There’s a moment many artists will recognise. An email arrives. Someone loves your work. Really loves it. And not only that — there’s a very real possibility of a sale.
Your heart leaps.
Of course it does. Artists aren’t just pleased when someone responds to their work — we’re moved by it. Being seen matters. Being chosen matters. And the idea that someone wants to live with your work (and pay you for it) is exciting.
Which is exactly why art scam emails can be so effective — especially at first glance.
I recently received a comment on my blog that did just that. It sounded flattering, sincere, and promising. However, I’ve seen this kind of appreciation many times now. Recalling my delight the first time I received an art scam email, it struck me that taking one apart might make a useful Studio Musing.
Here’s the comment, exactly as it arrived. (I didn’t publish it — best not to give credence to the scam.)
The message
My name is Jim Kaufman from Portland, Oregon, I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regards to our wedding anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on to some of your works which I found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit you’re doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of work, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $1000 to $10,000.
I look forward to reading from you in order to know more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept checks as a means of payment.
Best Regards, Jim Kaufman
At first glance? Flattering. Promising. Worth replying to.
But once the initial excitement settles, it’s worth doing what artists do best: slowing down and looking again. Watch for the signs that this is an art scam.
Reading between the lines
Here are the details that quietly give this away.
1. Glowing praise — but nothing specific
The message is complimentary, even effusive. But it doesn’t mention a single piece, subject, or theme. No indication of what actually caught the writer’s attention.
Genuine interest almost always includes something specific.
2. Personal details without relationship
A full name and city feel grounding — ah, a real person. But when that information isn’t followed by anything contextual or human, it functions more like a label than a connection.
Identity without relationship is a clue.
3. The special-occasion storyline
An upcoming wedding anniversary. A surprise gift. Something “just around the corner.”
These details create warmth and urgency — and subtly discourage hesitation. They’re also extremely common in art scam emails.
4. Asking for what’s already available
Requests for images, sizes, and prices — when that information already exists on say your website — suggest a wide net rather than a considered choice. Also, supposedly, they’ve already seen your work somewhere!
It’s fishing, not selecting.
5. A budget range that fits almost anyone
A span from $1,000 to $10,000 sounds generous, but it’s also vague enough to work on artists at many stages of their career.
Real buyers tend to ask about the price of a specific piece, or share a much narrower range.
6. Language that feels slightly off
Referring to artwork as “pieces of inventory” is subtle, but telling. It’s wording that sounds odd in a direct conversation with an artist, whose work — whether paintings, drawings, sculpture, or jewellery — would usually be referred to as such, eg “your paintings.”
7. The cheque question
This is the biggest red flag of all.
Cheque-based overpayment scams are still very much in circulation. The mechanics vary, but the outcome is the same: money that appears, then disappears — often after you’ve refunded a “difference.”
This question alone is reason enough to disengage.
8. Not addressed to you
No name. No reference to recent work. No sign that the sender knows who they’re actually writing to.
That absence speaks loud and clear!
Before we move on, it’s worth remembering that real enquiries do exist — and they feel very different.
So what does a legitimate enquiry usually look like?
To balance things out — because genuine enquiries do exist — here’s what real interest often includes:
A reference to something specific: a particular piece, subject, blog post, or recent exhibition
Language that sounds human — natural, slightly imperfect, sometimes a bit rambling, and with some enthusiasm
A focused request, such as:
“Is this piece still available?”
“What is the size and price?”
“Do you ship internationally?”
Pricing questions that relate to something already seen on say a website
Modern, unremarkable payment expectations (credit card, PayPal, bank transfer) and rarely raised upfront
And importantly: you’re addressed as a person — your name is used, and your work is clearly known
A helpful gut-check is this:
A genuine enquiry feels like a conversation already in progress — not a generic message designed to work on any artist who replies.
This is about discernment
If you’ve ever felt that initial lift followed by disappointment when an enquiry turned out not to be real, you’re not naïve. You’re human.
Visibility attracts attention of all kinds. If you think about it, it’s kind of a sign that you are doing the right thing and getting your work out there!
Learning to recognise art scam emails isn’t about hardening yourself or distrusting every compliment. It’s about trusting your instincts, slowing down, and being observant — the same skills you bring to your studio practice every day.
When a real enquiry arrives — and they do — it feels different. Grounded. Specific. Human.
Your heart will leap then too. And then it will land on solid ground — and, hopefully, a sale.
Over to you
If you’ve received art scam emails like this — or one that almost convinced you — you’re not alone.
Do you remember your first scam email? Have you had an art scam enquiry that felt unsettlingly real? Or a moment when reading one of these types of emails when something didn’t quite sit right?
Share your experience in the comments so we can all benefit from your experience.
Until next time,
~ Gail
PS. Who are these people??
PPS. And finally, a small thank you to Mr Jim Kaufman of Portland, Oregon. It turns out something good can come from art scam emails after all. Your comment didn’t result in a sale — but it did result in a blog post. I’ll call that a win.
PPS. Update: a couple of weeks after writing this article, I received the exact same words via the contact form on this website! Sheesh.
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22 thoughts on “Art Scam Emails: When Your Heart Leaps”
Carol Cullinan
I’ve received a couple of texts like this to which I did not respond. They were brief, from someone I’d never met and they raised concerns for me. Each had a photo attached of one of my paintings that the sender had obviously downloaded from my website or Instagram account – they had my copyright signature on them so I know they were from a post. Although flattering, I just didn’t trust them in this day of rampant scams.
Thanks for this blog post, Gail. It is a good reminder to all of us.
Thanks Carol!
Interesting that you received texts with images. In all the many enquiries I’ve received, that’s never happened ie an image of one of my paintings attached.
Ha! Yes, I’ve gotten literally hundreds of scammy emails/messages/comments from almost every imaginable source over just the past couple years. I’ve been saving them to post in bulk on Facebook someday, but I can’t keep up long enough to find the time!
I really love your post, Gail. It’s informative and encouraging for artists who don’t have the experience with art scams, and totally relatable for us who have!
Thanks!!
Hah hah, it’s quite amazing isn’t it?! It would be incredible to see yours all posted Rita. Good for you saving them!
Thank you for your kind appreciation of this post 😀
When I saw “Jim’s” comment, I just thought, right, that’s it. I’m going to write a post about it and hope it’s helpful.
I had a similar, but puzzling scam email. Claudia was decorating her bedroom, liked my work, would I send some photos of recent work. I did, she wanted to buy three, would I take a check and send her an invoice from Quicken. I said no, but I’d take Paypal or Square. No, it had to be Quicken. We went back and forth a few times, but always she insisted on a Quicken invoice that she would pay through Quicken. The email had all the red flags you mentioned, and I refused the Quicken offer as I don’t use this and either of the alternatives would have worked. No more emails since.
I think it was a spam, but I cannot work out how it was going to progress and cost me money, or what the insistence on Quicken was for. What do you think?
Hmmmmm that’s a strange one indeed Philip. I hadn’t heard of that one before and like you, I’m not sure how that would work to a scammer’s benefit. And yet, as you say, the insistence on only using Quicken does have those red flags flapping wildly!
This is such a well-thought-out piece, Gail, thank you.
It’s a reality check even for people like me who don’t have a high enough profile to attract the attention of the world at large.
Having the example, the clues and the critical thinking are so valuable, even in other situations.
Lauren Spilsbury
Unfortunatly I did not have the honour of receiving such elaborate scams, mine are more simple with just one sentence asking if I sell NFT. But as a Bed@breakfast, I receive them everyday and sometimes I might have binned an authentic demand. It is terrible how we cannot trust 90 % of our mails.
Ohhhh those NFTs! Yes, that’s another email – “I love your work and do you accept NFTs as payment.” UGH!
How awful to receive those everyday Alix. With so many, it would be easy to see a gleam of goodness in one email.
Great information, Gail! I would like to add that incorrect English and grammar are also red flags.
“I stormed onto some of your works”
“send pictures of your piece of work”
Many scams originate outside of our English speaking countries.
Yes indeed Marcia! That alongside with all the other flags I mentioned certainly indicates a scam. Of course, incorrect English on it’s own doesn’t necessarily lead to that conclusion.
Dear GAIL,
yes, name. yes, specifics. Phone scams: lower your electric bill, insurance, a friend in Paris lost his passport, a friend who is incapacitated needs a $300 birthday gift by wire. So many of these.
I am not surprised by the art oriented scams. After all, Van Gogh’s sunflowers went for $92,000,000 the first time.
And about the same for Hopper’s Chop Suey painting. The Japanese Big Wave just sold as well. So there is big money and big egos, to give credence to the petty thieves. Great list of signals. I will download and print for my 3 ring binder.
I love your work, follow your blogs, and especially appreciate the motivational encouragement. Best to you. Just bought some more pastel pencils…!
XO, Peter
You are so right Peter to mention the fact that art selling can be big money, at least when it comes to big names! It’s amazing that the scammers keep going but evidently, it does work on some people. This is why we all need to remain vigilant especially as their techniques have become better and more refined over the years (unlike my example!).
And thank you for your kind appreciation 😀
I’ve had the same thing happen That Carol above had happen. They sent pictures of my work and immediately asked about shipping before payment. I played along. She asked me about Venmo. Said they paid & they got a message that there was a problem, and I had to do something specific. Don’t remember what it was And then I would receive an email. ( That of course I had to click) So I played along and said, I never got the email. And she kept telling me to check my email and I kept telling her, I didn’t get the email. She said to Look at my Spam box, check it again. It went on and on and on, she finally realized I knew she was full of it & disappeared.
Carol from NH
I know that guy! I too like to ask a bunch of questions in a chatty mode. “Have you been to my website? Which pieces did you like best?” “How did you find me?” Never mentioning any of my information. No response.
Oh, I promise you Suzy — this is one club you don’t need to join! 😊
Scam emails aren’t a badge of honour or a measure of visibility. They’re usually automated and sent out widely and randomly. The absence of one says absolutely nothing about you or your art — except perhaps that you’ve been spared an irritation!
So cool! I am assuming this blog post popped up when you searched? And funnily enough (I will add this as an update to the post), I received the exact same words in a contact form from my website. 🙄
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22 thoughts on “Art Scam Emails: When Your Heart Leaps”
I’ve received a couple of texts like this to which I did not respond. They were brief, from someone I’d never met and they raised concerns for me. Each had a photo attached of one of my paintings that the sender had obviously downloaded from my website or Instagram account – they had my copyright signature on them so I know they were from a post. Although flattering, I just didn’t trust them in this day of rampant scams.
Thanks for this blog post, Gail. It is a good reminder to all of us.
Thanks Carol!
Interesting that you received texts with images. In all the many enquiries I’ve received, that’s never happened ie an image of one of my paintings attached.
Ha! Yes, I’ve gotten literally hundreds of scammy emails/messages/comments from almost every imaginable source over just the past couple years. I’ve been saving them to post in bulk on Facebook someday, but I can’t keep up long enough to find the time!
I really love your post, Gail. It’s informative and encouraging for artists who don’t have the experience with art scams, and totally relatable for us who have!
Thanks!!
Hah hah, it’s quite amazing isn’t it?! It would be incredible to see yours all posted Rita. Good for you saving them!
Thank you for your kind appreciation of this post 😀
When I saw “Jim’s” comment, I just thought, right, that’s it. I’m going to write a post about it and hope it’s helpful.
I had a similar, but puzzling scam email. Claudia was decorating her bedroom, liked my work, would I send some photos of recent work. I did, she wanted to buy three, would I take a check and send her an invoice from Quicken. I said no, but I’d take Paypal or Square. No, it had to be Quicken. We went back and forth a few times, but always she insisted on a Quicken invoice that she would pay through Quicken. The email had all the red flags you mentioned, and I refused the Quicken offer as I don’t use this and either of the alternatives would have worked. No more emails since.
I think it was a spam, but I cannot work out how it was going to progress and cost me money, or what the insistence on Quicken was for. What do you think?
Hmmmmm that’s a strange one indeed Philip. I hadn’t heard of that one before and like you, I’m not sure how that would work to a scammer’s benefit. And yet, as you say, the insistence on only using Quicken does have those red flags flapping wildly!
This is such a well-thought-out piece, Gail, thank you.
It’s a reality check even for people like me who don’t have a high enough profile to attract the attention of the world at large.
Having the example, the clues and the critical thinking are so valuable, even in other situations.
Lauren Spilsbury
Thanks Lauren and I’m delighted it’s helpful.
I think it’s always a matter of slowing down and taking a close look for clues – legit…or not?
Unfortunatly I did not have the honour of receiving such elaborate scams, mine are more simple with just one sentence asking if I sell NFT. But as a Bed@breakfast, I receive them everyday and sometimes I might have binned an authentic demand. It is terrible how we cannot trust 90 % of our mails.
Ohhhh those NFTs! Yes, that’s another email – “I love your work and do you accept NFTs as payment.” UGH!
How awful to receive those everyday Alix. With so many, it would be easy to see a gleam of goodness in one email.
Great information, Gail! I would like to add that incorrect English and grammar are also red flags.
“I stormed onto some of your works”
“send pictures of your piece of work”
Many scams originate outside of our English speaking countries.
Yes indeed Marcia! That alongside with all the other flags I mentioned certainly indicates a scam. Of course, incorrect English on it’s own doesn’t necessarily lead to that conclusion.
Dear GAIL,
yes, name. yes, specifics. Phone scams: lower your electric bill, insurance, a friend in Paris lost his passport, a friend who is incapacitated needs a $300 birthday gift by wire. So many of these.
I am not surprised by the art oriented scams. After all, Van Gogh’s sunflowers went for $92,000,000 the first time.
And about the same for Hopper’s Chop Suey painting. The Japanese Big Wave just sold as well. So there is big money and big egos, to give credence to the petty thieves. Great list of signals. I will download and print for my 3 ring binder.
I love your work, follow your blogs, and especially appreciate the motivational encouragement. Best to you. Just bought some more pastel pencils…!
XO, Peter
You are so right Peter to mention the fact that art selling can be big money, at least when it comes to big names! It’s amazing that the scammers keep going but evidently, it does work on some people. This is why we all need to remain vigilant especially as their techniques have become better and more refined over the years (unlike my example!).
And thank you for your kind appreciation 😀
I’ve had the same thing happen That Carol above had happen. They sent pictures of my work and immediately asked about shipping before payment. I played along. She asked me about Venmo. Said they paid & they got a message that there was a problem, and I had to do something specific. Don’t remember what it was And then I would receive an email. ( That of course I had to click) So I played along and said, I never got the email. And she kept telling me to check my email and I kept telling her, I didn’t get the email. She said to Look at my Spam box, check it again. It went on and on and on, she finally realized I knew she was full of it & disappeared.
Carol from NH
Well done Carol! You led that person on a merry chase lol!!
I know that guy! I too like to ask a bunch of questions in a chatty mode. “Have you been to my website? Which pieces did you like best?” “How did you find me?” Never mentioning any of my information. No response.
Hah hah – brilliant!! It’s kinda fun to mess about like that. However, it takes time….
I’m devastated that I’ve never gotten a scam email. Of course I wouldn’t answer but I keep thinking what’s wrong with me
Oh, I promise you Suzy — this is one club you don’t need to join! 😊
Scam emails aren’t a badge of honour or a measure of visibility. They’re usually automated and sent out widely and randomly. The absence of one says absolutely nothing about you or your art — except perhaps that you’ve been spared an irritation!
Just got the same email. Check? Yeah, scam. Thank you for posting this. Made it easy to search and confirm what I thought.
So cool! I am assuming this blog post popped up when you searched? And funnily enough (I will add this as an update to the post), I received the exact same words in a contact form from my website. 🙄