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- Email Phishing. Most artists who have an online presence will experience some form of email phishing during their career. Often this is easily ignored, however, some artists fall prey to the scam.
- Vanity Projects. Unfortunately, the art world is rife with vanity projects. These include vanity art book publishers, vanity fairs, and most commonly, vanity galleries.
- Identity Theft. Art competitions are an absolutely great way to get your name heard in the art industry. During my Fine Art studies, my tutors were constantly encouraging their students to apply to any and all competitions.
Here are the top 10 ways for an artist to help to identify if they are dealing with an art scammer: 1.The scammer usually lives outside of the US. 2.The scammer will have a story as to why they want to buy the art. 3.The scammer cannot remember all of the details of the piece of art or they easily get the artwork mixed up with others.
Jan 21, 2024 · Protecting Yourself: 1. Verify Identities: Research the potential buyer’s identity by searching for their name and contact details online. Legitimate buyers will have a digital presence. 2. Request Specifics: Ask for detailed information about the buyer’s preferences, which artwork they are interested in, and why.
- Research The Email
- Ask The Right Questions
- Keep Personal Information Private
- Don’T Continue - Even If It’S Tempting
- Know The Scam and Never Wire Money
Type the email into Google to see if anyone else has received the same fishy correspondence. Art Promotivate has detailed this approach here. You can also look at the bank of scam messages compiled on the Stop Art Scams blog or check artist Kathleen McMahon’s scammer names list here.
If you are uncertain of the email’s legitimacy, ask for the sender’s phone number and say you prefer to speak directly with potential buyers. Or, insist that you can only receive money via PayPal. This will almost definitely put an end to the scammer’s interest.
Make sure you never give personal information out–such as bank details or credit card information–to facilitate a transaction. According to art business expert and photographer John R. Math, “If you share this type of information with scammers, they will use it to set up new accounts and commit fraud with your identity.” Instead, use something like...
Don’t go down the rabbit hole of playing along. Artist Liz Crain recommends not responding at all, not even with a “no thank you.” If you go through a few emails only to realize it’s a scam, stop all contact.
If you are tricked to the point where the scammers have taken your artwork and “overpaid” by accident, never wire them the money back. Your repayment money will go through to them, but the original check or credit card details they sent you will be fake. This is how their scam succeeds. Have you ever been faced with a scammer? How did you handle it...
Red Flag #1: Non-Traditional Forms of Payment. One of the most common forms of scam is the cashier’s check/money order overpayment scam. Hundreds of variants exist and are easy to find with a quick Google search. Essentially, the scammer will express interest in a piece of your art, and then offer to pay for it with a money order or cashier ...
Jun 25, 2024 · Here are key clues to identify an art scam: Offers That Are Too Good to Be True: Scammers may offer unrealistically generous commissions or payments upfront without discussing specific details of the artwork or transaction. Urgency and Pressure: Scammers often create a sense of urgency, pressuring you to act quickly without time for proper ...
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Jan 17, 2017 · The Story Sounds Impersonal. A common narrative used by art scammers is to say their wife has been looking at your work and really enjoys it. Or, they have a new home and are looking for pieces to decorate it. At first glance, it may seem like a plausible story, but something about it seems abrupt or stunted.
