Jonathan Ruser - [email protected]

Scamming Photographers on Craigslist

Posing as a hearing impaired person in Canada so they don't talk on the phone. Did not want to sign contract for services. Mailed check and wanted funds returned. Check was mailed from California but issued in Florida.

________________________________

This is Jonathan Ruser. So sorry I have not been in touch. I've had a
terrible cold that I would almost call the flu, but I am on the mend.
I have it now that the check payment have been issued out to you and
you would receive it by next week.. An issue came, and I have
just been informed the check was accidentally issued out to you for
more than the required amount. I understand the additional amount on
the check would have been issued out separately to my cousin to arrange
for the other wedding items

You will have to understand with us seeing as the check was not made
out by me, but by my uncle. I'd hate for things to get any further
delayed. So what I am asking is that you forward on the extra $$ as
soon as you have received and cashed the check. It should be fine. and
for the contract me and my fiance have concluded to sign that in
person so as we arrive it's first thing we are going to do.

I will JUST email the name and the address information where to
return back the extra $$ once the check clears. Please let me know how
you would like to handle this. Thank you

__________________________________________
emails [email protected] and [email protected]
phone number from 760-660-6824

(760) 660-6824
Type: Non-Fixed VoIP
e.g. Skype or Google Voice

This guy did the exact same thing to me!!

I do photography on the side and place ads on Craigslist from time to time. A few weeks ago, he reached out to me saying he and his fiance "Emily" wanted to hire me to take pictures at their wedding. I requested to meet with them in person to talk about about their ideas and stuff. That is when he dropped the "hard of hearing" card on me and the fact they were in Canada on a "vacation". Being a fairly trusting person, I said okay and we continued the conversation via email. After a few emails going back and forth we agreed on a price. Earlier this week, he tells me a check was mailed out but his "cousin" made it out for to much because the cousin thought he was paying for all the wedding stuff. To my surprise, the check was made out for $1,890.20. The check was issued from a bank in Florida and he told me to send the money to his cousin in California.

That was enough red flags for me. I put a hold on the check, filed a formal complaint with my bank's fraud department and told him I would no longer do business with him.