How Do You Decide If Person Contacting You On Faa Is Legit?

You can usually tell a lot by the tone and wording of the email. Can you share it here?

No, contact via faa does not protect you.
Are they looking for prices of originals?
If not, all of yuor pricing should already be listed on your image pages.

just don't give them any contact info. if they are asking for your name, SS, address etc, ignore those. if they have been on the site then the pricing should be here already. some will say - they don't care about the price or its fine and already have a shipper - that's a scam. especially if they are on an oil rig and want art.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Sure sign of scam is when they are moving to a new house. Or have some kind of weird shipping requirements.

The message:
"Seen you paintings and visited your website and really am impressed by the paintings you have on display. I am interested in purchasing paintings
From you, kindly get back to me with the price range of your paintings. Await you response. Best regards"

He must be asking for originals.
Am I being overly cautious?

I always notice a phrase they all say that is a giveaway every time.

They say " I will like", instead "I would like", if they are scammers. They don't seem to understand that part of the English language.

I research the name and email. I research the company if the person represents one.

Sometimes people post the content here, minus any names or personal information.

Any offer for overpayment is a scam.
If they off to have their own delivery truck pick up it's a scam.
If they are unwilling to give any information about themselves that you can verify, it's a scam.

Anytime someone does not give specifics...at all... and uses the word "Kindly" I go the other way. :)

That does not sound legitimate.
A person interested in a painting will state what the specific painting is.

Candy,
All he is asking for is a price range. You have no prices listed on your originals...give him a price range.
Half of what sounds weird to me, ends up being a very legitimate client and a good sale....stay with it for now and suply what is asked for..a price range

Candy... if you go for it... don't click on any links he/she has put on there!

I do not rule out a person from a single email unless I'm sure it's a scam.

I don't think it sounds legitimate but there is no harm in supplying the information that they are asking for. Bad english does not mean a person is a scammer, but often scammers use bad grammer.

There are red flags, but I would continue communication until its apparent that it's a scammer.

It would be a shame to lose a sale over a suspicious mind, but we have to tread carefully.

Yes, don't click on links.

Candy this is why it is important to state if the original painting is for sale and how much it costs, then do not get people like this asking questions like that.
When you do get an inquiry it is usually a genuine one.
It sounds to me like a scam, I would reply to him or her with, which one in particular were they interested in.
Best of luck.
Conor

Once you give the price range, if they answer with either a counter offer or an offer that basically states, "I'll send you extra to cover shipping, just send me the difference after that", tell them to bug off or, if you''re the fun loving type, string them along with "Gee, I sent the work and your refund, didn't you get it yet?"
Never ever accept their terms, their "bank check" or credit card. Insist on Paypal deposit with a clearance time frame.

"I am interested in purchasing paintings"
Sounds a bit fishy when they don't mention which ones they are interested in, it always puts up red flags to me. But I do reply most of the time and ask questions from them.
Paintings???? Which ones, how many, where are they located and for me, I inform them that "I only accept Pay Pal on originals".

Here's the FAA 'scam' thread, Candy. It includes links to examples of familiar scams -

http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=132424

google google google - use it!

google the email address it came from - and/or the one they give you.
google the entire body of the email - scams are repeated over and over - many people will post them online
google the name of the person - scammers come up quick and easy

These are fast and easy ways to weed out scammers.

They can already see your art with prices - Usually when someone is interested in purchasing they will inquire about a specific piece or similar pieces , the email is too general- it reads like phishing emails I have gotten before.

..."especially if they are on an oil rig and want art"...lol at Mike!

based on that letter you should test him- which paintings did you want? tell him you have a large range, and they need to be more specific. usually i get the ones that say - you art is really great, i want to buy some, what is your webpage address. some reference this site. but the do that test. i think he's just checking for a living person.

he wants to know the price so he can offer more or send you more than you asked.

i've been asked for originals too, despite saying they are photos.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

http://stopartscams.blogspot.com/2013/03/scam-email-jose-santos.html

this is the usual scam


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

I'd also maintain contact until it's obvious that it's a scam. As soon as you ask him por specifics it will be clear if that person deserves trust or not.
Also, follow all the good advice in this thread.

Artists must be an easy mark. A mix of flattery with the thought of making money to eat.

Watch out for any strange payment options, over payment, wire transfers. Even paypal can be scammed. Never accept more than the amount agreed upon. Never ship before receiving payment. If its too good to be true, it probably is.

It's either scammy or a recent grade of common core. I'm leaning towards scam.

Thanks for posting the link. Bookmarked!

Just based on the email -- total scam.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

the oil rig is still my favorite. something like - i work on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean, and i need an anniversary gift for my wife, but i can't go out and shop and i saw your site can you send me prices for all your paintings. and conveniently, he already has a shipper in mind, granted this is a once in a year type of thing, but he has it set up. he doesn't know what he wants, just a list of random prices. and you can tell him anything at all at this point. the only reason they say oil rig is so you can either feel special that they found you, and or that the address wouldn't be an oil rig so your not suspicious. still a funny location, its like saying i'm on a mountain.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Just from the email I'd suspect a scam as well. Very good advice in the thread, thanks all for posting!

Gee, I hope CAndy returns to let us know what she decided to do.....

I have a community oriented web site called the Monterey Peninsula Toy Box. ( http://www.montereypeninsula.info ) Every now and then I get e-mails that read much like yours, but instead of asking for prices on paintings, they ask me what my prices are for toy boxes. Otherwise the wording is almost identical. It's a scam.

I once got one from someone saying they were opening a gallery in Cairo.

I have had scam artists approach me. (Funny that they are called artists, don't you think?) The way that I weed them out is to tell them, if they are interested in purchasing, that you only accept Pay Pal. Works every time.

I think they're all scammers when they try to contact me, I stay away from all people that want originals unless I'm offering them up for free or am in a public art showing.

100% of my original sales are online. Nothing would be served if I assumed every contact was a scam.

Thanks everyone for your input!
I will give him a definite price range and accept only PayPal and see what happens.