SCAM ALERT!

Received a briefly uplighting email yesterday from an outfit called picture.com which claims to run an organizationn called the "International Society of Photographers." Sounds legit at first glance. The email was signed by a man with the name of "Craig Foster". (Could this guy think of a more FAKE name?)

Anyway Craig was writing to tell me the good news, that my photo "Spring Is Here" had won one of their contests for professional photographers. Great. I immediately wondered if there was a cash award, after all aren't those the most coveted rewards? They are for me.

Red flags began to go up as Mr. Foster began to evaluate the cash "value" of the awards I was to receive. For example, "Your Outstanding Achievement in Photography Crystal Award Trophy (a $300 value), Your bronze Commemorative Award Medallion is a deeply etched bronze medal (a $40.00 value)and Your Full Basic Membership into the International Society of Photographers for 2007 (a $60.oo value)entitles you to a personalized mambership card..."

Here is the real payoff: "Brian, all that's required for us to immediately send you all of these awards is for you to give us permission to display your photograph. Additionally, because you will not be present, we must also ask you for the necessary funds ($169.00 plus p+h) to cover the costs of the time and effort required to present your photography before the co-attendees, and to cover the costs incurred in insuring and shipping to you these extremely bulky and heavy awards."

Gee "Craig" what a deal. Let me get my credit card. After sending in my money I can go out and get the word SUCKER tattooed on my forehead.

This reminds me of the email I received from The Agoura Art Gallery in New York. They really loved some of the photos I had submitted to them and wanted to display them in an exhibition at their chi chi gallery in Chelsea. All I had to was send them $3,000 to get the process going. Yeah, right.

BEWARE