Scams

Often, unfortunately. Unless they are specific - using your name and specifying a particular image then they are 100% scams. But even if the first criteria are fulfilled you still need to tread carefully.

edit: as you point out, if they want the image it can be purchase with a few clicks directly from the site.

JMHO

Hah, that's probably someone who has a computer and knows how to enlarge and print images and scamming you.

Agree with Richard - if they are a serious buyer then they would be more specific about the exact images they want and what they want to use them for. I don't reply to anyone if they are very vague and it seems a scam. Unfortunately I get these often.

That's a new one... I shall pay you tuesday for a hamburger today...

Its not a clothing store where you buy a pile, try it all on and then return the rest.

Once they have the pictures they don't need to buy them. Tell them to view on here then buy it, that's the point of the site. Usually the variation is - I want to buy some art, here is a bag of money, my wife likes art, here is a truck... Oops I sent too much money, pay me back the difference.


----Mike Savad

I just got a similar message. I assume it is a scam so I just ignore it. Someone with a gmail address, and when I searched on the address there were no hits..

Whatever you do, I wouldn’t recommend emailing them back. Then they have your email address….

i got one on FB today after I posted a promotion this morning. He said is this work available. Duh. i said just click the link. I am really getting fed up with these scammers.

Like M G said, do not reply, if they can't scam you they can verify your email with your reply and then more and more scam messages come your way

Hi all, I have received two scam emails.

Example:

https://prnt.sc/Iiz63O5dLL8U

https://prnt.sc/OZMmm1r_pSvL


Be careful
BR
Hernan

more and more scams.. on every social media messaging, in emails etc asking for art in general. are they up for sale? Are available for commissions? I get these now daily :(
Also on Etsy, they claim to be Etsy themselves, saying the work already paid click here and there, about weekly now etc


If they ask for specific, or send a photo, or I find the person on other sm and check they are real, I may give a chance to believe they are real.
Lot of times I am in a big dilemma, because seems something elaborated, still fishy, and I answer with a fear... my last one was on Esty, someone was asking for my tapestry of Porto, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the formation of the Bristol-Oporto Association.. My first thought was oh well, now they are like this good, I am doomed, I went into full investigation if this can be true, I was with doubts and fear, but decided to reply, and I sold the tapestry.. but how much time I spent to make that sale happen

and then I think how many are real, and i still consider them as scam, and I am loosing opportunities, because of these scammers, because the fear is there, already planted to be suspicious for every message email etc I receive :(

I really hate this, that there are scammers specialized for artists, more and more.

My life would be easier to not to reply to anyone, they can buy if they want to, but to paint for custom orders are a big part of my income, so i cannot let it just go :(

One guy bought one of my images and he was under the impression that because another pod (I don't even remember which one) offered a free digital download of the thing they just bought, that I would also give that... Which made no sense to me at all, because once you have the file, why keep the print? I told him... Nope, don't do that, and this isn't that site. I'm pretty sure he kept the print. But that was weird.


----Mike Savad

Often i'll get customers asking to buy the image itself, so they don't have to buy the print, thinking somehow it will be cheaper for me if I sell direct and i'll charge little. But the real thing is a lot more money because I lose many print sales giving it to them. So tell them I don't sell files to individuals. I don't think its a scam directly but it sort of is.


----Mike Savad

We're here to sell our images through a reputable outlet. Anytime someone solicits you to sell your images other than obviously ordering them through this website is likely not legitimate. It's pretty simple really but we all get how they are attempting to appeal to our desire (or desperation) to sell art, when all they have to do is place an order.

Always be cautious. 99% of the time it's a scam.

I get about 5-10 on FB every single day saying my account is about to be deleted because of copyright infringement. I almost fell for it the first time that one came through. So annoying.

Last month I received an email request for a specific image. The person wanted the file so that he could make place mats for his mother. He than stated he would rather that I sell it to him so that he wouldn't have to steal the image. Obviously, I never responded. LOL

Geeze Peezy. I feel left out. I have not gotten any scam e mails today.

Anyone get an email like this:

I'm interested in buying a few of your artworks for my exhibition, about 5-10 artworks. But I'm only interested in buying them as NFTs.

I’ll offer $2500 for each of these artworks I purchase from you as I’d love to purchase these artworks as digital artworks(NFTs). Do you have a knowledge about this or should I explain further?

@vance, every day someone gets one. The scam is - they make you pay an insane gas fee and that's it. Bye bye money. I don't know why its always $2500 though.


----Mike Savad

Several more of the scam emails arriving via FAA. increasing in frequency. If it keeps up I'm going to block messages from FAA (!!)

I got this one today, seems like a scam as no mention of any specific images.

Subject:
Art Purchase

Message:
Hello Andrew, I love your creativity I would love to make some purchase from you if you are willing to put this on sale.. please do send me a message to confirm if you're open to sale.

scam for sure, delete, don't reply

If it’s real they’ll ask questions about a specific image, they’ll ask about discounts, they’ll ask if they can use it for something like a book cover, they’ll ask about watermarks, they’ll ask if they can buy the file and print their own.

Most anything else is a scam especially if there is no reference to one or more specific images.

@Andrew I got the same message today....which led me to this thread. It felt weird, especially since it was my first scam message through FAA 😆

I've had a few similar this last few weeks, this was the first one they called me by name :) it's usually hello dear.

There are getting to be so many scam now days, we're not going to be able to believe any requests we get. I have been getting multiple almost daily on FB Messenger. It's crazy and frustrating, because on FB, if you don't respond or are the last one to respond, it makes your response ratings drop.

@vancefox,

There are all sorts of hackers in the crypto world.

The sales culture is purely a buyer will not write to the seller. The transaction on the blockchain is supposed to be free of that for security reasons.

Received this email today! Anyone else ever gotten something similar. Given the verbiage and lack of identity of the interested party! I find this highly suspicious.

Gerald Austin
gerald44812@gmail.com

Subject:
HONEST APPEAL TO PURCHASE YOUR ARTWORKS FOR AN EXHIBITION

Message:
I recently came across your work online and I'm blown away by your arts! I'd be interested in purchasing some of your artworks

https://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=8848966