hello
i wish i had come across your site earlier! ive been working on an art sale with a "thanh nguyen" with the email "mrknumb@gmail.com" . i researched him, his company, the bank the check was sent from, etc. i didnt know to look up art specific check fraud, so i wasnt aware this was an ongoing problem. anyways, i stopped the process before anything could happen. heres the original message:
"--
Hi there,my name is Thanh im an art collector from Hawaii ,was
browsing through the internet and my eyes caught this particular work
on the subject,will like to have it for my new apartment probably this
month.please let me know if the piece is available and if yes let me
have the detailed price and more information about it.kindly reply me
with your phone#.
Regards."
and a few later to discuss shipping arrangements:
"Hello,Thanks for the details which Ive noted down and have also
forwarded it to my shipper.He's due in the US sometime next week and
will definitely be getting in touch with you for the pickup.The truth
is,i would have handled this much differently if i would be at home
but Im a bit pressed for time myself. Im moving to Cairo this month as
im being transferred.As it is, I'm sending you an overdraft which will
include my shippers fees as well.He has asked for an upfront before
coming and since I have no access to a lot of cash, Im trying to kill
two birds with a stone.So, once you've received and cashed the
check,deduct your funds and PLEASE help me send the remaining funds to
him(shipper).I'll forward his contact details to you once you've
received the payment.Now I'm concluding you are a responsible person
and I can therefore entrust you with this arrangement.Ill let you know
Immediately the check is sent out
to you so you should be looking out for it.P.S:I`ll require that a
reconfirmation of your address is done for me now. I await your reply."
then this after receiving a check
"Yes you got it Rebecca,Im so glad you finally received the payment,the
payment should clear to your account within 24hours.
Below is the shipper's information in sending the remaining fund via
Western union;
Curtis A Westbrook
6232 Greenwood Pl
Huntsville Al 35702
Once you have the money sent, do email me all the necessary
information which will be needed for the collection of the money I.e;
Sender's name
Amount sent after Western union charges
MTCN#
Once he receives the money, he will get in touch with you and set up
the best time and date with you for pick up this week.
Thanks for your help and understanding and I await your quick response."
yikes! another to add to your list! thanks!
I just got an invitation to sell to the same "buyer". I'm surprised he's moving to Cairo the previous three buyers I heard from were all moving to South Africa. Good luck on telling others.
ReplyDeleteThis week he's moving to Germany.
ReplyDeleteAnd now it's July and he's still moving to Germany according to the letter I just got yesterday.
ReplyDeleteYeah he's from Texas and moving to Germany in August of 2014. Must be a nice life.
ReplyDeleteSTILL moving to Germany and it's now David Wattson
ReplyDeleteSame - Moving to Germany as David Wattson - sent a nice reply to let him know how I feel about scamming the creative. Mrknumb (I am sure that name has lots to do with people who steal from vulnerable people). Mr. Dumb, more like.
ReplyDeleteNow he's David Wattson with a new house in Hawaii. THANK YOU for this site
ReplyDeleteGlad to see this online... I, too, was contacted by Wattson... So crazy to think 'he' can get away with this... I sent a note back, Dear David, I know you are a scam. Go Away.
ReplyDeleteI just received one from him also. Only he 'saw' my work on the internet and then requested my website and phone number.
ReplyDeleteHe's David and back in Hawaii this weekend and really would like my art for his home there....not.
ReplyDeletethanks for keeping this site alive!
Got an email from David Wattson:
ReplyDelete--
Hope this message finds you well,im David from Hawaii,was browsing
through the internet and my eyes caught some of your works and I'm
interested in purchasing some of your artworks for some spaces within
my new house to make it unique and beautiful.
Can I have few images of your recent works?I won't mind having your
main website so as to explore more into your works.kindly reply with
your cell number.
David.
I also received the same email. Drove over to the gallery and removed the 2 pieces he was interested in. When I returned I had an email from him explaining how the transaction was going down, I emailed him back saying I wasn't interested in pursuing this sell under those conditions... I checked my squarespace viewer browser list for that day and he went to 3 different pages with my work using the address 41.203.67.166 NG if that helps anyone. I would love for someone to pull his computer plug!! Wasted way too much of my time!
ReplyDeleteSame same, tanks for this page . Üss!
ReplyDeleteStarted with me. Warding him off. Now as David Wattson
ReplyDeleteOMG Thank You sooo much. I got an email a few days ago. Was not gonna give "David" my address...looked at the name for the email which was not David...yes someone needs to find this person. What a sham I was soooo excited yall :(
ReplyDeleteDitto- something about the language really tipped me off though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your site, i just got an e-mail from David Wattson
ReplyDeleteit sounded to good to be true.
Same email from good ole David!!! Thank you so much for posting this... and I'm sorry you had to go through that! What a stupid criminal to use the same gmail address. Hope no one falls for it and they catch the criminal soon!
ReplyDeleteJust got the same email from David Wattson but now he's in Nova Scotia! Damned scammers!
ReplyDeleteJudy
I got this, too!
ReplyDeleteFrom: David Wattson [mrknumb@gmail.com]
Date: September 28, 2015 at 8:45:52 PM PDT
To:
Subject: Artwork inquiry
--
Hope this message finds you well,im David from Hawaii,was browsing
through the internet and my eyes caught some of your works,i'm
interested in purchasing some of your works for some spaces within my
new house to make it unique and beautiful.Can I have few images of
your recent works?I won't mind having your main website so as to
explore more into your works.kindly reply with
your cell number.David.
I just received one from Brian Matt, isn't it fantastic!!!!
ReplyDeleteAlmost the same wording..... arseholes
This really pisses me off how someone could have the nerve?! To be so vile as to scam something so sacred as art!! WTF
ReplyDeleteI just received 3 emails in three days from these shit heads! Do they have some sort of scamming seminar or focus group that they crawl out of??
Hope this message finds you well,im David from Hawaii,was browsing
through the internet and my eyes caught some of your works,i'm
interested in purchasing some of your works for some spaces within my
new house to make it unique and beautiful.Can I have few images of
your recent works?I won't mind having your main website so as to
explore more into your works.kindly reply with
your cell number.David.
Rob Palmer:
--
Hi,
Hope this message finds you well, I'm Rob Palmar from Orange County, California. I Got to know about you and your works through a family friend while I was on vacation. I'm actually interested in purchasing some of your piece for some spaces within my new house to make it unique and beautiful.
Can I have few images of your recent works? I won't mind having your main website so as to explore more into your works.
Kindly reply with your cell phone number if you don't mind.
Warm Regards,
Rob Palmar
and Brian Matt so far....
Hope this message finds you well,im Brian from California,was browsing
through the internet and my eyes caught some of your works,i'm
interested in purchasing some of your works for some spaces within my
new house to make it unique and beautiful.Can I have few images of
your recent works?i won't mind having your main website so as to
explore more into your works.kindly reply with your cell number.Brian.
What action can be taken if you know his real whereabouts?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't try to deal with a scammer directly. They are typically pretty careful about either not being found or if found being some place that authorities can't or won't go after them. I have links in the right column and you can check out those. Police won't do anything if you have not experienced a financial loss (and often don't have the resources to pursue if the financial loss is small... this is what scammers exploit), but it's always worth reporting this stuff because if the ic3.gov, for example, sees a pattern of complaints, they will then pursue that as a pattern rather than an individual case.
ReplyDeleteI have found, which is why I started this blog (and related facebook page), is that if we just keep posting online and warning each other AND potential victims start catching on that they should search online before proceeding with any online sale that doesn't feel right, we can at least reduce the number of victims who end up losing money.
I received this fishy stuff too, now he is in Turkey! Thanks for your informative blog! I hope by posting we can warn other artists to beware!
ReplyDeleteDavid Wattson"
Wednesday October 14 2015 12:56:41AM
Hope this message finds you well,im David from Hawaii,was browsing
through the internet and my eyes caught some of your works,i'm
interested in purchasing some of your works for some spaces within my
new house to make it unique and beautiful.Can I have few images of
your recent works?I won't mind having your main website so as to
explore more into your works.kindly reply with
your cell number.David.
---------------------------
David Wattson"
Wednesday October 14 2015 8:53:16AM
Thanks for the message,after a keen look at your website,i found these
works interesting(LAKE MICHIGAN SOUVENIRS and BRUSHFOLKS SEALS AND
MANATEES ),may i know their pricing and availability.
Any additional information about the artworks would be appreciated.
David.
------------------------------------
Thanks for the details
"David Wattson"
Thursday October 15 2015 6:14:38PM
Thanks for the details,i also got the attachment as well,i wish to
have these works,the prices are okay by me and i'm interested in the
immediate purchase,could you send me your full name as you want it
written on a check and your mailing information so that i can have my
company cut out a check to you.
My new home is in Turkey so you don't have to worry about shipment,my
mover will handle it. I hope this goes well with you.
David
I can't believe this has been going on for over a year! I just received the same email - he's in Hawaii and heading to Turkey. He emailed one of the gallery's artists directly and he then sent him to us. Luckily this isn't the first time someone has tried to scam us and we were quickly able to catch it.
ReplyDeleteHe was shopping for his Hawaii house 11/12/15.
ReplyDeleteI received one too. Just wondering how this creep finds artists.
ReplyDelete--
Hi,
Hope this message finds you well, I'm Rob Palmar from Orange County,
California. I got to know about you and your works through a family
friend while I was on vacation. I'm actually interested in purchasing
some of your piece for some spaces within my new house to make it unique
and beautiful.
Can I have few images of your recent works? I won't mind having your
main website so as to explore more into your works.
Kindly reply with your cell phone number if you don't mind.
Warm Regards,
Rob Palmar
Thank God for this website! I was about to fall for this. I looked the buyer up on FB and got nowhere. His name is Daniel Lachlan now and is moving to Maryland. I noticed the odd email address and decided to do more research. THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteDefinitly now in Maryland (according to the scammer) and on his way to Turkey. This guy gets around! At least he does on his spinning Rand Mcnally globe next to his computer!
ReplyDeleteI was in an email "back-and-forth' with this guy until I did a search on the email address - that did him in.
Also received an e-mail from Rob Palmar and knew right away it was a scam because he first said he found out about me from a family friend and then because he asked for samples of my work. You never internet samples to anyone especially someone you don't know.
ReplyDeleteI also got an email this morning from Danial Lachlan of Hawaii with dannnlankkan1@hotmail as the email. Thanks for saving a lot of artists precious time and possibly money too.
ReplyDeleteI got my Daniel lachlan of Hawaii this morning.
ReplyDeleteMy husband received this email today:
ReplyDeleteHope this message finds you well,im Daniel from Hawaii,was browsing through the internet and my eyes caught some of your works,i'm interested in purchasing some of your works for some spaces within my new house to make it unique and beautiful.
Can I have few images of your recent works?i won't mind having your main website so as to explore more into your works.kindly reply with your cell number.Daniel
Thanks for sharing scam info!
I, too, was contacted by Daniel Lachlan, who was now dannnslanhkkan1@hotmail.com and living in Hawaii. When I first answered his e-mail request, I asked where he had seen my art and he said on facebook. Since I don't do facebook, this gave me a clue. I'm glad I decided to "google" him and got this blog. Thank you....this is the only way the word gets out.
ReplyDeleteHe is still at it as Daniel Lachian and still using the mrknumb@gmail.com email. Moving to Turkey now. He found my work on Etsy and after some back and forth wanted to send a check outside of the site. I spotted him early since I get one of these every few months, but politely went back and forth until he mentioned his shippers and sending a check. I told him I only sell through the secure server on the site because I'm sure he had heard of unscrupulous hucksters who were trying to take advantage of poor artists with their scams. Thanks for sharing this. I found you by searching by his email address.
ReplyDeleteJust got the same scam email... Daniel Lachlan from Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteDuh!
What a loser.
Daniel has changed his email to ecgministryoutreach@outlook.com. Still looking for art. His walls must be pretty full by now.
ReplyDeleteI got one from Daniel Lachlan with the email mrknumb@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI got one from Daniel Lachlan in Hawaii at danlachh03@outlook.com. I was suspicious right away. I'm not an artist, but my name is the same as an artist whose work is on the internet. This site verified my suspicions.
ReplyDeleteI got an email from Daniel Lachlan (danlachh03@outlook.com)...here in CHile...He's still trying to scam artist...wachtout
ReplyDeleteI got the same email from Daniel Lachlan in Hawaii, and also a "purchase" message from balodissteven@gmail.com on the announcement signup form at my website.
ReplyDeleteYup. I was just contacted by Daniel Lachlan, in Hawaii who wants some of my art for his new home. So glad I found out about this. Thanks you all of you!
ReplyDeleteHi. I got the same email as someone above (this is it: Hope this message finds you well,im David from Hawaii,was browsing
ReplyDeletethrough the internet and my eyes caught some of your works,i'm
interested in purchasing some of your works for some spaces within my
new house to make it unique and beautiful.Can I have few images of
your recent works?I won't mind having your main website so as to
explore more into your works.kindly reply with
your cell number.David.) He's now Daniel Lachlan and his email is: dannnslanhkkan@hotmail.com Unbelievable.
A certain 'Daniel lachlan' is renting an apartment in Barcelona. He said he's currently moving to Ohio, USA. Sounded like a proper story, but luckily I found this website! His email is daniellachlan5@gmail.com.
ReplyDeleteHe is still going! Just got an email from this horrible guy! Thank you for setting up this website!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteYesterday I got an email from "Daniel Lachlan" (danlachh03@outlook.com) which I responded to and then today I received a request for more information
from dannylanny13@gmail.com.
Too bad there isn't more we can do to stop this waste of time and possible financial injury. Keep up the fight.