Artist Experience: Barbara Santos Scam Email

Hi Kathleen:
Thanks so much for compiling this list and blog!  You really saved me hours of aggravation.

I have a new name to add to your scam list.  Barbara Santos at barb.saint001@mybestmail.com.  She's using the "My twin sister is getting married" story etc.

Thank you again!  Libby

First email received from "Barbara Santos":

From: Barbara Santos [barb.saint001@mybestmail.com]
Subject: Artworks Inquiry..

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.

"Serenely Happy Energy Cells as seen under a Microscope" and "My Mandala"

I will appreciate an urgent reply.

Best Regards,

Barbara.

Second Email Received (formatting problems intentional):

From: Barbara Santos [barb.saint001@mybestmail.com]
Subject: Re: Artworks Inquiry..

Hi Libby ,

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   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,

Barb.

Third Email Received:

From: Barbara Santos [barb.saint001@mybestmail.com]
Subject: Re: Artworks Inquiry..

Hi Libby ,

Good to hear back from you. Yes,i will like to proceed with the purchase of both works  .   I think they are lovely works  and i hope to give them good home.

I am presently away in London 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 Jo'burg, SA on where to forward the payment . He has just been transfer to head the IT section of their head Office in Jo'burg.

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,

Barbara.

Artist Experience: Tricia Allen Scam Email IV

Kathleen:

I am an artist whose website has been up for about 6 months now and I've just received my first scam email. Fortunately, I'd read a bit about these types of scams already, so when I received the email, I was very skeptical right away. I did a quick search online and found sample scam emails worded almost identical to what I received. Then I clicked a link to your site listing the names of known scammers. The first name on your list was the name on the email I received. Surprise, suprise (not).

Just thought I'd include a copy of the letter (pasted below). The email address used on the scam email was tallencourt@gmail.com.

Thanks,
Conn

Good day to you.

I am so excited that I came across of your work on internet search,I am interested in purchasing these creative artworks from you.....................

No More,Warrior Breeze,Over the Under,Buddha Me, Baby ! and 58 20 29

Let me know their various prices.and how much discounts are you going to give?I will be happy to have these selected artworks hanged in our new home in South Africa.As well,I want you to take out the shipping cost.I have been in touch with a shipping firm that will be shipping other house decoratives.

We are traveling from our Seattle home to our new apartment as soon as possible.On Paying for the artworks,I will be glad to pay you with a Money Order or Cashier`s check in US funds that can be easily cashed at your local bank,please let me know on how to proceed for the payment of the creative artworks.

I will await your advise on how to proceed.Have a wonderful day.

Take care,
Tricia Allen

Artist Experience: Jessica Bianchi Scam Email Part III

Ah, the Jessica Bianchi scam continues to float around to more artists, and I'm glad to say we've saved another artist from falling victim! Yea! congratulations, Sandra, for thinking to google the name before getting much further into the scam. I'm so pleased these posts were of help to you. That's why I do it. We artists have a hard enough go of it, we do NOT need the additional burden of scam artists actually targeting us!

Here is the first email Sandra got (and then forwarded to me so I could post it):

From: Jessica Bianchi [jesica001bianchi@yahoo.com]
Subject: Art Purchase

Hello,
I and my Cousin have interest in purchasing some piece of Art from your gallery hence i will like to know if you sell internationally (Belarus) and also if you accept (Credit Card) as a method of payment,if you do i want you to get back to me with your updated webpage, so that i can make choice of the Art to purchase from your gallery.
Your response is needed so that we can proceed.
I await your response.
Thanks
Jessica

 And here is the second email Sandra received from "Jessica Bianchi" (it's funny that they all look so similar, but good for us, so they are somewhat easy to learn to recognize). You can guess they grabbed the names and information right off her website:

From: Jessica Bianchi [jesica001bianchi@yahoo.com]
Subject: Re: Art Purchase

Hello,
Good to hear from you, I want you to get back to me with the cost of each and shipping cost  of the below:

PAINTINGS
Name: Flower Steps
Framed Giclee Print 16” x 20”
------------------------------
Name: Hatian
Framed Giclee Print 16” x 20”
------------------------------
Name: Let's Dance
Framed Giclee Print 16” x 20”
------------------------------
Name: Girls Chatting
Framed Giclee Print 16” x 20”
------------------------------
Name: Baiana in Salvador
Framed Giclee Print 16” x 20”

I want you to get back to me with the cost and shipping of the above so that you can have the credit card to run for the payment.
I will be looking forward to hear from you asap.
Thanks
Shipping Address
Jessica Bianchi
13F, Skoryna ave.
Minsk, Belarus

And here are Sandra's grateful comments:

Hi Kathleen,

My name is Sandra, I am an artist in L.A., I want to thank you for having the site for fraud against artists, I got the email from Jessica, first I thought that was a bit strange but after we exchange some emails I starting to fall on that trap, and finally I decide to google her before I invest my money on her order and I got your info when I google her.

I didn't know how to post my comment on your blog, sorry, you save me money and time, you are one of these angels out there, I will email her email so you can post on your blog.

I wish you a lot of success with your beautiful art, and a good karma with your great services for the art community.

If you ever come to L.A., please let me know I would love to treat you for a dinner, lunch or anything that you need.

Have a great week,

Life is full of surprises

Sandra

Glad to be of help! Let's keep posting our experiences and help other artists who will surely also receive one of these emails at some point.

Scam Email: Sharon Blinkhorn

If you look at the content of this email I received, you will see it is the very same content and format we've seen before several times on this blog, under different names and emails. It would appear this "template" of a scam email is being used quite frequently lately (I even have an example on this blog where the scammer forgot to fill in the personalized name of the art pieces!)

From: Sharon Blinkhorn [sha_horn@yahoo.com]
Subject: artworks purchase

Good day to you.

I am so excited that I came across of your work on internet search,I am interested in purchasing these creative artworks from you.....................

Provence Lavender,Koi Fish,Canyon Calls


Let me know their various prices.and how much discounts are you going to give?I will be happy to have these selected artworks hanged in our new home in South Africa.As well,I want you to take out the shipping cost.I have been in touch with a shipping firm that will be shipping other house decoratives.

We are traveling from our Seattle home to our new apartment as soon as possible.On Paying for the artworks,I will be glad to pay you with a Money Order or Cashier`s check in US funds that can be easily cashed at your local bank,please let me know on how to proceed for the payment of the creative artworks.

I will await your advise on how to proceed.Have a wonderful day.

Take care,
Sharon Blinkhorn

Artist Experience: Tricia Allen Scam Email III

I can never post examples of scam emails "too much". This Tricia Allen name seems like a common one. But it's always good to post again, particular ones that reference another email address and an IP number.

Here is an email I received today from an artist. Scammers beware! We are catching on!

Hi Kathleen,
Firstly, thank you for your Stop Art Scams blog. I was immediately suspicious of the email I received from "Tricia Allen", however it was tremendously reassuring to easily and quickly have confirmation that it was a scam and a very mean one at that!

It looks like you already have plenty of documentation of "Tricia's" activities, but, for what it's worth, below are the details of the one that came to me.

Thanks again and have a great day.

Best wishes,
Louisa

scam email:

email address: tallenkourt@hotmail.com
IP Address: 41.155.23.190
Location: Nigeria
Subject line: artworks purchase
Email message:
Good day to you.

I am so excited that I came across of your work on internet search,I am interested in purchasing these creative artworks from you.....................

"We Are Here to Play","Highlights of Stakeball, David and Goliath" and "Racket Failure"

Let me know their various prices.and how much discounts are you going to give?I will be happy to have these selected artworks hanged in our new home in South Africa.As well,I want you to take out the shipping cost.I have been in touch with a shipping firm that will be shipping other house decoratives.

We are traveling from our Seattle home to our new apartment as soon as possible.On Paying for the artworks,I will be glad to pay you with a Money Order or Cashier`s check in US funds that can be easily cashed at your local bank,please let me know on how to proceed for the payment of the creative artworks.

I will await your advise on how to proceed.Have a wonderful day.

Take care,
Tricia Allen

Scam Email: Harry Donna

I've been getting a flurry of scam emails of the old-fashion type - MILLIONS of dollars at my disposal in some foreign account. Nothing about these emails are actually personalized (and that is what makes them old-fashion scams - the new generation scam emails personalize things to make themselves appear more legitimate). And another funny thing? This below email DID actually originate from a server in Nigeria (82.128.7.222 which belongs to multilinks.com in nigeria). Again, the formatting is intentional as it is how they send these out.

From: "HARRY DONNA"
Subject: Good Day,

HARRY DONNA AND ASSOCIATES.
CORPORATE ATTORNEYS.
96a, GRAYS INN RD LONDON, WC1X 8AL,
ENGLAND
Email: harry_d112@yahoo.com.hk

Good Day,

This is a personal email directed to you and I request that it be treated as such. I am Barrister HARRY DONNA ,a solicitor at law.I am the personal attorney/sole executor to the late Mr Brian Fletcher Randolf, hereinafter referred to as 'my client' who worked as an independent oil magnate in my country and who died in a car crash with his immediate family on the 4th of oct,1998. Since the death of my client in oct,1998, I have written several letters to the embassy with an intent to locate any of his extended relatives whom shall be claimants/beneficiaries of his abandone personal estate and all such efforts have been to no avail.
Moreso,I have received official letters in the last few weeks suggesting a likely proceeding for confiscation of his abandoned personal assets in line with existing laws by the bank in which my client deposited the sum of 25.5 Million Pounds. On this note i decided to search for a credible person who can assist me in this transaction, that I may,with your consent, present you to the "trustee" bank as my late client's surviving family member so as to enable you put up a claim to the bank in that capacity as a next of kin of my client.
I find this possible for the fuller reasons of your nationality making it a lot easier for you to put up a claim in that capacity.I propose that 35% of the net sum will accrue to you at the conclusion of this deal in so far as I do not incure further expenses. Therefore, to
facilitate the immediate transfer of this fund, you need, first to contact me via this email or via my office signifying your interest and as soon as I obtain your confidence,I will immediately appraise you with the
complete details as well as fax you the documents,with which you are to proceed and i shall direct on how to put up an application to the bank.
However, you will have to accent to an express agreement which I will forward to you in order to bind us in this transaction. Upon the reciept of your reply,I will send you by fax or E-mail the next step to take.I will not fail to bring to your notice that this proposal is hitch-free
and that you should not entertain any fears as the required arrangements have been made for the completion of this transfer. Like I said, I require only a solemn confidentiality on this.

Best regards,

Barr HARRY DONNA,

Scam Email: Susan Ronald

This is an email I received today. It is the old-fashioned 'help-me, I'm desperate' scam type. I looked in the email header and the email originated from a server belonging to cantv.net in venezuela (IP number 200.109.127.83). Here is the content of the "plea for help":

From: "suzanr@cantv.net"
To: suzanr@cantv.net
Subject: Mrs. Susan Ronald From Philippines Very Urgent

Mrs. Susan Ronald From Philippines Very Urgent,
Email;(suzanronald1ph@live.com [links to mailto:suzanro2ph@yahoo.com.ph])
 
Dearest One,
I know is wrong to contact you through this means but I am desperate and my present condition now is too frustrating, that was why I use this medium to fasting up my request.
My name is Mrs. Susan Ronald, the wife of late Mr. Nicole Ronald, a former Special Adviser during President Joseph Estrada regime in Philippines . who is recently killed in Philippine, during my husband's regime as a Special Adviser ,he realized some reasonable amount of money from various deals that he successfully executed, and he have many businesses in the united state of America ,but now the Government has seized all his banks accounts and properties in Philippines and in America including my own as his wife ,making me and my child to leave with nothing, well before my late husband was killed, my husband secretly deposited a trunk box containing the sum of ( $12,000,000) Twelve Million USD with a security company abroad during the reign of president Joseph Estrada government were he serve as a Special Adviser , which nobody or the government , did not no about it ,expect me as his wife

I believe God will use you to bring out this money out of the security company abroad that is why i am contacting you as a God fearing someone who will not seize the money when you claim it out of the security company, What I would want you to do is to assist me to get the consignments withdrawn from the security company, i will give you 20% of the total money for your assistance. There is no risk in this transaction. I will use the remaining balance of the money for an investment in your country for the future of my child.
Bear in mind that this transaction remains confidential to yourself alone

Please get back to me for more information at (suzanronald1ph@live.com [links to mailto:suzanro2ph@yahoo.com.ph]).

Thank you and God bless.
Best regards Mrs. Susan Ronald.

Scam Email: Donald Davis

I received this email today (along with about 5 others that are basically the same thing) and I wanted to post it to show the "old" style of scam email, before they started targeting specific populations of people and pretending to want to buy something.

Notice in this one, the goal is more to collect personal information from you (which can be used to be sold or for identity theft) and then they proceed to the classic portion of the scam which is to ask you to pay some kind of processing fee in order to get the "big" money.

Given the obvious can't-be-true language in the below email, it astounds me that ANYONE would fall for this old version of the scam anymore and that thousands of these emails are still going out on a regular basis even today. But I suppose the logic is that there really is no cost to send out these emails so it must be an attitude of kind of why not?

From: Mr.Donald Davis (d_davis247@hotmail.com)

Dear Beneficiary

This is to bring to your notice that a petition has just been filed at our office here at the South African Reserve Bank that you were involved in an advanced fee fraud with regards to a failed transaction past previous transaction. If this is correct, then you are qualified to receive a compensation payment in the amount of Fifteen Million five hundred thousand United States Dollars payable to you upon response to this email in affirmation. Do send a detailed email with the following information for verification:

(i) Your complete name
(ii) Your mailing address
(iii) Your telephone and fax numbers
(iv) A valid picture identification, i.e. driver’s license or international passport

Upon receipt of the above requested information you shall receiver further directives on how to claim your compensation in the amount of 15.5Million(USD) Please note all information received from you shall not be circulated but kept in strictest confidentiality. Do call me on +27-83-432-1161 for further directives

Best Regards,
 Mr. Donald Davis
Deputy Governor financial stability
South African Reserve Bank.

Scam Email: Stacy Brooks

I love when I get the scam emails myself! The bad formatting is intentional - that is how it came to me.

Sender: stacybrooks249@gmail.com

Subject: Interested in your artwork....

From: stacy brooks [stacy_brooks249@yahoo.com]

Hello,

I am so excited that I came across your artworks on internet search,I am interested in purchasing the following artwork from you (sProvence Lavender 

1,

Canyon Calls 4 ) from you.

Let me know if the artwork is still available and how much discounts you are

willing to give?I will await your advise on how to proceed.Have a wonderful day.

Regards

Stacy.

Scam Email: Melonie Young

This email isn't even funny. They don't even take the time to find out what I actually make. I think this one falls into the category of just a plain *lazy* scammer.

From: Melonie.Enterprises
Subject: Order Placement/Inquiry
                   
Hello,

This mail is to make an inquiry on the below Questions.
Do you Ship oversea or do intend to start Shipping oversea? (though i already know of a Freight Forwarder that will pick my packages from you,since they ship at a cheaper price than any other courier and they are so effective in shipping my goods to me here in my remote area in Wayville, SA, Australia is estimated to be 3-4days. I have used their service in the past and it was splendid and Cost Effective.

PAYMENT MODE...................CREDIT CARD

kindly send me price list of your TOP 10 sales item and their availability or inventory list of your latest collections as an attach file to my email box so we can proceed with the order.

Should you require and further clarifications do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards,
Melonie Young

Scam Email: Tracey Coey

Here is a great example of an email and how convoluted it gets if you are unfortunate enough to actually reply to their first email. An artist named Frank sent me this (notice the horrible formatting):

Hi Frank,
Good to hear back from you.Yes,I  will definitely like to proceed with the purchase of the work.I  think it is a lovely work that will add a lot of colors to our  wall.

I am presently away in London for my twin  sister's wedding even though it comes at a time when we are  preparing for a big move and also expecting a baby but my presence here means so much to her,I guess you know how intimate identical twins are?she was also in the states when I was  getting married to Terry in December 2001.Also,I would like to  have my baby girl delivered here and i am buying this artwork  for her nursery.

I would be paying you with a  certified Check,please let me have your address,phone number and  the name that would be written on the certified check so that I  can inform my husband that is still shuttling between our home  in Alabama and Cape Town, South Africa on whom to make the  payment payable to.He has just been transferred to head the  Mechanical section of their head Office in Cape town.He would be  quite busy though,but I know he would find a time to send your  payment asap.He loves artworks too.

About the  shipping arrangement?I would have to forward your contact info to the local cartage company that is moving all our properties  from Alabama to S.Africa,so that they would get in touch with  you to arrange shipping details.They will arrange pick up of the  artwork from your studio.(i.e there would be no shipping cost on  the price of the artwork).They are handling all our movement  arrangement and we would not like to move in pieces.

I  hope you understand the arrangement?Please feel free to ask  further questions.I saw your works while searching for artwork  that would be used to beautify our new girl's wall and your work  caught my attention.I cant wait to have it on the  wall!!!

I will look forward to hearing from you so I can  know how best to proceed.
Cheers.
Best  Regards,
Tracey.

They do try to kill you with details, to make their exchange with you seem legitimate and get you to the next step of their scam.

Artist Experience: Dennis Morgan Scam Email

Here's one an artist sent me to watch out for:

Hi Kathleen,

Just wanted to mention your page on email scams is great! Brava. I had to deal with a MAJOR online scam about 4 years ago, a "woman from Nigeria" wanted to buy 5 of my paintings, then her husband had a "fatal car accident" and she needed her money returned asap to pay for the hospital bills and get him home... but he had a fatal accident...!!!???!!! I had already deposited the cashiers check, but didn't send the paintings... fortunately I got out of without losing any money and my bank determined it was a counterfeit check... I learned to be VERY skeptical about selling my work online. SO, tonight I got an email from: Dennis Morgan / phisiology00@gmail.com / 10.239.191.194

I Facebooked his name and came up with your page.

NICE.

I knew it was a scam by the wording of the email, but thought i'd check it out anyways.

Thanks again, I'll be telling people about your page and the list of known scammers you've posted there.

I wish they would all put their energy and time into something positive and creative.

All the best to you, keep up the great work.

Regards,
 

Scam Email: Stan Thomas

Here is a "guy" who I personally often get emails from (yes that was the name of one of my pieces on my website). Notice how in the email, whoever this lazy scammer was, forget to take the time to "personalize" the part of the templated email with the name(s) of my artwork, in the part where you see the dot-dot-dot's:

From: Stan Thomas [thomassy1970@gmail.com]

Subject:  Provence Lavender 1

Hello,

Good day to you over there, My name is Stan thomas i'm from California and i hope this message finds you well.I was going through your works and my eyes caught...., i will like to have it for my new apartment this month. please let me know if the piece is available, if yes let me have the detailed price and more information about it. i will be waiting to read from you asap.

Stan.

Artist Experience: Jessica Bianchi Scam Email Part II

Speaking of the Jessica Bianchi scam email, here is an email an artist sent me:

Hi Kathleen,

Bless you for posting your Art Scam info....
I received a request from jesica001bianchi@yahoo.com Jessica Bianchi from Belaruse, with a request to send two paintings via some shipper in England, (no website, no business listed in the UK) when I called them, their telephone number did not exist, so I surfed on Jessica's name and came up on your blog.... Jessica wanted me to charge her account then send by Western Union $380 to cover the shipment.

it sounds the same with a few different notes, what a song...

do you mind if I pass this bit along to my artist friends?

I also google earthed both the location of Miss Bianchi, and the shipper.... Their locations didn't look right. One a slum in England, definately not a business address for a courier, and the Belaruse address was some kind of apartment complex that was not in a neighborhood where people could afford a $380 rush shipping job.

Peace to you and blessings for your blog

Artist Experience: Jessica Bianchi Scam Email

I received a call from a reporter in North Carolina today, who is doing a story on scam emails targeting artists. He said there's been a flurry of emails to local artists there from a "Jessica Bianchi", which is actually a name that has been used by scammers for years now.

He made the comment that it seemed strange that they would keep reusing the same name and his point is well taken, but I reminded him it is more about the numbers - how many thousands of these emails can they send out hoping to catch a certain percentage of unaware victims. They don't even take the time to properly format their emails. There clearly is a template being used by scammers - I've seen myself where the scammer has forgotten to fill in parts of the email template they are using. Which begs the question - is someone selling some kind of manual to wanna-be scammers on how to make millions of dollars by sending free emails??? Does their advertising for their manual say something like, "get money in your mailbox while you sleep!"

There will always be scammers. I was telling one artist they are like gnat flies - you just have to keep swatting at them, spraying them with bug spray, and hope the little swarm moves on to better hunting grounds.

That is what I hope to accomplish, in part, with my efforts. Educate artists as much as I can so they become a more difficult target and encourage the scammers to move on. It does seem like we can use the power of the Internet to keep getting the word out there and make it harder and harder on scammers. Of course, the downside is they will get more and more sophisticated and it will be harder to identify them. But let's at least make them work a little!

Jessica Bianchi - old scam name. Trust your instincts when an email sounds too good to be true, or has some aspects that just doesn't feel right.

Artist Experience: Tricia Allen Scam Email Part II

Remember the artist who wrote to me about her "Tricia Allen" scammer? Here is her followup email today:

Dear Kathleen -

I emailed you the other day about being contacted by tallencourt@gmail.com.  Well, I've been playing along to see how far she? would go.  Today, she sent an email with a fedex tracking number saying the check was enclosed.  Of course, she went into all this garbage about the shipper adding in his fee - so, she asked if I would give him the difference when they came to pick up the paintings.  I did the tracking, and it was real.  I got the fedex envelope - and guess what?  It was empty.  I called the FBI in Boston and reported all of this.  The agent told me to let Tricia Allen know the I knew it was all a scam - they have so many cases on file, they don't know what to do.

As a struggling artist, I find this to be the worst kind of scam.  Is there some way you can post this on your website - and if you can think of a way to get this message out to other artists, I would be glad to help.

Sincerely,
Karen

Scam Email: John Bathgate

Here is a notification sent out to all California Art Club (CAC) members today:

Dear CAC Members,

We have heard from two members this week about an art scammer named "John Bathgate" who has been attempting to buy paintings with a bad certified check. As it goes, he sends a check for more than the amount of the purchase, then asks the seller to refund the difference when shipping the artwork. It is not until you have paid him the refund that you find his check does not clear the bank -- so you are out the artwork and the money you may have sent him. 

 

Just a friendly reminder to all of you to please beware if you are approached by potential buyers who you don't know or who wasn't referred by a reliable source. Do your research online - there is a lot of information out there about some of the more common scams - and if anything seems suspicious to you, please investigate thoroughly before proceeding with potential sales. 
We hope to help keep our members safe and secure.

The characteristics of these emails remain what I've been saying - and will continue to emphasize, in order to educate as many artists as I can as to how to identify these emails BEFORE sending money. Check out the link I have in the upper right hand corner to read more about the common characteristics of these scam emails.

Artist Experience: Tricia Allen Scam Email

Here is an email I received today from Rhode Island:

Thank you so much for posting the blog about art scammers. I was contacted by tallencourt@gmail.com. It all sounded a bit too good to be true because she wanted to buy 3 of my paintings and said she was moving to Johannesburg soon. She had the names of the paintings, but would not respond when I asked how she came upon them on the web. I am now waiting to see if she sends a cashier's check or money order - then, maybe I can nail her - or them.

Karen

We want to remind artists - scammers make these names up and rarely is it a woman when it appears to be. And they are never from where they say they are from. They make it all up.

If you are able, you can view the "raw" headers of your email and often the origination of the email is in the "Received: from ..." line that is above the "From: ..." line but different email clients may display these headers differently. Once you have what looks like the IP number (not the ones that belong to YOUR server which relayed the email to you), you can use a free tool online to reverse look up the location, something like http://www.ip2location.com/free.asp .  This only gives you a location of the server where the email originated and does not provide a whole lot of insight as to where the scammer themselves are. They hack into systems to send emails and most often - they just use free pretty untraceable email accounts like hotmail and gmail and yahoo. But sometimes looking up the originating IP number can provide yet another clue to help you distinquish the email as a scam.

In one case of an email I received myself, the "story" was they were moving from South Carolina to Canada but the originating IP sourced in Belarus. That was enough for me.

But good for Karen for recognizing her email as a scam before she sent either her artwork or money (which will always be an overpayment on the cashier's check or money order that they request to have returned to them, only for you to find out a month later the check was fraudulent). And its a great strategy, if you want to reply at all (I never reply once I determine its a scam), to remove the original email in your reply and then ask a specific question that they will not be able to come up with the answer for, because they send hundreds of thousands of these emails. Ask for the name of the artwork again. That has worked for me.

Scam Email : Phillip Rice

Here is an email I received today from another artist:

Kathleen,
   I want to start by saying thank you.  Your page about art scams saved me from falling victim to one of these fraudulent deals.  It all seemed too good to be true.  I hardly ever sell my paintings, so when I was contacted by the scammer for the sale of 2 paintings, I immediately was excited.  They sent the certified check to me, and explained how urgent it was to mail the overage amount to his shipper/courier.  My bank thankfully holds all out of state checks for a minimal of 2 days before clearing any money.  This apparently upset the scammer because he called me.  He was demanding that I send the money immediately to his courier.  This set of red flags to me.  That was when I googled, "art scams" and read your web site.  Everything that you posted fit this scam exactly as you said it.   The scammers name is Phillip Rice  and his e-mail is, philliprice003@gmail.com
   Thank You again.
  -Nathan

We saved Nathan in just a nick of time!!

Scam Email : Tricia Allen

Here is a scam email from a "Tricia Allen" using the email address "tallencourt@gmail.com". She found the artist who forwarded this to me via his website and used his contact form page to write to him. Here is the actual content:

Subject: Visitor Feedback from Your Website

First Name: Tricia Last Name: Allen E-mail Address: tallencourt@gmail.com Comments: Good day to you. I am so excited that I came across of your work on internet search,I am interested in purchasing these creative artworks from you..................... Santa Agatha II Wayne County Sanilac County, August Michigan Lake, June Detroit Summer Solstice, egg tempera Let me know their various prices.and how much discounts are you going to give?I will be happy to have these selected artworks hanged in our new home in South Africa.As well,I want you to take out the shipping cost.I have been in touch with a shipping firm that will be shipping other house decoratives. We are traveling from our Seattle home to our new apartment as soon as possible.On Paying for the artworks,I will be glad to pay you with a Money Order or Cashier`s check in US funds that can be easily cashed at your local bank,please let me know on how to proceed for the payment of the creative artworks. I will await your advise on how to proceed.Have a wonderful day. Take care, Tricia Allen

It has all the features of a classic scam email. Poor formatting (even for a contact "form"), mention of actual artwork (usually following a bunch of periods where they are triggered to place the names in a templated email they use), mention of moving to or from a foreign country to some other place, mention of using a shipping company (for which they will eventually send you a check for more than the amount and ask for the difference back - the check will be fake and you are out your artwork as well as the cash difference).

Apologies to all the real Tricia Allens out there who have nothing to do with this. Obviously as these scammers make up names, they'll end up using names that actual real people use.

Scammers That Target Artists

I have another blog. I have several blogs, actually. I'm not a great blogger. I don't post much. I'm too busy making art and trying my darnedest to keep up on facebook and twitter as well. Social networking is great... but it takes a lot of time and effort to make the best use of it. The irony is that I teach others how to use all these tools. But then have no time myself to be posting to everything effectively.

Not that long ago I posted something on my art blog (kathleenmcmahon.blogspot.com) and had gotten annoyed at all the emails I was receiving where scammers were pretending they wanted to buy my art. I never fell victim to it but got pretty close because the scammers have gotten pretty darn sophisticated and in this particular example, they happen to use the name of a woman who actually existed and could have actually been interested in my art (after my post was public, she actually found my blog and posted a comment!)

This led to me to creating a web page at my website (kathleenmcmahon.com) where I wanted to write out a list of typical characteristics of a scam email (so other artists could get better at identifying them BEFORE they got scammed) and I also wanted to start to keep a list of actual (okay - fake) names and email addresses they used in their scam emails. That way, when an artist googled (yes, that's a verb now...) a potential scammer they weren't sure about, I was hoping my webpage would come up for them and they could have validation that it was not a real request for their art.

And it has worked. Pretty well so far. I get dozens of emails a week of people who found my art blog or my website and were saved from actually sending any artwork or thinking that certified money order they received was actually real.

This blog is my next step in my personal battle to help as many artists as I can avoid the blackhole of scam artists. Not only will I continue to keep that list on my website (kathleenmcmahon.com/info/scammer-names.html) but I'm going to post them here as well.

Now remember - scammers never use their real names or email accounts that can be traced to them. They make this stuff up and use free email accounts like gmail and hotmail that are easily disposable. But still, the more we list here, the better our chances that an artist can search google and have some validation for them come up that the email is not for real.

This can be a slippery slope - because I don't want to post the names of people unintentionally who are NOT scammers, but I'll do my best to post on those that appear to be the scams going around online that are targeting artists.

Send or forward to me the examples of scams you get. I'll post them (removing your identifying information) so other artists can not only see the names and email addresses they use, but they can see the actual content of the emails and compare it to what they've received.

Here's how I feel. The scammers are taking full advantage of the internet to find artists to email and pretend they want to buy their artwork (or art classes or whatever variation they are working at the moment). It only makes sense that *WE* also take full advantage of the internet and combat this trend and educate as many artists as possible to reduce our vulnerability.

So feel free to send me your examples and I'll post them here. It will be their "wall of shame" and we'll spread the word and create a resource that all artists will benefit from.

Onward! Oh, and keep creating great art!

Kathleen