Received a weird email... Is it fake?

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Excellent advice. If this person begins asking for address, phone number, or any other personal information about you, don't tell them anything.

Visit 409eater.com if you curious as to why some people are very, very suspicious. 409 scams by gangs (yes, gangs, though more of the organized crime style rather than street hoods) in Africa are not unusual.
 
Being a professional (and freelance--I do it on my own time) stock photographer for one of the big stock companies, I would say if these individuals are really making a DVD, particularly if they plan on selling it, they did the right thing to ask your permission. I can't vouch for the validity of this individual as I do not know them, but were they to use your photographs/designs/artwork without your permission, you would be fully within your legal right to sue the bee-jeezus out of them. If you found out about it, that is. People who ask permission are generally trying to do the right thing, but again, I can't vouch for these guys. What does your gut tell you? Better yet, when you google their info, what do you find on the net about them? If they are a scam group, there is bound to be other discussions somewhere on the net about them.
 
Here is some info I turned up on this company via the WHOIS information regarding the registration of their website:

Domain ID:D89811716-LROR
Domain Name:CLONEMASTERS.ORG
Created On:30-Aug-2002 10:18:06 UTC
Last Updated On:14-Aug-2008 05:02:05 UTC
Expiration Date:30-Aug-2012 10:18:22 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Network Solutions LLC (R63-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:21739850-NSI
Registrant Name:Clonemaster's Lab
Registrant Organization:Clonemaster's Lab
Registrant Street1:Impala Street
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Newcastle
Registrant State/Province:KZN
Registrant Postal Code:2940
Registrant Country:ZA
Registrant Phone:+1.27343159
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:[email protected]
Admin ID:21739850-NSI
Admin Name:Clonemaster's Lab
Admin Organization:Clonemaster's Lab
Admin Street1:Impala Street
Admin Street2:
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Newcastle
Admin State/Province:KZN
Admin Postal Code:2940
Admin Country:ZA
Admin Phone:+1.27343159
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:[email protected]
Tech ID:5358805-NSI
Tech Name:Network Solutions, LLC.
Tech Organization:Network Solutions, LLC.
Tech Street1:13200 Woodland Park Drive
Tech Street2:
Tech Street3:
Tech City:Herndon
Tech State/Province:VA
Tech Postal Code:20171-3025
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:+1.18886429675
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:+1.5714344620
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:[email protected]
Name Server:NS3.NEXUS.CO.ZA
Name Server:NS4.NEXUS.CO.ZA

Their website has been registered since 2002, but www.archive.org shows that they have not physically done anything with it until they obviously put up the little front they have on it now. That is not to say it's fake... but there is an awful lot of "Under Construction" sections on their site. Makes you wonder.​
 
I think it's a scam of some kind. The website is mostly empty and they have broken links( by their own admission.) On top of that, I poked around a bit and looked at their "departments". Under histology, which is spelled right, they say they mount and examine nematodes and insects. Histology is the study of tissues, so it doesn't sound kosher to me. I say it's some kind of weird con.
 
fake.. or not.... why take the chance?? it is not a matter of life or death.. file it and forget it..
sometimes these types of things are just a lead in to something in the future.. I get messages from "kenya" or "africa" or where ever all the time.. they promise to make me rich if I help them recover their dead father's fortune that has been illegally seized by the corrupt govt.. etc etc..

run, away from this one..

You mean to tell me that they cannot come up with a plan for a chicken coop on their own???

come on !!!!!

....jiminwisc.......
 
I'm highly suspicious too. I would report it as spam and delete.
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Quote:
This particular email doesn't say anything about wanting money - they just want to use pictures right?

That's what I was thinking, and someone said something about them not needing the copywright because it was on Google? Legally they still would which is why they would have sent the e-mail in the first place. Plus, the google search probably brought them to BYC, where they would get Shellie's name, as she has it in her siggy, and her e-mail address, as this is in her profile. I say it sounds ok to me. And they aren't wanting any money, so it seems. Most of the south african scams would want you to send them money. I don't know, but it sounds legit to me.
 
All you need to do is say - Yeah go ahead and use the pic's and give me credit.

See what happens next. At that point you haven't given them any info they don't have already, its not like you're saying yeah use them, here is my SS# and bank account number.
 
I agree with WildSky. My hubby has had a few non-profits ask for permission to use his insect photos in books/museum displays in out of the blue emails (he always grants it unless it's really commercial). I also agree that if they are trying to promote chicken rearing as a doable thing, they will choose a coop that is simple and not too fancy, so as to not scare anyone off of it. You already opened the email, if it were a virus it would be too late. They didn't ask for money, nothing looked suspicious to me. If they ask for personal info, or say anything other than "thanks!" then maybe get suspicious.

BTW - my hubby just looked over your email and said that they were nice enough to ask first, it would be nice to let them use it. Hubby is also in the computer industry and can be a bit paranoid about scams/viruses, but this didn't send any red flags up for him.

Do as you see fit, if you are uncomfortable replying, that's just fine. But I wouldn't write it off as a scam right off. Just use your own judgement.
 

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