When buying and selling gear online, you can run into all sorts of scams. UK-based photographer Joanna Rose Hufton recently fell victim to one that makes use of a Paypal loophole. She sold her £1,300 camera through eBay, but due to the scam, she was quickly left without both the camera and her money.
Wedding photographer left $4,600 in debt after “overpayment scam”
by 32 CommentsBritish Columbia-based wedding photographer was recently a victim to a scam which left her in $4,600 debt to her bank. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), she is not the only one. The same kind of scam has cost victims close to $5 million this year, so photographers, pay close attention.
Photographers, beware: this is how you can get scammed
by 9 CommentsThere is a persistent scam going around that is so pervasive, that you might think everyone has heard about it, and is immune to it. Yet, I often enough see this come up as a question in a Facebook group – where a photographer is unsure if an enquiry is a scam. Most often they are. This is how these advance-fee scams work, and how photographers are scammed:
Photographers beware: eBay buyer steals camera and lens by pretending to receive wrong product
by 30 CommentsBuying and selling gear online is convenient in many ways, but sadly, it comes with a risk of various scams. Apparently, the scammers have figured out how to rob you even through eBay, the website which is generally one of the safest options. Photographer Liz Moughon was recently subject of one such eBay scam, and she shared her story with DIYP as a cautionary tale for all of you who want to sell your gear online.
Photographers, beware of this magazine photoshoot scam
by 10 CommentsOnline scams are a pretty common occurrence, and many of them are aimed at photographers and other creatives. Lately, a scam has been going around targeting particularly portrait and fashion photographers. It’s pretty elaborate and it can be difficult to notice red flags, but it’s the details that will reveal that you should stay away from it.
After its digiFilm fail, Yashica launches a 35mm film. Photographers are furious
by 5 CommentsAs if the digiFilm’s epic fail wasn’t enough, Yashica is now launching its own 35mm film. Yes, that Yashica, the company that trashed the iconic Japanese brand’s name by launching a plastic piece of junk version of the Electro 35.
The new 35mm film has been promoted on Yashica’s Facebook page, and it’s bad from the very start. The bad Photoshop job of the promo image shows that it could be just another scam, which has provoked a fierce reaction in the community.
Wedding videographer sued for $14,000 over allegedly scamming multiple brides
by 2 CommentsFrom time to time, we hear stories of unprofessional wedding photographers or videographers who ruin precious memories for the couple. The latest case comes from Wisconsin, US. A wedding videographer was sued by several brides over allegedly failing to deliver the promised work or even not showing up at the wedding. The court has ruled that he will have to pay damages, and they sum up to over $14,000.
I got $5,000 worth of gear stolen from me through Fat Llama
by Leave a CommentAs mentioned previously on this site, I use the Fat Llama website to loan out some of my photography gear when not in use, and I’ve been very happy with the extra beer money… well up until last week that is, as my camera kit was stolen!
Let’s rewind a bit and go through exactly what happened, how I was dealt with by the Fat Llama team and my thoughts on how to better protect yourself if you use Fat Llama or something similar.
Travel photographers, beware of this international scam that tricked 100 people so far
by 3 CommentsThere are all sorts of scams targeted at photographers. But there has recently been a new one that has reportedly tricked at least 100 people so far. It’s targeted particularly at travel photographers and Instagram influencers. It doesn’t only involve losing thousands of dollars, but potentially being in danger and manipulated in a foreign country, thousands of miles away from home.
These are the four biggest photography rip-offs you should avoid
by 3 CommentsPhotography is an expensive hobby even if you only buy the stuff you absolutely need. And like in any other industry, there are things that make you spend even more on completely unnecessary things. In this video, Marc Newton of The School of Photography talks about the four most common rip-offs that are present in the world of photography. He teaches you to avoid them to save yourself some money, but also what to focus on instead.
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