Kathleen,
This just keeps getting a little uncomfortable. I actually sent my address and phone number. Yikes! Thank goodness I caught on. What happens next? Is there something I need to do to prevent this?
Sincerely,
Deborah
First Email:
On Jan 7, 2012, at 11:14 AM, Carmen Gonzalez [edwedg18@gmail.com]Second Email:
wrote:
Hi,
Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creatives works on your web site and i will like you to get back with more details if they are still available for purchase.
"Ambsace" and "Six of Them
I will appreciate an urgent reply.
Best Regards,
Carmen Gonzalez.
On Jan 9, 2012, at 7:12 PM, Carmen Gonzalez [edwedg18@gmail.com] wrote:Third Email:
Hi Deborah ,
Thanks so much for your response to my query about those creative works. I will like to proceed with the purchase of both pieces . Can you pls confirm the actual size and price of the two pieces so i can know how best to proceed. I will also like to know what inspire you to make the pieces.
I will look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Regards,
Carmen.
On Jan 10, 2012, at 7:57 PM, Carmen Gonzalez [edwedg18@gmail.com] wrote:Fourth Email:
Hi Deborah ,
Good to hear back from you. Yes,i will like to proceed with the purchase of both works ( framed and ready to hang ). I think they are lovely works and i hope to give them good home.
I am presently away in Cancun for my twin sister's wedding even though it comes at a time when i was preparing for a big move and also expecting a baby but it means so much to her. I should be back in few days.
Meanwhile,i will like you to forward your mailing address and phone number so i can inform my husband still shutling between our home in New Jersey and London on where to forward the payment . He has just been transfer to head the IT section of their head Office in London.
I can also forward your contact info to the local cartage company that will be moving all our house decors so they can get in touch with you to arrange shipping details. They can arrange FedEx pick up of the artworks from your studio.
I will look forward to hearing from you so i can know how best to proceed. Cheers.
Best Regards,
Carmen.
From: Carmen Gonzalez [edwedg18@gmail.com]
Date: January 11, 2012 5:43:23 AM CST
Subject: Re: Artworks Inquiry...
Hi Deborah ,
Hope this message finds you well. I spoke with my husband late yesterday and he promise to send the payment as soon as you get back with your mailing address and phone number. I will look forward to hearing from you soon.
Carmen.
I just received the exact same emails from this woman. It seemed suspicious, so I googled and found this blog. Luckily, I didn't give her my phone number or address. Just curious though- what is the scam? And what could she possibly do with a ph. number and address?
ReplyDeleteThe jist of the scam is they eventually will "pay" with either a fake check or a stolen credit card (typically that has not yet been reported as stolen), have some convoluted story as to why they are paying more than they owe (typically around that they are moving and have a shipper handling everything) and the overage is usually a couple thousand dollars and they go on about why they are asking you to forward that overage amount to the shipper once you deposit their money, via Western Union. The scam is all their money and name and email is fake, there is no shipper, and its just them at the other end of Western Union, which once the money is picked up, they are untraceable.
ReplyDeleteSo they count on sending out a zillion of these emails - its a numbers game, and hoping to quickly move as many potential victims through the scam before they realize they've been had.
This blog I started, and my facebook page on the same topic, has reduced their success rate. I assume these are like vermin that you never really completely get rid of, but you just try and keep the number of victims to a minimum. That's what I hope we do by all of us sharing our experiences and educating artists to google suspicious emails BEFORE they do anything to see if someone else has already written about them.
So thanks for contributing your experience!
Katie:
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your help in stopping this! Really appreciate it very much!
Thanks so much for your blog. My wife was going back and forth with this "woman" and I couldn't figure out what the scam might be but I was very suspicious. Before giving them her address and phone number I googled art scams and came across your site. I tried to google "edwedg19@gmail.com" but because it's a digit off I came up with nothing. Glad I found you before we got in too deep.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'm also glad I found your blog. I too, googled this person's name and email address only to find nothing concrete. Unfortunately, I got to the part where I sent them my mailing address and phone number; though, this is information that can be obtained on my website. So, I didn't see it as that big of an issue. I found your blog after I received an email from their "cartage" company, "Pack N Box Movers and Logistics LTD." So, I googled them and found out what the deal really was. Again, thank you for creating this blog, it is a BIG HELP!
ReplyDeleteI am happy to see we are keeping down the scammer's success rate! Thanks for writing in.
ReplyDeleteExact wording of my Carmon emails but she had a miscarriage at her sisters wedding in Mexico! Shes OK though and would like to proceed! LOL
ReplyDeleteYeah, she contacted me, but I smelled something fishy right away because I have had other artist friends who have been hit on by scammers. So, I tried to scam her back by selling her The Sistine Chapel. I don't think she liked the image I sent her of Satan in the Last Judgment...I titled it:
ReplyDelete"Devil Art Scammer", digital fresco, 2" x 2", retail $3,000
never heard from her again after that.
Megan
NICE.
DeleteI have been contacted by this person also and the emails I received have been almost word for word what you have posted here. I have removed her emails from my site and have no intention of responding to any further emails from her. I still have my painting and she has none of my money.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I like to hear!
ReplyDelete