The Cheque Scam Explained

A while back we got a couple of messages from enCAST actors asking for our help. They’d received a random email which they rightly suspected was a complete scam.

If you fall for it, then it goes something like this:

The actor wakes up and checks their emails. One stands out and as they read it they become more and more excited!

Scammer: Hi, we saw your picture online and we’d love you to be in our advertising campaign. We’re going to give you loads of money for the pictures!

Actor: Fantastic!

Scammer: Great – we’re going to send you a cheque for €15,000 – take out €10,000 for yourself (you keep that) and then send the other €5,000 to the photo studio account for their expenses in taking the pictures and the wardrobe, etc.

If the actor falls for it, they get a cheque for €15,000 and deposit it in their bank. A few hours later, they send €5,000 to the photo studio for the photos and wardrobe. And then maybe they pay their overdue rent, get their car repaired, take a course, buy some new clothes…

The actor is very happy.

But then something strange happens. For some reason the shoot doesn’t go ahead and needs to be cancelled for a technical reason. But the actor doesn’t worry, they have earned €10,000!

…time passes…

A few months later the actor gets a call from the bank.

Bank: Hello, the cheque you deposited for €15,000 bounced. It was a fake. So we’ve taken €15,000 from your bank account and now you’re overdrawn and in debt.

So what has happened? The actor sent €5,000 to a scammer for some photos which never took place. The scammer is €5,000 richer, the actor is €5,000 poorer plus they’ve spent €10,000 they didn’t have in the first place… they owe the bank €15,000 now!

Beware this scam. It’s popular in all walks of life including the film industry.

How to avoid this scam

Never take payment by cheque. Only accept payment by bank transfer.

Oh, and never, ever, ever, pay anyone money on the production for their services.