From: Wuouth Rodrick [wuouthrodrick@yahoo.se]
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: My budget for purchase
Good morning,
I was searching through google images directory where i came across this sophisticated and attractive work of your's that made me keep starring for moments will love to purchase one or two piece from you and i will appreciate it if you can kindly let me know if you have piece priced between $1000- $2000 because that is my budget.I hope to read from you with weblink of work in my budget or kindly send me images of it.
Regards
Rodrick
Scammers use the Internet to find new victims. I fight back using the Internet to educate and help artists NOT become victims.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Scam Email: Wuouth Rodrick or Rodrick Wuouth
I don't know where this scammer got this silly name - what is that word, Wuouth??? And the not-too-bright scammer has the name reversed in the email. Anyway, this falls into the SCAM column.
I received this same scam email, from "lindalews@live.com" on November 4, 2010. Thanks for posting it so others will know to be careful.
ReplyDeleteI too received this email from lindalews@live.com. What I can't figure out is how the scam works. I have received several similar emails, and they always want to send their own shipping company to pack and mail the art from my studio, and they want to pay by credit card only. The thing that makes this odd, is that if I were to actually accept their credit card, I would wait for approval before I allowed the art to go. So unless they are using stolen credit cards to buy art (not likely), I can't figure out where the scam is.
ReplyDeleteHere is how the scam works: they will always have some story about using a third-party shipper or courier. They will offer to send a check overnight and lately many have been offering to pay via credit card (as in your case).
ReplyDeleteThe scam does not lie in paying for your art. It lies in this critical factor - they will *always* pay more than is owed (leaving that detail for very last with some convoluted story as to why they are paying more) and ask you to send the "difference" to the shipper to pay for their services, typically via Western Union.
There is no shipper. It's them at the other end of Western Union and once they've picked up the money, it is untraceable and unrecoverable.
Now, back to their payment. Their check will turn out to be fraudulent. If it is a credit card, what they've been doing lately is getting stolen credit card numbers (but ones that have not yet been reported as stolen) and when you put it through it will clear. Eventually, the credit bureau or the owner will realize what has happened and do a chargeback and cancel the card.
Again, their goal is not the credit card transaction (or the art), but the cash difference you will be forwarding to the non-existent shipper or courier, which is often in the neighborhood of $800-$1500 or more.
No one is really coming to your house to pack up anything. Good you had a gut instinct this was a scam and searched online and found your way to this blog. Spend no more time on it.
Another instance to add -- email from "linda lewis" with the exact same text. Thanks for posting info.
ReplyDeleteI got the same linda lewis e-mail. thanks for the heads up : )
ReplyDeleteJanuary 9th. I got the same scam email. Thanks all for posting and exposing this scammer.
ReplyDeleteJanuary 9th... same email from "lindalews@live.com" Thanks all for exposing this scammer.
ReplyDeleteJanuary 9th I received the same email at my gallery. Through further correspondence today "Linda" was trying to complete a purchase and have me wire funds to Western Union. Hope no one was duped by this crazy!
ReplyDeleteI got the same email from her wanting to buy some business card designs for $3000. Now that I know this is a scam, it may be time to have a little fun with her.
ReplyDelete