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Saturday, February 23, 2013

Scam Email: Tyler He

Hi Kathleen, just got this yesterday after responding to his initial email with a list of three galleries that have my paintings. So this "guy" is very active as I see his name is already on your list. By the way, great job you are doing to get everyone alerted to these scams. I actually did a commissioned painting for some supposed client last year ( it was my first experience with these type of scams) and when it was done the person ( whose name I can't remember right now) disappeared from email and I could not contact her.
David

Begin forwarded message:

From: tyler He [he.tyler@yahoo.com]
Subject: Hello
Date: February 22, 2013 2:55:08 AM EST
Reply-To: tyler He [he.tyler@yahoo.com]

Hello David,

Thanks for the message, Hope  you are doing  great.Please let me have the asking price, I must tell you I am very much interested in the immediate purchase of the "Evening Light. I'm okay with the price $2,500, I think it worth it anyway.

Unfortunately,  I am on voyage to Philippines at the moment as I am a civil marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, visiting of website are restricted, but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it:-). I wont be back for another couple of weeks, I would have come to purchase the piece personally.

If you'd like to know, I'm relocating to the Philippines soon and I'm trying to gather some good stuff to furnish my new abode. I am buying yours (quickly before someone else grabs it) So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP.

However, you don't have to worry about shipment, my shipper will handle it.I'll notify my shipper who's helping me move my stuff to get set for the pickup of the piece from your place as I MIGHT be delayed depending on how things goes.
Thanks,
Tyler.

PS: In the mean time, you could forward me your full name (you want the check payable to) cell phone no. and contact address so I can fedex a check to you ASAP

42 comments:

  1. I recently received in my e-mail EXACTLY the same letter from Tyler He after responding to his initial enquiry with a price for the painting he was interested in and my address and phone number (which is easily found anyway in a phone book) for mailing the check, then nothing more from him. So just what is his angle???

    ReplyDelete
  2. He will overpay the amount, by a lot, and ask you to send the difference on to the shipper - by wire transfer. There is no shipper and the payment is a counterfeit check (or stolen credit card number), but in the scam he hopes to already have received your good cash via the wire transfer before you realize his money is no good. Once he picks it up from the wire transfer, he and your money are gone and untraceable.

    Glad to hear you knew to google this and not get trapped in this scam.

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  3. Thanks for the explanation. It will help me to be more alert in the future though if he had sent me a check for too much already I would have been suspicious and not have acted on it as that has happened to me once before now that I think about it.

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  4. Kathleen -- below is a transcript from what I now know to be a scammer. I found a nearly identical email on your website! Thanks for your website, I was able to shut this down before things got too far.

    Begin forwarded message:

    Subject: Re: Payment............
    Date: March 17, 2013 9:43:29 AM EDT
    To: Kathy Rush [kattlerush@yahoo.com]

    Kathy -- a trip to Mexico sounds great. Maybe while you're there you can meet up with this guy? It sounds like you two have a lot in common:

    Hello David,

    Thanks for the message, Hope you are doing great.Please let me have the asking price, I must tell you I am very much interested in the immediate purchase of the "Evening Light. I'm okay with the price $2,500, I think it worth it anyway.

    Unfortunately, I am on voyage to Philippines at the moment as I am a civil marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, visiting of website are restricted, but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it:-). I wont be back for another couple of weeks, I would have come to purchase the piece personally.

    If you'd like to know, I'm relocating to the Philippines soon and I'm trying to gather some good stuff to furnish my new abode. I am buying yours (quickly before someone else grabs it) So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP.

    However, you don't have to worry about shipment, my shipper will handle it.I'll notify my shipper who's helping me move my stuff to get set for the pickup of the piece from your place as I MIGHT be delayed depending on how things goes.

    Thanks,
    Tyler.

    PS: In the mean time, you could forward me your full name (you want the check payable to) cell phone no. and contact address so I can fedex a check to you ASAP

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just got hit by the lovely "Kathy Rush"
    Sigh, I knew it wasn't for real when she agreed to the exorbitant price I quoted...
    Thank you for your site!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I got this exact email! Only with the title and price of my painting.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just got this from - From: Tyler He
    Good day, hope you are good. Was going through your website and saw some of your artwork I really like. You are doing a great job. I would like to make the purchase of the artwork in subject field above if it is still available..i would also like to know what inspired the artwork. kindly get back to me asap. Thanks and God bless,
    Tyler.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I got a follow up email from Tyler He-
    Thanks for the message, Hope you are doing great. My wife actually found your website and asked me to view your artwork and contact you for the purchase but unfortunately, I am on voyage to Philippines at the moment, I would have come to purchase the piece personally but wont be back for another couple of weeks, as I am a civil marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, visiting of website are restricted, but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it:-). I must tell you I am very much interested in the immediate purchase. I'm okay with the price, I think it worth it anyway.
    If you'd like to know, I'm relocating to the Philippines soon and I'm trying to gather some good stuff to furnish my new abode. I am buying yours (quickly before someone else grabs it) So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP.
    However, you don't have to worry about shipment, my shipper will handle it.I'll notify my shipper who's helping me move my stuff to get set for the pickup of the piece from your place as I MIGHT be delayed depending on how things goes.
    Thanks,
    Tyler.

    PS: In the mean time, you could forward me your full name (you want the check payable to) cell phone no. and contact address so I can fedex a check to you ASAP

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you, Kathleen!!!! You are the greatest. I got this one as few days ago, and briefly responded with a price, and his reply is IDENTICAL to the letter, right down to punctuation, lower-case "i", etc. Amazing. The world needs more KatieMo's!!

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  10. Thanks for this site. Just got the same emails from "Tyler H. Stewart" at "stewart.htyler@yahoo.com" and wasn't terribly surprised to find it's a scam. Irritating that people think artists are so desperate to sell their work that they'll get sucked into fishy deals. Thanks again.

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  11. Thanks so much for this site! I have also received scam email from Tyler Stewart with this exact same wording.

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  12. Just received the same email. Thanks for the scam info!

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  13. Thanks for your site. We received these exact emails and they didn't "feel" right.

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  14. Good day, hope you are good. Was going through your website and saw some of your artwork I really like. You are doing a great job. I would like to make the purchase of the artwork in subject field above if it is still available..i would also like to know what inspired the artwork. kindly get back to me asap. Thanks and God bless,
    Tyler.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dear Kathleen,

    I am an artist in New York State. I just received the following email. Thanks to the fact that I am snoopy about all clients and thanks to your blog, I avoided this scam.

    Much appreciated:

    Shana

    Dear Shana,

    Thanks for the message, Hope you are doing great. I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website (artwork) on my laptop and I must tell you I am very much interested in the immediate purchase of that artwork to surprise my wife. Unfortunately, at the moment I am on voyage to france with new hires, fresh from graduate school, I would have come to purchase the piece personally but won't be back for another couple of weeks, as I am a civil marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, visiting of website, phone calls are restricted during this period, but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it:-). . I'm okay with the price, I think it worth it anyway.

    If you'd like to know, I'm relocating to the Philippines soon and I'm also trying to gather some good stuff to furnish my new abode. I am buying yours (quickly before someone else grabs it) So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP.

    However, you don't have to worry about shipment, I be appointing a secured shipping agent in Philippines whom are also moving my 1932 Ford ROADSTER and some personal effect to come over for the pickup of the painting at your place, and then deliver it to me in Philippines; Courier service like FedEx, UPS are not worth it in the Philippines especially USPS all of them are not rendering good service there in the Philippines, they will never bring to ones house. I have had several bad experience with FedEx and UPS in the past and am not willing to pay additional fee at the delivery point in Philippines because the appointed shipper will deliver safely without paying any other money before collecting the goods unlike some other courier where it will not be delivered to your address rather you will have to go to their office to pick it up and when you get there you will be told to pay other money before collecting it.

    In the meantime, you could forward me your full name (you want the check payable to) cell phone no. and contact address so I can fedex a check to. as I MIGHT be delayed depending on how things goes.

    Thanks and God bless,
    Tyler.

    ReplyDelete
  16. OMG!! Just got it too!! Thank you so much!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Me too! Lazy jerk can't even come up with other names. Thanks for the heads-up!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thank you all for saving me from this scammer! Here is what Tyler Stewart wrote me:

    Dear Amy,
    Thanks for the message, Hope you are doing great. I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website (artwork) on my laptop and I must tell you I am very much interested in the immediate purchase of that artwork to surprise my wife. Unfortunately, at the moment I am on voyage to France with new hires, fresh from graduate school, I would have come to purchase the piece personally but won't be back for another couple of weeks, as I am a civil marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, visiting of website, phone calls are restricted during this period, but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it:-). I'm okay with the price, I think it worth it anyway.
    If you'd like to know, I'm relocating to the Philippines soon and I'm also trying to gather some good stuff to furnish my new abode. I am buying yours (quickly before someone else grabs it) So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP.
    However, you don't have to worry about shipment, I be appointing a secured shipping agent in Philippines whom are also moving my 1932 Ford ROADSTER and some personal effect to come over for the pickup of the painting at your place, and then deliver it to me in Philippines; Courier service like FedEx, UPS are not worth it in the Philippines especially USPS all of them are not rendering good service there in the Philippines, they will never bring to ones house. I have had several bad experience with FedEx and UPS in the past and am not willing to pay additional fee at the delivery point in Philippines because the appointed shipper will deliver safely without paying any other money before collecting the goods unlike some other courier where it will not be delivered to your address rather you will have to go to their office to pick it up and when you get there you will be told to pay other money before collecting it.
    In the meantime, you could forward me your full name (you want the check payable to) cell phone no. and contact address so I can fedex a check to. as I MIGHT be delayed depending on how things goes.

    Thanks and God bless,
    Tyler.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow, this dude is busy. I just got an email from him today and wanted to check into him before I replied back. Thanks for the post, my email from Tyler is word for word an exact copy of one of the Anonymous posts above. Wow, what an ass. My day was so exciting until I saw that someone wanted to take advantage of artists yet again.

    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Unbelievable, just received the same song & dance from Tyler H Stewart. thanks for the warning.- Artist in Smithtown NY

    ReplyDelete
  21. I have just received the same scam from email address: stewarth.tyler@yahoo.com:"Good day, hope you are good. Was going through your website and saw some of your artwork I really like. You are doing a great job. I would like to make the purchase of the artwork in subject field above if it is still available..i would also like to know what inspired the artwork. kindly get back to me asap. Thanks and God bless,
    Tyler." Any serious art collector would have no problem paying in advance for a completed work prior to shipping. I've seen this same scam attempted on Craigslist for large expensive items as well.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I received similar email from Tyler.

    Good day, hope you are good. Was going through your website and saw some of your artwork I really like. You are doing a great job. I would like to make the purchase of the artwork in subject field above if it is still available..i would also like to know what inspired the artwork. kindly get back to me asap. Thanks and God bless,
    Tyler.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Got the same email too- except mine is from Steven Leavitt.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I got the exact same email from steve leavitt, too. I replied with an address and phone number for him to send a check, but then felt suspicious. It was just too good to be true. Something not quite right. So I googled his name, and up popped the dreaded words ART SCAM! Thanks for having this web site or I would have probably been taken in.

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  25. He now has a new name...... STEVE and has tried to scam us as well....

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  26. Steve Leavitt. I got the same email.

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  27. I just received the exact same email from Steve Leavitt on August 3. I have been "bating" him to see how far he will go. So far, he has followed up with this once he knows his check will need to clear....

    ReplyDelete
  28. This happened to me as well. Fortunately, Western Union would not allow me to wire that amount of money, called me and told me I was being scammed. Please report this to your money wiring group as they have security groups who investigate these incidents. My dealings with the con artist were done from a phone in Seattle, an address in New Jersey, a FedEx account in Cleveland, and the check was from a real estate company in Alaska who was, as you might imagine, pissed off when they found out. The person on my end called for several days after the fact before giving up on me. Typically the over pay amount in these scams is $2000-3000.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Lol.. i got one too...

    Thanks for the message..Hope you are doing great. My wife actually found it on sulekha.com and told me to contact you for the purchase but unfortunately, I am on voyage to Canada at the moment, I would have come to purchase the piece personally but won't be back for another couple of weeks, as I am a civil marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, visiting of website are restricted, but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it:-). I must tell you I am very much interested in the immediate purchase. I'm okay with the price, I think it worth it anyway.

    If you'd like to know, I'm relocating to the Canada soon and I'm trying to gather some good stuff to furnish my new abode. I am buying yours (quickly before someone else grabs it) So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP.

    However, you don't have to worry about shipment, my shipper will handle it.I'll notify my shipper who's helping me move mySunnyvale, CA 94087 to get set for the pickup of the piece from your place as I MIGHT be delayed depending on how things goes.
    Thanks,
    Paul


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    ReplyDelete
  30. Got this several times, even have a bogus $5,000 check on bulletin board as a reminder. Always be wary when they say they are sending too much "money".

    I called my bank when I got the check and they said they would initially cover the check and it could take over month before they found out it was bad. The bank would ultimately hold me responsible for funds.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I got this too, from a "Bryan Dowl". I reported it to gmail as a phishing scam.

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  32. I got this too, from a "Bryan Dowl" just yesterday and i'll be playing with him his own game .

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  33. The same Bryan Dowl guy is coming up with a story and trying to cheat me now. Thanks for the post friends!! Now i am going to play with him..

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  34. Got a same email from Bryan Dowl guy... he has sent a checque to me for $1960... Thanks for the information, i'll discard the cheque.

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  35. I got an email from Bryan Dowl too, he wanted me to send money to Philippines and has deposited $2505 into my account.
    Can you suggest what to do now ?

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  36. That $2505 is not real money and eventually your bank is going to pull that back out of your account. The scam occurs when you DO send money to the Philippines (or wherever), because that is your money and you will lose it forever. So do NOT send any money at all.

    Stop ALL actions. The money deposited is fraudulent and you can not spend it. The bank will remove it as soon as they verify it is fraudulent.

    Do NOT send any money. You'll be fine if you stop now.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hi Friends,

    This is the mail I got from Bryan Dowl .

    Thanks for the message.. Hope you are doing great.. My wife actually found it on XYZ.com and told me to contact you for the purchase but unfortunately, I am on voyage at the moment, I would have come to purchase the piece personally but won't be back for another couple of weeks, as I am a civil marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, visiting of website are restricted, but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it:-). I must tell you I am very much interested in the immediate purchase. I'm okay with the price, I think it worth it anyway.

    If you'd like to know, I'm relocating and d I'm trying to gather some good stuff to furnish my new abode. I am buying yours (quickly before someone else grabs it) So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP. Kindly send me your full name, address and phone number, so the payment can be sent asap to you.

    However, you don't have to worry about shipment, my shipper will handle it.I'll notify my shipper who's helping me move to get set for the pickup of the piece from your place as I MIGHT be delayed depending on how things goes.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  38. His new pseudo name is Robert Cook. He gave me $3000 instead of my quoted $1250, and I am so grateful to have found this page. Thank you all for the warnings.

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  39. This happened to someone in my family over the past week and $2000 was lost. Has anyone had experience with reporting this type of crime? Are there any outcomes you can share?

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  40. Look at the right hand column of link suggestions of where to report it. Outcomes for getting money back are not good. Scammers know to target amounts that keep them under the radar of authorities, who typically don't have the resources to chase anything but big money losses.

    I am sorry to hear this has happened. It breaks my heart to see when this scam continues to be successful.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Just received an email from Bryan Dowl who says he is an "ocean engineer" out on a voyage and wants to surprise his wife who handles all his checking and Paypal accounts so.....bla bla bla. There was just something funny about his use of the language, his disinterest in the art and artist, and TMI in his response. I won't be sending him the info he needs. Thanks y'all. Be careful out there.

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  42. Hey everyone, heads up. I just got the "Bryan Dowl" email. He specifically mentions a piece on my website. Says he wants to buy it but never asked how much. He only asks if it is available and what is the payment method. Be careful out there. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete