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  • #477376
    steveo2015
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        I got this email about a week ago…

        Hello,
        I came across your web page , I like your inspiration as an artist. Could you email me some recent works on sale for me to look through?
        Cheers,
        Shelia

        I immediately thought it was bogus but thought I would play along. So I directed “Shelia” to my website. A few days later she replied…

        Hi Steve,
        Apologies for not getting back to you sooner, It’s nice to hear back from you. Regarding our interest in your piece, My husband and i decided we’ll like to proceed with the purchase of the 3pieces( Attached Below ), How about you telling me what your inspiration behind this piece. I think it is lovely work and I hope to give it a good home. I’m am presently away on vacation but I should be back in few days. Pls confirm it’s listed price

        9422 Tranquil Park Dr
        San Antonio, TX 78254

        Meanwhile, can you please confirm your mailing address and phone number so I may inform my husband on where to forward the payment. I can have him send the payment asap. About shipping, you can handle it from your side to my mailing address above, either by USPS, or FedEx, UPS postal service

        I will look forward to hearing from you so I can know how best to proceed.
        Cheers.

        Shelia

        I’m thinking that “Shelia” is really Aadhira or Reyansh in India looking to scam me some how. Opinions on this?

        #872235
        falcon012
        Default

            It is a scam. Nobody buys art like that. By that I mean with that type of vague communication.

            #872236
            DaveCrow
            Default

                It is a classic scam email. Word for word.

                "Let the paint be paint" --John Marin

                #872242
                OLIVE.OYL
                Default

                    Gee. I don’t know. Nothing sounded fishy TO ME. And I haven’t seen this particular type of email request thing anywhere as a classic scam. Is it? Why have a website with your artwork for sale, and a way for people to contact you for sales, but then not believe them when they contact you through your website for a sale? I’d give them the price PLUS shipping and tell them to mail you a check (or open a Paypal account) and then after you receive the funds and it clears your account, ship them the artwork. If the money never comes, or it bounces…THEN you can chalk it up to a scam. Guess it all comes down to your personal level of trust and cynicism.

                    For your sake, I hope it’s a real request.

                    #872233
                    Use Her Name
                    Default

                        I agree with Olive Oyl. They send the money (pay pal is faster). Or they use their credit card. When you have been informed that their payment has cleared, you send the art. I really would not work with checks, because of the “payment clearing” situation. You can give a check and have it bounce and generally the vendor does not get his money back.

                        Way back in the day, my art partner and I got a 60 thousand dollar commission through a series of little notes. That is how people probe for information. The people who commissioned us were in another country (England) working with the government of Taiwan, who the art went to.

                        No longer a member of WC. Bye.

                        #872237
                        DaveCrow
                        Default

                            It may be legitimate. I hope it is. If it is a scam they will offer to overpay, usually by quite a lot.

                            In the comments at the bottom of this link Mike received the same emails you did, only they were from Kim. https://www.agora-gallery.com/advice/blog/2017/05/25/how-to-recognize-art-scam/

                            "Let the paint be paint" --John Marin

                            #872238
                            DaveCrow
                            Default

                                I got a similar scam a few years ago and when I checked out the address it was a vacant lot in Sydney, Australia. This one at least is a legitimate house in Texas, not sure who lives there though.

                                "Let the paint be paint" --John Marin

                                #872243
                                OLIVE.OYL
                                Default

                                    Wow. It does sound like a scam, based on that link. It also makes me wonder how you can ever be sure and why even bother having a website to sell your stuff? I’m on Saatchi now and while I don’t expect many sales, at least I think they take pretty good care, to take care of the transactions properly. And I’m still waiting on my gallery owner to pay me for a paiting sold last summer! Ugh. I guess we artists are easy marks. < art joke.

                                    #872246
                                    steveo2015
                                    Default

                                        I think I’ll know soon enough. I sent her this today…

                                        Shelia,
                                        The total for the paintings is $1,235.00. This is so cool! I see that you live in San Antonio. My sister actually lives in San Antonio. I can save you the shipping since I will be driving down there in late September. I can drop off the paintings at your house. Let me know if that will work for you.
                                        Steve

                                        #872232
                                        Liz
                                        Default

                                            Although I think this is a scam you may have scared away a legitimate customer by your reply, no one wants a stranger from the internet visiting their home.

                                            My Art
                                            --------------------

                                            #872229

                                            This is a classic scam but to be sure, I checked with Been Verified, there is no Sheila at that address.

                                            The Purple Dog Painting Blog
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                                            #872230
                                            bobc100
                                            Default

                                                Considering that their first email could’ve been equally relevant to any artist with a web site, I would’ve never even responded in the first place. Now that you’ve initiated communications, however, I suppose it’s your responsibility to follow through. Nevertheless, you should run screaming from this if they offer to send a check or money order for more than the purchase price and expect you to refund them the difference.

                                                #872247
                                                steveo2015
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                                                    Here is her last response…

                                                    “Thank for your respond,I will keep you posted once payment sent i cant wait to have the pieces in our home ”

                                                    I’m convinced it is a scam so I am being very cautious. It’s odd that she never mentioned the timing for delivery of the art. I’m 99.99% sure it is a scam but I’m going to play along for a bit just in case.

                                                    #872244
                                                    OLIVE.OYL
                                                    Default

                                                        ooooooo. This is exciting…like a sting operation unfolding. Yes, please keep us posted. I just reread the first Shelia message and you know…she uses bad grammar and misses punctuation. Not to be too judgmental about THAT but usually, when you conduct legitimate business, you at least would make sure you come across as serious and professional. Or use spell check.

                                                        #872251
                                                        SurrealityArt
                                                        Default

                                                            Artists who sell their art via online sales are targeted in this scam. (Usually ones that show/sell their artwork on Etsy and/or eBay are easy targets.) I know many fellow internet sale artists who have dealt with this and ignored it. I’d love to see someone follow thru in catching them. :cat:
                                                            From what I have gathered: The so called buyer will contact you via email (never by phone) so you don’t know any personal information about them and believe everything they claim. Husband/wife claim they are interested in buying your artwork and tell you to send recent available pieces/prices. They sit back and wait to see who takes the bait…by responding. Eventually they say they want to buy (always 3) pieces of artwork based on the information YOU gave them. You wont know they were lying until you receive the check and find out the address, the name, even the amount doesn’t line up. I heard they ultimately send you a higher wrong amount…and scam you somehow by cashing it. Maybe get your bank details? I don’t know the reason, but here is a similar link that may help. https://www.agora-gallery.com/advice/blog/2017/05/25/how-to-recognize-art-scam/
                                                            Id be curious to see if you copied and pasted the text in your original email message in Google, would others have received the same scam? Hope this helps. ~T.J.

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