If, however, you do receive communications from Samuel Williams, and in those communications our company name or website address are mentioned, please do contact us. Otherwise, please directly contact your local law enforcement agency, the FBI CyberCrime division in your area, or for those in other countries, possibly INTERPOL.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
There appears to be a pattern to his profiles:
Here are some screenshots we’ve collected:
Upon confronting the scammer, pointing out that we’ve called him out for what he is, a fraud, the scammer sent the model the following message:
Hello,
i am very happy to read from you regarding all the allegation level against me i want you to know that i am not the one somebody else have been using my similar email and be writing to models claiming to be Samuel and spoiling my reputation anyway i won’t blame you in any decision you make right now because a lot of things have gone wrong i have called fmtphotography and my client to alert them on this situation and they siad they will take of that publishing of the site before this week runs out more so i want you to understand that everything is real and legit and i will never try to hurt you in anyway because i am trying to make you achieve your arms and showcase your talent to the world at large god bears me witness if i have any plans to hurt your feelings please i want you to ignore the statement as i have explained things to you and lets work together go ahead and deposit the check into your account it takes 48hrs to clear when you have deposited it you get back to me so that more details will be given tamper justice with mercy
best regards
We can assure you that this scammer has never contacted us, nor will we ever stop publishing reports on his fraud.
You’ll note again, the scammer will do ANYTTHING to get you to deposit his check, and wire him the funds he wants.
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DEPOSIT A CHECK FROM THIS SCAMMER OR HIS “CLIENT”.
If you have received a check from this scammer, and have deposited it and/or sent funds to the scammer, immediately contact your bank, and contact your local law enforcement agency or the FBI.
For information on reaching your local office of the FBI visit: http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field
We previously had suggested contacting INTERPOL itself regarding this scam for models outside the United States. However, INTERPOL suggests that persons affected by these type of scams contact their local national law enforcement agency directly. Interpol publishes a list of member agencies, with links to their website.
International Law Enforcement Agencies: http://www.interpol.int/Public/Links/PolJust.asp
Additional research has shown that this scammer has been at this for quite some time. His email address (samuel_samuel455@live.com) has been listed on a site that aggregates modeling scams for quite some time.
The text “template” he uses for contacting models, with exception to inclusion of our website address, has also been around for quite some time.
Here are some links:
An important note about how the modeling industry operates:
No legitimate company, client, magazine, fashion designer, etc, will ever ask you to take a check and then wire money to another company. Funds are paid either directly to a model, or paid to an agency, photographer, etc, who in turn will pay the model.
Hello, i am very happy to read from you regarding all the allegation level against me i want you to know that i am not the one somebody else have been using my similar email and be writing to models claiming to be Samuel and spoiling my reputation anyway i won't blame you in any decision you make right now because a lot of things have gone wrong i have called fmtphotography and my client to alert them on this situation and they siad they will take of that publishing of the site before this week runs out more so i want you to understand that everything is real and legit and i will never try to hurt you in anyway because i am trying to make you achieve your arms and showcase your talent to the world at large god bears me witness if i have any plans to hurt your feelings please i want you to ignore the statement as i have explained things to you and lets work together go ahead and deposit the check into your account it takes 48hrs to clear when you have deposited it you get back to me so that more details will be given tamper justice with mercy best regards
With the cooperation of models contacted, we have been able to trace the scammer to an internet service provider in Nigeria. This information agrees with the general nature of the scam, and other details.
One victim has had additional contact with the scammer, and confirmed the purpose of the scam.
The scammer offers models $3500.00 for the photoshoot, and asks for name, address, and other personal information so that a check for 1200.00 can be mailed to the model, up front.
In later email messages, the scammer informs the model that the client will be sending the full $3500.00 to him/her immediately, and that he/she must deposit the check into their bank, and deduct their $1200.00 share of the up-front payment, and then wire the remaining $2300.00 to the “studio” via Western Union.
Again, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ACCEPT A CHECK FROM, OR PROVIDE PERSONAL INFORMATION TO THIS SCAMMER. If you receive a check from him, immediately take it to your local law enforcement.
Additionally, the scammer is expanding his reach into other modelling communities. So far, he has been seen on the following:
He has also been noted as using another local photographer’s website, as well as ours. We have notified that company of the situation.
Again, if you have any information regarding this scam, please contact us and your local law enforcement agency.
FMT Photography LLC Issues Urgent Fraud Warning
Vienna, Ohio – February 7, 2011 – FMT Photography LLC issued an urgent fraud warning in response to numerous inquiries regarding an alleged fashion photo shoot paying USD $3500.
FMT Photography LLC has received numerous inquiries from fashion models worldwide, regarding one “Samuel Williams”, who claims to be an agent, employee, or representative of the company. The person is contacting models, offering them USD $3500 to participate in a fashion photo shoot for his client “Jennifer White”, and provides a link to FMT Photography’s website (http://www.fmtphotography.com). Models being contacted are told that they were found using an online modeling community website, ModelManagement.com, and are also referred to the scam artists profile on the website at http://www.modelmanagement.com/en/member/samuel-williams/.
Upon response from the model, the person claiming to be a photographer requests personal information from the model in order to send a “partial payment” of $1200 in advance, including model’s full legal name, complete mailing address, home and mobile phone number, age, height, and photograph.
It is unknown how much further this scam proceeds. Models who have contacted the company to verify this “opportunity” have ceased communication with the scam artist after being informed by FMT Photography that this was a fraud. It is assumed, however, that the scam will proceed similarly to other such scams. The victim typically receives a fraudulent check, with instructions to deposit the check and immediately transfer, wire, or send a check for some amount to the scam artist himself, before the check clears the bank.
Models contacted by this “Samuel Williams” should consider him extremely dangerous, and report all such contacts to local law enforcement officials, to the FBI, or in the case of international contacts, to Interpol. FMT Photography also requests that persons contacted by this scam artist also forward copies of any such communications to the company, which will in turn be provided to local law enforcement in the company’s home jurisdiction.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please only contact us/forward us communications if the scammer specifically mentions our company name (FMT Photography) or website url (http://www.fmtphotography.com) in his online profiles, emails, or communications. If he does not mention us, please either contact local or federal law enforcement agencies.
FMT Photography LLC is cooperating with local law enforcement agencies, as well as the FBI to bring this matter to resolution.
If you have any information or questions regarding this scam, please contact FMT Photography LLC via email at http://www.fmtphotography.com/contact-us, or call (330) 372-1135.
About FMT Photography LLC
FMT Photography LLC is a family owned and operated company, specializing in various types of consumer and commercial photographic services, graphic design, and print services, and whose mission is to provide high-quality, personal service, at a very competitive price. For more information about FMT Photography LLC and the services the company provides, please visit http://www.fmtphotography.com.
Contact:
Frances Rister
FMT Photography LLC
(330) 372-1135
http://www.fmtphotography.com
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