It seems the scammers have found me again!!
Tip for artists: DO NOT ACCEPT Cheque. Don’t even think that if you wait till the money turns up in your bank account and the cheque appears as though it has cleared that you’re safe… YOU’RE NOT! It can take about 3 weeks for the bank to realize it’s bogus, and by that time the scammer has got you to refund all or part of the cash for some inflated shipping payment or just because they’ve changed their mind.Â
The scam isn’t to get your paintings or artwork or product, they want your money. They will flatter you with badly translated complements about your work but they have no intention of even scamming it from you.Â
I’d be flattered if a scum bag thought it was worth risking their freedom to own one of my paintings, but sadly criminals these days just don’t have any taste!
I was immediately alerted to this latest scam thanks to a rather amusing blog from Edinburgh based artist Trevor Jones who had documented his encounters of the same art scam. This blog will be out there to warn artists that Paypal is your best friend! Insist your customer uses it, it’s very safe. Other than that, pass the customer to a gallery who shows your work who will be able to take payment by credit card.
Here’s the series of emails I received and my replies:
 Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:12:22 +0100
Subject: Inquiry about your work
 From: walterronald22@yahoo.com
To:
Good day,
The images on your website are so fascinating and so vivacious,looking
at each piece of work i can easily see that you added so much
dedication in making each work come out to life, unfortunately i lost
the website where i first saw your work but i was able to save your
email address.
I am writing you because i need your assistant to get back to
your website so as to beable to retrieve the details of your work that
interest men or send me images of some of your new works.
Regards
Walter.
– On Wed, 6/20/12, Scott Naismith @hotmail.com> wrote:
From: Scott Naismith
Subject: RE: Inquiry about your work
To: walterronald22@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2012, 1:10 PM@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2012 10:05:24 -0700
From: walterronald22@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Inquiry about your work
To: scottnaismith@hotmail.com
All your works are beautiful Can you get back to me with there cost prices… |
— On Sat, 6/23/12, Scott Naismith @hotmail.com> wrote:
From: Scott Naismith
Subject: RE: Inquiry about your work
To: walterronald22@yahoo.com
Date: Saturday, June 23, 2012, 4:52 AM@hotmail.com>
https://www.scottnaismith.co.uk/#!about/component_14104
many thanksScott
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:17:52 -0700
From: walterronald22@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Inquiry about your work
To: scottnaismith@hotmail.com
Dear Scott, |
I keep wondering how much time and effort you devoted into your work to make the following piece a one of a kind and as i can see from the images you sent to me your work as a pleasant and a suiting feeling and am so sure it will bring comfort and happiness into my home and to those that view it. I will be purchasing the following piece listed below
Landscape Sizes
30 x 60cm: £850
Square
30 x 30cm: £595
40 x 40cm: £795
Payment for those piece will be made by UK bank cheque and the money can be withdraw from my account i will be sending £4,300 to cover the cost of the piece and shipping of the artwork i also still have some things to be moved by the mover to me in Denmark.
I feel it will be will be better if the shippers picking up the my stuffs can come pick up the artwork from you so as to save time and money.
I would inform the movers about it after have heard from you.They will just come over to your area to pick-up the artwork and then have them delivered to me before i can write out the cheque i will be needing your contact details and phone number to write and send the cheque to you.The address written below can be use to prepare the receipt of invoice for the artwork.
Thanks
Walter
My address
Kastanievej 19
DK-8660 SKANDERBORG
DENMARK
AND FINALLY this was my response shortly afterward:
Comments 4
The first email would set off alarm bells that it was a scam, phoney request.
It was just blah, blah, blah and in poor english…oh, and I lost your website address…
And all the subsequent emails from Walter were so stupid anyone would trash them.
Artists are sometimes a bit too vain (oooh, someone likes my art) and desperate (finally I will sell something via the internet!) that the can’s see the scam from the spam.
Spot on Shirly. However I frequently get emails from overseas due to my videos hitting all kinds of countries. I also get emails from plenty technophobes who don’t just search google. So only in hindsight did I see it for something other than a timewaster!
Hey I nearly got taken in by this Bstrd! Calling himself Alberto Durrenmatt…. using the same words and flattery!
Thank you so much for this blogg!
claire
Great post, I have heard a lot about art scams! I know I have heard people talk bout a homedirectusa scam but I tell my friends that they are the only shipping company I use, the scam rumors are just that. Thank you for sharing this with us Scott!