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Saturday, May 5, 2012

Scam Email: Jerry Goldstein

I received this email from an artist this morning. The content of the email is the classic "opening" email we see from scammers. They are just trying to get people to respond before they give more details of the scam.

email was "from" Jerry Goldstein01@gmail.com
names of 4 of my paintings were the subject line
There are lots of well-known  actual Jerry Goldsteins, including the Jerry's Artarama guy, although I'm sure they all have better English skills than this!
Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 20:00:10 +0100
Subject: Meadow/It's Not The Heat/Orwell Outlook/Rocky Point Afternoon.
From: Jerry Goldstein [jerrygoldstein01@gmail.com]

Hi,

I go through your website and i find this above work of your art interesting, i hope they are still available for purchase?

Email me their details and price,

Jerry.

13 comments:

  1. Whoa! This happened to me yesterday. Same EXACT subject listing 4 of my paintings, poor english, etc. He even provided me with an address to ship me artwork to but told me he'd send a shipping company to pick up. That was a red flag for me. I google Jerry Goldstein and found this site.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you very much for your post! I had received the same e-mail.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I also received the exact same email. I gave him a list of prices (between $30,000 and $62,000) and he replied that my prices were fine and for me to choose the one I wanted him to pay for so that we can proceed with payment via money order or check. Collectors would never ask the artist to choose the price and the materials of the piece. He even gave me his UK phone number and skype ID (jerrygoldstein01 - obviously a fake). Thanks for posting on "Jerry Goldstein!"

      Delete
    2. This is what I received just today and now that I have read the other postings I am not going to reply to him.
      This is what he wrote:
      Thank you for your mail, here is my address for the delivery 94b Roding Road Loughton IG10 3EF UK.

      Meanwhile i will arrange for the shipping company that will come to your location for the pick up of the piece by my self and i will add their delivering fees on the Payment that i will send to you.

      Reason is because of the damagies and lost of art that always happen that is the reason why i will arrange for the proper shipping company that will come for the pick up of the work.

      Meanwhile when the Payment arrive to you then get in contact with the shipping company i will arrange for the pick up, here is their email address logisticshipper01@yahoo.com

      I hope you understand what i mean? Email me the information below...
      Meanwhile i need your phone number as well.

      I will be waiting for your mail.

      Jerry.

      Delete
  3. I received this e-mail from a Phil Kennedy today after sending an e-mail about my prices. I also thought that the grammar was horrible and suspected fowl play. It's the same e-mail with a different name sending it.

    Thank you for your response, Am very happy to read from you regarding
    the details and the price of the piece.

    Now that you have informed me their price, the price is OK by me,
    meanwhile I live in Nottingham, United Kingdom.

    Regarding the mode of payment i will like to know the type of method
    of payment you want, i can make the payment available by Money Order
    or by Check, so kindly let me know the one you choose in other for me
    to be able to make the payment available.

    I hope you are on Skype, i will like to know your Skype user ID in
    other for us to talk and proceed regarding to this purchase on Skype,
    my Skype ID is philkennedy01 meanwhile if you don't have a Skype ID
    yet kindly go to www.skype.com and register with them and download
    Skype.

    You can also ring me as well here is my phone number in a case you
    wish to talk to me on phone +447024068939.

    Meanwhile i will arrange for the shipping company that will come to
    your location for the pick up of the piece by my self and i will add
    their delivering fees on the Payment that i will send to you.

    Reason is because of the damagies and lost of art that always happen
    that is the reason why i will arrange for the proper shipping company
    that will come for the pick up of the work.

    When the Payment arrive to you then get in contact with the shipping
    company i will arrange for the pick up, here is their email address
    logisticshipper01@yahoo.com

    I hope you understand what i mean? Email me the information below for
    the payment...

    Name on Cheque;

    Address;

    Phone number;

    Your phone number is needed as well.

    I will be waiting for your mail.

    Phil.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I received this today (11.05.12):


    Thank you for your response, Am very happy to read from you regarding the details and the price of the piece.

    Now that you have informed me their price, the price is OK by me, meanwhile I live in Nottingham, United Kingdom.

    Regarding the mode of payment i will like to know the type of method of payment you want, i can make the payment available by Money Order or by Check, so kindly let me know the one you choose in other for me to be able to make the payment available.

    I hope you are on Skype, i will like to know your Skype user ID in other for us to talk and proceed regarding to this purchase on Skype, my Skype ID is philkennedy01 meanwhile if you don't have a Skype ID yet kindly go to www.skype.com and register with them and download Skype.

    You can also ring me as well here is my phone number in a case you wish to talk to me on phone +447024068939.

    Meanwhile i will arrange for the shipping company that will come to your location for the pick up of the piece by my self and i will add their delivering fees on the Payment that i will send to you.

    Reason is because of the damagies and lost of art that always happen that is the reason why i will arrange for the proper shipping company that will come for the pick up of the work.

    When the Payment arrive to you then get in contact with the shipping company i will arrange for the pick up, here is their email address logisticshipper01@yahoo.com

    I hope you understand what i mean? Email me the information below for the payment...

    Name on Cheque;

    Address;

    Phone number;

    Your phone number is needed as well.

    I will be waiting for your mail.

    Phil.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi
    I wanted to say thanks for taking the time to post this online.
    I just got contacted by this person and googled his phone # only to find this blog with all the emails/responses similar to the ones I've received.
    Needless to say I wont be spending any more time on him.

    Much appreciated!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello all:
    I have had the same initial email but from 'Abbot Phil'. Not very clever, since it doesn't sound like a real name.

    Joanne

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ditto... An Abbot Phil with bad grammar portending to be a Geologist with three kids working in the Uk!! He only offered this information because I asked. Glad to see previous comments. South Coast Artist

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi,
    I received the same email from Phil Kennedy. Sounded suspicious so I googled the text and found all your comments. Who bothers doing this kind of stuff anyways?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Unfortunately, scammers still make a lot of money from victims so they are very motivated to continue to search for more potential victims. I'm hoping all of us sharing is reducing their success rate at least somewhat.

    Thanks for writing in!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I got a similar e-mail regarding one of my piece; he will send a delivery company to pick up the artwork (sounds suspicious). I am wondering what do they get from this what is the point?

    ReplyDelete
  11. No one will come pick up your things.

    Here's how the scam works - they overpay saying it includes the amount they need to pay the shipper (who is non-existent) and you just deposit the money and forward the difference to the shipper. And then they will have some story as to why the shipper can only receive that payment via Western Union. Their payment will turn out to be fraudulent (either a fake money order or a stolen credit card number - often not yet reported so it might clear but then will result in a chargeback), and once they pick up your good money via Western Union, they are completely untraceable and will cease all communication with you.

    Glad to hear you didn't get caught in this.

    ReplyDelete