Back in November I got a scam email from Sarah Blair <[email protected]> and I just got another one from Adam Johnson <[email protected]> so I’m publishing them here as a warning to others. Always google any email address you find suspicious – and be suspicious.
I was almost tricked the first time but could tell from email responses that it was a scam. If you get this in Gmail then report it as phishing and you can also file a report with the FBI/ic3.
Here’s the scam: The person wants to buy art, sends a check for more than the asking price saying something like they are “sorry her husband had made a terrible mistake and over paid”. They want the artist to cash it and send them the difference. So they get your money with a bad cashier’s check, you owe the bank, and depending on the timing they get your art.
Here’s other online complaints about these “I want to buy your art” scams.
- http://jeannewilliamson.blogspot.com
- http://camplinart.blogspot.com
- https://www.facebook.com/NoyesArtGallery
Here’s the text of the first email:
Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creative works on your website and i will like you to get back with more details if they are still available for purchase.
Motion Study #1373 (Hiroo) and Motion Study #4254 (Pompidou)
I will appreciate an urgent reply.
Best Regards,
Sarah Blair.
Here’s the text of the second email:
Hi,
My name is Adam, I found your Work of arts to be appealing. I am very impressed with it and would be interested in purchasing it .
Could you please send your website to me and let me know your available pieces,a price list and payment options . I’m an art lover/collector and I’m collecting for my personal collections.****.I want any art work at the range of $400 to $500.
Regards.Notice that i have a shipper already and my method of payment is Check.
Adam
Thank you for that post.
We were saved from such a scam from you.
Thank You!
VIA A FRIEND: Another photographer almost falls victim to being scammed. That photographer wants to give you a warning.
This is what happened. A couple of weeks ago a woman named Olivia Young wrote to the photographer via email to say she and her husband loved the photographer’s work, especially what we’ll call “the Dresses.” The woman said she couldn’t believe all the interesting things the photographer did, etc., etc. Lots of praise and flattery. She said she wanted to buy let’s say “Princess”, but it needed to be a surprise for her husband. She would send the photographer a check for the photograph which the photographer told her was $2,000 framed. She said the photographer had to work fast because her anniversary was approaching and she really wanted to surprise her husband.
The photographer was in NYC helping family when “Olivia” emailed again. She said the check had arrived at the photographer’s home and that the photographer needed to deposit the check and when it cleared the photographer needed to wire the extra $$ to a man in LA who was helping her with the shipping and other surprises for her husband. When the check arrived, the photographer’s spouse opened the mail and saw that it was for $7,000. So The photographer was supposed to wire $5000, keeping $2000 for the photographer.
The photographer’s spouse smelled something fishy. While In NY the photographer went to Bank of America in NY and spoke to an officer. The bank officer instantly said it was fraud. He called the company that issued the check (a legitimate company in Florida) and sure enough they had been getting calls all day about the same kind of checks. Forgeries.
Later the photographer went to the Bank of America branch where the photographer was supposed to deposit the check and spoke to a woman officer there. She said, “yes, it’s fraud. And how good it is that you didn’t wire any money to anyone because You would be out $5000.” The photographer also went to their hometown police and they also confirmed that it was fraud.
Some telltale signs of the con.
– Flattery. “Oh, I love your work!”
– The writing isn’t quite proper English, as if it’s a second language.
– The pressure to wire the $$ quickly. Before the scheme gets discovered.
The photographer and spouse feel relieved that they didn’t send any account numbers or money. But “she” knows the photographer’s address, email and phone number. The photographer has blocked phone # and email.
The photographer says that it seems like they target the artists without gallery representation as there are many out there.
Beware folks. If it is too good to be true, it probably isn’t.
Galeria Azur – this is not exactly a scam but a “vanity gallery” that is very confusing for many artists. I was contacted by Fiorella Sozzi @fiorella.galeriaazur via Instagram and told “I have a proposal for you” but this proposal they give to anyone — they want you to pay $2000 to include a couple small artworks in a group show – they have galleries in Buenos Aires, Berlin, Miami, New York and Madrid. the thing is that you pay alot and they have no motivation to actually sell your work or promote it. it’s not a good value for artists.