Customer is quick to ask for my information, is this normal?
 

So I posted an ad for wedding videography on Craig's List, and someone contacted me that doesnt speak the best english. He is about four hours away and requested my services. He first stated that he'd pay me $200 an hour, but I responded with my standard rate for myself and a friend. He agree'd, but in the three emails we've exchanged, he's always ended with asking for my name, address, and phone.
This didn't seem too weird, but I told him I need half the payment up front as a deposit before I commit to his wedding, and he again agreed. However, he said that he'll be sending me extra money, and asked that I send it to where he instructs. I dont know if this is weird or not, because it's his money I'll be sending around, not mine. So should I be worried? Or just do as he requests since he's sending me $800 up front.

Or should I not even give him my personal info?

That almost sounds like one of those Nigerian scams that happen on ebay and stuff all the time. I'd ask where he is going to want you to send this extra money.

A scam on Craigslist? Well, there's a first time for everything.

I'd run away.

Well he gave me a complete address to where the ceremony is being held. And I will probably decline to send any extra money to somewhere else, so all is not lost yet. But that's why I made a thread, because I am being very weary of all this to begin with.

Yeah I'm registered on The Knot and they sent out an email just last week about this very thing happening. I would be very careful. If it sounds too good to be true there's a 99% chance that it is.

That most definitely sounds like a scam; wants your info right away, wants to send you more money than you need and have you send the extra somewhere else. Watch your step.

I completely agree, but there's nothing special about this thus far. it's completely normal to have a client who is willing to pay your asking price for a wedding video. So, that's my problem.

Here's what happens. He sends you a cheque in the amount you requested for your fee plus the extra amount he wants you to send to the third party, probably telling you it's the deposit on the hall or something like that. He explains that the third party needs cash or money order so you hold on to the the extra amount as cash back when you deposit his cheque and buy the money order with it. After all, you've already got the money from him, right? Off it goes to the person making the arrangements for the hall or whatever the story is. A few days or a week later you'll get a call from the bank - the cheque you deposited has bounced and they're deducting the full amount from your account. Now the amount you sent off in the money order has come out of your own pocket, and when you try to track down the party you sent it to they're nowhere to be found. Bye bye your money. And when you show up for the "wedding," the site will be dark and empty, if it even exists at all.

Here's the scam - he sends you a money order or something that LOOKS like it's legit, and you are to deposit it and send the excess to someone else... you send the excess, the original payment is counterfeit, and guess who is out the REAL $$??

This is a pretty common web scam, fake "instruments" presented as real money... laundered through a "sucker" account. Virtually impossible to recover or prosecute, thus why they try it and hope you're dumber than a doorknob... or really naive.

It's apparently even becoming common to "forge" PayPal "payments" hoping the receiver is too stupid to double check their account and make 100% sure the money is actually there.

TRUST BUT VERIFY!! That goes QUADRUPLE on the internet.


He he he - I see Steve was "parallel typing" - now you have it from two "horse's mouths" <wink>. Not sure which one of us was channelling the other's thoughts! Be careful Doug, you've got some good advice as to how to proceed!! Or more accurately how to not proceed and protect yourself!

that son of a bitch.... I hate craig's list....

Before I bought my HVX I rarely avoided buying from a scammer, luckily I tried to contact him before sending my final payment and caught his personal info not matching his paypal info, and then he stopped responding.

Love your reaction to this!

But the pre-posters are right. Sounds scam-ish to me too. I used to work for a large bank and we saw this ALL the time and in many different scenarios - its truly devastating to hear things like this are happening. There was just a bride in my area that tried to sell her dress on Craigs List and got the same scam. She didn't loose out on it, but it did bring light to the Craigs list scams! Don't walk... run from this!