From my friend artist Greg Strachov ...
Dear Connie,
There was an incident which the art community should read about in hope that it acts as a warning. I received an email from someone who was interested in surprising his wife with one of my paintings. He said that he was a biologist who was out at sea doing research. He also said that he saw that his wife, in California, loved my work and that their anniversary was soon approaching. I sent him some images and prices of my work and he selected a $4,800.00 painting.
A week later, I received a check for ten thousand dollars and later that day, he sent me an email asking me to "please pay the shipper when he arrives to pick up the painting". He then sent an email asking me to send the balance of the check to California, to the main office of the moving company. My bank had a twelve day hold on the check! He became upset when he learned of the hold and said the he will call his bank to get it cleared sooner. A few days later he emailed me and said that the check had been cleared and to go to a specific bank to send the check to the shipper. I waited and then went to my own bank and asked if the check was clear and learned that it would be less expensive if I go to the bank that he recommended. I asked the bank representative to investigate if the check that he sent was in my account. When she opened her computer, she found that the ten thousand dollar check had a stop payment put on it ten minutes ago. If I did not stop at my bank and simply went to his, the funds would have come out of my own savings since his money was no longer there.
My advise to all artist is be careful when you deal with email or telephone customers. I called the FBI about this and they instructed me to go to their website and file a report. I was a little surprised at this too because I would file this report and never know if there was something done. Be aware!
Has anyone else recently received one of these "opportunities?" Do you have any suggestions for the rest of us?
Comments
I was selling on old refrigerator on Craig's List and was approached by a scammer. he wanted to go through a courier. I knew he was a scammer and told him I didn't sell to scammers. They will try everything they can.
This is an old scam. If there is any doubt inform the sender that the only acceptable form of payment is to wire you cash via western union. Don't send artwork until cash is in your hand. You will not here back from the scammer.
This scam - always with a mover, and an over payment. If I not too busy I like to play games with them. On one occasion I gave the scammer my work phone number (the FBI's Atlanta office), I have a $6,800 bogus check from another that I framed - he never asked why the painting never arrived. Another time I sent one of those million dollar scammer deals over to the art scammer (forgot which way I crossed them over - scammer to scammer entertainment). The most recent was when I turned the scam around. I told him that to protect my artwork I could not trust any shipper to pack my are and only used Airfloat Systems strong boxes to ship. I gave him the item number and Airfloat website and told him that I would deduct the cost of the container and any shipping charges for it from the sale price. What a surprise, the Airfloat box never arrived : ) If you can ever get them to use the US Postal Service they can be charged with mail fraud (my check came via Fedex or DHL - don't remember which one). You can use your creative talents in so many ways!
Oscar (or anyone....) put "I saw these creative works on your website" in google and you can see that it was a scam from the beginning.
I have a question. I understand this whole scam thing but I wonder why if the scammer sends you a check and then stops payment on it why would all of that money come out of the artist's bank if the artist had gone to the scammer's bank. I thought that if you stopped a check the check stopper (scammer) would pay a fee to cancel a check but the artist would be out of a planned sale. The artist shouldn't be out anything unless he had shipped the art work. What am I not getting?
Anytime there is a check that overpays and they ask you to send a refund of the remainder, WARNING, WARNING, WARNING. Its a scam.
that was great wallace. I will have to try that as well. ;0)
Our scam e mail wanted two paintings that were over five years old and had only been exhibited and sold at a gallery. When I realized what was going on I asked for an address to ship to and they responded with our old home address which is now a NASCAR race track. I told them I had shipped the paintings and to sent me the check for purchase price plus shipping. never received check and never another email. I hope they are still waiting for the shipment.
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