ONLINE ART SCAM AND PHISHING ALERTS

Recently, many online art websites, including ArtistSites.org, have been getting hit by serial scammers soliciting artists to buy their work. The scammers are continually changing their names, email addresses, and the solicitation message. They use a website's contact forms and send emails to members inquiring about a piece fo work for sale. Generally, the emails are fairly vague and appear to be written poorly but generally they insist on paying by check (fake) and wanting to pick up or arrange their own shipping (a big No No!), generally they claim to be out of the country and want to send a check, sometimes for more than the actual amount. There is no security issues with the ArtistSites.org website, these are just common phishing solicitations that are found all over the Internet. Please be wary of any solicitations. If the offer sounds too good to be true or you cannot verify the potential buyer's identity do not go through with the sale...

7/12/08 An email that has all the makings of a scam... from sertchoun@yahoo.com (sert?) I will be happy to have these selected artworks stem - photography and ice out 2 in our new home. What are the prices? We are traveling from our USA home to our new apartment in Belgium ASAP. On Payment,I will like to pay you in US checks that can be easily cashed at your bank,Please let me know on how to pay for the artworks. I will be looking forward to your response on how to proceed. Take Care, Sert.

7/1/08 Scammer Mike Lampard is back phishing for artists to scam!: I got the scam email from Mike Lampard, too. here it is "My name is Mike, I am an individual art agent and interior decorator from Glasgow, scotland. I got an order for the supply of some artworks from a client, and when i came across your portfolio on your site, while searching for good artworks, I found some of them to interest me and fit what i am looking for, and I intend to market these items to my client and also negotiate a price that will include your price (i.e your selling price) and a mark-up as a profit for my effort. Payment will be made directly to you at the price i am selling and i will expect you to ship and send me my commission /margin afterwards. My client will provide you directly their credit card for payment.I am looking forward to a long term working relationship beyond this order.Please let me know if you do commission work and if you accept master card payment after which I will let you know the items we are interested in, and we can proceed with the order. Hope to hear from you soon. Best Regards. Mike Lampard mlampard20@yahoo.com

4/14/2008 Recent email from an ArtistSites member: "There is a fake buyer going through your website and proposing purchases to young artists. I am a young artist and I got scammed over $2500. This is a very serious issue as the buyer claims to love your work and wants to purchase it. If any of the buyers are going through the UK, be very skeptical and send no money. I was naive because someone liked my artwork and therefore have lost my life savings. I am only a poor artist and now cannot even afford materials. Please forward this information on to your other artists, the contacts name is Lewis Anderson and he is a fraud. Thank you so much and best of luck with everyone else's portfolios, I just pray this doesn't happen to anyone else. Thanks.."

WARNING Recent Spam Solicitations Received by Artists on ArtistSites.org: (send any you receive to us to post)

3/30/2008 - From Mike Lampard, My name is Mike, I am an individual art agent and interior decorator from glasgow, scotland.I got an order for the supply of some artworks from a client, and when i came across your portfolio while searching for good artworks, I found some of them to fit what i am looking for and great for walls, My client would like to make payment to you by credit card at the price i am selling and i will expect you to ship and send me my commission /margin afterwards.I am looking forward to a long term working relationship. Please let me know if you do commission work and if you accept credit card payment before we place orders ,and if you have questions please feel free to ask. Hope to hear from you soon. Best Regards. Mike Lampard mlampard20@yahoo.com

3/5/2008 - From "k.hills6@gmail.com, the individual is sending emails under the addy: k.hills6@gmail.com the checks are fake cashiers coming from "chase" bank

3/5/2008 - From "Anderson Lewis" handherson@yahoo.com, also signs name as Alex, or Lewis. Sent UK address and emails with poor english and same spammy verbage.. See below.

Below are some examples of art email scams:

3/5/2008 - "I saw your Advert on the http://www.artistsites.org site and i think i am interested in buying these Artworks from you.(winter sun - photography - 8x10) and any other ones you are willing to sell. I love the artwork so much that i cant afford to miss it. I need to get it as soon as possible, so please i'll need to know the present condition of the item and i'll be happy if you could list out their prices respectively,and let me know if you still have all of them in store. I love artworks and i have a showroom where i display them for people to buy. i just decided to upgrade and reload my showrom, so i need some new artworks, i'll appreciate it if you could give me a good price as well. Please get back to me as soon as possible so i can reach you with the payment fast. Cheers Best Regards Alex"

"My name is Robert from Glasgow,Scotland. I got an order for the supply of some artworks from my employer, and when i came across your works while searching for good artworks, I found some of them to fit what i am looking for and great for walls,My client(the organization i work for) will be making payment to you by credit card (we can't make use of our paypal account for now because its not properly set up and we exceeded our spending limit) at the price i am selling and i will expect you to ship and send me my commision/margin afterwards.I am looking forward for a long term working relationship. Please let me know if you do commission work and if you accept credit card payment before we place orders ,and if you have questions,you can contact me at robbertty@yahoo.com


"Hello Steve, Am GarY CURTIS of image ARTROCK, Residence in Kentucky Bowling i do buy OLD and NEW ART COLLECTONS property around the world and later place it on Auction.I saw your Old Farmhouse" - Pastel - 12X18 and willing to buy off this item from you.Kindly send me pics of this item and let me know it current condition and the last price you can let go of this item.Shipping will be taken care by me to make it easier for you. GarY"

Other Names and email addresses from scammers that we have collected:

Austin Blake, and Gary Curtis who claims to be from "Art Rock" Mike Jacob, Dillon Martin, Danny Dunn, Brandon Cruse and Brandon Stafford, claiming to want to purchase pieces of art. Some of the emails claim to be from a missionary based in london.

"I saw that others have been victimized by art scams. A man named Gary Curtis (artrock07@yahoo.com) wanted to buy a piece for 900.He sent a check for $2500 and It bounced. He wanted me to send $1500 to a Kim James who was the supposed shipper. He was going to pick up the money western union. THe shippers email was YETUNDE ELUKU (shipping_alliedpersonalsvcinc@yahoo.com). I never sent the money,so only lost ten dollars in a bank penalty. Just thought you might want to add these names to your scam artists that are currently trying to screw people on artistsites.org."

These are mostly phishing scams trying to get you to send art that was paid with a fake check or trying to get you to send back a check for the overage amount. However, we urge you to use caution with all solicitations and not to provide any personal information or proceed with any transaction without first verifying that the buyer is real.

For more information on art scams and pretecting yourself online, please visit: http://www.artscams.com/