Is this filming job a scam?

I received an email a week or two ago sent to my email address that I've published on a camera crew website.

Various parts of this sound odd to me, namely it being a job in Malaysia and them not being concerned about my fee. There was also a rather flimsy reason why they wanted a UK operator to be flown out.

Here is some of the email content:

Email 1:

***********************************************
This is an email sent to you via your profile on Crew Avenue :
***********************************************

May I inquire on the cost of employing your services for a short term filming project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. If you are available for the whole of October/November, please e-mail me on <[email protected]> to discuss this engagement.

Thank you for your time. Arturo G. Morano (PhD)

***********************************************
Crew Avenue - The place to find TV crews
http://www.crewavenue.com
***********************************************

My response:

Hi,
Thanks for your message.

My fee is X per day plus travel, accommodation and any other kit expenses.

Many thanks


Email 2:

Thank you for the feedback and information.

I require your services as a private camera operator.

This is not going to be a reality show or for public consumption which
is why we do not want a local camera operator. You will not be
required to share or use the contents of this shoot for anything. The
family has been scattered over the world and this is the only period
we can get together after over 14years of being apart. We are having a
long family reunion.

There are going to be family and friends visiting the estate residence
from the middle of October till the end of November.

We have 2 weddings, 2 birthdays and an anniversary during this period.
All properly planned.

You are only required to film. Video editing is not part of your job
description. We only require your camera operation expertise and your
kit.

All logistics for your accommodation, feeding and transportation to
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia shall be our responsibility. An agreement shall
be signed for the following:

a) 20% upfront payment to secure your services
b) 50% payment on arrival to the estate
c) 30% payment before release of video copy.

A draft of the agreement is in progress which would outline
information about other aspects of this engagement including your
travel process. You shall receive shortly.

It is expected if required that your crew should not be more than 3
persons. Let me know if you have any questions or requirements? I can
be reached on e-mail or via phone on ____

Best Regards

Arturo Gijon Morano (PhD)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


My response:

What is the exact number of days you'll require me for?

Thanks.


Email 3:

Attached is the filming agreement for you to review, complete and
return as a scan.

If you have any questions or concerns, I would be happy to entertain.

I look forward to your new message.

Best Regards.

Arturo Gijon Morano (PhD)
______
Private Mail Bag 708459-D
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

PDF Attachment Content

DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION AGREEMENT
This Agreement is made effective as of this 26TH day of September, 2014, by and between:
(EMPLOYER) The Estate and Family of Arturo Gijon Morano (PhD), whose estate residence is: P.O. Box 708459-D Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
And (CONTRACTOR – CAMERA OPERATOR)
Office Address: ......................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
Regarding services to be performed and materials to be provided in connection with a filming (Program) to be executed by the Camera Operator pursuant to this Agreement. In exchange for the compensation set forth in this Agreement and all other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
Ownership of Program: It is understood by the Camera Operator that no right, title and interest whatsoever is assigned to the Camera Operator, including the trademark and service marks of the filming, and to all ancillary products and services related to the filming, and to distribute the same, in perpetuity throughout the world, in any and all any form, format or media, including without limitation to broadcast television, cable television, literary, print, electronic media (including but not limited to DVDs), and the like, whether now known or hereafter created.
Job Description:
Freelance engagement as Camera Operator to film the daily family activities of the Morano Family. It is expected that you apply your expertise to the best of your ability in capturing daily activities and combining the background aesthetics of the Estate. Every family member is aware of your arrival. You shall not experience any obstruction while filming however a family member at a particular point in time or occasion may request not be filmed and we expect you to oblige, otherwise you are free to catch every action. Editing is not part of your job description.
No. of Crew: ............... (Maximum of 3 persons)
Name of Crew 1:.............................................................................................................................. Name of Crew 2:.............................................................................................................................. Name of Crew 3:..............................................................................................................................
Filming Duration: OCT/15/2014 – NOV/30/2014
Filming Hours: Monday – Friday (Saturday/Sunday are rest periods) Delivery format: 35mm
Accommodation : Depending on the number of crew, fully furnished single room accommodation with TV, cable, internet and private bath. Feeding shall be provided 3 times daily. You may eat out using an available spare vehicle. Insurance: The agreement binds that the Morano Estate shall be responsible for any medical emergency that may arise throughout duration of contract.
Compensation: Daily Rate in USD: ................. (State your daily rate in USD).
20% of total sum shall be paid by the Employer to the Camera Operator as security of services. 50% of total sum on arrival at the Estate. Final compensation (30% of total sum) to be paid on or before the final date. Payment shall be by cash or wire transfer to any bank institution as designated by the Camera Operator.

Logistics:
All travel requirements shall be handled by the estate lawyer for speedy issuance of travel documentation; licenses and paperwork to enable you enter Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia smoothly with your equipment to carry out this engagement.
Please submit Passport Copies of Crew, Name of Airport nearest to you and Departure Date to the following legal contact person for your travel paperwork.
Name: Mary Greene Lee
E-mail: [email protected]
This is for booking of your Flight. A copy of your flight booking confirmation/itinerary shall be provided prior to your departure. You should also attach a list of materials, equipment and requirements you require excess luggage allowance.
Termination:
Employer shall have the right to terminate this Agreement in the event of the occurrence of any of the following contingencies (any of which shall be deemed a “Default”): (i) mental, physical or other disability interfering with Consultant’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement (“Disability”); any incident of force majeure, being the hampering, interruption of or interference with the preparation, production, commencement or completion of the filming, by reason of one or more contingencies beyond Employer’s control, such as epidemic, fire, explosion, casualty, accident, action of the elements, act of God or public enemy, labor conditions or dispute, walkout, strike, lockout, civil disturbance, riot, insurrection, war (declared or undeclared), armed conflict, the enactment, issuance or enforcement of any law , ordinance or executive, judicial administrative or other governmental order, decree, regulation, judgment or arbitration award, or inability to obtain insurance required as part of performance of Producer’s obligations to another party (“Force Majeure”); or, (iii) provided Employer is not in breach of this Agreement, Consultant’s failure, refusal or neglect, other than by reason of Disability or Force Majeure, to perform any of Consultant’s obligations under this Agreement, or a statement by Consultant or Consultant’s representative that he will so fail, refuse or neglect.
I look forward to hosting you comfortably and in adhesion to the contract terms as stated above. Welcome to Malaysia.
Arturo Gijon Morano (PhD) Family Head.
Enclosure:
Crew member required to sign and date below to signify acceptance:
Name of Crew:................................................................................................................................................ Signature:.................................................
Date:..........................................................
Witnessed by:
Mary Greene Lee esq.


My Response

Hi,

I am confused as to why the delivery format is 35mm


Email 4:

I mean your camera sensor should be 35 mm. Delivery is HD on hard disk.



Ask if the lawyer is going to provide a visa or work permit. If she answers yes, it's a scam. That is not how visas are issued. You have to send the passport itself, not a copy, to the embassy or consulate, not a lawyer. Also lawyers don't use free email addresses for business.

The reason they don't want a local camera operator is that they want to collect a fake visa fee.

A Malaysian would not charge a Brit in US dollars. They're probably targeting Americans too.

Once you are sure it's a scam, stop answering. Don't ask them if it's a scam or give them any idea how you know it's a scam.

This is not going to be a reality show or for public consumption which is why we do not want a local camera operator.

That excuse is beyond flimsy--it makes no sense. The red flags became a blinking neon sign right here. Are they trying to claim that anything filmed by a local ends up on a reality show? That is an absolutely ridiculous claim. Assuming that is common practice (it isn't) if they want to make sure that anything filmed is kept private, the simple solution is to require the videographer sign a confidentiality agreement or build it into the contract. That is FAR more effective and less expensive than paying for costs of pulling in a crew from another country. A quick google search shows there are plenty of photographers and videographers in Malaysia.

Add the ridiculous claims, the "lawyer" for visas (who conveniently uses a typical scammer address (a free address with "legal" in the name to somehow make it seem more official is typical of African scammers) and the fact that this involves Malaysia, which is the base of operations for a very large cell of Nigerian scammers, and you have a scam, no doubt about it.

The scam could go in 2 directions: Fake check, in which they send you a check for the "up front" payment, but they send "extra" to be forwarded to the "lawyer" or someone else for the visa or another necessary item; or just plain "send money for a visa" without a fake check involved.

Thanks for your responses guys.

The more the holes are pointed out, the more obvious it becomes I guess. Its the first time I've ever encountered something like this, particularly with the scammer actively engaging in an email conversation.

Thanks again!

I received the same emails as well, through the same website. I have taken it a bit further and given them a quote to which they talked me down a couple of hundred dollars. Which ends up being a bit lower than the normal US rate for working overseas. Here is his last email.

I assume this fee will cover a 12 hour daily shoot from 9am to 9pm? If this is fine by your crew, then I accept and the lawyer will take it up on receipt of supporting information from you. Please confirm.

Finally, the 20% deposit to secure your crew will be made on receipt of Visa approval by the Lawyer. I have been intimated that this will take 5 work days to acquire. How do you recieve payment?

I look forward to your new message.

[AlanJones]

Visa approval by the Lawyer

This confirms it to be a visa payment scam - as Dotti said, lawyers do not get involved in arranging visas.

I'm just mot sure how they are going to extract the money from me, This seems like quite a lot of work for a few visa payments.

Scammer visa fees are typically not the same as "regular" visa fees. They typically inflate the actual costs of getting a visa by a significant factor.

As to all that work? The basic emails are the start of scripts. If successful they will simply reuse the emails again and again (chances are that even now they have sent those emails to dozens of other film crews--many people don't think to google or post their experience.) So after the basic scripts are written, it takes them less than 5 minute to tweak them a bit and send them out when they have a potential victim on the line.

Even if they spend 10 hours putting together scripts, if they net just a few victims they stand to make $1K or more.
$100 an hour is far better than anything they are going to earn by actually working.

Interesting I have just never come up against this kind of thing before and being in the film and TV industry I thought it is strange to target such a small industry. Then again maybe they are just very creative as they do seem to know some of the jargon, and haggling over rates is a cleaver touch.

These scammers are happy to target anyone if they think there will be money in it. As more people become aware of the "standard" scams, they are forced to evolve and find new targets. They know from experience that small business owners are often some of the easiest targets, and they move from industry to industry.

I have received the same emails and taken it even further. I gave them a quote and then went through the process. I have now sent them a reply to the "contract" and an invoice for the work(I have sent invoices before the job is done on overseas jobs before)

I am still unsure how the scam works. What do you suggest I do from here?

....went through the process....I am still unsure how the scam works. What do you suggest I do from here?

I don't know what "went through the process." means. there are dozens or hundreds of possibilities there.

Eventually, they will ask you for money for some reason. Visa, work permit, or God knows what they can come up with. That is the scam. The only way to avoid it is to cease communications with them. Hopefully you haven't all ready lost money to these criminals.

Read this to educate yourself : http://www.scam-job-emails.tk/

As stated above:

The scam could go in 2 directions: Fake check, in which they send you a check for the "up front" payment, but they send "extra" to be forwarded to the "lawyer" or someone else for the visa or another necessary item; or just plain "send money for a visa" without a fake check involved.