I received the following emails today....I am a little concerned that they might not be ligit or possibly be leading to some sort of scam.   For starters I am in GA and the sender lists Ny as their  address....besides that the email was just a bit strange.  Opinions please 

Comments : Hello. I'm looking for a very special, very original, very beautiful cake for my son, who will be graduating Marine Boot Camp on October 4, 2013. His birthday is also on October 28, 2013, and I would like a cake to combine both his birthday and graduation. I would need the cake on October 5, 2013.  I'm thinking of a "topsy turvy" cake, possibly with fondant, but I'm not sure yet. I would like to integrate the United States Marine Corps and The Avengers on one cake. Is this possible? Maybe a scene with figurines dressed in camouflage and Avenger action figurines? I don't want anything too massive either...  I would also like this quote on the cake: "Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't."  Along with that quote, I'd like "Happy Birthday," as well, and the USMC symbol. Maybe a round cake on top of a sheet cake with the USMC seal? I'm just throwing out ideas for you and will send you images for inspiration as well.
The cake I'm looking for should be masculine but also playful. It is meant to be a "Welcome Home/Congratulations" cake AND a "Happy Birthday" cake. My son is 18 and is still a "kid," but he will also be a United States Marine and the cake should reflect both.  Please get back to me as soon as possible so we can begin designing this cake, toss ideas back and forth, and get pricing started. I would like to be fully involved in the designing of this cake and not just completely leave it up to you. Like I said, it is to be a very special cake for my son, who is a very wonderful young man.
Thank you very much for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.    

THEN THE SECOND EMAIL SENT LITERALLY 3 MINUTES LATER 

Follow up: I apologize for the back-to-back emails, but this cake has to be great!  Picture this: A beautiful cake with the USMC Seal and The Avengers come and "crash the party," so-to-speak.
I'd LOVE to have Hulk either bursting out of the cake OR he is atop the cake and he "smashes" the cake and you make it appear like the cake is cracked...I'd love to have Thor maybe climbing the cake... Would there be any way to make Iron Man appear to be hovering over the cake? Can I buy the figurines and ship them to you?  Please let me know what you think.  Thank you so much!"

~*~*~*~  I am literally laughing at this....if it is real this customer has quite the imagination. 

Totally bogus!!!

You can look up the domain name and see exactly where the email was sent from, almost all the way down to the IP address of the box it was sent from.

I would do nothing, do not reply, that will only tell the sender that the email was delivered successfully. And they will send more.

Andrew
 

Yes, and if it wasn't bogus, they are WAY too interested in directing your every move.  Red flags flying high!

Liz
 

AIt doesn't sound like the 'typical' cake scam emails, you know with the misspelling, and wanting a HUGE wedding cake in two weeks... You know what I mean? Yes, he sounds like a character lol, with a ridiculous theme. Or perhaps he's a proud papa and his son lives where you do (hense the location). Regardless, he will probably be a difficult customer.

I'd look up his IP as well as his name in the online directory. But if you decide to take the order I would definitely secure with a credit card or cashiers check, as well as getting the remainder of the payment a couple weeks before you have to touch the cake, just in case.

Maybe if you spoke on the phone you could get a better idea of his intentions.

AGo with your gut feeling, time really is money ;)

I would answer...I got an order from Ecuador. She is coming back to the states for her daughters wedding. Paid in advance via Paypal. I would demand at least 50% before you did a lick of work beyond sketching and quoting.

ADoesn't sound scammy to me. I've been the recipient of every scam email out there, and they aren't that elaborate or real sounding.

ABut that is one I would answer very simply. Thank him for his request and ask what sort of budget he had in mind for this incredible project.

I don't know the logistics about where you are etc (I'm from the UK) but I have to say that it really doesn't sound like a scam...  not like the usual scam emails you get, anyway!!

ADefinitely ask about the budget before spending another second on this.

Doesn't sound at all suspicious to me.  I've certainly gotten similar emails from clients.

In my short, what is your budget email, I would also confirm (or ask) the venue.  She may have you confused with a different bakery in her area or near his.  

I have done orders from around the country from people who found me on yelp and want the cake for someone local. I think a phone call is in order, because that's a very complicated cake she wants, but I wouldn't dismiss it right away.

Typically, the scammers want to overpay you for the cake and have you give them cash back.

I don't think it's a scam, but it definitely sounds like a pain in the...

If you want to tackle it, write back and ask for location and budget info and make sure she can afford her big ideas plus your PITA surcharge! If you don't, tell her you are booked that day. Personally, I think I'd be booked :)

AAgreed...it doesn't sound like a scam, but this customer's budget probably doesn't align with her expectations.

We had quite a few orders from out of the area (and sometimes from other countries) for family members or friends who were working or going to school in the San Jose area, they all paid by PayPal and we never had a problem. In fact these were some of my favorite deliveries, since they were usually surprises and the recipient had never been able to eat cake before.

there are cake scam emails?

what is the point in a cake scam email?

Are they competition trying to get you to waste your time and money?

How bizarre.

It didn't sounds like a scam at all, but I agree with other posts that mention this one might be a doozy to work on! Sending a followup email asking the budget seems like the next step. Just sounds like a really overzealous and happy, proud parent. I'd love to hear how the corresponding goes!

SCAM SCAM SCAM!!!!! When I owned a cake shop I got them every so often .Do not reply or any thing! Or you may be sorry.
 

AFor those who think it's a scam, why do you think so?

A

IMO, it doesn't sound like a scam.  Even if it's 100% legit, I wouldn't take the order, lol...She sounds way too controlling and like the type of client who will be making very last minute changes and just over all a monster to deal with...Run, run fast and far away.

That is an order I would love to get, provided they had the budget to go with it. Since the cake is Marine based, for a Marine, I would give a 10% discount, since I am all about supporting the Armed Forces, but it would still cost a pretty penny. And all that lettering...sheesh! I also LOVE the Avengers, especially the Hulk. 

Definitely would email back to get a budget, and then take it from there. 

Oooh-Rah! Thanks for supporting our troops. I give a 15% discount on military theme cakes.

AGeez, I wouldn't run from it. Treat it like any other inquiry.

ACake scams generally involve very poorly translated English, ridiculous flavor requests, and they want to overpay you with stolen funds that you would then refund part back to them or their 'shipping agent'.

I had a great opportunity the other day. A dying woman wanted to give me 1.4 Million $$. The ONLY stipulation is that I give 1/2 to the orphanage of my choice! Should I do it??? LMAO.

OMG...I was dying laughing at these.  The one that got me was when you offered to serenade the wedding couple along with the other vendors.  So funny!