so how is it a scam? you get the coinage up front, don't you? get a p.o. box next town over if yer paranoid.

They're identity thiefs -- happens anywhere anyone is selling anything on the web. Tell them to send the money, and once it's cleared your bank, then you'll ship. Usually shuts them up real quick.

An artist friend of mine got an email like this offering to purchase her sculpture. It was supposed to be for an overseas hotel where the "manager" was very impressed with her work. At first it seemed legit, but a couple of emails back and forth trying to clarify certain points and she realized it was a complete scam. I think that she reported it to some type of fraud alert or something and verified that it was a con.

I'm glad you didn't fall for it. Artists have to be careful. We are so eager to sell out work, and that eagerness can be a tool for con artists to use against us. Thanks for posting this and trying to get the word out.

Any ridiculous offer from someone offering to pay with a "Certified Check" or money order is a 409 scam.

As much as I distrust the gov't, I dislike these bastards even more. You can report them here : www1.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp

Here's the offer to me, and my response:

Hello ,
I visited your site and I saw some lovely artworks.
I will love to have them hanging on my walls
kindly send me the price of your

1. 'Moon and Sailboat', 2003, oil on canvas, 22" x 32", $800.00

2. 'Fall Colour', 2004, oil on canvas, 18" x 24", $600.00

artworks excluding the shipping costs.
I've already contacted a shipping company that will be shipping them along with our other house decor. to
Cape Town
Please get back to me if they are still in stock,so i can
arrange something with my husband on time .
I will be paying you with a Certified US Cashier Check or Money Order.

An urgent reply will be appreciated.Thanks.

Regards,
Rosa
--
Rosa Lewis
rosa_lewis@fastmail.co.uk

-----------------------------------

FUCK OFF, SCAM BASTARD!

You really think somebody's going to fall for your stupid, illiterate come on?

DIE IN HELL! People all over the internet are onto your asshole, criminal bullshit.

Allan O'Marra

The Scam attempt I received:

david samuel
<saintroyals@yahoo.com>to me

Hello, i am interested in the immediate purchase of this Hand Rattle.
concerning payment and shipment, an ex-client<debtor> of mine will be issuing to you a certified bank check of $2500 as payment for the Hand Rattle on my behalf. After you might have cashed the check in any cashing point nearest to you, the excess balance after you might have deducted the exact amount of the Hand Rattle will be sent to my shipper <preferably via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER>. for making necessary arrangements for the pick-up of the Hand Rattle and other items i bought from other neighbouring countries. I mean the shipper will be taking care of the shipment ,the shipper will be picking up the Hand Rattle from your provided residence as soon as you send the balance funds to the shipper.
In addition, i will provide you with the shippers information to recieve the funds from you after you might have recieved the check. If you are interested in the transaction, i will urge
you to include in your next email your :<for documentations>
FULL NAME
CONTACT ADDRESS
DIRECT PHONE NO
EMAIL ADDRESS..
pls i am in need of immediate response, i need to have this Hand Rattle of yours in my possesion as soon as possible for my Art studio. you will be getting the payment in less than 7 working days, as soon as you are interested in furthering this transaction. thank you.
NB: I am willing to compessate you accordingly after the transaction is in progress.


Hmmmm...
So you are going to send me a certified check for $2500,
for a piece less than $200...
and I send you the balance by Western Union?
Sounds great!
not

Anyone have any experience with them?

I received an email last Friday from a representative of World Art Media. I was immediately skeptical so I googled them, combining their name with the word "scam" (always a good practice).

Two notable threads about this organization:

www.artspan.com/forums/read.php

www.atelier-rc.com/Atelier....nues.html

Apparently, they also go by:

450 Broadway Gallery
NYArts Magazine
Berliner Kunstprojekt

I think they are also affiliated with World Art Media Television (WAMTV).

It appears they are a real entity, but it seems to be a pay-to-play type thing (i.e., a so-called vanity gallery). I decided to email them, to see what happened. Eventually, their representative stated they would like $700 to show 2-3 pieces for two weeks.

Dude.

The ehibition she says she saw my work at is a very old show, my first group exhibtion outside of school (in northern California). World Art Media is in NYC. Very unlikely.

Online research flags her original email as a form letter, one that has been sent under many different names with the content unchanged for years.

Following is the communication back and forth between us:

--------

On Dec 17, 2005, at 10:06 AM, raluca corjan wrote:

Dear Alan,

My name is Raluca Corjan, and I am writing on behalf of World Art Media. WAM, established in 1998, is a New York based Public Relations entity working with Emerging/Established Artists, Dealers, Writers, Curators, Collectors, Galleries and Museums. Presently, we are on the lookout for Artists to feature in our upcoming campaigns and projects. We offer a variety of opportunities for independent, innovative, and self-motivated artists. While browsing the Internet, I came across some of your work, and was very impressed. We are interested in working with you.

World Art Media can offer you publicity and exhibition opportunities. Our efforts would allow you to gain great exposure through Solo and Group Exhibits, Gallery Representation, Magazine Reviews and Advertisements, Press Releases, Internet Promotion as well as various Curatorial Projects amongst many other specialized services.

For more information about World Art Media and the services we provide, please visit www.worldartmedia.com. If you have any further questions or would like to visit our office, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,


Raluca Corjan
Account Associate
World Art Media
473 Broadway, 7th floor
New York, NY 10013
e-mail: raluca@worldartmedia.com
tel. # 1 212 431 1079
www.worldartmedia.com

--------

On Dec 17, 2005, at 3:02 PM, Alan wrote:

Hi,

Can you tell me what work you viewed that led you to email me, and where you viewed it at?

Thank you,

Alan

--------

On Dec 19, 2005, at 12:56 PM, raluca corjan wrote:

Hello,

I have only seen your work from the Digital print Exhibition, but that was a long time ago. Could you send me 2 recent works by e-mail? You also seem to have a web-page but it's not working. We are interested in having a photography group show here in NY.

Let me know what do you think.

Regards,

Raluca


Raluca Corjan
Account Associate
World Art Media
473 Broadway, 7th floor
New York, NY 10013
e-mail: raluca@worldartmedia.com
tel. # 1 212 431 1079
www.worldartmedia.com

--------


On Dec 19, 2005, at 4:05 PM, Alan wrote:

Hi,

You can view some of my work here:

www.projekt30.com/final_display.php

I have many more images from both the black and white blur and the sepia series.

If you would like more images to review, please let me know. I would ask that you please provide more information regarding your exhibition.

Thank you,

Alan

--------


From: raluca@worldartmedia.com
Subject: Re: World Art Media
Date: December 19, 2005 1:30:45 PM PST
To: Alan

Hi and thanks for the link. great work!

We are thinking about putting together a photography group show here in our gallery in Soho, between 16-28 February. The fee/artist is $700 and depending on your works' sizes you can bring 2-3 works. To see the structure of such a show please visit www.worldartmedia.com/exhibitions

The package we offer every artists consists in:

Details about the 2006 Group Exhibition

- Prepare for participation in group show at Broadway Gallery in Soho, NYC (January 2006)

- Preview of the show will be written by assigned writer and published in NY Arts Magazine, as well as China Arts and Art Fairs International Magazines

- Same feature will also be online at the NY Arts Magazine
Website (which has 1,000,000 hits per month) with a link to your Website

- Assign a curator to professionally install works (1 to 3
works each artist)

- Exhibition will run for two weeks

- Press releases and newsletter: prepared and distributed via e-mail/Mail to galleries, writers, curators, dealers and collectors by Broadway Gallery. It will be also covered in NY Arts Daily Newsletter Listing that would be mailed to over 16.000 subscribers and constantly updated.

- Assign a designer to create 1/4 page advertisement published in NY Arts, China Arts and Art Fairs International magazines.

- There will be invitations/postcards designed and published by Broadway Gallery (30 invitations will be mailed to each participating artist prior to exhibition).

- Opening reception: accommodations and refreshments

- Assign leading writers- of NY Arts, Art Fairs international, universities, and of other leading publications- to attend and review the exhibition

- There will be a review published in NY Arts Magazine about the group show

Tell me how do you feel about this.

Regards

Raluca Corjan
Account Associate
World Art Media
473 Broadway, 7th floor
New York, NY 10013
e-mail: raluca@worldartmedia.com
tel. # 1 212 431 1079
www.worldartmedia.com

--------

ITS TRUE I received a check for seven thousand dollars from one of these Nigerians. I was supposed to cash it at my bank and send them most of it back so they could "release" the rest of the high payment to me. Bullshit, I called the florida bank the check came from and they said it was not one of theirs. They want you to cash it, it will take several weeks to clear, send that money to them and they pull a casper the unfriendly ghost and several weeks later your bank wants their money back, and U the artist becomes stuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i got one i got one!
they say they only pay with personal check and they are in nigeria...
i told her to go ahead and get paypal...