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Scam ALERT!


Lady Jane

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To my artist friends. I received this email yesterday and knew it wasn't right so I researched the email address and phone number. It is a SCAM as suspected. Be alert!

 

inth.19481212@gmail.com

Greetings!
My name is Steve Strickland. 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 must tell you I plan on purchasing some gifts for my wife as a surprise for our 20th anniversary.
Please I would greatly appreciate if you could possibly recommend few completed pieces ready for immediate sale within my budget $5000 (I can be flexible with price though). So you will be hearing from me lots more. Email is totally fine with me but if you want to talk to me over the phone, please feel free to call me (323) 374-5218, although not sure how the phone reception will be as am on training voyage (offshore the North Atlantic Ocean) to Russia and won't be back for another couple of weeks.
Thanks and best regards,
Steve.

 

 

 

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This was the second letter I got from this guy after spending a whole day taking pictures and preparing a proposal offering 3 fully decorated pieces.

 

Dear Linda,

Thanks for the message, I must tell you I intend to give my wife a surprise with the immediate purchase of the piece "Sunroom". 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 one. I am buying yours as part of gifts to her (quickly before someone else grabs it). I'm okay with the price $2,880, I think it's worth it anyway, so I'll be sending a check.

As regarding shipping, you don't have to worry about that in order not to ruin the surprise. as soon as you receive and cash the check, my shipping agent (who is also moving my personal effect) will contact you to arrange pick-up.

Regards,

Steve.

PS: In the meantime, kindly get back to me with your full name (you want the check payable to) cell phone no. and contact address (preferably for fedEx not P.O box) where a check can be mailed to, so I can get the check prepared and have it mailed out to you right away.



We found out that the way this works is that he sends you a check, but it had an added amount he instructs you to give to his "shipping agent" using your check.  So this shipping agent shows up at your door, takes possession of your item and takes your check.  Later you find out his check is no good!  I wasted a day and a half of my time, but had I followed throughas per his instructions it could have been way worse.  It's amazing to me what people come up with to rob you!

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Thanks Lady Jane for putting this out there. One way if you get a email that doesn't sound quite right to see if it is a scam is to google the email address. This will usually bring up a few things like it is a invalid address, or a posting on some other artists blog or forum with exact same letter.

Another key thing to look for, all of those that make and sell miniatures know their customers just love the stuff, that is why they buy it. The email above shows no "love" for the stuff. Think about all the communications you have had over the years, there is always something the piece they want in them, where they will put it, how good it will look with their other stuff, etc.

Again thanks for posting this and remember if in doubt ask friends, chances are your not the only one to get such a email..

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Tipoff #1 terrible wording, just screams "I don't know the language".

#2 out of the country. Boy I'll say haha

#3 sending a check, and using their own "shipping agent".

#4 calling it "a piece of your work", or your product. Obviously have no clue what the artist does....

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Thanks Lady Jane for this info and Bill and Linda, It sure is sad these days  to see so many scams.

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