Friday, August 22, 2008

Planners Beware - Email Scam

Sorry brides, this one is for my fellow planners. A little over a week ago, I received a strange e-mail from Elizabeth Hyde Johnson, saying that she needed me for her day! She went on in a long rambling e-mail about herself and her fiance, etc. I will put a copy below. Needless to say, I responded and went back and forth a bit with her. Then today she asked for my physcial address, not just a P.O. Box to send an international cashiers check for my deposit. Here is where the scam comes in: An international cashiers check may clear your bank, but the Federal Reserve holds it for 90 days to ensure that it is legit. If not, the bank rescinds the funds. A lot of planners are getting caught in this. They get the deposit and put it in the bank. The check is "accidentally" made out for too much money. Then "Elizabeth" says that they need for you to send the extra to a different account in Africa via Western Union. Yes, some have gotten caught up in this scam. Luckily I did not, but want to warn others. Check out The Bridal Party LLC's blog to read the stories of those who did fall for it: . Below is the e-mail:


Hello ,

How are you doing? Thriving!!!

My name is Elizabeth Hyde Johnson , from Enfield in middlesex UK (England ). I will be coming to Tacoma , Washington after my shopping trip with my Husband Michael Green who's French by nature to start his new work with the Coca-cola in Tacoma , Washington . And just before then we will be getting married on the 4th of October , 2008. We need a good wedding planner to take care of our wedding both reception and ceremony.
We require the best for the best memories for we & our children in future and as a matter of fact we have budgeted 25,000 US dollars for this special event.

Also, the ceremony and reception event will be taking place in a location and we are expecting at most 50 guests on the day of our occassion because most of our families in Europe and in the United Kingdom will be present for the occassion.

However, we would like you to know the reception and ceremony will be taking place @ 1 location which the ceremony event would be in a garden location or outdoor while the reception takes place indoors, we are still about to make reservation though but we are making progress with that.
Please let us know if you're able to help .

Sincerely,


Lizzy & Michael

It is from: Elizabeth Hyde Johnson [lizzytamydoorhyde@yahoo.com]

Best of luck!

1 comment:

Kim - Lilly Lynn Events said...

I get this type of email on a regular basis. I replied to the first one and then realized it just wasn't right. Since then I delete any of them from out the country or seem sketchy!

Thanks for posting this...very important for our industry.

Kim
www.lillylynnevents.com