Photo contest scam?

[oOBrieOo]

So I entered a photo into picture.com's photo contest, for sh1t's n giggles.. Today I got an email saying i'd won the ability to get a trophy and have my photo displayed, etc.. However i'd have to pay 200 dollars to get it all.. Smells like fish to me, anyone know anything about this?

The email:

Dear Brie,

In the past, we informed you that you and your artistic accomplishments could have been honored at the International Society of Photographers Convention and Symposium in the United States capital, Washington, D.C. -- even though you were unable to attend.

Please note that because so many people took advantage of this opportunity, we have extended the time for you to elect to receive your awards, and benefits of ISP membership, provided that you will allow us to present your photo "Coal" (see your photo here) at our next convention and that you have elected to receive all of the awards and benefits of ISP membership that we have scheduled for you. Your awards, which will be shipped to you at this time, include your custom engraved Outstanding Achievement in Photography Silver Award Bowl (see it here), your bronze Commemorative Award Medallion, and your Full One Year Membership into the International Society of Photographers for 2005.

In this regard, we have arranged for your photographic artistry to be prominently displayed at a future international gathering of photographers. Your photograph, along with your name, will be presented exactly as you created it, so that your artistry receives the international exposure it deserves. In this way, over 1,000 attending photographers and their guests, who come from all over the world to attend the convention, will appreciate your photograph.

And let me tell you a little about the actual awards and ISP membership benefits that you will receive by mail immediately after you confirm your participation in this prestigious event by allowing us to showcase your photo:

-- Your Outstanding Achievement in Photography Silver Award Bowl (a $200.00 value) is a magnificent work of art in itself that measures over 10 inches across and over 11 inches high. It is handcrafted in silver and has your name custom-engraved on a beautiful cherry-wood base (see it here). It is certain to enjoy a special place of pride in your home and will serve as a fitting symbol of your unique photographic artistry.

-- Your bronze Commemorative Award Medallion is a deeply etched bronze medal (a $40.00 value) brilliantly displayed on a 25-inch red, white and blue satin ribbon.

-- And your Full One Year Membership into the International Society of Photographers for 2005 (a $60.00 value) entitles you to a personalized membership card, special discounts and contests, and a free subscription to our quarterly newsletter. Please note, if you are already an ISP member, your benefits will be extended an additional year.

Brie, all that's required for us to immediately send you all of these Awards is for you to allow us to formally display your photograph "Coal" at the next convention. Additionally, because you were not present at our last convention, we must also ask you for the necessary funds ($169.00 plus p+h) to cover the costs of the time and effort required to present your photography before future convention attendees, and to cover the costs incurred in insuring and shipping to you these extremely bulky and heavy awards.

Brie, we are, of course, ultimately most interested in meeting you and having you personally present your artistry in front of the thousands of other photographers who attend these live events. Unfortunately, this was not the case, so we're trying to do the next best thing. But we sincerely hope to personally present you with your most deserved awards in the future.

Sincerely,
Craig Foster
International Society of Photographers
Convention Awards Chairperson

P.S. Your Outstanding Achievement in Photography Silver Award Bowl, bronze Commemorative Award Medallion, and personalized membership card, will be shipped to you by Federal Express (your subscription to our newsletter will arrive separately) and will be accompanied by a 100% money back guarantee of your complete satisfaction. If for any reason you're not 100% delighted with your Awards, simply return them any time within 60 days of receipt for a full refund, no questions asked.

P.P.S. You'll also receive a $100.00 gift certificate off the registration of a future ISP convention so that we can formally recognize your photographic accomplishments in person at a date that's convenient to you.

[opus]

take a look at these previous threads on the subject:

Good surprise today

Concerns about Picture.com

Toads & Tadpoles

[Lava Lamp]

So I entered a photo into picture.com's photo contest, for sh1t's n giggles.. Today I got an email saying i'd won the ability to get a trophy and have my photo displayed, etc.. However i'd have to pay 200 dollars to get it all.. Smells like fish to me, anyone know anything about this?

The email:

Dear Brie,

In the past, we informed you that you and your artistic accomplishments could have been honored at the International Society of Photographers Convention and Symposium in the United States capital, Washington, D.C. -- even though you were unable to attend.

Please note that because so many people took advantage of this opportunity, we have extended the time for you to elect to receive your awards, and benefits of ISP membership, provided that you will allow us to present your photo "Coal" (see your photo here) at our next convention and that you have elected to receive all of the awards and benefits of ISP membership that we have scheduled for you. Your awards, which will be shipped to you at this time, include your custom engraved Outstanding Achievement in Photography Silver Award Bowl (see it here), your bronze Commemorative Award Medallion, and your Full One Year Membership into the International Society of Photographers for 2005.

In this regard, we have arranged for your photographic artistry to be prominently displayed at a future international gathering of photographers. Your photograph, along with your name, will be presented exactly as you created it, so that your artistry receives the international exposure it deserves. In this way, over 1,000 attending photographers and their guests, who come from all over the world to attend the convention, will appreciate your photograph.

And let me tell you a little about the actual awards and ISP membership benefits that you will receive by mail immediately after you confirm your participation in this prestigious event by allowing us to showcase your photo:

-- Your Outstanding Achievement in Photography Silver Award Bowl (a $200.00 value) is a magnificent work of art in itself that measures over 10 inches across and over 11 inches high. It is handcrafted in silver and has your name custom-engraved on a beautiful cherry-wood base (see it here). It is certain to enjoy a special place of pride in your home and will serve as a fitting symbol of your unique photographic artistry.

-- Your bronze Commemorative Award Medallion is a deeply etched bronze medal (a $40.00 value) brilliantly displayed on a 25-inch red, white and blue satin ribbon.

-- And your Full One Year Membership into the International Society of Photographers for 2005 (a $60.00 value) entitles you to a personalized membership card, special discounts and contests, and a free subscription to our quarterly newsletter. Please note, if you are already an ISP member, your benefits will be extended an additional year.

Brie, all that's required for us to immediately send you all of these Awards is for you to allow us to formally display your photograph "Coal" at the next convention. Additionally, because you were not present at our last convention, we must also ask you for the necessary funds ($169.00 plus p+h) to cover the costs of the time and effort required to present your photography before future convention attendees, and to cover the costs incurred in insuring and shipping to you these extremely bulky and heavy awards.

Brie, we are, of course, ultimately most interested in meeting you and having you personally present your artistry in front of the thousands of other photographers who attend these live events. Unfortunately, this was not the case, so we're trying to do the next best thing. But we sincerely hope to personally present you with your most deserved awards in the future.

Sincerely,
Craig Foster
International Society of Photographers
Convention Awards Chairperson

P.S. Your Outstanding Achievement in Photography Silver Award Bowl, bronze Commemorative Award Medallion, and personalized membership card, will be shipped to you by Federal Express (your subscription to our newsletter will arrive separately) and will be accompanied by a 100% money back guarantee of your complete satisfaction. If for any reason you're not 100% delighted with your Awards, simply return them any time within 60 days of receipt for a full refund, no questions asked.

P.P.S. You'll also receive a $100.00 gift certificate off the registration of a future ISP convention so that we can formally recognize your photographic accomplishments in person at a date that's convenient to you.

Just as kind of a general rule the words and phrases: "contest; give-away; you just won" etc. almost always denote a scan, but you knew that already, didn't ya? ;) Next you're going to tell me that the guy in Nigeria who is always emailing me doesn't really want o give me $1 million.

[jar_e]

Reading those past posts, it seems a little like a scam. Lara said

think the opinion is pretty clear regarding the international library of photography, also known as picture.com - it's a vanity press which makes money selling books to amateur photographers who want to see their photo published. They use a perpetual photo contest and everyone who submits a photo is a finalist - and then the pitch comes to get your photo published in one of their books. Is it a scam? No, probably not because they deliver the books. Can you find your book in any bookstore. NO, because bookstores do not stock books published by vanity presses. Because the ILP books have ISBN numbers (anyone can get an ISBN number) a bookstore might be able to order the book from them - then again they might not be able to order the book. Are the marketing tactics transparent and totally above board? Not even close, in my opinion. My advice is NOT to enter the perpetual contest, and NOT to order the book.

[oOBrieOo]

Ok thats what I thought.. Thanks guys

[Gerry Widen]

I entered a photo about a year or two ago. Initially they were going to come out with a book of winning photos and course mine was selected. The book was going to be top quality reproductions. The clue to me it was a scam was they were going to use the jpeg I submitted, about a 80kb file. No way they could get a quality reproduction from that. I just received an email that the same photo won an award and if I paid the money I would get this cup.

[Speed]

Just as kind of a general rule the words and phrases: "contest; give-away; you just won" etc. almost always denote a scan, but you knew that already, didn't ya? ;) Next you're going to tell me that the guy in Nigeria who is always emailing me doesn't really want o give me $1 million.

Hey wait a minute. Are you referring to the ex-president who wants to give ME $1 million?!

How many millions does this guy have???

:-O

;-)

[paulnj]

How many millions does this guy have???

:-O

;-)

Well he has $3 MILLION for me, as I have 3 email address that he has..... hope he never gets my 4th ;)

[lidarman]

Well he has $3 MILLION for me, as I have 3 email address that he has..... hope he never gets my 4th ;)

I followed one of those scammers by setting up a devoted yahoo email and corresponded with them about a week. Eventually the scammer sent me Mail addresses and phone numbers I was to contact in Belgium for the next stage. I immediately forwarded this info to the secret service...the emails stopped.