Scammers are getting highly sophisticated and I should know, I’m the victim of one. There are many scams out there, but in this blog post, I’ll share the top three that target artists.
Scam #1: “I’ll pay you to be on this famous podcast” scam. First of all, no popular podcast will pay you, an unknown person, to be on their show! This scam begins with a message, usually by email, saying that they are writing on behalf of XXXX famous person, for you to be on their show. They will usually offer $2,000 or $3,000 for your appearance. Of course, this is a lie. The scam is meant to get access to your Facebook account (or other accounts).
I fell for this one – and I’m a very savvy person! But, in my defense, it is not uncommon for people to offer to pay my husband Drew to be a speaker at an event, so I thought this was legit. I tell the sad story in my Podcast episode, HERE.
Scam #2: “Your Art as an NFT” scam. In this scam, the scammer first grooms you by flattering you. “I love your art and would like to buy it for an NFT.” Then they convince you to open an account so they can pay you via cryptocurrency. They offer to “help” you navigate the complicated process, and steal your money in the process.
Scam #3: “I’ll over pay you for those paintings” scam. In this scam, they are super excited to buy your paintings. But, they say, it’s a secret surprise for their wife, so they ask to pay by check. They send a check, but for more $$$ than they owe. They then ask you to wire them the surplus amount. By the time your bank figures out that their check has bounced, they are long gone. And you are out $$$ thousands.
I explain this in greater detail in my Podcast Episode, HERE.
And I also share how to avoid these scams. But, in a nutshell, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is!
Be safe out there, my friends!
