Chris Tann ([info]ctann) wrote,
@ 2008-01-15 16:36:00
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Current location:Hillarys
Current mood: confused
Entry tags:"christann clothing" "fraud" "scam"

You know you're famous when...
In the past few weeks, I have received dozens of emails, replying to an email sent by a "Mr. Chris Tann" of "Christann Clothing Inc." or "Christann Clothing Company". This email takes the form of a "letter of interest", sent to models and photographers listed on various agency websites. The emails refer to my website http://www.christann.com, and use my name, although they list an address and phone numbers (almost certainly bogus) in England.

Although I answered the replys I got, pointing out that this was probably some sort of scam (something like the "Nigerian Certified Cheque" scam), and didn't think too much of it. However, the emails continued, and then I was refered to a site called fraudwatch, which lists literally dozens of occurences (and variations) of this email. I realised the large distribution these emails have had, and it sounds like people have really been caught by this scam. It seems that in later emails, they stopped listing my website, but each time I see a new round of emails, it has a new return address - so this scam is still in progress!

Well, I guess imitation is the highest form of compliment - but in this case, I just feel violated. Not realy much I can do aside from publicise the fact that this is a scam, and has nothing to do with me. Yet, it shows just how frail our "internet identities" are. Be careful out there people, it's a jungle!


Here is an example of the emails being sent:

" Hello friend

My name is Mr Chris Tann. a retired actor presently based in the UK. and now own a clothing company(CHRISTANN CLOTHING INC. ).

I came across your profile on.
www.photographersindex.com,

If you would welcome a photographer Job here in the United Kingdom, contact me, so that the detail of the job will be run by you.

Regards,
Mr Chris Tann.
christannclothingphoto@yahoo.com
+447024039203
Tower 38, Level 30
25 Old Broad Street
London. EC2N 1HQa "" Hello friend

My name is Mr Chris Tann. a retired actor
presently based in the UK. and now own a clothing company(CHRISTANN CLOTHING INC. ).

I came across your profile on.
www.photographersindex.com,

If you would welcome a photographer Job here in the United Kingdom, contact me,

so that the detail of the job will be run by you.

Regards,
Mr Chris Tann.
christannclothingphoto@yahoo.com
+447024039203
Tower 38, Level 30
25 Old Broad Street
London. EC2N 1HQa "




(4 comments) - (Post a new comment)

I received the same email today
(Anonymous)
2008-01-15 04:06 pm UTC (link)
I am a photographer based in the U.S. and received this identical email. A subsequent email directs me to two of your websites. I understand this is a scam, and do not intend to respond. Just wanted you to know it is still an active campaign. - Cheryl Mauldin, www.mauldinphotography.com

(Reply to this)

Some people just don't get it...
[info]ctann
2008-01-18 12:38 am UTC (link)
I received the following comment on this entry today:

"you're a famous because--
you're a SCAM mother f&*^er.
Want money you moron? get a job you IMBECIL.
not even your fucking phone number is real you retard. Learn something!!!!!you idiot
la puta que te pario pelotudo"

OK, so the guy obviously doesn't speak English too well, but it always bugs me when a moron has the audacity to call *me* a moron! To the person who left this comment - go back and actually *read* my journal entry. You'll see that the scam email is nothing to do with me, and that I am actually pointing out to people that it is a scam. Perhaps I have to go back and edit the entry to dumb it down for people who can't be bothered to read? Next time, try and engage your brain before leaving an insulting comment. Its ignoramuses like you that give the scammers someone to scam!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Some people just don't get it...
(Anonymous)
2008-01-18 02:14 am UTC (link)
Wow! You are so right. I can't believe someone wrote something so insulting without reading your blog all the way.

Little does the person know how thoughtful you are to help try to stop the scam and warn people from responding to it, which has nothing to do with you in the first place.

Also, you do have a job - a fantastic! legitimate job that you are worthy of and probably get paid more than the person who wrote the insult. You also do take care in learning. Unlike the person who wrote the insults you do research before you whip up a blog about something serious.

I am proud of you, Chris, and I think you are doing a great thing by helping people and being completely open about it. And I think that there are people out there who appreciate it, too, such as the person who wrote the first comment.

Who knows? maybe the person who left the comment is the "Real" scammer and he/she is just pissed off that you are fighting back for your identity by exposing the scam to innocent people who would otherwise fall for it.

I'll admit that it is a crazy and uneducated assumption, but hey, so was the assumption that you were the host of the scam. So, if this way of thinking is going to be a trend for the blog I might as well chip in.

Love and luck to you Chris,
~ Jenny

PS: By the way Chris does speak several languages including Indonesian, Esperanto, German, and is fluent in French. Sometime in the near future he also plans to learn Spanish.

so,

"La puta que te pario pelotudo" - right back at you! Sir Idiotic & Insulting Commenter.

Sorry chris for lowering myself to the commenter's level, but I just have to nurture the butch in me to defend my man.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

great post
(Anonymous)
2008-01-26 11:43 am UTC (link)
Hello,


What a great post. Thank you for your hard effort. It's a brilliant work.

(Reply to this)


(4 comments) - (Post a new comment)

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