Sketchy Monroe area wedding photographer takes money - not pictures, says woman

Woman says Monroe wedding photographer only scams money

In her quest to find out more about this guy, Nicole Tennant came across the Michigan Displeased Brides Facebook group. It was there that she found 70 women, all victims. Some said they were out thousands in cash while he just never showed.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - "I have always said people were silly for falling for scams," Nicole Tennant.

Tennant is one of the dozens of women who’ve fallen for a smooth-talking wedding photographer from Monroe who went by "734 Creative" and "Douglas Divinci."

"At this point, I’m estimating about 70 brides," she said. "That's my best guess."

FOX 2 is not naming the photographer because he’s not been convicted of a crime, yet.

Nicole met him on Facebook last year after scoping out three years' worth of good reviews - that may not be real - they communicated by text and on social media. He always responded at first.

"One time I text him at like 7 on a Sunday and he answered within an hour," she said.

A sob story from the scammer to Nicole, turned into a $300 deposit. then, poof, he was gone. He ghosted her just a couple months before the wedding.

"I typed the message and I looked down at the screen and it said this Facebook user does not exist," she said. "I was like, what?"

In her quest to find out more about this guy, Tennant came across the "Michigan Displeased Brides" Facebook group. It was there that she found 70 women, all victims. Some said they were out thousands in cash while he just never showed.

"He didn’t think it was any kind of crime, he didn’t think he did anything wrong," said Det. Jim Thorburn, Allen Park police.

Thorburn went to see the scammer last week after Nicole filed a police report and the guy actually coughed up the $300 to make it all go away.

"It was really a fluke that we even got the money back," he said.

That’s not to say he won’t face charges eventually.

Another local photographer saved Nicole’s day. Looking back, she would have insisted on an in-person meeting. She’s not even sure he was a photographer at all.

"He’s scammed us out of part of our dream - and I hope he goes to jail," she said.

About 70 brides are saying they were scammed. Not all will get the happy ending Nicole did, but the detective says it’s worth reporting it to your local police department if you think you’ve been scammed.