There is a popular check cashing scam preying on members of the film community.
Scammers will find your name and contact information on production online job posting sites and/or online directories like the Nevada Production Directory, Craigslist, etc.
They will engage you through email or text asking for your resume and offering you a position with attractive rates of pay for various production positions with vague details.
Soon after contacting you, they will send you a check for a significant amount – often thousands of dollars – and ask you to deposit the check into your personal bank account.
Sometimes they will request to meet in person to discuss the details of the job further or “interview” you to see if you’d be a good fit for the job.
Here are some items to look out for:
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Written communication from the scammers often contain spelling and grammatical errors. They could have legitimate-looking websites.
- If ANY production company sends you a check for any amount to deposit into your personal bank account BEFORE they interview or HIRE you, DO NOT DO IT.
- Contact the Nevada Film Office to see if the production has registered.
- If communication escalates to physical threats and you feel uncomfortable, you can always call the non-emergency police line at 311 or report it to a police substation.
Here are some helpful links to help you identify check cashing scams: