SCAM ALERT - This Recording Studio Scam Is Going On Right Now!

JR Mastering

New member
Ok, I've seen this scam done many ways. There's a dude doing it specifically with recording studios. And "I know" he will get some young sound engineers with this. He's very good!

Here's how the scam goes. This dude (Stephen Mark 714-510-2692) contacted me 10/05/2018.


1. He emails your website saying he has this huge mixing job he needs done. 15 songs / 30 stems a song.
2. He asks for your cellphone, confirms your name, are you the owner? He wants to talk to the owner, etc.

3. He then starts going over the project, the songs, number of stems, etc. He'll even give you more time to complete the project.

This guy is really working it. He's good!
4. He tells you he has a Christmas album for a church. (Because working with a church = honest good people)
5. He says he will pay you in full, but he needs a small favor.

6. He then tells you how great your website is. (Buttering you up, and it starts up small talk)
7. Now the scam - He's going to pay you the full price for your mixing/master, PLUS $2,500. You keep $500 (for your troubles) and pay the $2,000 to a caterer.


This is silly. Why doesn't he just pay the caterer and save $500 he's giving you? Here's why.
The $5,000 plus he gives you, it's from a stolen credit card. The $2,000 you send the caterer (its really him), that's your REAL MONEY. He gets your $2,000 and you won't get it back.


In 30 days or sooner, the real credit card owner will notice someone stole $5,000 from their account and will charge it back. Soon the $5,000 the guy gave you will be charged back from your account. So, you now owe the bank $5,000 and the $2,000 you sent is lost....


This has been done with checks for the last 30 years. And in other fields. I'm just letting everyone know there's a guy working hard with recording studios. Be safe!


FYI - the guy sent me like 20 texts. As soon as I pointed out the scam, I haven't heard from him since... Get a real job, bro!
 
Good call, thanks for posting JR.

Yes, this is an "oldie but goodie" that constantly resurfaces. It has been used before in the audio industry and in the last few years, with mobile DJ companies. But as you point out, it is basically a "check kiting" scheme.

There is a scumbag credit card thief that frequently spams our boards here. He is determined, but not as determined as we are to keep FP free from vile thieves like this. If you see one of his "advertisements" please report the post, then ignore. One of us will get around to zapping him back to the negative zone again...

GJ
 
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