I am in the middle of an ART SCAM

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 25 Sep 2013 Posts: 2

I am an artist and got an e-mail over a month ago from a lady saying she was interested in two of my paintings she saw on my website. I've been in a few shows and do sell work, so it wasn't too surprising, but a little weird when she didn't negotiate the prices I gave her.

She said she wanted one, that she was in the middle of moving (to Alpine, New Jersey), that we would work together with a shipping company to have the work picked up and in the meantime, a check would be sent to my address.

This seemed a bit fishy to me, but with the specifics she'd given me, I went ahead and gave my real address and phone number and, of course, she had already found my website which has my name and bio provided.

Anyway, before the cashier's check arrived (from California) for about $1400 more than we'd agreed upon, I had determined it was a scam. Another artist called me from Minnesota saying this lady (Serena MacDonald) had been e-mailing her for the past month as well before she accidentally forwarded MY correspondence. She'd gotten my information from the old e-mails and called to say she'd cashed the check and was going back to the bank to see what she/we should do. ("Nothing", the bank said. "Except give us the money back.")

Sure enough, Serena is asking me to have the difference wired back to her "husband's assistant" (in New Mexico. "She" is helping her ailing grandmother and needs the money asap.)

I told Serena I deposited the check and it had cleared. I said I mailed a check to the New Mexico Assistant. She reprimanded me a little and reiterated Western Union directions.

So my question at this point is:

Do I continue wasting Serena's time? They have my real home address, phone number, name, website, etc. Is it safe to keep playing her before telling her to fuck off or should I just fall silent now?

Your advice is appreciated!!

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:12 pm

Hi Mr. Alice,
Welcome to the forums. Please do not have any further contqact with the scammer-they have your personal information and that is risky. Radio siklence is absolutely the best policy.

I hope you still have the check-if so, Law Enforcement should be the next stop.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:13 pm

As they have your personal details - drop this and wash your hands of it. We bait safe here - as if they have any of your personal details it could turn risky for you.

Welcome to the Eater - have a look around the stickies whilst your here. . .

I would say again. . . DROP IT!

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 25 Sep 2013 Posts: 2

Capone wrote:

I hope you still have the check-if so, Law Enforcement should be the next stop.

Thank you for the quick response. What can law enforcement do with the check, though? Just trying NOT to waste any more of my own time. Is it worth it?

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 26 Aug 2006 Posts: 577

Local PD [or just destroy the check] and sever all contact.

Block emails and phone calls so you won't be bothered.

They'll go away shortly when they realize you won't be victimized.

If you have email contact you can post that w/ headers at our sister site:

http://www.scamwarners.com/

You can also post in our surplus forum for baiters to pick up.

419Eater is my life Joined: 18 Jan 2010 Posts: 357

MrAlice wrote:

Thank you for the quick response. What can law enforcement do with the check, though? Just trying NOT to waste any more of my own time. Is it worth it?

Most likely they won't be able to do anything and you'll just waste more of your own time to be quite honest.
If it were me, I'd just burn or shred it or whatever and be done with it.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 7:29 pm

Agreed that turning it over to LE would take time, but if the check has any information that connects to a US jurisdiction, LE may decide to investigate the "assistant" or the sender of the check. Certainly, it's up to you whether you want to tear it up or not, but my choice would be LE.

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