Most messages from visitors are genuine. A few are scams aimed at artists, and they often read like a keen buyer. This article lists the signs we see most, and what to do.
Signs of a scam
- They ask to see work that is already on your website. A real buyer has looked at your site. A message that asks you to send pictures of your work, or "what you have available", was probably sent to many artists at once.
- They pay by cheque, for more than the price. They send a cheque or money order for more than you asked, then ask you to send the difference, or pay their shipper, from your own money. The cheque is fake and bounces after your money has gone.
- There is a shipper or agent you must pay. The buyer names a shipping company or "agent" and asks you to pay them first, sometimes by gift card, Western Union or Bitcoin.
- They hurry you. A gift that must arrive this week, or a buyer who cannot wait for you to check the payment.
- The details are vague. No work is named, the greeting is generic ("Dear Artist"), the writing is stiff, or the message says it is for a spouse's surprise gift without saying which work.
- They want you to set up something unfamiliar. For example, to turn your work into an NFT, or to open an account on a site they name.
One sign alone does not make a scam. Several together should make you stop.
What to do
- Do not send money, a refund or your address to anyone you are unsure of. A cheque is not paid until your bank says it has cleared, and that can take weeks.
- Mark it as spam. On the Messages screen, select spam on the message. See Read and Answer Your Messages.
- You do not have to answer. If you reply, the sender learns your address is read by a person.
- Ask us if you are unsure. Contact us and tell us what the message says. Never reply to the notice email thinking you are replying to the visitor; it goes to us.
An email that did not come through your Contact form
A message about your domain name, a listing or ranking offer, or an invoice from a company you do not know is not an inquiry from a visitor. See Is This Email Real?.
More examples
Geoff, who built ArtSites, keeps a blog of the scam messages artists send him: Art Scams. These posts show real messages:
- Cashier Cheques and Odd Shipping Companies, an overpayment you are asked to send on.
- A Typical Introductory Message from a Scammer, the stock first message.
- Another "Surprise my Wife" Scam Variation, a gift buyer who pays by cheque.