Scam Alert: Fake Google Photo Buy

Beware of an e-mail being sent to photo agencies, purportedly from "Google United Kingdom," offering to pay a large sum of money for photo rights. It's fake. The Google U.K. press office confirmed to PDNPulse today that it did not come from Google. Telltale clue: Not a real Google corporate e-mail account. (And it clumsily refers to Google as "one of the world's famous SMTP email service provider and web developer.") Text of the message follows.

--------------- Scam e-mail below ---------------

£2,500 Pounds Sterling Photo Purchase Proposal

Photo Purchase Project Director [photocontract.2@googlemail.com]

Google United Kingdom,a subsidiary and sub-affiliate of Google world wide,is formally soliciting for the right and permission to purchase the copyright of the photos that you already own.Google, as one of the world's famous SMTP email service provider and web developer, intends to use these photos for our new Gmail compose background,Google Messenger chat backgrounds and Google sponsored and affiliate websites.Google UK is proposing to purchase twenty (20) of your photos at £2,500 Pounds Sterling per photo,for a period of three years,at the rate of £50,000 Pounds Sterling per year.Thereby,making the total sum of £150,000 Pounds Sterling,that this company is prepared to pay to procure the copyright of twentyof your photos for a period three years.Google UK's current move to purchase the copyright of the photos of models,actresses,actors,photographers and other talents, is to upgrade the services that it renders to its numerous customers and also to have an edge over its contemporaries.

This company's proposal to buy the copyrights of your twenty photos is legal and in accordance with the provisions of the British Copyright Laws as pronounced by the British Copyright Council.The Management of this company wish to reassure you that your photos will not be used for any other purpose outside the scope of this contract.

For more information about this photo purchase contract, email this company at: photocontract.1@googlemail.com

Comments

[China Photographer]

Thanks PDNPulse for following up on this scam and contacting Google UK for a confirmation. Seems to be quite a bit of photography scams going around these days.

Additional details about the Google U.K. photo scam can be found at FraudWatchers.Org

http://fraudwatchers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13009