Artists Beware of Sammers on The Rise!
If you are promoting yourself as an artist, have an email address and/or on social media, chances are you have received emails and messages from scammers who deliberately try to cheat artists and steal their art and money.
In this article, you will read about the warning signs so you can protect you from being scammed. We also supply samples of emails and social media posts and messages written by scammers.
Since this article was published in 2017 it has been updated several times, including as recent as 2025.
We will continue to add new vital information as it becomes available. We also post comments that contain correspondence between artists and potential scammers, so please read them after reading this article. They provide several clues to be aware of and you’ll see how artists replied to the scammers.
This Article Also Includes Scammers Targeting Artists on Instagram and Facebook
Beware: Social Media Scammers set up several names and change them frequently.
Beware: Same Wording from Different Sources
This is a widespread comment on Facebook from different different sources repeatedly on different posts about artists. They have no contact info on their pages. They write: “I am utterly enchanted by this painting! Would it be possible to acquire this breathtaking work of art?”
Beware: Same User Repeats Posts to Artists
One facebook user wrote the exact same comment below posts about different artists’ artwork. “I want to buy the rights to ownership of the photo’s I’m willing to offer a reasonable amount if you’ll agree, tell me if you’re interested.”
Advice from Michael About An Email Scam
Scammers use bad checks and ask for money to reimburse excess payments for shipping.
One of our readers named Michael wrote: “I received the email from Ralph Talker on behalf of the artist whose site I administer. After a back and forth he said he was sending me a check by UPS for the amount of the artwork plus an additional amount (3 times as much) for the “shipping agent”. I got suspicious then and googled the email address ralphtalker@gmail.com.
I reported all this to the FTC and they referred me to the Internet Crime Complaint Center where I filed another detailed claim. The FTC informed me to bring the check to my local police when it arrives.
I think it’s important to report these reckless criminals to the officials set up to deal with them, not just let it go.”
IMPORTANT
The IC3 accepts online Internet crime complaints from either the actual victim or from a third party to the complainant. Visit the website to find out how to file a complaint.
Look for These Warning Signs in Emails, Posts, and Messages
• Generic email greetings
• URLs that looks deceptive and inauthentic
• Wrong, out of date or out of place logos, design and type
• Grammatical errors and improper English
• Does not state anything specific about your art work
• Huge range in their budget, such as “$500 to $50,000.
• Asks questions that can be answered by visiting your website
• There is a sense of urgency in their request
• They want to arrange shipping with an agent or third party shipper or mover that will pick it up directly
• They will offer to send more money than is due so you will be obliged to give them a check for the excess when you send them the artwork
• They will say their “wife” has been looking at your art on your website and they want “to surprise her”.
• They don’t say which artwork they want to buy and will ask you to choose within a certain price range that may be several thousands of dollars.
Quick Tip: If in doubt, do a google search for the sender’s name + scam
Example of scam via email
We received this from Jeffrey Smith jeff0220smith000@gmail.com.
We kept all of his grammatical errors.
Subject: Art inquiry
Hello
I’m Jeffrey, a photographer based in new York,
A friend referred you, I have also gone through your works, your indeed good at what you do. I have a proposal,
I will be opening my photo studio officially by ending of the month, I will need some original paintings for decoration, my estimated budget for this is $900 to $5000 for each piece. Give me a feedback through the email provided,
I will be expecting your response soon, also let me know if you accept check payment thanks.
Kind regards,
Jeffrey Smith.
We received this email from Nelson Donham donhamnelson@gmail.com
Subject: Artwork inquiry
Aloha… I am Nelson donham, a native of Oklahoma. I have been on the lookout for some Artworks lately in regards to I and my wife’s anniversary which is just around the corner. I must admit you’re doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of work, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $1000 to $3500.
I look forward to reading from you in order to know more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept a certified cashiers check as a means of payment.
Regards,
(no name)
Updates 2024 – 2025
Social Media Scams Are Increasing !
Many Artists have told me they received these Messages on Instagram and Facebook:
✨✨Your talent is incredible, this is really effective I love your taxtures you’ve used, it’s beautiful i would love if you can massage me privately.
Hello I’m an art collector I’m interested in buying three of your art works if you’re willing to sell
Hello, how’re you? Amazing works you’ve got.. Are they up for sale
Amazing work! 
Your art is stunning. 
How long have you been involved in the art scene?
Impressive feed! Do you pursue art out of passion or as a profession? 
Hello I love 
your art works they’re beautiful unique and exquisite Are they up for sales?
You have nice and amazing arts, I will love to purchase if they are available for sales
We are also receiving many emails from artists about NFT scammers on Instagram!
These scammers send direct messages from random accounts asking to buy your original art as NFTs. They may also claim to be in the art business and they have rich clients who were willing to pay huge amounts of money to buy NFTs.
Beware of Name Changes on Accounts on Fracebook and Instagram
When you receive suspicious messages and comments on Instagram visit the sender’s page and see how many name changes the account has had. Fake and/or scam accounts change their names frequently.
You can block scammers from following you on Facebook although be aware they may several names.
If and When you receive these types of Messages You Can BLOCK Them!
Instagram suggests “Open a chat to get more info about who’s messaging you.
They won’t know you’ve seen it until you accept.”
You will then have the option to BLOCK them.
What Happens if You Reply
If you were to follow through and reply, the scammer may ask to purchase multiple paintings. They may be large sizes so the shipping costs will be high. They will send you a cashiers check for the total cost of the paintings plus shipping along with an excess (they offer it in case shipping costs more). The scamming purchaser will be in a BIG hurry for you to ship. That is because the check will eventually bounce, but that will take 30 days. When the check bounces you will have already sent the artwork.
Some scammers will offer to use a credit card (with stolen numbers) and even Paypal (using a fake Paypal link asking for YOUR Paypal login – and then they get your login info.
Never give these scammers personal information such as bank or credit card information. This may be a trap for identity fraud.
More Examples of Scams
Obvious Red Flag: When they don’t address you by name it’s a sign that they are sending bulk scam emails.
Email from “Stephanie” with “Art Purchase” in the Subject line. This was sent to someone who is NOT an ARTIST!
Dearest, I trust this message reaches you in great spirits; I have long admired the profound uniqueness and evocative beauty of your artistic creations, and as I find myself presently based in Los Angeles engaged in the development of an ambitious project… for an exclusive presentation at Phillips Auction House in New York, I wished to inquire whether you might be amenable to hearing more about a prospective collaboration wherein your extraordinary works could be reimagined, celebrated, and elevated within this innovative digital realm, preserving the integrity of your original vision while introducing it to an expansive, discerning global audience….
Hello
Good day, I hope this message meets you well ,
How as been your day ? I’m Weyland Harry from Pennsylvania PA, I was making research on the internet and came across some art page, To be frank I really love your work & i must say you’re very creative, I would like to know if there’s some piece of art for wedding anniversary available and thier asking price list. I would love to purchase some of your arts as a present to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. I feel she would really love & appreciate it , as a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept checks as a means of this payment. I’m looking forward to your response.
Best regards,
Weyland Harry
Scam
Hello,
My name is Nicole from Royalton, OH. I was looking for some artwork online and I found your contact while searching. I Would like to purchase some of your work for my husband as a surprise gift for our 20th anniversary. Please kindly send pics and prices of some of your art which are ready for immediate sale within the price range $300- $3,500, i could be flexible with the price. So I will hope to hear a lot more about any available piece in your inventory ready for immediate sale.
Thanks and best regards,
Nicole Hicks sales@askforsignals.space
Scam
Hello There,
My Name is Frank Jullius from New York. I actually observed my Wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and i guess she likes your piece of work. I’m also impressed and amazed to have seen your various works too, You are doing a Great job. I would like to purchase one of your ARTWORKS as a surprise to my Wife on our anniversary. Also, let me know if you accept CHECK as mode of Payment.
Thanks and best regards
(Signed Frank, frank.jullius25@gmail.com)
Scam
Hello There,
My name is Charles Davis from California. i was in the Garden when my wife came in that she saw your work on Google, You are doing a great job. I would like to purchase one of your pieces as a surprise to my wife on our 15th anniversary. Also, let me know if you accept the check as mode of Payment.
Thanks and best regards
Charles
Scam
Hello there… I’ve been on the lookout for some artworks in regards to my wife’s birthday which is just around the corner. I actually observed your works on google which I found quite impressive and intriguing; I must admit you are doing quite an impressive job and good at what you do.
I would like to purchase a piece of your works as a surprise gift for my wife in honor of her forthcoming 50th birthday. It could be any style of paintings (Abstract, Contemporary, etc…) and color, but medium size or large.. However, I would greatly appreciate it if you could possibly recommend a few completed pieces. Kindly send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes. My budget for this is within the price range of $500 to $2000.
I would also like to know if you accept a check as means of payment.
Russell
Scam
From carlosrebecca777@gmail.com
Message Body
Greetings and Happy New Year ❤️ to you,
I’ve just briefly gone through your profile and I won’t fail to admit that your style amazes me. 🌹🌹
It’s really exquisite 💓
I truly love the nature of your artworks 💓
They are beautiful and classy which piqued my interest 😊
Do you currently have artworks available for purchase?
Tips on Identifying Scams and Actions to Take
• Stay alert and use caution when reading emails.
• Do not make any hasty decisions no matter how good it may appear.
• Check out everything you can on the internet about a person making a proposal to you.
• Read up on current schemes. Search online for “email scams aimed at artists”.
• If something feels odd about the request trust your intuition!
• Notice when an offer or deal is “too good to be true.”
• Delete all scam proposals from your email.
• Do not reply, open any attachments, or click on any links.
• Use the advice given by Michael in the beginning of this article and report the suspicious email to the Internet Crime Complaint Center
A subscriber sent us this email
If you receive something similar, beware. Notice the countless grammatical errors (clues that it is a scam)
From: Tracy Washington <tracywashington5172@gmail.com>
Subject: I would love to work with you
My name is Tracy Washington,, from virgina. I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regards to my husband birthday which is just around the corner. I stormed on some of your works which I found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit you’re doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.With that being said, I would like to purchase a surprise gift to my husband in honor of his upcoming Birthday. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $500 to $5,500.
I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept a check as a means of payment.
Regards
Tracy Washington
What you can do if you suspect the email is a scam
If you discover an email scam here are some steps to take
• Block the email from your service provider.
• Contact your Internet Service Provider who can help stop scam emails from reaching you.
• Visit https://www.scam-detector.com/how-to-report-scam-emails/
• Report any scam or unwanted email by forwarding it to the Federal Trade Commission
• Also locate local authorities by searching “email+scam+yourstate”
For Artists in the U.K.
• Report it to (UK) Scambusters at The Office of Fair Trading by emailing scams@oft.gsi.gov.uk.
• Write to The OFT, European Enforcement Team, Fleet Bank House, 2-6 Salisbury Square, London, EC4Y 8JX. The OFT will not be able to assist you as an individual but they have enforcement powers to act on behalf of a group of consumers to try and prevent this problem recurring.
• The Advertising Standards Authority, ASA, is the independent body set up by the advertising industry to police the rules laid down in the advertising codes.
• Cross-border adjudications can be found at www.easa-alliance.org
More Email Scams
We received this scam email from clementdave111@gmail.com
(We kept all grammatical errors as received.)
Greetings… I am Clement from Virginia. I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regards to I and my wife’s anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on some of your works which i found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit your doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $500 to $5000.
I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept check as a means of payment.
An associate of ours, who is not an artist, received this scam email from waterrebecca123@gmail.com
Hi there,
I hope this email finds you well. My name is Rebecca I came across your stunning artwork and I was truly captivated by your unique style and creativity.
I am interested in potentially purchasing some of your art pieces,
Looking forward to hearing from you and hopefully adding your beautiful art to my collection.
Thank you and best regards,
Rebecca
We received this scam email from jamiedalton1000@gmail.com
(We kept all grammatical errors as received.)
Reply-To jamiedalton1000@gmail.com
Date Today 07:49
Subject: artwork inquiry
Greetings to you, my name is jamie dalton i observed my wife viewing your artwork on my laptop severally and i guess she likes some of your art piece i must also say Your work is really stunning The uniqueness quality to your work is so lovely I am very much interested in the purchase to surprise my wife. thanks
jamie dalton
We received this scam email from “Mary”
Subject: Consider
We kept all of her grammatical errors. 🙂
With that being said, I would like to purchase a surprise gift to my husband in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary.
It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $500 to $6,000. I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your pieces. Regard
Beware of comments written on your website. This comment was written in response to one of our articles on The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS website. The article was totally unrelated to any products or services.
Hello,
My Name is Alan Fredrick am interested in purchasing some of your products, The shipment would be sent to Malta? method of payment will be credit card, I’ll prefer email order, I will be very glad if you can assist me with the order and treat it with good concern.
Kind Regards,
Alan Fredrick
Tal-Ibrag
Swieqi SWQ2367
MALTA
Another Obvious Scam From “Marcel”
Greetings:
I am sorry to invade your privacy in this way, I feel it appropriate to offer you my partnership in business, I just pray at this time that your email address is still valid. I am contacting you because my status would not allow me to do this alone.
I would like to ask you to receive money on my behalf. Can I trust you to do business with me? I will send you full details when I receive your reply.
Please reply so that we can have a better discussion.
Thank you.
Other Types of Scams Aimed at Artists Known as “Pay to Play”
• Vanity Galleries: These galleries email artists and tease them into thinking they are being offered representation, yet require the artist to pay high fees to have their work exhibited. Read this article about Vanity Galleries at vanity-galleries.
• Vanity Art Book Publishers: Same as Vanity Galleries in that they charge high fees to print your artwork in a publication.
• Other “Calls for Artists”: Most juried exhibitions are legitimate; however, make sure to enter only those contests from established art organizations, with well-known judges, requiring no entry fee or a minimal entry fee. Read Not All Calls for Artists Are Equal.
Please note: On a regular basis we receive comments with questions and complaints about specific galleries which they believe are “scams”. For legal reasons we do not mention specific individuals and gallery names. Please refer to this article “Beware of Vanity Galleries” and read the suggestions offered to determine if the gallery in question is legitimate or not. We trust you will make smart and intelligent choices.
Renee, thank you for this article and all the artists who have written comments. You are providing a much needed service.
Here is a new scam to watch out for.
I received this email and I am neither an artist nor do I live in Canada. However, I received this scam emaiil.
Your artwork caught my eye, and it got me thinking – have you ever considered selling it as Jigsaw Puzzles?
We help Canadian artists create custom-printed puzzles featuring their work – just like prints or merch you’d sell directly to your audience. It’s an easy, engaging product that helps you reach new buyers and keep fans engaged.
Here’s a 2-min presentation with more details or just reply to this email, and we can take it from there.
Looking forward to your thoughts,
(Name of email sender and name of puzzle company located in Canada)
I must add, when I visited the company’s website there were no names listed as the owners or representatives which is always a “red flag” and cause for alarm. I also did a google search for the name of the email sender and name of puzzle company. No results.
Thank you Susanna. I’m sure your comment will help a lot of artists who receive this type of scam email and/or simialr ones.
You made a good point about the absence of company owners and their professional credentials which any legitamate business website includes. .
Thank you Renee!
For anyone reading, I’ve received all of the above, but this week I’ve had the scammers go to new levels.
After receiving a message that the person was interested in a particular painting, I provided the shipping cost and asked if the person would like to proceed. He indicated that he would like to view the painting via messenger. He called, but wouldn’t put on his camera; he had forgotten that he had asked to view the painting, and asked me to send him the Invoice via Paypal as soon as possible. His accent also gave him away, as he sounded African rather than American.
I had had a similar scammer the day before, so didn’t proceed.
Something to look out for is that once you send the Paypal Invoice to the Purchaser, you will likely receive a message from the scammer.
This will be a panicked message stating that Paypal advises them that the Artist hasn’t set up the Invoice from a Business Account, and that the Receiver had received an invoice for $400 plus.
I do have a Business Account with Paypal, and I know that Paypal never sends an invoice like that.
NEVER give out your email, as the scammers will send you false invoices.
I also recommend sending all communication through your website contact form, so that your email isn’t accessed.
Paypal community also has the list of current scams going around if you’d like to keep on top of it all… exhausting and time-wasting as it is.
Andrea,
I’m sorry you were contacted by a scammer and thankful that you were wise not to proceed.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I’m sure it will help many trusting and vulnerable artists.
I also appreciate the information about PayPal community.
Stay safe!
Just wanted to add this email that I received today to the list of potential scams.
This was actually via Fineartamerica.com where I have a gallery, at least they do not give out your actual email address, but merely offer a way to ‘contact the artist”.
The email arrived in my inbox from donotreply@fineartamerica.com, and then goes on to give the senders actual email address, name and message:
It was from: Desiree Richfield
desireerichfield17@gmail.com
Subject: PURCHASE OF ARTWORKS
Message:
I’m writing to express my awe for your Artworks. I saw it not quite long and was immediately struck by your art piece. I’ll be very interested in purchasing this piece, if it is still available. I am an art collector and I have been collecting art for over 18 years. I am particularly drawn to your work because of your mode of expression and choice of color. I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you. (end of email message)
I am already well aware of these kind of scams as I have received a few in the past.
In fact Fineartamerica.com has been a real pain as most of the scams I receive are through there, I also noticed someone on that website trying to sell items (cushions etc) using one of my artworks ! I managed to get that account taken down fortunately.
Hi Philip,
You were wise to notice the red flags in the scammer’s email and fake name.
That is terrible that your art was stolen to be printed on items and good for you for getting FAA to close the account. Be aware these scammers change names and repeat the process.
Excellent, very fair article.
I often receive emails and proposals from Italy.
And fake art curators and all those who offer virtual exhibitions. And in this sense the Italian curators (names have been deleted by editor) from Bologna are a real trap and scammers with a real website but the exhibits presented are false !
Don’t be fooled because they easily ask for money.
Thank you Stephan. We appreciate your comment and sorry to learn about this scam. We deleted the names of the curators for legal reasons and for your protection. Hope you understand. Stay safe. We wish you much success!
Renee, Thank you for everything you do for artists.
I just received this scam email from “Conrad” and remembered reading this article, so instead of falling for his scam I ignored it. I’m sharing his email here to alert fellow artists. Notice his “from” does not match his name and he did not address me by name.
Subject: Special gift to my wife for our upcoming wedding anniversary celebration
From brian Ederson edbrn512@gmail.com
My name is Conrad Eineman from San Fransisco, CA. I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regard to our wedding anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on to some of your works which I found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit you’re doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of work, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $1000 to $15,000.
I look forward to reading from you in order to know more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept checks as a means of payment.
Best Regards,
Conrad
Thank you Stella. I’m glad to know you avoided being scammed by “Conrad”.
Stay safe!
I received the same message tonight. Search engineing the message helped me find this article and your comment, to confirm it’s a scam, for me 🙂
Hi Steve, I’m relieved to know our article helped you avoid being scammed. Stay well, Renee
Thanks for the article, Renee. I receive at least one of these types of scams at least once a week. They are so annoying and time-wasting. The other scam that seems to be very popular is the NFTs that these scammers want to purchase allegedly. Lately, I’ve also noticed that Calls for artists have become ridiculously expensive. $45.00 for one submission and $15.00 for each after that. Nope, not playing.
Patricia, Thank you for your comment. We must keep the message going to as many artists as possible to help them avoid falling for scams. Please feel free to share this post with fellow artists. Stay safe and best wishes for your art career success!
Fortunately I found this article before to proceeding for that I’m aware of the same SCAMMERS. So I didn’t fall into their trap. I hope it helps others similarly.
Thank you so much for your excellent advice.
Best regards
Oliver
————————————————————————————————————————————
From: Nicole Hicks
Date: 6 August 2024 at 09:09:47 CEST
To: olivercmallorca@icloud.com
Subject: I’m Captivated By Your Art
Reply-To: Nicole Hicks
I’m Captivated By Your Art
Hello, My name is Nicole from Royalton, OH. I was looking for some artwork online and I found your contact while searching. I Would like to purchase some of your work for my husband as a surprise gift for our 20th anniversary. Please kindly send pics and prices of some of your art which are ready for immediate sale within the price range $300- $3,500, i could be flexible with the price. Also, let me know if you accept check as a payment method. Thanks and best regards, Nicole Hicks.
Hi Renee,
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this article. It saved me from falling prey to another scammer, claytonbrooks580@gmail.com who literally used the same script as clementdave111@gmail.com! Although I suspected something was awry, it wasn’t until I shared the information with my daughter, who is an artist and is familiar with your website, that she alerted me to the fact that it sounded very much like a known scam…
After a few emails back and forth, I basically told him, “As there are many scams remarkably similar to what you have stated your situation is, I am not interested in moving forward with this sale.”
So sad that this is the world we live in and that there are such despicable people out there.
Again, thank you so much for posting this article. Hopefully, it will save many other artists the heartache and financial loss of being scammed.
Best regards,
Lisa Lehman Trager
http://www.HaroldLehman.com
Hi Renee, I’m in Australia and also received the email about the wife looking at website etc. I’ve been pretty busy, so only really skim read the email and replied politely. There were a few oddities about it and I do send him my name and address and phone, which really annoys me. Luckily, after I received the “check won’t clear so send me your bank details…” something definitely felt sus. I googled art sale scams and it was the first thing that came up. This email was from “Josh Goldfield” he was apparently in Florida, and was on a ship etc, engineer etc. Almost word for word with some of the emails copied here.
Thanks for alerting us.
Jane, I’m glad you found this article and were able to follow your suspicions and avoid being a scam victim. Stay safe.
Just received that exact email from Jamie Dalton. Glad I looked up his email address and thankful for this article! Just wanted to post and show he is still out there with this scam. I’m posting this on 01/10/23.
I also want to thank you for your great post. I figured out it was a scam when I did a internet search for Jamie Dalton. From my sites usage stats his search of my site came from Bakersfield and no Dalton engineer was found in Bakersfield. Then I found your posting and there was “Jamie”. I don’t have to worry about any information I sent him as it was already on my Artspan site. I now have him blocked and many thanks to you and your greatly informative site.
Marcia
Marcia, I’m delighted to know you found this article and that you avoided the scam. Stay safe! Best wishes, Renee
I got that same email from Dalton the engineer moving to the Philippines. I wonder what would happen if someone got the check and was able to give it to authorities to trace? Obviously their understanding of the English language is not so good. I am really feel sad if someone has fallen for this and lost money. Thank you for posting this info!
Just got an email like one of the above to the letter thanks for this post.
Received this from the infamous Jamie Dalton: Greetings to you,
I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop
and i guess she likes some of your piece, I must also say you are
doing a great job. I would like to know what inspired that work. I am
very much interested in the purchase to surprise my wife.
Regards
Jamie Dalton
Thanks for posting this article…I had a sinking feeling about this, so I googled the name/address and came across your article. Thank you mind hive and thank you Renee!!
I got this too through my Shopify website and responded politely. The follow up made no sense as all my prices for pieces are on line. Glad I can now confirm its a scam and not a prank. I will inform Shopify. It did bring me to know about Renee’s site, so a silver lining.
I got the exact same email message from that address.
Ugh- was also contacted by Jamie Dalton, wanting to “buy my beautiful photography for his wife for their anniversary”. I fell for it at first – even giving my address and cell number, but luckily no bank info, before I started to get suspicious. My friend googled and found your article.
Anything you recommend now? (Hate that he has my address) Anywhere I should report it? Thanks so much for the information and warning!
Hi Theresa, Good for you for detecting the spam and not proceeding. If you haven’t already done so, immediately block the sender’s email address from reaching you through your email provider. However, be aware the email scammers frequently change their email addresses. You’ll see in this article I’ve added a section “What you can do if you suspect the email is a scam” and will be adding to it on a regular basis, so I hope the information helps you. Stay safe.
Just got one today 30 Sept 2022
from jamiedalton8000 using gmail
Greetings to you,
I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop
and I guess she likes some of your art piece, I must also say you are
doing a great job. I would like to know what inspired that work. I am
very much interested in the purchase to surprise my wife.
Regards
Jamie Dalton
So glad I read this article. I just got an email today and I felt that it was odd that he was a fan of my work, but didn’t mention a name of a particular piece he was interested in.
The email below::
Hello, I’m a fan of your artworks. As a surprise gift for my wife, I’d want to purchase some artwork.
Could you please provide me a copy of your most recent artwork as well as a price list?
Just to be sure, where exactly are you?
thanks
I am glad I found this article. “Jamie Dalton” has been contacting me for an art transaction exactly as described. Thanks very much for saving me the effort to go through with any “sake.”
Amy Kalish
An excellent and informative article. I’ve received a fair number of these myself. Did you have an article on Artist Residency scams?
Thanks,
James Trevelyan
Thank you James. We haven’t published any articles about Artist Residency scams and I don’t know of any. If you know about them, please let me know and we will investigate. All the best, Renee
Hi Renee,
I LOL when I got the scammer email saying “I stormed upon your work…” I have NEVER had anyone say the stormed on my work! 😆
I’ve had my work online far too long to be taken in by these scams, but your message is very important for newer artists.
Thanks,
Carol Nelson
Carol, thank you for reading the article and I agree with your LOL reaction. I assue it is a foreigner who used AI to write the scam pitch, especially since the phrase “stormed upon” usually means “to move angrily or forcefully in a specified direction”. It certainly is an amusing choice of words.
Stay safe!
Thank you Renee
You’re always such a great help. When I get one of those I just say I don’t take checks and never hear from them again.
This Donald Eldredge character tried his luck with me as well. (I copy his 1st email below)
_________________________________________________________
From: Donald Eldredge
Date: 2021/11/04 05:26:52 nm
To: (email address removed)
Subject: Pieces inquire for my 20th wedding anniversary
Hey
How are you doing today ? Am Donald Eldredge from Richmond Indiana,I love your work, do you have a price list I can see or any available artwork at the moment?i would like to purchase some of your arts as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary .As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept check as a means of payment .i await your response
Best Regards
Donald ..
I got this SAME email from the same guy today!
I received one yesterday that uses the phrase “I stormed on some of your works”, which is a really odd phrase AND is repeated in at least two of the email scam examples shown on this page. If you see this phrase in your email, it’s a scam.
Recently came across another art scam on instagram, both fake accounts tried to hire me for a portrait for a child using the same text. (for a toddler image, then saying the child loved spiderman and PJ a cartoon character). After they they said they only pay via check. And tried to get me to do art without payment. I told them I don’t take checks, and I reported both to Instagram. I couldn’t access the messages after they blocked me (realizing I was on to them). This was in the USA. I don’t know where the accounts originate from. Thought i’d add this here as I couldn’t find anywhere online showing this type of scam but its happened twice wit hteh same wording in the last month. I recon its related to people trying to steal artwork its self for nfts or peoples money/accounts with the checks. One or the other. Or both.
I am so glad I found this article! I almost got scammed just now! Thank you for publishing! Here is one of my emails received from scammer.—-eldonaldofficial20@gmail.com
-I appreciate your quick response. I may not be specific as to what kind of painting but i saw that my wife was checking your work on my laptop and i can tell you must be of Interest to her and that is why i decided to message. It could be any color, but medium size or large.. However, I greatly appreciate if you could possibly recommend a few completed piece within my budget $2000 – $8000 ready for immediate sale… Just need something within that price range for a surprise to my wife (can tell she likes your work). I would appreciate if you can figure out a piece of work that would serve that purpose. Kindly email images and prices of any available ones on your inventory .
Which I replied to (before I found this article) and then received this
-Thanks for the response. Having carefully looked through the pictures of your works. I have chosen the piece attached.Am presently working on my relocation to Philippines soon, thus, am doing all i could to make this event quite a memorable one. Kindly email me the asking price asap.In regards to payment, my reason for choosing check as a means of payment is owing to the fact that my wife handles the family bank cards and pay-pal transactions. So am choosing check to keep this a complete surprise as intended. Consequently, I would authorize a check to you for the payment of the chosen piece of work as soon as i have your full name and contact address (preferably for FedEx delivery no P.O box). As soon as you receive the check and it clears your bank, I will have my personal shipping agent (who is also moving my other properties) contact you to arrange shipping at your convenience as i wouldn’t want it to be directly shipped to my address which could ruin the surprise for the wedding anniversary.I will be looking forward to receiving your cell number, full name and physical address the check should be issued to, in your email.
Best Regards
Donald..
I was suspicious and then I thought this is too weird now and I went looking and found your article! Thank you again, I will share this with everyone I know.
Hi Amanda, It’s a relief to know you avoided being scammed and I’m delighted that you found this article about Scams aimed at artists. Thank you for taking the time to write the email correspondence you exchanged with the scammer. I know the information you provided here will help many artists. Stay safe, Renee
I just got this scam in the email right now too. I came across this one about three years ago and I thought it was over for a while but now it seems to be back and me and several of my illustrator friends are starting to receive this stuff almost every month now.
Hi Luis, Thank you for your comment. I hope you will share the link to this article with your friends. There are many artists who are falling for this scam. At the rate to which the scam emails are continuing it concerns me that they are successful in victimizing artists. I’d like to see the day they no longer exist.
Excellent article Renee. Thank you for providing this information. It is helpful and reassuring that other artists receive these emails as well. We have to spread the word and not get taken in.
Thank you Valerie. I hope you share this article with other artists you know. I will continue to update the article as we find new information.
Nancy, great article and information on the vanity galleries! I just received and email and my Instagram account from a gallery in Japan, Txxxxxx.. not sure if this a scam or not. Maybe someone has heard of them…? Thanks, David
Sorry David, we edited your comment because we don’t publish full names of galleries in this article, for legal reasons. I suggest you read “Beware of Vanity Galleries” and follow advice given there.
New Email Scammer: charles davis
Hello There,
My name is Charles Davis from California. i was in the Garden when my wife came in that she saw your work on Google, You are doing a great job. I would like to purchase one of your pieces as a surprise to my wife on our 15th anniversary. Also, let me know if you accept the check as mode of Payment.
Thanks and best regards
Charles
(Comment to Nancy Reyner, artist/guest writer of this article)
Nancy, thank you very much for this valuable blog. My wonderfully talented daughter, who has just recently built her website and started her business, received an email this morning that looked very similar to what you have included as an example. It is wonderful to know that experienced, successful artists, like yourself, are generous with their lessons learned. You saved her from being scammed today. I came across this article after typing in the search bar the exact title of your article. (Nancy) Your artwork is beautiful.
Hello, I received this email today and was suspicious from the beginning. I googled “ARTWORK INQUIRY Fraud” and came to this page. Does it sound farmiliar?
Aloha Stewart!
How are you doing? I am Larry Kendrick from Richmond, VA. I have been on the lookout for artworks in regards to my wife’s and my wedding anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on some of your works which I find quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit you are doing quite an amazing job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
That being said, I would like to purchase one or two of your works as a surprise gift to my wife. It would be of great help if you could send me pictures of your piece of work, with their respective prices and sizes, ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $1000 to $5000.
I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your piece of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept checks as a means of payment?
Best Regards.
AN EXAMPLE OF AN EMAIL SCAM
They’re at it again….
On Thu, Aug 6, 2020 at 12:10 PM Mary Judith wrote:
Hi, my name is Mary Judith from St James Missouri . I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regards to I and my Husband anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on some of your works which i found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit your doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
With that being said, I would like to purchase a surprise gift to my Husband in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $500 to $3,500.
I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept check as a means of payment.
Regards,
Mary Judith
Thanks Renee for an excellent article and useful tips. I received a similar request to buy my artwork yesterday but instead of an email this buyer direct messaged me on Instagram. This person “Karla Hughes” has an account on Instagram, has no posts and her profile claims that she is a mother of two young kids and married to a fireman. Initially I thought it was odd that she does not follow me, is not familiar with my artwork and just wanted me to send her photos of my artworks that are available with price range from $500 to $4500. She proceeded to tell me that this is a surprise present for her husband who is turning 50. She said that she is from Oakland but she is currently “offshore” and would have a delivery person to pick up and ship my painting to her. I got suspicious because her profile didn’t fit with her language and her grammar was a little off. After reading your article and few other people’s posts I knew exactly what she would say.and do nexr. Thank you for alerting me and other artists to this scam.
Hi wondering what you think about consultants who promise massive and instant increase in sales online for doing the course/being a client.? Looks to good to be true to me. Lots of testimonials, and high pressure sales techniques, not personally interested but did watch a webinar. Don’t want to name the individual in case they are in fact legitimate. Best wishes.
Abagail, anytime I see “high pressure sales techniques” I am wary. And, if they have received lots of testimonials, I suggest doing your own research to find more objective feedback.
You might find the advice offered in this article helpful. It’s on a different topic but offers some suggestions on how to avoid pay to play opportunities.
I just got my scam email from good ‘ol Mike yesterday. Luckily, I’m smarter than him “they” are so I blasted it to all my Facebook group art friends to keep on a look out for idiots like them.
Someone just sent me an email asking for my opinion on whether an opportunity they saw was a scam or not. I thought I’d post my reply to them here. This artist was asking me about a specific offer she saw, that cost $45 to apply, and out of the applicants only one person would get a prize – a trip to Italy and a 10 day residency there. She decided not to do it, but wanted to know my opinion anyway.
My reply:
I always say trust your intuition, and if you aren’t “feeling it” then don’t apply. There are differing opinions on the term “scam”. I have two terms. I say something is a scam when it is set up so no one gets anything from it, and whoever is in charge just collects money without following through with what they promised.
The other term I use instead of a scam is – a lousy offer. This, in my opinion, is not a scam but a lousy offer. They are charging a large fee to just apply. I do believe there is something actually there and that someone who applies does get the prize. So they are following through, but the chances of getting the prize are slim.
The real issue at hand is that no one is traveling to Italy right now, so any offer that has to do with travel should be put on hold for awhile – at least until the fall of this year.
Nancy
Excellent advice Nancy!
Thank you for this article!
I received a scam email
edwardkoch200200@gmail.com
“Greetings, My name is Edward Koch from SC, usa. my wife have been on the lookout for some artworks lately viewing your website on my laptop and i guess she likes your piece of work, I’m also impressed and amazed to have seen your various works too, : ) You are doing a great job. I would like to receive further information about your piece of work and what inspires you. I would greatly appreciate if you could possibly recommend a few completed original piece. Kindly confirm the availability for immediate sales. Thanks , Edward.”
artists alarm!
Thank you for this article!
Thank you Valery for sharing this email you received.
I received a scam email from mik22230@gmail.com – all similar lingo as mentioned in previous comments. He’s shopping for his wife. it’s a surprise. but he’s moving to the Philippines and needs it mailed ASAP before she sees it. same sh*t, different day.
I responded telling him the artwork was actually on sale for $1,690,000. He responded saying, ok give me an address to mail the check to. I then called him out for being a scammer. Lol why would a 12″x16″ giclee print be 1 million bucks? Ugh…these people are ridiculous. I got a kick out of that, but if it was someone more trusting, they would have been scammed.
Christina, good for you for confronting the scammer, who is out there, free to scam many trustworthy artists. It’s sad and makes me angry that many artists do fall for this type of scam.
Hi Renee, i just want to ask if that Italy based art gallery is the same email i received? from Keri James? its just sad that we love what we are doing and there are these people taking advantage of that.
Hello Dear Renee
I would like to to ask for your kind advice regarding Art Prizes organised by xxx Art Galleria from Italy.
I have received a formal invitation from this art gallery.
Thank you
Kind Regards
Sylwia
Hi Sylvia,
Yes, I have received many emails and comments from artists inquiring about this gallery. This gallery sends the same email you received to numerous artists around the world. For obvious legal reasons I have eliminated the gallery name and details from your comment. Instead, I encourage you to read this article and follow the advice I offer in it. The gallery you asked about is discussed by many artists in art groups on social media. As one artist wisely states, “I received the same mail today… did a bit of research, all looks “Okay” but maybe it would be worth it to check it with some of those artists mentioned on they web who took part in one of their Prizes.”
Thank you Renee for your reply , I’m the person who posted that comment 😊 I was hoping to get some response on FB only now I saw that the gallery had stated in their policy that any attempt to connect any of they judges or participants will cause disqualification….
Hi Sylvia, that’s odd, isn’t it? Yesterday I contacted one of the artists who I know who is featured on their website and she shared some information. (unfortunately I cannot post it here) Perhaps you should consider applying to galleries that are more transparent. And, I hope you read this other article and follow the advice I offer in it.
Hello Renee
Thank you for you advice I really do appreciate it. Yes it is very odd .. I’m glad I didn’t go with the flow of excitement,
The tricky part of it is that ,there are artists “winners” of the prize featured on this gallery websites and Instagram with their fantastic feedbacks about 10 days residency stay at this gallery….. so it’s very tempting offer for a beginning artist as me.
Best Regards
Thank you for this article! My girlfriend received the same email, and was about to make a deal and where to send the check when she asked me about it since it seemed strange, so I just googled his email and found a bunch of scam warnings. So close, and I can see how many people would fall for the initial emails, but yet there are so many clues at the same time!
Excellent article!
I received the email from Ralph Talker on behalf of the artist whose site I administer. After a back and forth he said he was sending me a check by UPS for the amount of the artwork plus an additional amount (3 times as much) for the “shipping agent”. I got suspicious then and googled the email address ralphtalker@gmail.com.
I reported all this to the FTC and they referred me to the Internet Crime Complaint Center where I filed another detailed.claim. The FTC informed me to bring the check to my local police when it arrives.
I think it’s important to report these reckless criminals to the officials set up to deal with them, not just let it go.
Thank you Michael. This is such important advice that I added it to the article. For anyone who wants to report a complaint visit Internet Crime Complaint Center
Ha ha, had a back and forth with ‘Ralph Talker’, don’t know why I was falling for it…
He sent the exact email as quoted above. I made a ‘deal’, then looked up his name and found your helpful blog. I wrote him saying, so glad to learn he was an ‘artist’ too, scam artist! I said I hope he gets picked up and spends at least a little time in prison, where maybe he will get a bit of punishment.
Hi Barbara, I’m glad you had some fun with “Ralph Tucker”. It is so widespread that I’m imagining it might be a wider ring than just one individual. At least this article by Nancy Reyner has been getting a lot of attention and altering artists who may be vulnerable.
Thank you so much for this, I received the same email. I didn’t immediately recognise it as a scam but after a while I became suspicious. I gave him my bank details for him to make the payment, but later called my bank, which reassured me that he will not be able to access my account. Thank you for confirming my suspicions, I will be more careful in future.
Lisa, I’m sorry to learn you gave out the information. Unfortunately, artists tend to be trusting individuals and are easy prey for scammers. I’m glad you’ll be more careful in the future.
I just got the exact same email from Ralph Talker!! Wish I googled his name earlier.
He also sent an email from the Origin bank: originbankverifydepartment@accountant.com
Which was suspicious as it had typos in.
It’s tricky as I do get legitimate people emailing me to buy work and I didn;t want to discriminate just because his English wasn’t great but I was a bit apprehensive,
I’m gutted too as I’ve already given out my name, number, address and a bank account to send money to. I’m not sure what they could use those for and the bank account is empty currently thank god.
Thanks so much for the post!!
Naomi, now that you know, make sure you contact your bank to tell them in case the scam artists try to do something in the future. On a separate topic, I visited your website. Your art is beautiful and I’m so happy to have read your story about turning your life around through art! I’m also curious to learn more about Art of Compassion which you mention on your website for a possible article on my other website The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS. Please visit https://www.healing-power-of-arat.org/. We list art-healing organizations here: https://www.healing-power-of-art.org/art-and-healing-organizations/
Keep up the great work and be safe,
Renee
Just contacted me too so thanks for mentioning it!
Alpha, On the advice of our legal advisors, we don’t answer post replies or answer questions about specific galleries on this website. And, since your question is about galleries, you’ll find helpful advice in the article “Beware of Vanity Galleries and Other Exhibition Opportunities” which applies to all galleries. You can also consider getting my personalized response to your question in a mini consultation for which I could spend time doing required research to give you a better answer and help you further.
See comment written to Faz.
Same here. Anyone has news?
I received 2 emails, I don’t think it’s trustworthy
Hi, I have just received the same email and am not sure what to do. I dont even know how they found me. Do you have more information by now? I would be glad if you share with me.
Greetings
Simay
Yeah I just got an email from them too, Do you have any updates?
Kind regards
Nils
Thank you for your blog. Like the other artists here I was contacted by this guy. I’m so glad I googled his name, and am grateful you have taken the time to create space for this forum.
I told him this:
“Actually Ralph, I have just learned that you are a scammer and are trying to profit off of artists.
Why pick on artists? Most artists are extremely hard-working and many are barely surviving.
Artists don’t deserve that kind of treatment.
Don’t bother sending me a check because I will not do any sort of business with you.”
The guys “name” was Ralph Talker and wrote practically verbatim what Lisa copy-pasted from her email in the comments above….
“Dear:teo
Thanks for the message, I must tell you I intend to give my wife a surprise with the immediate purchase of the piece. Also If you’d like to know, I’m relocating to the Philippines soon and our wedding anniversary is fast approaching. So I’m trying to gather some good stuff to make this event a surprise one. I am buying Teo Weldon- “Passage” 36″x48″ canvas with wood frame.jpg of $2,200.
as a gifts to her.I’m okay with the price, I think it’s worth it anyway, so I’ll be sending a check.
As regarding shipping, you don’t have to worry about that in order not to leave any clue to my wife for the surprise. as soon as you receive and cash the check, my shipping agent (who is also moving my personal effect) will contact you to arrange pick-up.
I would have come to purchase the piece myself but, at the moment, am on training voyage to the North Atlantic Ocean (I’m an ocean engineer) with new hires who are fresh from graduate school and won’t be back for another couple of weeks.
Regards,
Ralph Talker
Thank you Teo for sharing this. This type of practice infuriates me. I can only hope that one day in the not so distant future these perpetrators will be prosecuted. In the meantime we’ll continue to spread the word to as many artists as possible to help them avoid being scammed.
Thank you for posting this! I literally just received the same exact email word for word. It was so vague, I was immediately suspicious. Thanks for confirming!
My wife is an artist and got the same email 2 days ago! But the difference was that the scammer would only do wire transfers. Also the address to ship to is in PA. And he claimed they were moving from SC.
But it was the same pattern, started with wanting to buy 1 painting, then on the next email he wanted 3 for a total over $6,000. And same thing about being on voyage in the North Atlantic…
I work with computers and am used to seeing scam attempts, took one quick search and found lots of examples of the same…
My wife was devastated, she got so illusioned with a big sale.
Thank you for having this website.
Thank you for posting this! I received an email today with almost the identical wording as the example you shared (re: his wife admiring my work). When I googled the email address, your blog post popped up! Thank you, again!
Hi Sharon, Thank you. I’m glad to know we helped you avoid being scammed. All the best to you, Renee
To Ron and all other readers,
We don’t answer questions about specific galleries on this website. And, since your question is about galleries, you’ll find helpful advice in the article “Beware of Vanity Galleries and Other Exhibition Opportunities” which applies to all galleries. You can also consider getting my personalized response to your question in a mini consultation for which I could spend time doing required research to give you a better answer and help you further.
Thank you for posting this. My mother received the following email. (obvious scam)
On 6/17/19, 5:06 PM, “ralph rayner” wrote: Top of the morning to you, i actually observed my wife has been viewing your work on my laptop and i guess she likes your artwork, i must also confess you got an amazing and unique piece! My wife is a lover of art in all it divines, I am very much interested in purchase a beautiful piece to surprise her as our wedding anniversary is coming up. Thanks
(email address)
On 6/19/19, 1:05 PM, “Ralph Rayner” wrote:
Dear:xxx
Thanks for the message, I must tell you I intend to give my wife a surprise with the immediate purchase of the piece. Also If you’d like to know, I’m relocating to the Philippines soon and our wedding anniversary is fast approaching. So I’m trying to gather some good stuff to make this event a surprise one. I am buying the image of $3,500 as a gifts to her. I’m okay with the price, I think it’s worth it anyway, so I’ll be sending a check.
As regarding shipping, you don’t have to worry about that in order not to leave any clue to my wife for the surprise. as soon as you receive and cash the check, my shipping agent (who is also moving my personal effect) will contact you to arrange pick-up.
I would have come to purchase the piece myself but, at the moment, am on training voyage to the North Atlantic Ocean (I’m an ocean engineer) with new hires who are fresh from graduate school and won’t be back for another couple of weeks.
Regards,
PS: In the meantime, kindly get back to me with your full name (you want the check payable to) cell phone no. and contact address (preferably for Usps, fedEx not P.O box) where a check can be mailed to, so I can get the check prepared and have it mailed out to you right away.
Ralph
Hi any update on this?
I too got a mail today
I just received an email from Ralph Talker too. Good thing I read this because I was just about send my address for him to send me a check. Wow. Thank you Renee.
Jonah, I’m so glad you read this article by Nancy Reyner before you replied to the scam.
Telere, Since your question is about a gallery I recommend that you read another article on this website “Beware of Vanity Galleries and Other Exhibitions”. Find out if there will be any additional costs if you are accepted. Check out the artists affiliated with them: perhaps you know one or more of them and can contact them for references. Do the same with the jurors. Also, do you know any other art professionals in the vicinity of the gallery to inquire about their reputation? Learn as much as you can to protect yourself. Keep us posted if you learn any more about it.
I’ve just had this exact same email but from Ralph Talker in California. My spidey senses said it was a scam because of the bad English but then I so want to sell so I played along for a bit. So glad I read this article!
Lucy, I’m glad your intuition and intelligence guided you. I visited your website and I hope you believe, as I do, that your artwork is very special, beautiful and saleable. You are unique in that as an animal portrait artist you’re also an animal communicator! You may also want to visit my other website The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS. And if I ever have a call again on that website for artists who are inspired by nature, I hope you’ll consider submitting your art. All the best to you, Renee
Yeah I got an email from them too! Any update?
Hi there, anyone has been scammed or has any experience to share relating to dealing with a person called Mxxx Yxxxxxxx? She has contacted someone I know to sell her representation, and I would hate them to be scammed off their hard earned money. thank you in advance.
Dear Tico,
Thank you for your comment. If you want to help your friend, I follow the steps I’ve suggested such as doing a thorough google search and contacting several artists the person you mentioned has worked with.
Renee, thanks for sharing this Important article. When I receive this type of email, I immediately google their name and add the words scam artist. Big surprise (NOT) their name comes up!
THANK YOU! I got this same email a few weeks ago and after some initial engagement, I thought it’d be too good to be true. Thanks for putting this info out there!
The weirdest thing I’ve found in all this is that when I took down my contact form, these scam emails stopped. I left my email address up on my site obviously, because if someone is actually serious they’ll compose an email.
I’m not recommending folks take down their contact form if it gives them lots of good contacts, but mine generated nothing but spam. I assume the contact form is being hit with automated scripts or something.
Ava, That’s interesting. I’m glad that worked for you!
Very often, you can copy and paste the body of the email into your Google search box, and the email will show up nearly verbatim on various anti-scam blogs. Chances are that if you got the email, many other artists did too. I suggest you check everything! The scams are getting more and more sophisticated.
I got this email from John Owen in North Carolina. The IP was from Africa. Sure enough, my analytics showed a visitor from Kenya. I decided to play anyway:
“All my available work is CLEARLY priced on my website; the same website your
wife must be viewing. Please tell me which piece you’re interested in.
I’m honored that you would think of my art right now. I would think you’d be
more worried about the hurricane Irma knocking on your door.
Where in NC are you from? I have family there.”
When he replied, it was much better English (different person handling different steps?). He didn’t answer my questions, but insisted that I pick something for his wife. And now his name was John Glenn, not John Owen.
So I asked him what his name really was, along with a bunch of other questions, like “Do you ever feel bad that you’ve stolen money from an artist, who may not be financially stable?” and “Are some of my words too big for you?”
I closed with “I hope I’ve wasted enough of your time to give another artist a chance to catch on to you.”
Hi John, Bravo to you for confronting “John” the scammer. Thank you for sharing the manner in which you handled his query. It should serve as a model for other artists to follow. It’s frustrating to me that people like “John” must find enough naive victims in order to make this scam worth their time and effort.
Thank you Renee! I just got this email and I’m so glad I googled his name and this came up. Very very grateful to you 🙂
Shev, I’m glad you avoided the scam. It’s also wonderful to know that this article is easy to find to help as many artists as we can.
Got this same email too. Thanks for the information, great to confirm it was a scam.
Thank you for posting this. I just received a message from this person this AM and Googled the email address. I also reverse checked the IP address (it was through a contact form on my website so it was available) and that didn’t match Oregon. I haven’t responded yet and now I don’t intend to. Not sure if there is anywhere to report something like this other than these forums since I wasn’t a victim of anything other than the spam, but it’s so disheartening for artists. Many thanks for sounding the alarm!
Stacy, I’m glad you took the right steps to protect yourself. Thank you very much for your comment. Your suggestion about checking the IP address is very helpful. I delighted that you found this article by Nancy Reyner. Please continue to check our website for any new scams we discover and report any new suspicious emails you may (hopefully not) receive. Yes, we’ll continue to sound the alarm! Best regards, Renee
Ugh, I get so many of these scam emails. They’re almost always from someone supposedly wanting to buy a gift for their wife/ sister/ girlfriend/ parent. Wait a while and you’ll probably receive another with the same wording but different names. Also beware of emails where the name is made up of two Christian names, such as David John (saves the scammer from trying to work out which is the surname). Often the name doesn’t fit the alleged country either, e.g. John Smith from China.
I truly hope these vile scammers get all the karma that is due to them.
I just got the exact same email today, from the same sender. I suspected a scam immediately. Thanks for posting this so I had quick confirmation!
Wow thank you Renee! I literally just got that exact same email from Anthonio Jack yesterday and was doing some research because it sounded too good to be true, and it looks like my intuition was correct! I gave him outrageous prices for prints of my work which he was completely willing to pay saying he wanted to surprise his wife with an anniversary present. He went on to say that he was moving to the Phillipines and would need to send someone to pick up the artwork! So many red flags.
Hi Eric,
I’m glad you saw the red flags at first sight! We can also thank Nancy Reyner for writing this article to help artists become aware of the many opportunities that prey on innocent artists.
Wishing you creative bliss!
Renee
This is great advice, Renee, and thank you for getting it out there. I have been aware of this for years and actually like to play the scammers and then bust them when the fake check arrives! (I have an inner evil twin.)
I once received a counterfeit check with a real return address – nothing to do with the scammers it turned out. I returned the fraudulent check to the return address with the evidence of the fraud. A few days later the person who lived there called to tell me he had got my letter – and I was the only person to put a return address on the envelope, but at least now he knew why free art work kept arriving!
Hi Jeni,
I agree, Nancy offers great advice in this article. There are all kinds of scams that victimize artists. We need to be extra vigilant! Please share this article to help fellow artists.
Best wishes for your creative success,
Renee
Renee . . . an excellent article