Business Tips
One of the crew on a project I'm working on received a check scam for a set painter. The red flag is that our crew member is in San Francisco and the gig was in DC, for a Taylor Swift video or film by a Ryan Chandler. Plus the emails were strangely written. - We replied anyway to see what happens. Below are copies of the emails, so you know what to look out for.
Email One - The Hook - They Approach You Out of the Blue
"Hello,
I hope this finds you well? Thanks for the confirmation of your availability and sorry for the delay in response. Your resume has been reviewed and you sounds great with your past experiences. You'll be a good fit for the project we have coming up in 6 to 7 weeks from now. You have been invited to be the painter of a music production that will be held on the weekend of 05-10-18 to 07-10-18 in Washington, D.C. This production is for our client Taylor Swift . We are seeking the services of a painter to help Apply paint, varnish, wallpaper and other finishes to props, scenery and sets and I hope that you will be willing to travel as the company will be covering all expenses (transportation, accommodation and feeding). You will work closely with the director and other crew throughout the production process.
About Jake:
Email One - The Hook - They Approach You Out of the Blue
"Hello,
About Jake:
In 2006, Schreier signed with Park Pictures, a commercial and film production company, and worked on a number of advertising campaigns and commercials; he was noted for his work and appeared in the “Best New Directors” list of Creativity Magazine and other advertising industry magazines. In 2012, he released his first feature film, Robot & Frank, based on the screenplay by his Tisch classmate and friend Christopher Ford. The film won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, for best feature film that focuses on science or technology as a theme, tying with the Kashmiri film Valley of Saints. Robot & Frank earned Schreier critical acclaim for his feature directorial debut. Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan called it "exceptionally polished for a first-time effort", and Rolling Stone Magazine gave it three out of four stars. He also directed the film adaptation of the John Green book, Paper Towns, which was released on July 24, 2015.
I want you to know that this is a freelance position. After your services
with the us in Washington, we'll be seeking your services from time to time when future productions present itself.
Responsibilities basically would be,
have excellent craft skills in painting and decorating
have strong creative abilities
have a good eye for colour and texture
be skilled at applying a range of advanced decorative finishes
have good communication skills
work well as part of a team
be hard working
Working to strict deadlines
be punctual
During the production you’ll be booked in a hotel which is about 2 blocks away from the studio so transporting yourself to the studio shouldn’t be a problem. The pay is $1500 a day, that is $4500 for the 3days you’ll be working for us. Both travel/hotel expenses will be covered by the company. Work hours will be from 9am to 3pm daily.
BENEFITS:
• AD & D Insurance
• 401(k)• Medical, Dental, Vision
Available Position: Painter
Regards"
_______________________
Email Two - The Scam - They Ask You To Cash a Check and Send Them The Rest
"Thanks for your response. All other information will be released to you 4 Weeks to your arrival in Washington, D.C. This e-mail outlines the entire process before the shoot and also how to proceed. Please note that during the shoot you will have to put your skills to perfect professionalism in order to assist the production team to produce a perfect shoot.
During the course of the coming days we will provide all necessary information momentarily but for now we only seek that you reassure us of your availability during the weekend of 10-05-18 to 10-07-18 in Washington, D.C. and also your utmost commitment regarding this project. Furthermore, I"ll like to state that all crew members will be arriving the evening of the 4th or the very morning of the 5th and be departing the production venue on the 7th (evening). There will be a 2 hours seminar on the 5th which will start from 10 a.m to 12 noon, the seminar is to provide more information on duties/tasks that will be required from all crew members in attendance and a hard copy of the production call sheet will be provided to all and all crew members will be grouped to their area of expertise as in their resumes.
This commercial is for our client Taylor Swift
Note: Flight and hotel reservation will be handled by our designated travel agent, it'll cost around $2250. You'll also receive a $500 per Diem to cater for your meals and any expenses you may incur during the job. A check for $2750 will be issued to you next week, it'll arrive via USPS. Deduct your per Diem pay of $500 while the balance of $2250 should be paid to the designated travel agent who will assist you in making all necessary hotel and travel bookings (more information on the travel agent will be provided to you soon). Your payment will be given to you after the completion of the work on Sunday, Oct 7th, 2018
Kindly provide a full name, mailing address (to include city, state and zip code) and where you wish to receive the check and cell number.
Best regards"
End of email ------------------------------
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If you think that is weird, I received a check scam from a person claiming to be Prince Charles of England on Facebook.
Stay safe out there folks
Deborah
Gigslist
