Over the last few weeks, I’ve personally spoken to at least six people who have been scammed by fraudsters pretending to be from legitimate creative agencies—including Prohibition PR and Trio Media.
These scammers are using stolen branding, fake invoices, and false claims of employment at well-known agencies to con people on Facebook Marketplace. Their main trick? Selling high-end digital cameras at bargain prices, taking the money, and disappearing. I have seen several FAKE invoices for Cannon G7X Mk2 digital cameras for example.
🚨 They are NOT real employees. They have NO connection to us. 🚨
Marcus Donovan selling Cannon G7X Mk2 digital camera is a scammer
One of the names being used is Marcus Donovan, but there are likely others. You can read more about how Trio Media was targeted here. It is exactly the same people/person and the same scam – they are using agencies in the North because, in their own words, “creative agencies are easy targets.”
How This Scam Works
✅ They create fake profiles pretending to be agency employees.
✅ They use stolen branding to make invoices look real.
✅ They list expensive digital cameras for sale at low prices.
✅ Once the payment is made, they cut all contact and disappear.
How to Protect Yourself
✔️ Double-check who you’re dealing with – If someone claims to work for an agency, look them up on LinkedIn or call the agency directly.
✔️ Avoid “too good to be true” deals – Scammers rely on urgency to trick buyers.
✔️ Look out for fake emails and phone numbers – Many of these contacts don’t work when you try to reply.
✔️ Report suspicious activity to Action Fraud – If you’ve been affected, file a report at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.
This scam is damaging both businesses and worse still the poor individuals, and it’s clear that creative agencies are being deliberately targeted. The more awareness we can raise, the harder it will be for scammers to succeed.
If you or someone you know has been affected, drop a comment below or message me—let’s put a stop to this together.
Chris Norton
Founder & Managing Director, Prohibition PR
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