I wanted to share an art scammers name, email, telephone number and information with you. I am an artist and I was contacted by a "Mr. David Morton". The initial email read as follows:
"I am so excited that I came across your work on Internet search, I am interested in purchasing some creative artworks from you let me know their various prices. And how much discounts are you going to give? Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Thanks and best regards!
Mr. David"
I thought it was suspicious, but I had never heard of an art scam so I emailed him back. We exchanged a few emails and he had me send a list of all the available work that I had. He picked out one piece that he said would be an anniversary gift for his "wife". He asked if he could pay me
an extra amount to cover private shipping because he was moving to Canada and he wanted to keep the painting as a surprise for his "wife". This is when red flags started showing up for me. I wanted to catch this lowlife so I entertained his emails and he sent me a check via priority mail. The check was from a company called Ausenco Engineering USA South IN. located at 1320 Willow Pass Road in Concord, CA, 94520.
In a few days, the check came and I immediately got an email instructing me to deposit the check. I took it to my bank where they immediately flagged it as fraudulent. "Mr. David" continued to insist that he was interested in purchasing the piece. He continued to text me until I had enough of this loser conman.
As an artist, I love painting and I love having my pieces in people's homes. This is why this is such a sick and twisted scam. These scammers will never understand true beauty and art and I hope everyone becomes aware of these scams.
Thank you for your blog and for fighting these scammers! I'll include a summary list of this conman's information.
Here is a summary of this scammers info:
Fake name: Mr. David Morton
Fake Profession: Ocean Engineer at Ausenco Engineering
email: samdavid.morton01@gmail.com
phone numbers: (720)-538-4635 (David's phone),
(409)-600-9495 ("Shipper's Number")
Shippers name and address: Carol Brashear, City: Ravensdale Wa., Zip code: 98051
Here is an email I just got. I assume it's a scam, as it includes the surprise present angle and doesn't bother mentioning any of my paintings by name.
ReplyDelete"Hello,
My name is Steven Green from Virginia.. I was looking for some artwork online and I found your contact and works while searching and I must tell you, You are doing a great job, I would really love to purchase some of your works for my wife as a surprise present regarding our forthcoming 20th anniversary, I would like to receive further information about your piece of work and what inspires you..Also, kindly email me back with some images and price list of your inventory that is ready for immediate sales within my price range ($2,000- $13,000).. Hope to hear from you soon..
Thanks and best regards.."
This came from the email stevengreen616@gmail.com
My husband just received this exact same email from cruz octie. Exact same punctuation, but price range 1,000 -15,000.
ReplyDeleteName: Cruz octie
ReplyDeleteEmail Address: cruzoctie312@gmail.com
Subject: Artwork is needed
Message: Greetings,
My name is Cruz Octie from New-York.. I was looking for some artwork online and I found your contact while surfing and I must tell you, You are doing a great job, I would really love to purchase some of your works for my wife as a surprise present regarding our forthcoming 20th anniversary, I would like to receive further information about your piece of work and what inspires you..Also, kindly email me back with some images and price-list of your artworks that is ready for immediate sales within my price range ($1,000- $15,000).. Hope to hear from you soon..
Thanks and best regards..
Cruz
I just recieved an email like this. I don't really get the scam though. What are they trying to get?? Free art? Our address full name and number for further scam? What would be there end game if obviously the check they send I'd bogus
ReplyDeleteThis scam the scammer will attempt to overpay, with some fake story about a non-existent shipping company and will then try and get the victim to wire the money (again they will have some story around this) to the shipper - which is really just them. Once its wired, its like cash and gone for good. They try to make all this happen before the victim figures out the original payment was either a counterfeit check or a stolen credit card.
ReplyDeleteThe way to avoid this scam is never accept an overpayment for any reason and NEVER wire money to someone if you are the seller.
Yes i have today received an email from this person pretending to be interested in buying my art for his wife. He gave an address in Aberdeen. The email he is using is dlynette89@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThank you for this advice. I was so happy as have just launched my website then to learn it was a massive scam is just horrible. I will write to yahoo and tell them this is a fraudulent account. Kind regards. Judi
ReplyDeleteI have received the same email today:
ReplyDeleteName of sender: Michael
Email of sender: michaelhighth@gmail.com
Subscribe to mailing list:
------------------------- COMMENTS -------------------------
Hello,
I am inquiring about your artwork sale in your gallery, if you can ship internationally to Europe and accept Electronically Visa and Master Card Number/Expiry date/Cvv as payment. Let me know so that i can communicate with you on the artworks that interest me so that we can proceed and let me have your updated web link to your gallery.
I will be looking forward to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Michael.
___
Thanks for sharing this. A quick tip to check, if it feels fishy - just copy the text of the email and plug it into Google. As long as artists keep sharing the scam emails, you'll quickly see if it is a scam.
I got the same mail from Cruz Octie here the text: Greetings,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Cruz Octie from New-York.. I was looking for some artwork online and I found your contact while surfing and I must tell you, You are doing a great job, I would really love to purchase some of your works for my wife as a surprise present regarding our forthcoming 20th anniversary, I would like to receive further information about your piece of work and what inspires you..Also, kindly email me back with some images and price-list of your artworks that is ready for immediate sales within my price range ($1,000- $15,000).. Hope to hear from you soon..
I got the same email today, too. I reported him to Google: https://support.google.com/mail/contact/abuse
ReplyDeleteAs did I just now.
ReplyDeleteJust received the obviously suspicious Cruz Octie scam letter [exactly as quoted above] in response to the contact link on my website. So scammer Cruz Octie is still operating out there! -- I reported him to google via their abuse link cited above.. Thanks for helping artists spot scammers!
ReplyDeleteHe struck again...
ReplyDeleteHe just struck again... Just received the same email via a form-fill on my SquareSpace page:
ReplyDeleteName: Cruz Octie
Email Address: cruzoctie311@gmail.com
Message: Greetings,
My name is Cruz Octie from New-York.. I was looking for some artwork online and I found your contact while surfing and I must tell you, You are doing a great job, I would really love to purchase some of your works for my wife as a surprise present regarding our forthcoming 20th anniversary, I would like to receive further information about your piece of work and what inspires you..Also, kindly email me back with some images and price-list of your artworks that is ready for immediate sales within my price range ($1,000- $15,000).. Hope to hear from you soon..
Thanks and best regards
Cruz.
Mr. Morton has not quit, same email address but says he is from Brownsville TX. I just received an e-mail from him, same story about wife's wedding anniversary and if i accept check as means of payment. I guess some scam artists just can't give it up.
ReplyDeleteI got a scam email from David Martinez from Denver Colorado that is an Ocean Engineer that wants to suprise his wife for their anniversary....
ReplyDeleteMe too! David Martinez from Denver Colorado that is an Ocean Engineer that wants to suprise his wife for their anniversary...
DeleteSeems that the name David Martinez is all around... I was attempted to be scammed by one on a dating site.
DeleteJust got one too. David Martinez the ocean engineer. I'm going to have some fun with him. Asshole.
ReplyDeleteI just received the same email from David Martinez
ReplyDeleteAnother scammer here, I got this email yesterday:
ReplyDeleteName: Frank Scott / 'Mr. Frank'
Email address: Gillzola002@outlook.com
Message: My name is Frank from Plainfield, IL, I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and i guess she likes your piece of work. I'm also impressed and amazed to have seen your various works too, You are doing a great job. I would like to purchase one of your piece as a surprise to my wife on our anniversary. kindly send pictures and prices of some of your art which are ready for immediate sale within price range $500- $4500.i hope to hear a lot more about any available piece in your inventory ready for immediate sale. Also, let me know if you accept check or PayPal as mode of Payment.
Thanks and best regards.
Mr. Frank...
i got this one in my inbox today:
ReplyDeleteName: Steven Green
Email Address: stevengreen616@gmail.com
Subject: ARTWORK INQUIRY
Message: Hello,
My name is Steven Green from Virginia.. I was looking for some artwork online and I found your contact and works while searching and I must tell you, You are doing a great job, I would really love to purchase some of your works for my wife as a surprise present regarding our forthcoming 20th anniversary, I would like to receive further information about your piece of work and what inspires you..Also, kindly email me back with some images and price list of your inventory that is ready for immediate sales within my price range ($1,000- $10,000).. Hope to hear from you soon..
Thanks and best regards..
Just got the same Steven Green from Virgingia email today. Thanks for the alert!
ReplyDeleteSame email
ReplyDeleteFrom David Martinez in Austin tx, ocean engineer, surprise for wife :(
Thank you for publishing this and everyone who posted! I had a feeling when he asked if I take a check. His wife controls the finances and he wants to surprise her... Whatever dude!
ReplyDeleteI received an email exactly as all of you stated last week from David Martinez supposedly living at 4865 Waterford Dr
ReplyDeleteFort Worth, TX 76179
United States
I would have not known it was a scam until I smelt something fishy and decided to google him and the home address he provided. He wanted to buy a painting as a surprise for his wife . Thank you for this article.
He is trying to buy boats now. He contacted me from an ad I had on boat trader on line
ReplyDeleteSame here...
DeleteI received the below email which is almost verbatim of several reported here, only the sender's name is David Cruz. Thank you so much listing these frauds! I immediately felt it was a scam, but then you never know... now seeing the exact same wording here, I KNOW it is a fraud... thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteGreetings,
My name is David Cruz from Newyork. I was looking for some artwork online and I found your contact while surfing and I must tell you, You are doing a great job, I would really love to purchase some of your works for my wife as a surprise present regarding our forthcoming 20th anniversary, I would like to receive further information about your piece of work and what inspires you. Also, kindly email me back with some images and price-list of your artworks that is ready for immediate sales within my price range ($1,000- $15,000).
Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks and best regards,
David.
So glad it helped you confirm it so you would not become a victim.
ReplyDeleteHe's at it again as "David Cruz". Same verbatim email as above. Thank you for your website which helped me identify the scam before I invested any time in replying.
ReplyDeleteWas in an email exchange with this same person. Thanks for posting this. It helped me avoid more headaches than needed.
ReplyDeleteGot the same email from Tyrell Andrews of Tennessee.
ReplyDeleteThey are using the same scam now with the name "Trent Harrison" from Bronx NY, trenthaqrrison6777@gmail.com and the phone number (626) 470-8993. I played the game and they are sending fake cashier's checks that will bounce off - which is a federal crime. The IP indicates that they are in California, the phone is a google phone
ReplyDeleteCan confirm, I got a similar email from "Trent Harrison" yesterday. All the details in the post above are correct.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteI am an artist in Santa Barbara and just this morning received an email from trent harrison....have not opened it but googled the email address for
trenthaqrrison@gmail.com and found this link. Thank you...it seemed fishy for sure!
What happens if they want to wire the money and what happens if you don't send anything back?
ReplyDeleteIs the money fake? How do they do it?
I had a very similar first email.
A few later and this is the latest :
Thanks for the message, I must tell you I intend to give my wife a
surprise with the purchase of the piece. Also If you'd like to know,
I'm relocating to Ukraine soon but am a bit pressed for time
and our wedding anniversary is fast approaching. So I'm trying to
gather some good stuff to make this event a surprise one. I am buying both
Sunlit Mare and Foal. Watercolour. ((Larger than A3) and Dreaming. Oil
on canvas. $1000 usd each of $2000 usd as a gifts to her .I'm okay
with the price, I think it's worth it anyway, so I'll make payment to
you via wire transfer, As regarding shipping, i
will include the shipping cost of item to you .
I would have come to purchase the piece myself but, at the moment, am
on training voyage to the North Atlantic Ocean (I'm an ocean engineer)
with new hires who are fresh school graduates and won't be back
for another couple of weeks.
PS: In the meantime, kindly get back to me with your, bank
name , account holder name ,account number and iban /swift code plus
postage cost to Ukraine, so I can wire the funds to your
account right away.
Regards , Tyrese Jibson
Right. Their initial payment is fake and over the amount (with some fake story , like you see, of a non-existent shipper), and your money wired to them is real, so that is the scam. If you never wire money, the scam fails and they move on to the next potential victim.
ReplyDeleteSo don't accept over-payments for any reason and never ever ever wire money if you are the seller, and you will be safe from this scam.
I got an email just like this one, word for word.
ReplyDeleteI still don't get the scam. Is he going to ask me to send him some money back?
Thanks for the message, I must tell you I intend to give my wife a
surprise with the purchase of the piece. Also If you'd like to know,
I'm relocating to Ukraine soon but am a bit pressed for time
and our wedding anniversary is fast approaching. So I'm trying to
gather some good stuff to make this event a surprise one. I am buying
both piece Winter Forest 1,950 USD , Orchard Oil on panel, size 22x30.4 cm
1,200 USD and of $3,150 USD as a gifts to her.I'm okay with the
price, I think it's worth it anyway, so I'll make payment to you via
wire transfer, As regarding shipping, i
will include the shipping cost of item to you .
I would have come to purchase the piece myself but, at the moment, am
on training voyage to the North Atlantic Ocean (I'm an ocean engineer)
with new hires who are fresh school graduates and won't be back
for another couple of weeks.
PS: In the meantime, kindly get back to me with your, bank
name , account holder name ,account number and iban /swift code plus
postage cost to Ukraine, so I can wire the funds to your
account right away.
Regards , Tyrese .
Correct. The whole story is fake but the fake paragraph about being an ocean engineer and on training voyage sets up the next part of the scam - when he will then over-pay you - to cover what the shipper needs to handle shipping it for him (fake), and then he will ask you to *wire* that extra money to his shipper (who is non-existent). Your money is real - his money will be a counterfeit check or stolen credit card. The scam is over once the scammer receives the wired money.
ReplyDeleteEasy way to never fall for this scam is to NEVER accept over-payments for any reason, and NEVER NEVER EVER wire money to anyone for any reason if you are the seller.
Glad you caught this in time.
THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TOO.
ReplyDeleteThe initial email was this:
Hello ,
I am Tyrese Jibson from SC USA , I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and I guess she likes some of your Art piece, I'm impressed and amazed by your level of creativity; I must also say you are doing great job, I would like to receive further information about your location and what inspires you: ) I am very much interested in the purchase to surprise my wife.
regards , Tyrese .
I got led on, and perhaps too naively I stared to discuss logistics. Fortunately my common sense allowed only Paypal transactions and nothing sent or agreed until money received. This threw the scammer off. Please be careful:
- Ask yourself it if might seem too good to be true
- If you are given an address, check it. Mine was in a slum in the middle of nowhere in Ukraine, where a "John Glenn" happened to live
- Spot signs of poor English coming from a professional transaction
- If they dodge your questions
- If they fall unresponsive
same scammer reached The Netherlands as well...
DeleteCheers, Anthony
I had exactly the same email sent to me from the same person recently, can't be too careful.
ReplyDeleteAtt Admin. Please delete my email address from my previous post as I prefer to remain anonymous, ( I didn't realise there was an option until after I published it ), thanks :)
Yes, I received the same word for word letter from a Tyrese Jibson. Did a Google search and found only Tyrese Gibson. Besides, the letter was full of grammatical mistakes, which made me very suspicious. And I was right! Glad I didn't. fall for it.
ReplyDeletePlease be very cautious!!!
Same for me: Tyrese Jibson is a recurrent scam and the same e-mail is sent everywhere. I have received his email dated 5 January and he has targeted several artists around the world through their websites. Ignore or report to Postal Police. Don't send him anything.
DeleteThis scammer reached out to me to in LA/NY. I'm reposting the initial email, second and third email just to have more documentation for others curious who may have been reached out by this asshole.
ReplyDelete" Hello ,
I am Tyrese Jibson from SC USA , I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and I guess she likes some of your Art piece, I'm impressed and amazed by your level of creativity; I must also say you are doing great job, I would like to receive further information about your location and what inspires you: ) I am very much interested in the purchase to surprise my wife.
regards , Tyrese . "
Second Email: Hello John ,
Thanks for the message, however, I would greatly appreciate if you
could possibly recommend a few completed original piece within my
budget $1000- $2500 not including shipping costs ready for immediate
sale... Just need something within that price range for a surprise to
my wife (can tell she likes your work). I would appreciate if you can
figure out a piece of work that would serve that purpose. Kindly email
images and prices of any
available works in that range.
Thanks and blessing
Tyrese . "
Third email:
" Dear John ,
Thanks for the message, I must tell you I intend to give my wife a
surprise with the immediate purchase of the piece (“Cycles 48" x 60"
Oil on linen
”) of $2800 . If you'd like to know, I'm relocating to the Philippines soon
and our wedding anniversary is fast approaching. So I'm trying to
gather some good stuff to make this event a surprise. As regarding
payment, I would like to inform you, that my wife handles the family
credit card and paypal Bank transaction. So i would authorize a
check to you for the payment as soon as i have your full name and
contact address (preferably for FedEx delivery no P.O box). Also, as
soon as you receive the check and it clears your bank, my shipping
agent who is also moving my personal effect will contact you to
arrange shipping/pick up of the piece from you (this is to avoid my
wife receiving it, if been shipped directly to my address which would
ruin the surprise for this event). You both have to sign a proof of
pick up at the most.
I would have handled this much differently if I'd been at home but i
am actually going offshore and won't be back for another couple of
weeks, and do not have access to a lot of cash over here to expedite
this transaction... trying to kill two birds with a stone. :-)
Have a Positive Day!
Tyrese .
PS: In the meantime, kindly get back to me with your cell phone no. so
i can try and call you later as the phones may be working better when
this storm passes through. "
Just got a similar email from "David Donald" in Medford, OR...
ReplyDeleteMessage Details:
Name: David
Email: daviddonald570@gmail.com
Subject: ART INQUIRY
Message: Hello Stephanie!
How are you doing? I am David Donald from Medford, OR. I have been on the lookout for artworks in regards to my wife's and my wedding anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on some of your works which i find quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit you are doing quite an amazing job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
That being said, I would like to purchase one or two of your works as a surprise gift to my wife. It would be of great help if you could send me pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $1000 to $5000.
I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your piece of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept checks as a means of payment?
Best Regards.
The most frustrating thing is... I've already received this email before a few years ago (though details were slightly different) and almost fell for it as a new emerging artist. These scammers really are scum and I'm so grateful for websites like this that can help protect the little guys from losing money and work. Thank you!!!
I just received this email from:
ReplyDeletetrenthaqrrison6777@gmail.com
Hello, My name is Trent Harrison from Alabama, I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regards to I and my wife's anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on to some of your works which I found quite impressive and intriguing, I must admit you're doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do. With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of work, with their respective prices and sizes( bearing it in mind that my budget is within $500-$5,000 ) which are ready for immediate sale.I look forward to reading from you.
Best regards,
IT'S A SCAM!!!
Also got the same email from Trent Harrison (of South Carolina) with an anniversary in January 2022 (rather than August). He sent a professionally done fake cashiers check for way more than the piece. IT'S A SCAM!!!
ReplyDeleteI just got the same from trent on March 23, 2022
ReplyDeleteJanuary 2023, same Trent Harrison but from Indiana this time.
ReplyDeleteman this guy sure travels alot.