Miami Art Exchange got an interesting email today about a fast moving internet scam. If you are an artist with art for sale on your web site, you NEED to read this below. Thanks.
jan.clark010@googlemail.com (this is just the latest email address being used by the scammers)
Hi,
Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creative works on your web site and i will like you to get back with more details if they are still available for purchase.
Donut Distress and Massive Muscadines (titles of two paintings)
I will appreciate an urgent reply.
Best Regards,
Janet.
Yeah, we should have picked up on the crappy English-but we know lots of art buyers who write shitty emails, too, so….duh.
At this point, I referenced them to the galleries where my pieces were-and they never contacted them. End of my story, BUT my friends HAD possession of their work, and the process continued… One friend was suspicious, so investigated. The “buyer” is moving… they give you their old address (she looked it up, and an American real estate sales listing popped up). OK. The buyer is moving to South Africa, and Whoops! A site warning artists about the scam (below) shows up on the google listing, with the above email on it.
http://www.artnewsblog.com/2008/05/list-of-artist-scammers-and-fraudsters.htmHow they make the money, we found out, is this: They send you a check for almost double the price of your work, so you can cover shipping. (Their shipping agent will be in touch.) You get the check. The shipping agent tries to get the $ for the shipping cost before the 1st check bounces on you. Scammed! Oh-they quit communication immediately with anyone with a Paypal account.
My friend just got a check (from a California bank) for $5,500 to cover a purchase of $2,000 yesterday, and the envelope was postmarked from Atlanta. They have just switched to working her for “shipment”. Another artist in Nashville was suspicious, so the bank did something to confirm it was a fraudulent check and didn’t fine him for it.
I’d be interested to see if these scum bags are operating in Atlanta? Do you think they are in Atlanta, or are just sending drop bags full of these addressed checks to a contact in Atlanta to mail from there?
DSS