[Take-5-JB]

Received an inquiry asking for my interest in doing an outdoor shoot for some products they would supply. Reasonable budget and compensation for a one day six hour shoot time frame with two models. They found my website and portfolio through Photoshelter where I have my site and listing.

Being I am 63 years old, I am not familiar with their website and blogs which are targeted at millennial aged money. Looks like they started about 15 years ago as a magazine and have a large worldwide following.

Just curious about their culture related to contractors and their reliability as clients.

Thanks,

JB

[SSGGeezer]

If they can afford NYC offices as well as overseas, I suspect that their check will be good! Not much I am really interested in but I would say take the gig!.

[rawr]

Received an inquiry asking for my interest in doing an outdoor shoot for some products they would supply.

Note this warning from their contact page:
Contact | Complex

"If you are a photographer/model/stylist and have been unexpectedly solicited to work for Complex, please verify the credentials of the hiring individual or company by contacting us or call the number below.

Mailing address:
229 West 43rd Street
10th floor
New York, NY 10036

P: (917) 793-5831
E: info@complex.com

Seems like there may be some scams afoot.

[Take-5-JB]

Note this warning from their contact page:
Contact | Complex



Seems like there may be some scams afoot.

Geezer the money was good, but the idea that they asked a Landscape nature photographer to do a fashion shoot may fit into what Rawr noted above. I felt a little cautious because of a couple verb tense and word use gave me pause. After asking pointed questions about the shoot, he hasn't replied back in over 48 hours, while he responded to my first reply in two hours.

Thanks guys,

JB

[SSGGeezer]

Geezer the money was good, but the idea that they asked a Landscape nature photographer to do a fashion shoot may fit into what Rawr noted above. I felt a little cautious because of a couple verb tense and word use gave me pause. After asking pointed questions about the shoot, he hasn't replied back in over 48 hours, while he responded to my first reply in two hours.

Thanks guys,

JB

You should pass any info you have to the folks at the number given here by Rawr so they can inform their fraud team or law enforcement.

[Take-5-JB]

You should pass any info you have to the folks at the number given here by Rawr so they can inform their fraud team or law enforcement.

Geezer,

Roger that. Will do tomorrow.

Thanks again to you and Rawr.

JB

[photoptimist]

The typical way these scams work is to:

1) Scammer pretends to be a reputable entity
2) They offer a decent rate to the photographer to do some project
3) They pay you up-front but make you send some of that payment to "the models" or for something
4) Their check bounces and your money disappears.
5) There is no photoshoot, no models, no job.

P.S. And anything involving payment for goods and services through Venmo is suspect.

P.P.S. Let's hope we're just over-cautious and the job is legit!

[BrianR]

The typical way these scams work is to:

Seems more plausible than my first thought. I figured it was a good way to set up a mugging- lure photographer out to a secluded landscape location and have two scantily clad models tie up and tickle the photographer while some goon loots your stuff. This might be more common on kijiji though (yes, I'd like to buy your 250-600mm, can we meet in this abandoned warehouse so I can try it out?).

[Take-5-JB]

Seems more plausible than my first thought. I figured it was a good way to set up a mugging- lure photographer out to a secluded landscape location and have two scantily clad models tie up and tickle the photographer while some goon loots your stuff. This might be more common on kijiji though (yes, I'd like to buy your 250-600mm, can we meet in this abandoned warehouse so I can try it out?).

I forwarded the info to Complex this afternoon. I will post what they reply.

Thanks to all of you for responding. We have to be careful about a lot of things because there are a lot of scammers, confidence people, and muggers out there.

JB

[Take-5-JB]

I forwarded the info to Complex this afternoon. I will post what they reply.

Thanks to all of you for responding. We have to be careful about a lot of things because there are a lot of scammers, confidence people, and muggers out there.

JB

FYI,
I have not heard from Complex.com after sending two messages. However, I heard from PhotoShelter shortly after contacting them. They confirmed this contact was bogus and this is a scammer.

They recommend being suspicious when you are contacted out of the blue by people with job offers. They recommend doing diligent checking with the companies. They have had other photographers contact them with similar occurrences.

Be aware and verify before giving info.

JB