Watch Out for Casting Call Scammers
A video firm working for Pepsi wants to cut you a check to fly you out to a location for an ad? Sound too good to be true? It is.
Zinnia has been made aware that scammers are using our business name and website address to make their phishing scheme look more legitimate. Our firm is not casting talent for a Pepsi ad, nor are we filming for them. Any such calls for talent that you see on job boards or receive via email are fraud.
What should you do? Do not respond to the casting call. Certainly don’t send anyone any money, even if they have sent you a check. Those of you who have contacted us directly because details seemed suspicious did the right thing to protect your own safety. Additionally, you may want to check out the following resources:
- Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-report-fake-check-scams
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: https://www.ic3.gov/Home/ComplaintChoice/default.aspx
What have we done? We have reported the use of our name by cybercriminals to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, answered countless calls and emails from talent trying to verify the “job,” and posted to our website.
Scammers are increasingly sophisticated. We wish we didn’t all have to stay vigilant, but here we are. We hope to work with you one day—on a legitimate job.