Pretty sure this is a scam, but wanted to get input before I proceed. If it is a scam and I need to cancel, what's the best way to go about it?

This is the email:
(obviously it's unnecessary to read all of it)

Hello

Thank you for reaching out in regards to the upcoming shoot notice. We are extremely confident about the result of our collaborative efforts as it would be an honor to capture your beauty, poise, elegance, and sensuality. THOMAS AVILA PHOTOGRAPHY; is a professional Production company and freelance personnel. Our specialty are red carpet, commercials, video promotion, editorial/magazine and fashion photography. We make remarkable and compelling images calmly and quickly both in the studio or on location with our crew and our resourceful approach to advert work is complimented by hard work and our detail oriented personality. Experienced at working in every camera format, we're skilled and inventive. We have worked in some leading publications, promotions and entertainment shows. And here we are again, calling for an upcoming commercial products ad shoot to market collective new year sales catalog for bags, purses for our reputable China based client (MEILISHUO) who believe in fashionable life style.

    The commercial photos Is For What? This project is aimed at featuring a large collection of designer bags, shoes, apparel, accessories and other items from various designers and manufacturers to be displayed in an online media ad and electronic billboards nationwide. Our obligation in respect to this piece of project is to generate some marketable commercial advertisement to feature these items where all models will pose with the various items and exhibit a commercial character to attract consumer's attention. It’s very simple and works the same as any typical promotional or commercial advert shoot. The end product from the commercial shoot is an online media ad, electronic billboards and network medias that would convince the public to make these collection a top choice among others.

* The event Date : 
Event Date 1 : March 30th 2019 and March 31st 2019
Event Date 2 : April 7th 2019 and April 8th 2019
* Time : 10 A.M. - 3 P.M
* Nudity : No
* No level of experience is required. (Free Model Coach available upon request).

*Compensation : The total money pay for the jobs is USD 5,500 (Tax deduct-able) and you will get $500 as your advance/upfront booking fee and balance of USD 5,000 will be payed immediately after the completion of the commercial shoot. This $5000 also covers for the right of Meilishuo to use all your Commercial videos/Commercial shoots made for our own commercial interest for the period of 3 months. That means Meilishuo is entitle to use the produced shoot for advert work for the period of 3 months only and this will be backed up by a contract. (Advance/Booking ($500) + Usage rights and Services ($5,000) = $5,500

*Location/Venue of event: The shooting will hold at a rented studio in your location - (we shall arrange a suitable Studio and convey its detail to you unanimously.)

  We'll be responsible for your hair do, Make Up artist and transportation, except for your wardrobe/costume that will be shipped to you directly from a contracted fashion stylist in charge. Also, note that the payment for your wardrobe will be made available by us and your clothing measurements has to be forwarded to the fashion stylist, REASON being that, the payment for your wardrobe has to be made or billed to your Name/info as requested and acceptable business terms by the fashion stylist, to ENSURE a tallied customization and label to be printed on your costumes(You are not paying for you wardrobe from your pockect we shall make funds available for it). (Read this Paragraph again Pls)

In addition, an advanced deposit/upfront pay of $500 shall be mailed to you to insure your engagement on the upcoming cast with us in line with our business ethics. However, you will NOT only receive a paycheck of $500 but also an EXTRA amount that you will use to pay for your wardrobe/costume bills which you will forward to the fashion stylist in charge of your Wardrobe/costume along with your measurements.

    Actors/Models may attend the shoot with their choice of Friends/Parents/Manager/Spouse/Guardian (maximum of two) and should not arrive audition later than 9:30 a.m. to commence make-ups and attend a brief introductory class about the proposed project and shoot starts by 10:15 a.m. This shoot is going to be fun as different acting characters maybe involved, which is the real sense of this project. Take the courage to participate in this paid and legitimate offer as we look forward to a successful working relationship with you.

Final Note : we recommend that you read the content above OVER AGAIN and do not hesitate to ask question if any. Actors/Models are selected based on their willingness to participate and their agreement to the content of this paid event and readiness to work hard with us. Below are the required Payment and sign-up details you are to forward to us for filling and to mail you the aforementioned Paycheck for your upfront and Wardrobe bills:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INFO NEEDED
1. Your full name
2. Physical address (No P.O.box),
3. City,State
4. Zip code
5. Home contact (Home phone number and Cellphone number)
6. Your age
7. Previous working Experience,
8. 2 Picture photographs.
9. Reference
10. Other Websites where we can find your online profiles ?

A stranger offers to send you money and requests that you forward some of the money to another stranger.  No other information is required to identify this as a scam.

Anything that starts like that is a scam.  If they are going to hire you, they should already know your name and it should be part of the letter.  The letter is blowing smoke.  It is full of spelling and grammar errors.  Prepaying for a shoot is suspicious.  I would be extremely reluctant to pre-pay for a shoot with a person unknown to me.  But, without a doubt, anyone that wants to send you money and tells you to forward it, is a scam.  Every time. 

The reason I am answering you ins't because it is a scam.  I am answering because you said: "If it is a scam and I need to cancel, what's the best way to go about it? " Don't cancel.  Don't send them anything.  Don't respond to their emails or phone calls. Don't even open their emails or anything they send.  If, they contacted you on MM's system, then forward it to the mods so the mods can block the account.

You say in your portfolio that you don't check this site often (which means you do not show up very high on the list, if at all, when someone does a search for models in your area who have logged in within the last two weeks) and you give out your email address.  By doing that you have given them all they need and taken away any safeguards the site can offer you.

Another thing- The can't pay you in funds that are tax deductible.  If you are paid like this, it would be a 1099 job and you are responsible for all taxes on that income.  The only way it could be tax deductible is if there is some provision in the tax code that let's you write off money lost in scams.  I doubt there is such a provision, but if there is, it would recoup maybe a nickel on the dollar.

If it's a scam? It's a blatant scam.

They're willing to pay you thousands and bring a full crew to you, but they don't even know your name and age?

What actions did you take that would require you to cancel? Just go silent on them. Dear Lordy, I hope you didn't give out any banking information.

Get your email address out of your profile and provide that info only by request. That's a prime way for scammers to reach you.

Scam Scam Scam

Please read this link on how to spot scams
https://www.modelmayhem.com/forums/post/575330

It seems that the OP responded to some dubious offer. What is interesting is that "Thomas Avila Photography" appears to be legitimate, or at least exists, while everything about the proposal screams "scam." Ungrammatical, weird phrasings, and WAY too much irrelevant information, not to mention the dead giveaways of paying you to pay someone else, and finding a studio near you to shoot. Ridiculous.

Scam has been around for decades!  Nigerian Scam

Since you reponded to them by email, they now have yours.
They also have any other contact/location info you may have passed on.
Expect many more!
Cease all replies to them, or any other unsolicited emails you will likely now be getting.

Do not try to cash or deposit any payment they may send. They are Fake!
Absolutely, do not forward any portion to any others. You will lose it!

Report the original MM contact to Mayhem via  Contact a Mod

the key to the scam

"However, you will NOT only receive a paycheck of $500 but also an EXTRA amount that you will use to pay for your wardrobe/costume bills which you will forward to the fashion stylist in charge of your Wardrobe/costume along with your measurements. "

let say you will get an extra $2000.  You deposit the $2500 check and send $2000 to his friend only to find out a week later the check is bogus and lose $2000 of your own money.

======================

wonder how many fell to this but too embarrassed to post their story on the forum

The simplest way to tell if it's a scam is to post on the forums asking if it's a scam: it's never not a scam