We would like to thank all our readers for passing on any suspected scam emails, this really helps ensure newer planners dont fall for any such frauds. Please keep them coming! As always you can view all past scams by checking the scam category.
From: Mirian Charity [mailto:miriancharity@yahoo.com]
Sent: 31 August 2010 00:25
To: undisclosed recipients:
Subject: REQUEST FOR WEDDING PLAN
|
Hello, Mrs Mirian Charity Smith. |
Kelly Chandler from The Bespoke Wedding Company & our marketing/finance director has kindly informed us of a new potential scam asking planners to call them on a 070 phone number, the actual message is below.
Kelly was suspicious of the email tone so did a quick search on the internet and found out that 070 phone numbers are premium rate redirected numbers. More information can be found via yahoo answers.
If ever you are unsure on a particular email we always advise you conduct a search of that persons name, email address, postal address or telephone number. If it is a scam it will invariably have been reported online somewhere!
—–Original Message—–
From: peter.t.mansfield@gmail.com [mailto:peter.t.mansfield@gmail.com]
Sent: 12 August 2010 13:06
To: weddings@thebespokeweddingco.com
Subject: Wedding
Hi
I need to get an organiser for my wedding. Can you give me a call?
Thanks
Peter Mansfield
07031964948
No matter what the weather, the financial scammers keep on coming to wedding planners. Here is a recent one to watch out for if you’re a new planner and not familar with these scams.
Am Robb Stephen, I am writing to get informations on wedding/reception venues and also so in need of the services of a wedding planner. Christine and I are planning to have a wedding in August 2010 (any date in August will be fine) and will require more informations on this as we plan also to have the wedding in your region.
We are looking for a venue and planner to help us plan our wedding/reception. 50 guests are expected to attend. Please advise on weather conditions of the area. Also note that you (wedding planner) is to arrange for a food, Videography, Music Entertainment, Photography, Officiant, cake and flowers, decoration etc. Please do confirm this date and get back to me.
Thanks for your anticipated response
Best regards,
Robb Stephen
Life as a successful wedding planner is never an easy one, despite the well-documented (and false) image of glamour. Sadly, to add to our already demanding workload it is a requirement to check that you’re not being plagiarised by a ‘wannabe’. We hope that by posting here to planners, we can make everyone more aware and start to rid the industry of this practice.
For clarification a simple definition of plagiarism is as follows: a piece of writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work
Sadly week in week out we are hearing and seeing blatant plagiarism going on of wedding planners work. We are talking about word for word copying of company names, images, and most commonly text from a planner’s website. Anyone who runs a successful planning business knows that it takes A LOT more than copying somebody’s work to make a successful business; it takes years and years of slog, effort, dedication and talent and good planners think long and hard about their website and promotional materials writing them in their words and their style to reflect their brand; it’s vital that we each do our best to protect our work and come down hard on individuals who think they only have to whip up a website and ‘wow’ they have a business!
How can you protect yourself?
A great website where you can check for copies of your company website (or large chunks of text copied) is www.copyscape.com - put your web address into it and it’ll quickly pull up copies - make a note to do this once monthly to make sure that your site is not being plagiarised.
How to react if you have been plagiarised?
Contact the company owner directly (by email or letter preferably) informing them of the plagiarism (and demonstrating it with copies of your text and their text) and asking them to remove the offending text within 7 days. If that does not succeed then legal advice should be sought - naturally take copies of the offending website pages as it could be taken off-line at any moment. None of us want costly legal bills but we must stand up to thieves and stamp it out of our industry. UKAWP and the individual companies of its Directors have all sadly encountered plagiarism both here in the UK and from overseas and have a very strong policy towards it.
What do you think? Have you encountered this yourself?
A new year and new set of scams, heres one that is doing the rounds.
Hello ,
How are you doing? Thriving!!!
My name is Dr Melvin Hughes , from Enfield in middlesex UK (England ). I will be coming to your area after my shopping trip with my Fiancee Micheal Green who’s French by nature to start his new work with the Coca-cola Co. And just before then we will be getting married on the 30th of march, 2010. 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 us & our children in future and as a matter of fact we have budgeted 25000$ 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 occasion because most of our families in Europe and in the United Kingdom will be present for the occasion .
Also, 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,
Dr Melvin Hughes
Sadly we hear every week about more and more false enquiries/scams being sent to wedding planners. Here are a selection of recent ones to watch out for.
Hello,
I am ALEXANDER MAHONE, from London England. I am writing to get information on wedding/reception venues and also so in need of the services of a wedding planner.
Mary and I are planning to have a wedding in January 2009 (any date in January will be fine) and will require more information on this as weplan also to have the wedding in your region. We are looking for a venue and planner to help us plan our wedding/reception. 40 to 50 guests are expected to attend. Please advise on weather conditions and the possibilities of rain.
Please note that you (wedding planner) is to arrange for a food, Videography, Music Entertainment, Photography, Officiant, cake and flowers, decoration etc.Payment for all booking would be made with my credit card.
Please do confirm this date and get back to me.
Thanks for your anticipated response
Best regards,
ALEXANDER MAHONE.
| Hello,
My Name is Michael Sandler i need an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange the reception dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony. The wedding is expected to hold on the 16th of Febuary 2010 and 50 to 70 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is confirmed by you. You are to arrange for a a venue for the wedding a place for the reception ,Videography, Music Entertainment,Photography,cake and flowers. If there is any these items that is beyond your capability, you let us know so that another company can handle it. Get back to me with your response as we don’t have much time with us so that we can process our accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us. Pleas get back to me via my personal email which is michaelsandlermail@ymail.com Best Regards, Michael Sandler
|
Hello Mark,
Thanks for your email. Am aware that A wedding of such high quality with minimum of 25 and maximum of 30 guests would normally cost a lot of money to be planned successfully, but I am convinced that your facility would be conducive for my wedding reception as recommended by a friend who had visited your facility. I have discussed with my Dad business associates ( my sponsors) and they will be provide you with their credit cards details which you are going to make the charges from regarding your deposit for 3 course menu & drink,Reception venue charges and other services that you might render to enhance smooth success of my wedding.
Here is our details
Groom Names: Eric Lichtenheld
Groom ages: 34 years
Groom address:111 Fountains Crescent London UK
Nationality:British
Bride Names:Donna Thomas
Bride ages:26years
Nationality:Philippine
Am presently in Afghanistan for Military assignment and duel to be disengaged on 10th of January. We have have budgeted 50,000.00Pouds(GBP)
for this wedding. We have made arrangements with a Logistic Consultant who will be in charges of my guest transportation & flight promptings and other associated Wedding needs such as cake, DJ, Décor and accommodations.
Kindly get back to me as soon as possible so that we can proceed as soon as possible.
Regards,
Eric and Donna
Here’s another email I received last week
Hello,
I’m looking for an experienced wedding planner or coordinator that can handle my wedding as i have promised my fiancee that it will be a memorable one and i have budgeted $25,000 for the wedding so, What can your establishment offer with regards to the request above?
I would like to know what is required cost implication and any other thing that will be require for a successful wedding for the month of October 10th 2009 is the date for the wedding.
Kindly get back with your budget via this email (atkins111@yahoo.com)with details.
Best Regards,
Paul Atkinson
+447045782803
Here’s another email I received last week
Hello,
I’m looking for an experienced wedding planner or coordinator that can handle my wedding as i have promised my fiancee that it will be a memorable one and i have budgeted $25,000 for the wedding so, What can your establishment offer with regards to the request above?
I would like to know what is required cost implication and any other thing that will be require for a successful wedding for the month of October 10th 2009 is the date for the wedding.
Kindly get back with your budget via this email (atkins111@yahoo.com)with details.
Best Regards,
Paul Atkinson
+447045782803
We are still being flooded with hoax emails. We could post a new one each day but prefer to do it every few weeks instead! So below is another one to be aware of.
I am contacting you with respect to my sister\’s wedding( Julian George)scheduled to hold on the 22nd August,2009.
I want you to handle the wedding arrangements on their behalf since our would-be son in law,Mister Alex is a citizen of your country and as a result, i need the blessing ceremony,reception and wedding reception party to be held in your country. Please get back to me with any of the services which you can provide as regards the wedding arrangement of my younger Sister.
- Limousine hire for the couples
- location for the wedding and reception.
- lodging for the guests for an estimate of fifty people(21st - 24th August
)2009
- Wedding cakes and Flower decorations
- Sight seeing tours for the guest - 23rd August
- DJ Sound
The wedding Budget is at the range of EUR 39,000 for now and it remains very flexible pending our final conclusion.Please do let me have the details of all i should know so we can make about the services you can provide as regards the arrangment. Estimates and calculations should be based on the quoted budget.
Do get back to me asap through my yahoo email:
martinhgeorge@yahoo.co.ukMr Martin George.
More wedding planner scams to add to the list today:
“Greetings,
My Name is Engr. John Webster,I am looking for an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding.
The wedding is to hold on the 8th August 2009 and 40 guests are expected to attend. You are to arrange for Videography, Music,Entertainment,Photography,Officiant/Priest & cake,flowers and Reception Venue.
If there is any of these items that you cannot handle,you let us know so that another company can handle it.
As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks,i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking (VIA MY CREDIT CARD) Once availability is confirmed by you.
Get back to me with your response as we don’t have much time left so that we can process our accommodation also within the region more convenient for you and us.And also get back to me with your fee for arranging this for us.
Best Regards,
Engr. John Webster,
Email: randy_wrye@yahoo.co.uk”
“Hello,
My Name is Dr Allan Brad i need an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange the reception dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.
The wedding is expected to hold on the 9th of July 2009 and 50 to 70 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is confirmed by you.All checks and balances will be made with you on 8th of june which is the final day of the booking, You are to arrange for a a venue for the wedding a place for the reception ,Videography, Music Entertainment,Photography,cake and flowers.
If there is any these items that is beyond your capability, you let us know so that another company can handle it. Get back to me with your response as we don’t have much time with us so that we can process our accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us.
Pleas get back to me via my personal email which is brad.allan@ymail.com
Best Regards,
Dr. Allan Brad”
“Hi Dear,
Hope my email reaches you in good faith. I am looking for an experienced
wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange dinner for the guest
who will be attending the wedding ceremony.Seven will arrive few days before
the wedding day.
The wedding is expected to hold on the 8th of May, 2009 and 50-65 guests are
expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their
meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this
booking via credit card.
All checks and balances will be made with you on 7th of May, 2009 which is
the final day of the booking, You are to arrange for a Videography,Music
Entertainment,Photography,Officiant/Priest & Church,cake,flowers and the
venue.If there is any these items that is beyond your capability,you let us
know so that another company can handle it. Get back to me with your
response as we don’t have much time with us so that we can process our
accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us.
Best Regards,
Dr Melvin Pritchard.”
“My name is AFZAL AHMET. I am a Mechanical Engineer by profession.
Presently i am in Liverpool . My lovely daughter found her
heartthrob early
last year and they are going to wed by 25th July, 2009. For the
love i have for my daughter, i decided to carter for the wedding as a
surprise package for her and her fiance.
Please i want you to handle the wedding arrangements on their
behalf as
my would-be in law is a citizen of your country and as a result he
wants the wedding in his country. Please get back to me with any of
the
services which you can provide as regards the wedding arrangement
of my
daughter.
- Wedding Gown for bride
- Gowns for Bride’s maids
- Vehicles
- Tuxedo Suits for the groom and best man
- Shoes and accessories for both the bride and the groom
- location for the wedding and reception.
- lodging for the guests for an estimate of eighty people(24 - 28)
July
- Wedding cakes and decorations
Wedding Budget is at the range of EUR 35,000 for now. it could be
reviewed to be increased or reduced latter depending on the outcome
of the
arrangements process unfold Please do let me have the details of all i
should know so we can make about the services you can provide as
regards
the arrangement. Estimates and calculations should be based on the
quoted budget..”
“Hello Dear,
My name is Mr. A. Eddy. I am a Medical consultant by profession. Presently I
am in WoolWich.I am contacting with respect to my
daughters wedding scheduled to hold on the 9th May, 2009.
I want you to handle the wedding arrangements on their behalf as my would-be
son in law are a citizen of your country and as a result, I need the
blessing ceremony, reception and wedding party to be in his country. Please
get back to me with any of the services which you can provide as regards the
wedding arrangement of my daughter.
- Vehicles /hotel transfers for the guests - (coaches transportation)
- Limousine hire for the couples
- Location for the wedding and reception.
- lodging for the guests for an estimate of sixty people (8th - 12th May)
2009
- Wedding cakes and decorations
- Sight seeing tours for the guest
- Yacht charters for the couples
The wedding Budget is at the range of EUR 65,000 for now and it remains very
flexible pending our final conclusion. Please do let me have the details of
all I should know so we can discuss the services you can provide as regards
the arrangement. The calculations and Estimates should be based on the
quoted budget.
Do get back to me ASAP through my yahoo email: eddy_a007@yahoo.com
Mr. Eddy.A.”
“Hello,
How are you doing? Thriving!!!
My name is Tessy williams, from Sandton,J’burg,South Africa. We will be coming to the United Kingdom after my shopping trip with my fiancee Scott Toler who’s French by nature to start his new work with the Coca-cola in Scotland. And just before then we will be getting married on the 1st of August 2009,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 25,000GBP 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,in the United United States and here in RSA will be present for the occassion.
Also, 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
Tessy williams
Woolworth Stores
Gauteng,RSA
+27710897374″
“My Name is Mr Micheal Wesley i need an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange the reception dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.
The wedding is expected to hold on the 9th of June 2009 and 50 to 70 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is confirmed by you.All checks and balances will be made with you on 8th of May which is the final day of the booking, You are to arrange for a a venue for the wedding a place for the reception ,Videography, Music Entertainment,Photography,cake and flowers.
If there is any these items that is beyond your capability, you let us know so that another company can handle it. Get back to me with your response as we don’t have much time with us so that we can process our accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us.”
Sadly, we’ve been inundated with correspondence from planners who’ve been targeted by the scams we mentioned here and here. Below are a few more that have been received over the last few days, if you receive any similar emails please contact us and we will post them here.
“Hello,
My Name is Dr Ford Anderson i need an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange the reception dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.
The wedding is expected to hold on the 29th of August 2009 and 50 to 70 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is confirmed by you.
All checks and balances will be made with you on 29th of July 2009 which is the final day of the booking. You are to arrange for a a venue for the wedding a place for the reception ,Videography, Music Entertainment,Photography,cake and flowers.
If there is any these items that is beyond your capability, you let us know so that another company can handle it the part you cannot handle. Get back to me with your response as we don’t have much time with us so that we can process our accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us.
Pleas get back to me via my personal email which is drfanderson@rocketmail.com
Best Regards,
Dr. Ford Anderson
drfanderson@rocketmail.com”
“Hello,
My Name is Mr Gregory Davis i need an experienced wedding planner who
will handle my wedding and arrange the reception dinner for a group of
people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.
The wedding is expected to hold on the 9th of May 2009 and 50 to 70
guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might
choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial
deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is
confirmed by you.All checks and balances will be made with you on 17th
of April which is the final day of the booking, You are to arrange for
a a venue for the wedding a place for the reception ,Videography,
Music Entertainment,Photography,cake and flowers.
If there is any these items that is beyond your capability, you let us
know so that another company can handle it. Get back to me with your
response as we don’t have much time with us so that we can process our
accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us.”
“Hi,
Hope my email reaches you in good faith. I am looking for an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange dinner for the guest who will be attending the wedding ceremony.Seven will arrive few days before the wedding day.
The wedding is expected to hold on the 23rd of May, 2009 and 50-65 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via credit card.
All checks and balances will be made with you on 22nd of May, 2009 which is the final day of the booking, You are to arrange for a Videography,Music Entertainment,Photography,Officiant/Priest & Church,cake,flowers and the venue.If there is any these items that is beyond your capability,you let us know so that another company can handle it. Get back to me with your response as we don’t have much time with us so that we can process our accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us.
Best Regards,
Dr Karl Busche.
Email:blessmywedding@ymail.com
Yahoo chart ID is karl_karl@ymail.com”
“Hello,
My Name is George Anderson, I am looking for an experienced wedding
planner who will handle my wedding and arrange the reception dinner
for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.
The wedding is expected to hold on the 13th of June. 2009 and 25 to
40 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests
might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as
initial deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is
confirmed by you.
You are to arrange for a venue for the wedding (its a civil wedding),
a place for the reception ,Videography, Music
Entertainment,Photography,cake and flowers.
If there is any these items that is beyond your capability,you let us
know so that another company can handle it.
Get back to me with your response as we don’t have much time with us
so that we can process our accommodation within the region more
convenient for you and us.
Best Regards,
George”
“My name is Jennifer Kenth from Quebec,CANADA. I will be coming over to United Kingdom with my Husband Eric Phillips who’s French by nature but has actually naturalised in Canada
We’ll be moving to the UK to start a new life because my husband to be just got a job with the Coca-cola Co. in London and i have made plans of opening my new kiddies fashion store in as soon as we are settled.
Just before then we will be getting married on the 28th of April 2009 and we have decided to get married in the city since we’re moving on and we pretty know our new move would be wonderful.
We will be needin’ a good wedding planner to take care of our wedding event both ceremony and reception for our guests and our convenience because we require the best for the best memories fost on our wedding day.
We prefer the ceremony and reception event to take place in a location and we are expecting at most 70 guests on the day of our occasion because most of our families in Canada and in the USA will be present for this wonderful occassion.
Also, we would like you to know we prefer the reception and ceremony to take place in a location for the convenience of our guests and would love the ceremony to be in a garden setting and the reception in an indoor location in London or surrounding areas because the weather is unpredictable at this time of the year.
We haven’t made any venue reservations yet but we are sure the wedding planner can do that on on our behalf as we are looking for a customized wedding planning package that involves virtually every aspect of planning except the band which we are already making arrangements for. The total wedding budget is £ 20,000.
Please let us know if you can help work with us for the success of our event and can help work within our budget as we’re not opened to spending a pound more than the above bidget?
Thanks and God bless,
Jennifer “
