in kansas from his evil doings by keeping him busy.

pics or it didn't happen

Originally posted by: mclarkson

Originally posted by: rogue_designer
There is a rash of photo related scamming going on at the moment too...

Really? Like what?

I posted this in TTDIOT -

Old Scam... new twist - and surprisingly well targeted mailing... after responding to a general RFQ with a request for more information...



Hello,

Thanks for the Interest.I believe and understand you are very intelligent and experienced photographer?


I'm willing to pay $500 for capturing of My new Apartment for me,I think this is a reasonable price since it's just a mini flat 3 bed room apartment with a garden and you are only to capture the 3 bed room only with the garden and surroundings for records,it shouldn't take more than a day or 2 for you to have the Apartment captured, You will be provided with the date and time by my new Landlord, As soon as I'm done making payments to you for the capturing, My Landlord will be taking you to the Apartment in person immediately i contact him that i have finally paid for the capturing service.

I want the capturing done before i get back to the States,so once am back to the state i can get the pictures from you for my future purposes. I already made arrangements for the payment and also the keys to the apartment, My Landlord will be showing you the Apartment so the locations shouldn't be a problem, He will be there to help you in all you need. I will instruct my client to issue and mail out the payment he owes me so you can deduct the $500 which i believe is a reasonable amount for capturing the Apartment,then you will have the remaining funds wired to the Landlord of the apartment via Western money Transfer so he can bring down the keys to you and he would be available when you are ready for the capturing,the remaining funds you will be wiring to the Landlord is the balance payment for the Apartment because am just moving in there, I'm only doing this cause I'm presently out of the states for a Seminar and which am of the Facilitator,and i
want things to go smooth and perfect before my return.I will be paying you extra $50 for thr gas expenses and some other expenses.

If you think you can handle this capturing and all the details as explained, kindly get back to me with the following information:

(1) Full Name
(2) Mailing Address, no p.o.box please
(3) Your direct telephone number / Mobile Number
(4) Acceptance of my offer

Once the payment has been issued out, i will e-mail you with the payment confirmation and instructions to proceed ahead.

Hope to hear from you sooner.

Regards.
Samuel Jones.

Look, here in the third world, if we want your "photo materials", we'll damn well steal them.

I just got another call from the same person and I think it is the girl we sponsored (via CCF) for years. If I can make out her accented mumbling, I will try to call her back.

I'm gonna ask her if they've got lions.

I finally got hold of her on the phone today. (yay)

And she assures me that, indeed, there are lions and also elephants!

Originally posted by: mclarkson
I finally got hold of her on the phone today. (yay)

And she assures me that, indeed, there are lions and also elephants!

And liophants?

That's awesome!