Scam Alert!

WildDoktor · Jul 15, 2021

Heh; just got another one from good ol' Chris!

I replied:

Details

Name: Chris Juels

Phone: Not provided

Email: [email protected]

Message:

"Hello there, I will like to know if you are available for aerial / drone photography and where are you located"

*This information has been supplied directly by the customer

Wow; you really get around, don’t you?

Thanks for the contact info, your IP address, and the cell tower info that you were close to when you sent this spam to me; that should be great information for local law enforcement to track you down with.

Hope to see you in jail sometime soon. Have a great day!

TonyPHX · Jul 5, 2022

Just to show how this one never really ends...

Hi, am’Steven Scott are you available for an aerial photography? do you accept credit card as method of payment ? Get back to me... Best regards Steven Scott.......

Upon replying "yes...."

Sound Good, I need an initial aerial shoot of the site at all 4 cardinal directions at 200 & 400ft, and then there would be a separate 10min video shoot over 3 days, with 1hr daily site visits including photos, and ground video edited with cool music...

My surveyor will be working on the property survey during the shoot. That is the reason why I need the Aerial photographs ,pictures and video for the progression of the site. My budget is $5,000 grand Can you work with my budget? Thanks

Asked for address...and that's when they start trying to figure things out. lol...still waiting to hear back.

TonyPHX · Jul 5, 2022

And the eventual response... a vacant lot.

Hello the lot is at: 30615 N 120th Ln, Peoria, AZ 85383, kindly let me know if you can handle this project perfectly Reamin blessed till I hear back back from you ASAP... Thanks

Hello In other words the breakdown is as follows: 10 still images: Top down 200 and 400 ft Look West 200 and 400 ft Look East 200 and 400 ft Look North 200 and 400 ft Look South 200 and 400 ft and a short video of the site from the top. As soon as we're done with this within the whole day, the second week the blueprint will be out then we shall proceed with the construction and you will be needed on site for 3 days, overhead drone recording the site for inspection and monitoring. And of course a final image and short video when the project is complete. Best Regards Steven Scott...

This should be funny as I just advise "Steven Scott" that I live nearby and will do it for free. And when would he like to begin filming. Something tells that will derail the scam. If this guy is for real...(lol of course he isn't.) I would really do it for free just for the entertainment now.

TonyPHX · Jul 5, 2022

Best part, he just continues the script, not acknowledging that I have offered to do it for free.

Yes I prefer the video format in MP4 or Quicktime. All raw content shot will be delivered via a DropBox or google drive( your choice ). I hope this timeline works for you?

Hello it would be a straight consecutive 3days excluding . And yes you'd be required to be on site taking overhead video shot and some ground shoot for the inspection. Am also looking for the project to start on the 28th of July . You can do the initial flight on the starting date and we reschedules the rest of the dates .Saturday,Sunday and public holiday not include. Best Regards Steven Scott.....

a51DS · Jul 6, 2022

LOL I received this same exact guy today. I copy and pasted his first message, googled it, and this was the first result.

TonyPHX · Jul 6, 2022

a51DS said:
LOL I received this same exact guy today. I copy and pasted his first message, googled it, and this was the first result.

It's like they don't event try anymore. Here is where it finished.

R.Perry · Jul 6, 2022

Aerial Edge said:
Just need a solid rocker and the San Andreas and you will be all set. Lake Tahoe becomes oceanfront I may move back to that coast!

No, most of the geologist say the danger areas are west of interstate 5. SF bay area is a major fault area with the San Andreas and the Hayward fault running the length of the bay area.

Fred Garvin · Jul 7, 2022

LOL...I've never offered to do it for free....I usually delete them but sometimes I respond with something like:

"I can do this project for $140k in cash, up front. Once you pay me and the payment clears for 30 days, I can begin."

I never get a response.

R.Perry · Jul 7, 2022

Wow, Fred you are a hard man to deal with, LOL, just kidding.

Chicagolanddroneflyer · Jul 29, 2022

R.Perry said:
I use to wonder if there was people that would actually fall for these scams? Seems like there must be or there wouldn't be so many scammers.

It seems to me there is plenty of people who fall for any of these scams. Not related to drone businesses, but had a friend fall for a scam where if he would have thought about it, should have realized it was a huge scam, someone called him saying if he didn’t pay him $1,500 in bit coin to cover a traffic infraction captured on camera. He sent him his bit coin account info, and now has a negative balance in his bit coin account of over $5,000 and spending hours trying to resolve this daily. I never commit to anything by text or email, I may make a proposal or contract and send it by email, but any actual acceptance must be done in person with a partial CASH payment in advance.

too many scam artists out now.

TonyPHX · Jul 29, 2022

Chicagolanddroneflyer said:
It seems to me there is plenty of people who fall for any of these scams. Not related to drone businesses, but had a friend fall for a scam where if he would have thought about it, should have realized it was a huge scam, someone called him saying if he didn’t pay him $1,500 in bit coin to cover a traffic infraction captured on camera. He sent him his bit coin account info, and now has a negative balance in his bit coin account of over $5,000 and spending hours trying to resolve this daily. I never commit to anything by text or email, I may make a proposal or contract and send it by email, but any actual acceptance must be done in person with a partial CASH payment in advance.

too many scam artists out now.

Spot on. Every clown with a computer has an angle and wants to get in your wallet. Best to see if they can follow your process. Deposit etc. And if somebody has elaborate explanations for why they cannot do the simplest of things, like voice communication.... well there is your red flag.

R.Perry · Jul 29, 2022

My mother-inlaw is 94 years old, but still pretty sharp. A woman called, said it was her grand daughter and needed $1500 to pay a court fine or she going to jail. Well mom said, "is this Amy" woman said she was. Mom said, ok come on out and I'll give you the money. When the woman and her boyfriend arrived the police were there also. Mom said to the woman, "don't have a grand daugher named Amy"
Sometimes the good folks win.

TonyPHX · Sep 7, 2022

And just for some added humor....

Here is their latest script....just received today.

Thanks for the quick response, Due to my hearing impaired i can only be reach through email and text...The lot is at Thanks for your reply, I will like you to take an Aerial photograph of thewhole site including the cardinal directions at 200 and 400 feet for an architecture and landscape use because the images will be used to provide an actual budget for the construction and also I will like you to get back with me on how much it will cost me for you to do a video-graphic site inspection for 22 days because there's going to be a fast track construction on the site as soon as the blueprint is provided by the architect so I will be needing a drone especially for site inspection afterward and i will like to secure my space with you. Get back to me with the of Aerial Photo Estimate or Drones.. I should have been there in person to do this inspections but I'm in the hospital at the moment recuperating from covid-19( don't panic I’m getting better lol ).Please get back to me with the figures as soon as possible so we can get the ball rolling. In other words the breakdown is as follows: 10 still images: Top down 200 and 400 ft Look West 200 and 400 ft Look East 200 and 400 ft Look North 200 and 400 ft Look South 200 and 400 ft and a short video of the site from the top.As soon as we're done with this within a week, the second week the blueprint will be out then we shall proceed with the construction and you will be needed on site for 22 days, overhead drone recording the site for inspection and monitoring. And of course a final image and short video when the project is complete,

Here's The lot is at (15841 W Cheryl Ct #124, Waddell, AZ ) like to make a half down deposit with credit now..it would be a straight consecutive 22 days excluding Sundays. And yes you'd be required to be on site taking overhead video shot and some ground shoot for the inspection. Am also looking for the project to start on the 10th of October.You’re to make yourself available with the drone for 1 hours daily we might not spend up to that sometimes .I’ll be available from 9am -5pm daily .Keep me posted when coming in I will like you to get back to me with the estimated cost so we can proceed accordingly.Hoping to hearback from you so we can get the ball rolling..

Dronexsolutionsllc · Oct 26, 2022

So I have recently received emails of the exact same thing! I thought it was a legit inquiry at first but some things about it did not seem right. Had a gut feeling this was a scam. Do a google search and find this thread and I am mind blown to see this exact thing has happened to other drone businesses! Now my main concern with all of this is the intention behind it and what the scammer is getting out of it? Is it for surveillance of the property? Is it to set up a potential robbery? Other nefarious reasons? Has anyone here actually went through with this scam before realizing it was a scam? I’m hoping someone here might have knowledge as to the intention behind this scam.

AheadAir · Oct 26, 2022

Dronexsolutionsllc said:
So I have recently received emails of the exact same thing! I thought it was a legit inquiry at first but some things about it did not seem right. Had a gut feeling this was a scam. Do a google search and find this thread and I am mind blown to see this exact thing has happened to other drone businesses! Now my main concern with all of this is the intention behind it and what the scammer is getting out of it? Is it for surveillance of the property? Is it to set up a potential robbery? Other nefarious reasons? Has anyone here actually went through with this scam before realizing it was a scam? I’m hoping someone here might have knowledge as to the intention behind this scam.

It's a financial scam. They'll pay you more than what they owe you and want you to pay somebody else the difference, usually the architect. So say you agree to 6K with them. They'll make a payment of 11K and ask you to pay the other guy 5K. Then the payment they made to you bounces. That other guy is one of the scammers and they just tapped you for 5K.

Dronexsolutionsllc · Oct 26, 2022

AheadAir said:
It's a financial scam. They'll pay you more than what they owe you and want you to pay somebody else the difference, usually the architect. So say you agree to 6K with them. They'll make a payment of 11K and ask you to pay the other guy 5K. Then the payment they made to you bounces. That other guy is one of the scammers and they just tapped you for 5K.

This makes sense. I told this guy to send me proof that he owns the property before I do any sort of job for him since the property is still listed for sale and the realtor has never heard of the guy. He has yet to show me proof (for obvious reasons). Also doesn’t help that these scammers are using two first names.