Art Scammers Skimming Email Addresses from Artist Networking Sites

EBSQart.com has sent out an alert by e-mail describing a scam being attempted by using the EBSQ website and name to give it validity. The art scammers apparently are visiting art sites where artists have listed their contact info publicly. For this reason, I generally don't have my email address available to the public now when I sign up for artist websites - I list my website address, and know that anyone sincerely interested will go through my website to contact me. Scammers are typically lazy, and won't go through even a couple extra clicks to find my email address. Here's the email alert from EBSQ:

Art Scam making its rounds to artists with public contact info listed at EBSQ

It's been brought to our attention that the Brandon Cruse/Dave Lutan email is making the rounds again, and mentioning EBSQ in particular in the header. Regardless of the sender name/address, the body of the email is basically the same:

"My name is Brandon from london UK,I got an order for the supply of some artworks from my employer, and when i came across your works while searching for good artworks, I found some of them to be close to what i am looking for and great for walls,My client(the organization i work for) will be making payment to you by credit card at the price i am selling and i will expect you to ship and send me my commision/margin afterwards.I am looking forward for a long term working relationship. Please let me know if you accept credit card payment so i can place orders ,or if you have questions please let me know.

Best Regards."

This is a known scam. Please do not give these people any of your personal financial information, cash checks, or send them any of your art (or money).

Ebay Lowering Listing Fees, Changing Feedback Policy

I received this message from Ebay today. Looks like they are finally realizing that the increased listing fees and ending value fees were too high. I know so many people who stopped listing on Ebay. When individuals with the truly interesting stuff stop listing, it does make Ebay a boring place, full of China import resellers. So I think this is good news, it should help revitalize Ebay. They just had to feel the pinch financially to realize they were on the wrong track before.

I know a lot of artists who discovered Etsy.com (I was among them) and I started listing some art there. Probably other auction sites have opened up and given Ebay some competition, given the morale of a lot of the Ebay sellers, it gave competitors an opening to squeeze in a little on the auction giant Ebay. Ebay is still my number one place to go when I am looking for something that's off the beaten track.

I'm not so sure about not allowing any negative feedback for Buyers though. Ebay is only going to allow postitive feedback from Seller to Buyer. I guess that will keep customers happy, but as someone who has sold on ebay and purchased, it seems only fair for both Seller and Buyer to be able to leave feedback for each other. Sellers paid fairly hefty fees to list items, and then when someone bails on a Seller and doesn't pay, it can be very annoying for a Seller. But, when I think of the feedback changes as a trade-off for lower fees for Sellers, it does make sense why they are doing this.

Here is the email I received - let me know what you think about it!

"Seller Update: Fees, Rewards & Standards
eBay buyers want value and selection from sellers they can trust--and good sellers deserve rewards for delivering great customer service. That's why we're making a number of important changes that may affect you:

1. Reduced Listing Fees
   You asked, we listened. We're reducing Insertion Fees and adjusting Final Value Fees to lower your up-front cost to sell on eBay. You wanted free Gallery, now you've got it--plus more feature discounts.
   • Lower Insertion Fees
   • Making Gallery free
   • Lower fees for Gallery Plus, Picture Pack, and Feature Plus
   
   
2. Rewards for great sellers
   There will be discounts and incentives for those who satisfy customers best. Who decides who gets rewarded? Customers do, by giving sellers high Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs).
   • More search exposure through Best Match
   • Fee discounts for PowerSellers
   • Increased protection for PowerSellers
   
   
3. Feedback Changes
   Significant changes coming soon will increase buyer confidence and showcase good sellers.
   • Buyers will only be able to receive positive Feedback.
   • Positive repeat customer Feedback will count and Feedback more than 12 months old won't.
   • Negative and neutral Feedback left by the buyer will be removed for transactions in which a buyer doesn't respond to the Unpaid Item (UPI) or if the member is suspended.
   
   

For more details on how these changes may affect you, attend a special Seller Webinar at 10:00 a.m. this Friday, February 1. You may also see announcements from eBay executives on the Announcement Board."

Scam Targeting Artists

Another artist wrote to me with a warning, and I want to make sure other artists become aware:

Dear Darla,

I just wanted to make you and the other artist of the Snellville Art Guild aware of a scam and fraud going on right now. I received a request to purchase 4 of my paintings via email. The party stated they had seen my work on line and wanted to acquire 4 of my paintings. They gave a home address in Alabama and an address they were moving to in England.

During one of our correspondences she asked for my home phone number and address as they were going to have the paintings picked up. In a later correspondence she said her husband was sending a check via Royal Mail for payment of the paintings and shipping charges and I was to give the overage to the movers when they came to collect the paintings. When the check came it was for $1500 more then the paintings and the printing on the check did not seem to be straight.

I called the credit union and was told that this was not a good check number. I checked with the phone company and there is no listing in Alablama at the address given for the name Ross.

I have reported this to Internet Crime Complaint Center claim # I0801161453229532, to ArtWanted.com, and Fine Art America, yahoo, and the Snellville Police Department.

To date I have received acknowledgement from Fine Art America that they have blocked the name and web address. Both of the web sites are ones that you have recommended to the group membership for free galleries and both of them are very good groups and do a wonderful job of displaying our work.

My concern is for my fellow artist and I want to make them aware of this scam. I may report it to the postal department as they are using them to send checks via the mail that are forged. I hope that this information will prevent a fellow artist from being scammed by these dishonest people.

Very truly yours,
Donald M. Schrier
aka Old Town Crier's Fine Art.

How to draw human hair advice in article

I feel like I hit the 'big time'....someone has called me an "established artist" in an article on how to draw human hair on e-How:

"Erasers can be used to create highlights and texture.
Darla Dixon, an established portrait artist, suggests using
kneaded rubber erasers for larger areas and an eraser
with a fine edge for wispy details."

There will be absolutely no living with me now! My head is swelling and casting a shadow over the entire neighborhood. LOL

Hunting Dog Portrait

My client sent me a photo of her husband's hunting dog sitting in their backyard with a fence behind him. I 'moved' the dog from that scene into a classic hunting scene at the client's request. The dog is her husband's hunting companion, and this outdoor scene suited him perfectly.

The dog was drawn in graphite pencil, the background was done in pastel chalks, and the grasses were done in pastel chalks and Lyra colored pencils. My client was completely thrilled, which of course was my goal!

It looks a bit dull in this photo, due to the photography of it.