Many of you may already know that there are plenty of scams out there targeting fine artists. These scam artists find your email address on a public forum somewhere attached to a painting you’ve done. They send you an email like this one that has appeared in some art newsletters as a warning:
HELLO, MY NAME IS MAXWELLS BROWN.MY MAIN REASON FOR CONTACTING YOU IS DAT I SAW ONE OF YOUR ARTWORK AND AM HIGHLY INTERESTED IN BUYING SOME FROM YOU CAUSE I SAW YOUR EMAIL TOO, SO I WILL LIKE YOU TO GET BACK TO ME WITH YOUR WEBSITE AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE SHIPPING IHAVE A QOURIER THAT WILL COME FOR THE PICKUP AND I WILL LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT I WILL BE PAYING BY A CHEQUE OR MONEY ORDER. SO I WILL BE EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.REGARDS
The email is from MAXWELLS BROWN <maxwellsranch101@yahoo.com>
This is, of course, a scam. It is much better to never accept checks or money orders and in particular never cash a check for them (unless it is somebody you know, of course). They are usually after the cash, not the art. In fact, your art probably ends up in a dumpster somewhere. So be alert for any fishy behavior. If somebody is really interested in your art, they will understand if you require payment via PayPal, Escrow.com, or cash, particularly if you inform them of the widespread scams that are spreading throughout the art field.
So be careful out there! The life of an artist is tough enough without falling for a scam that leaves you sick to your stomach for years afterward.
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