Art Articles & Reviews

} Sample Scam Letters (with commentary) The letters in this section were sent to ArtistsInCanada by artists. If you have received letters significantly different from those posted here, please send them to us so we can include them on this page. E-Mail Us Contents OverPayment Fraud Sample OverPayment Fraud Sample #2 Sample of a Form E-Mail A full series of e-mails. A Classic Nigerian '419' (PrePayment) Scam Another Form E-Mail Sample of a request for consumer electronics Scammer requesting banking information OverPayment Fraud Sample To anyone that might figure out a way to help other artists not get caught by this scheme Approximately 2 weeks ago, through the Artists in Canada web site, someone contacted me desiring to purchase 5 paintings. So far okay - but being that this is a big bad world, I was leary. I replied. They asked for a total amount (I guess they could not add up that themselves) - and whether it was US or Can $. Their next move was to tell me that they would mail me a Cashiers Cheque, in US dollars, but that since they were moving (and wanted the paintings for their new place), the amount of the cheque was to include the shipping/moving costs of their personal items along with the paintings. (RED Flag). I was to take this to an ATM Cash store??? cash it and get my cash immediately, then issue out another Cashiers Cheque and give it to the shipping company (which has no address or phone number -RED FLAG-) There were several questionable ways of purchasing and paying for this transaction - my demand for addresses went unanswered (RED FLAG)-my suggestion that they send the shipping company their own money seperately - also ignored (red Flag), use Mastercard/Visa through my husbands store (ignored)(RED FLAG). It was being mailed regular mail from either England or thereabouts (strange as she wanted this taken care of asap). The so called cashiers cheque arrived today in an envelope with childlike printing on the address part and no return address for the sender (postmarked Australia) - now who mails a $4500.00 US cashiers cheque ($1500 was my portion), which if legitimate is like cash, in the regular post, with no return address? My husband found the telephone number of the bank (he is an exbanker) and called them - they asked him to fax a copy of the cheque - and lo and behold, phoned him back to tell him that yes indeed it was a fake (no surprise there on my part) I am lucky - I am very practical and level headed - not all people are. I follow the saying 'if it sounds to good to be true, then it usually isn't' (not that I don't sell my work, I do) - or if they are asking for money - run. But I figured that it wasn't costing my anything except a bit of time on the internet, so lets see what happens. My husband will call the RCMP and see if they want to know about this but I figured that I should alert other artists on the Artists in Canada websites and I really don't know if that is possible or not - hence my e-mail to you as you are the only 'contacts' that I have in the business end of things. If there is a way that you can send this e-mail out, or post a warning or something, and no one loses any money then great. Most artists don't have money to lose and they certainly don't like losing their babies (paintings). Anyhow let me know if you were able to act upon this. Thanks ___________________________________________ OverPayment Fraud Sample #2 From: james rick [mailto:[email protected]] Good day to you and your family, i hope things are going fine as they should be. I will like to inform you that the cheque has been issued out in your name and sent to your address by my client, but there was a mistake in the cheque. He issued a cheque of $3000 Canada instead of $300 Canada, so i will like you to inform me as soon as you recieve it. I will be looking forward to read from you soon. James ___________________________________________ Sample of a Form E-Mail The following e-mail can be sent to different companies on the internet with a one word change. The points of interest have been bolded. From: "Henry Tony" Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 10:52 AM Subject: Placing an order Hello, I will like to place an order in your store,and i will like to know if you ship to SOUTH AFRICA and my method of payment will be CREDIT CARD.so please let me know if you can assist me with the order because is really needed urgently,And please do not forget to include your web page in your replying back to my mail.I will await your prompt response. Look forward to hearing from you. Best Regards Henry Tony ___________________________________________ A full series of e-mails. This is an e-mail exchange between a scammer working a variant of the overpayment fraud and Paul Constable (Director of ArtistsInCanada). Of particular interest is the fact the scammer ignores any requests for information that might make them easier to track. In addition there are numerous warning signs, which have been bolded. From: Al Yulin Hello, Please let me know the artworks you have available for sale. Best Regards, Al. E-Mail: [email protected] Hi Al, What images are you interested in? Please let me know the titles and I will get back to you or you can copy the image from my site and send it as an attachment back to me. When I see the ones you are interested in I will contact you. A number of images have been sold, but most of the ones posted are available. Regards, Paul Constable From: Al Yulin Hello, Kindly send me your website so that I can give you the ones I am interested in. Best Regards, Al. Hi Al, Here is my web site. www.artistsincanada.com/pconstable Paul Constable From: Al Yulin Bonzai Island Islands Under Blue Sky Humpback Islands Rock Island, Sunset Please let me know if the above landscape artwork is still available for sale. Calculate the total cost and let me know asap, you need not worry regarding shipping as i'll make neccessary arrangements for the pick-up of the paintings as soon as you receive payment which will either be by Certified cashier's Check. Best Regards, Al. Hi Al, These are the paintings you have requested. They are all available. The total price is $2400. Bonzai Island, Oil on canvas 30"x36" Islands Under Blue Sky, 22"x30", oil on acid free paper Humpback Islands, 8"x10", oil on panel Rock Island, Sunset, 8"x10", oil on panel Thank you for your interest. Where are you located, for interests sake? Regards, Paul Constable From: Al Yulin Hello Paul, Thanks for your mail i want you to know that the price $2,400 is okay with me for the ceramic. Inrespect of payment i have a client in the U.S who is owing me $6,257. All i need to do to make payment easier and faster is to instruct him to issue a cashiers check and mail it to you on the address and name you want on the check and you know it takes 24hrs for a cashiers check to clear in the U.S.But i would want to know if i can trust you to send my balance to me via western union or money gram after the money must have cleared in your bank to enable me prepay the shipping company here so that they can instruct their office in the U.S to come and pick-up the artwork from your location.pls mail me asap to enable me arrange payment. Furnish me with your name and address,so i will forward it to my client for payment. Best Regards. Al. Hi Al, This is very trusting of you to let me hold your money and the artwork you have requested. How are you assured I won't keep the money and the paintings? I would never do this mind you, but others wouldn't be as trusting. I am confused about the ceramic, as I don't do these. You must have me confused with someone else. It must be very satisfying to be able to purchase art from all over the World. If you give me this persons name and email address in the US, I will contact him and make all the arrangements. If all goes well, you should have your money and my paintings very shortly. This is not the normal way I do business, but it seems safe enough and I don't mind doing you a favour by sending you the balance of the money. Talk to you soon, Regards, Paul C From: Al Yulin Thanks for the mail. I wont even expect you to keep both and not to give them to me. I am sorry about the ceramic mistake and I am sure that you are ready to sell me the paintings. really, my said client in the USA would want to be considered out of this because all he said he wanted to do for me is to help in sending the check to whoever I want it to be sent. So, sir I will like you to send me your full name and full address so that the payment can be sent to you and when you deposit the money in your account, you can send the remaining funds through Western Union after, which the funds have cleared in your account. Best Regards, Al. ___________________________________________ A Classic Nigerian '419' (PrePayment) Scam From: "HarryBowen" DEAR FRIEND, I AM A REGISTERED FINANCIAL SECURITY AGENT OF THE FSA (THE FINANCIAL STANDARD AUTHORITY) IN THE UK, ATTACHED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY. ARISING FROM THE CONTINUOUS ADMITTANCE OF NEW COUNTRIES/MEMBERS INTO THE MERGING EU (EUROPEAN UNION) IS A RECENT DIRECTIVE FROM THE BANK OF ENGLAND. THAT ALL DORMANT ACCOUNTS BE REDIRECTED INTO GOVERNMENT BLACK HOLES. I HAVE BEEN IN CHARGE OF A PARTICULAR DORMANT/SUSPENSE ACCOUNT WITH A HEFTY BALANCE OF TWELVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND GBP. (£12.5M) WHICH NO ONE FROM MY VERY PROFESSIONAL INVESTIGATION USING THE EXTENSIVE DATA PROTECTION DATABASE, HAS COME TO CLAIM THESE FUNDS, AS THE SAID DEPOSITOR IS LATE.THIS ACCOUNT HAS BEEN IN A DORMANT STATE SINCE 1999 AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN CHANGING CUSTODIAN OF THE FUNDS FOR THE LAST THREE (3) YEARS, WITHOUT A CLAIMANT. WHAT IS NEEDED AT THIS STAGE IS TO FIND A VERY RELAIBLE CONFIDENTIAL AND RESPONSIBLE PARTNER WHO WOULD ASSIST ME IN THE CLAIMS OF THESE FUNDS WITHOUT IT REVERTING TO THE STATE, IN THIS CASE I WOULD INITIATE A SYSTEMATIC TRANSFER OF THE SAID FUNDS INTO A DEDICATED ACCOUNT OPENED IN YOUR NAME OR COMPANY'S WHICHEVER YOU FIND TO BE MOST APPRORIATE. I WILL NEED YOUR RESPONSE, INORDER TO GRANT YOU ACCESS TO THE DETAILED FACTS AND FIGURES TO THIS ACCOUNT.I WILL BE MOST WILLING TO GO INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU TO SEE THIS PROJECT COMPLETED IN EARNEST. I ASSURE YOU THERE WOULD BE NO RISK TO YOUR NAME OR PERSON. ALL YOU WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO IS TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT. I HOPE YOU UNDERTSTAND WHY I CAN'T DISCLOSE EXCLUSIVE DATA AT THIS STAGE. DO KINDLY SEND YOUR RETURN EMAIL TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS. UPON THIS I WOULD BE ABLE TO SEND YOU MORE DETAILS REGARDING THIS TRANSACTION. IF I DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS I WOULD ASSUME YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED. I WOULD BE GLAD IF YOU COULD PROVIDE A PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS TO REACH YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO AN EXCELLENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU KIND REGARDS, HARRY BOWEN. ___________________________________________ Another Form E-Mail How lazy can a scammer be? Note the request for information that a 'real' buyer would have garnered from the artist's website. No effort is made to personalise this e-mail...just the subject line that contains the name of the artwork. Good Day to you, i will like to know if this product of yours is still for sale and to know the least price. However, i will make my payment with a cheque, so i will like you to provide me your contact details in the manner below.. FULL NAME................ ADDRESS.................. ZIP CODE.................. PHONE NUMBER....... COUNTRY.................. I will be looking forward to read from you soon. James E-Mail: [email protected] ___________________________________________ Sample of a request for consumer electronics From: ADEWALE TOKUNBO [mailto:[email protected]] hello, i will like you to do me a great favour which i hope reputable and good business women like you would do for me and i am also asking you because you seem to be nice and reliable. my wedding is coming up next 4 weeks and my wife is coming from a faraway state with her family members and other prominent people of her family and i will like to get some phones for them for communication purpose,so i will like you to help me in purchasing 6 of SONY ERICSSON P900 or NOKIA 6600 sim free gsm mobile phone so you being my business partner/friend i will like you to do me the favour of helping me purchase 6 of the above phones and include it to me orders so i will send my creditcard for you to charge.i know i can also do the same help for you if you were in shoes that is why i decided to ask you and i believe you will help me,i also want my wife to be very happy on the happiest of our life. i don`t mind you deducting $500 from my money for expenses because you deserve it. THIS SIGNIFIES A BIG THANK YOU AND TO TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE INVITED TO MY WEDDING CEREMONY. thanks,much regards. ___________________________________________ Scammer requesting banking information From: kamara michael [mailto:[email protected]] Compliment's of the day and how are you today and other member's of your family i hope that you all are in a very good and also a sound health today. i thank you so much for your response in respect towards my request from you and i also thank you for your banking account informations that you also sent to me in respect to my request from you, well iam just coming back from the bank where i went to submit the banking account informations that you sent to me for the transfering of the money into the bank account but the bank remittance manager told me that he will love to hear from you before they will make the transfer of the money into your bank account so please i will like you to kindly get intouch with him through the bank contact informations below this message THE BANK NAME IS: WEST ATLANTIC BANK ABIDJAN CI. TELEPHONE +225 0715 9276 FAX +225 2127 9686 EMAIL [email protected] CONTACT PERSON IS DR KOFFI OXFORD please on the cause of you getting intouch with him on my behalf kindly tell him that you are my late father's overseas business partner and also a close family friend to our family that you will like them to make the transfer of my late father's money that was deposited with them into your bank account so that i can come over to continue my educations with you there in your country and please as soon as you finish discussing with him kindly try as well to get back to me so that i will also know the outcome of your discussions with him and please i will still request from you that you should kindly send to me your telephone and your fax number's for easy communications between us. i will be stoping here for now but i will be anxiously looking forward to hear from you today. Your's Sincerely Michael Kamara.