Scam Email: Adrian Hermes

Here is a scam that is so telling - sent to an "undisclosed list of recipients" (aka huge spam list) and apologizing upfront for not remember your website (they have no way to track the websites of hundreds of thousands of people they spam every day, and really they are not visiting the websites in this case anyway).

What they need for the scam are people to reply to the email and say that's okay... here is my website url. And THAT way when the scammer continues on the steps of the scam, they can make Round 2 of email exchanges a lot more personalized so you believe they are a real buyer when they are not. Then they WILL go to your website and pick out specific artwork to "buy".

In this way, they keep their own efforts efficient and the least amount of work for maximum gain.

What is their gain? With a fake story they will eventually overpay for something and ask the money be forwarded to their [fake] shipper, because they are moving or temporarily out of the country or whatever. And (here comes the kicker), it will need to be wired to them. Hard untraceble cash wired directly to the scammer, who then disappears. While the victim then learns, too late, the original money was either a counterfeit check or a stolen credit card.

How do you avoid this scam? Two simple rules:

1. NEVER accept overpayment for any reason. Just don't.
2. NEVER EVER EVER (can I throw one more in for good measure?) NEVER send money via wire transfer - for any reason. This is the crux of the scam and if you don't do this, you'll be safe from at least this scam.

Check out this scam email:

-----Original Message-----
From: Adrian Hermes [adrianhermes@outlook.com]
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Sent: Thu, Jun 5, 2014 2:19 pm
Subject: Inquiry and request about your work of Art

Good morning,
        I was able to view your work from the website you had it displayed in and unfortunately for me i kind of lost the website but i stored your contact,i will like to ask if you have a piece(s) for sale and can you kindly re-direct me to your website. i will be awaiting to read from you soon.
Thanks
Adrian

Scam Email: Alvin Folkman

Hi Kathleen

I unfortunately got my hopes up for a few minutes in these dry and difficult times that this was a genuine enquiry but noŠ its a scammer. Its hard to believe they will actually spend the time looking up obscure specific individual works. Here's another name for your scammers list with email thread:

Geoffrey



From: Alvin Folkman [alvin.folkman@gmail.com]
Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2014 12:00 PM
To: Geoffrey
Subject: WORK DESCRIPTION

Hello,
Thanks for taking your time to reply back! Here are the list of works
needed:
DESCRIPTION:

' name of piece ' (charcoal study )
48" X 60"      CHARCOAL ON PAPER   ..............:QTY:1

Meanwhile, don't worry about the shipping cost actually i have my personal
shipping agent in USA that will come for the pick up of the package in your
destination and i have inform them about this and they told me the best way
to come for the pick up is for you to email me with the information needed
below,

* Your Name and Address ?
* Time the package will be ready for pick up with your convenience
time and date?
* Contact Person for the pickup arrangement ?
* Telephone Number ?
* Weight of the package and how many boxes are they ?
* Total cost?

So, please kindly get back to me with this details along with the
total of my order.So I can instruct my p.a to  process a cashiers
check/personal check to you  for the payment of the work so that my mover
can have it picked up along with my properties that are to be moved to
Sweden.

Best Regards


> From: Geoffrey
> Date: Friday, May 2, 2014 6:01 AM
> 02/05/14
> 07:01:06 AM
> first_name : Alvin
> last_name : Folkman
> email : alvin.folkman@gmail.com
> phone : 6789234567
> message :
>
>
> Hello,
>
> My name is Alvin Folkman.  I found your profile on the internet. I
> am interested in purchasing your work for the decoration of my
> guest room at my new residence in Sweden. Would appreciate if you
> can send me few pictures of the works you have available for sale
> so that I can make an easy choice of mine. Better still, send me a
> web link where I can have a view of your recent works.
>
> I look forward to read back from you.
> Thanks.
> Alvin
>
>