ARTISTS BEWARE

We are doing well with alerting artists to the fraudsters - we've had at least 35 emails telling us we saved them from fraud! (UPDATE 23 more this morning - 21st February 2005).

Latest: This is from an American artist 'Home of the Arts and Photographs from Lagos Nigera with contact name of Funmi B. has contacted me as a art buyer but also wants two laptop computers purchased and shipped with his art order. Very suspitious...thank goodness for your website!!!! Out standing service'. (25th Feb 2005)

AND LOOK AT THIS!!

Well now this is FAB!! One artist has conned the fraudsters(!) She responded to one of these emails and then asked the fraudster for £50.00 to cover the cost of her bank accepting the cheque. The fraudsters sent her £50 (in cash!)

WELL DONE - MORE OF THIS PLEASE!!

BASICALLY an email arrives 'out of the blue' requesting details of your goods (any goods!!) and a request to buy 'something'.

Newest Scammer is:

Carol Sparrow. 95, Aladesuru Street, Papa-ajao, Mushin, lagos 23401, Nigeria. contact carolsparrow_arts@yahoo.com

One artist wrote in an email to us:

Hi I am an artist it Boston, Massachusetts, Barbara Poole. And I want to thank you for your website. I was flattered at the first e-mail, but highly suspicous when I got the second e-mail. I found your site and saved myself from myself. Thank you

And these are the emails she received.

Hello I have visited your website and i am impressed by the beautiful collection you have there. I want to purchase this particular piece for my wife's birthday: Get back to me with the total cost and the shipping cost via Fedex delivery to this address: 345 Kenyatta Avenue Nyerere Road, Nairobi, 00100 Kenya

I look forward to hearing from you,. so you can have my credit card charge into your account for the payment. Best Regards John houstonjohn220@yahoo.com

Hello I got your contact from a friend of mine, Mr Houston John, I will love to purchase these paintings to decorate my home and i am an interior decorator as a profession. Get this packed and make it ready for shipping, so you can have my credit card to charge for the payment asap.I want to use the same shipping method the Mr Houston John, my order will come after his. Thank you Yours Truly Mr Dennis Mills Mills Interiors dennismills4real1@yahoo.com

PLEASE NOTE - One email connects to another - stating one person got her contact details from another. - This is beginning to prove that once you 'take the bait' - i.e respond to a fraud email - your email address gets passed on to other fraudsters - or perhaps - the same person uses a different name and another web based email address. Very, very greedy and very stupid.

Please also note the sender of the fraud email offers to use Fedex delivery (to suck you in) - then when you agree to send him art works - he states - I have just found my own shippers, I will use my own. That's when he sends you a cheque - or cloned, stolen or just plain non- existing credit card number - for the price of the art works AND the price of shipping.

THEN the fraudsters INSIST you send them the money that has been sent to you for shipping.

They want this payment IMMEDIATELY - and before you have time to realise the cheque will bounce and credit card is not legitimate.

These are more typical emails:

Hello Sir/Ma.... I am Mr jones,i am interestec in purchasing your art work,and will like to know if you accept cheque as your mode of payment. I will await your immediate reponce to my mail... Best Regards Mr Tony.J.

Hello Sir, We are interested in the purchase of some items from your store,haven visited your store online today and I will you to send your website found it quite impressive and lucrative,but before I proceed with my order I will like to inquire if you do ship to Nigeria and accept US credit cards for payment.As soon as I hear from you,I will send you my credit card details and the shipping information. Hope to hear from you soonest, Best Regards, James

Hi , I am a procurement officer i help individuals and companys get ITEAMS for their use and i get commisions for doing that. My customer is interested in your beautiful art works 'Katie Wall 3' -( Katie Croxford),'School Bus' -( Caroline Hulse).,'Midnight Sea' - Annabel Walker,Square world' - Katie Croxford,please let us no the price and if you accept a cashers check so that we can negeotiate and make payment. stay bless. Shawn Brandson Jr

IF YOU ARE SILLY ENOUGH TO RESPOND

1. The fraudsters state they will ship the art works themselves.

2. They send you a cashiers cheque or credit card number for the cost of your art work AND the cost of the shipping.

3.You put the cheque into your bank.

4. The fraudsters then INSIST you send THEM money. The money they have sent/overpaid you for shipping - IMMEDIATELY.

So you send them around £500-£4000 or £25,000 - yes they state shipping is £25,000(!) of your own money. BEFORE THE CHEQUE THEY HAVE SENT YOU, IS CASHED. OR BEFORE THE CREDIT CARD IS REALISED AS STOLEN/CLONED.

You art work is never collected and your 'cashiers cheque' is never paid.

IT MAY TAKE OVER A MONTH before you are alerted by your bank that the cheque is fake.

We know of one artist who received a cheque, the cheque went through initially - so the artist sent the fraudsters £8,000 - for 'shipping' - BUT then the bank said the cheque was fraudulent and wanted the money back!

Credit card payment is usually a stolen/cloned credit card.

The fraudsters also ask for your full details of your Online bank account - password, log in etc - stating as they are from overseas they need all these details. THEY THEN TAKE MONEY FROM YOUR ACCOUNT.

DO NOT REPLY TO ANY SUSPECT EMAILS - usually from a Hotmail or Yahoo or overseas web mail account.

THINK ABOUT IT - IF SOMEONE REALLY WANTS YOUR ART WORK - THEY WILL SPECIFY:

DO NOT GIVE YOUR ONLINE BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS (login, password etc) TO ANYONE TO TRANSFER MONEY. None of these details are necessary to transfer money to the buyer.

DO NOT SEND GOOD IMAGES OF ANY PHOTOS TO ANYONE YOU ARE NOT SURE IS LEGITIMATE - A good TIFF, JPG file or photograph can be made into a print by a 'fraudster' and sold in huge quantities.

Any reliable buyer of art works will give you their name, address, telephone number etc. CHECK OUT THEIR CREDENTIALS. (If you want help - contact us arts@britishservices.co.uk)

We suggest you do not deal 'long distance' with anyone contacting you by email - without thoroughly checking them out.

If you are in doubt - contact us - email arts@britishservices.co.uk and forward any suspect email to us.

Here are a few examples of emails which are being sent to any artist these fraudsters can find - we have received copies of these emails from many artists:

FROM ceylan47@yahoo.co.uk

Hello, Just wanted to find out if you still have your work mentioned in the subject of this mail above for sale, I have a client who could buy it .How much will you sell it for? We will arrange for pick up as soon as the transaction is concluded and payment is confirmed. Please get back to me immediately. Thanks Ceylan

FROM : mailto:maxwell_johnauto@yahoo.com

hello I am intersted in purchasing some of your lovely artworks can you please send to me some of your recent works and there prices so that i can make selection based on your own interested and also i will like to know if you have an hotel in your area because my associate really fell in love with your work and he said he is coming over to your area to look at most of your work and also purchase more of your artwork from you. In the meantime kindly send me some details of some of your artwork with prices so that i can make my own selection base on the one you send to me . I hope to hear from you soon,and if you wondering what i want to use it for well i want them to refurbish the wall of my house and office in Bahamas Regards John Maxwell

FROM: philip_mclaurin@yahoo.com

DearSir/Madam, I am pleased to inform you that I am a contractor to a library in the United States of America. So, I deal and supply library products, and am required tosupply the library with two Acrylics on Stretched Canvas product which the price is £1200. A friend of mine told me much about your company and the product , the way you treat customers that is the reason am patronising you.I think am right with your phone number 44 118 9483155 . I will be responsible for the shipment to the destination.If you will accept a cheque drawn in the U.k. account ,you should mail me with your address and whom to address the cheque .I am very much intrested and in need of the product and am okay with the price .The charge of the shippers which is 5,500 pounds will sent togehter with your's because i want you to cash your money first before remitting the money to the shippers.As soon as the cheque clears your bank you send them their balance through money transfer ,preferably western union ,because it is convienit to them. Have a nice day. Philip Mclaurin

FROM: purchasing_department1@atlas.cz

Hello, Good day to you, I will like to to order for some of your artworks items from your store and have it shipped to my new branch store address in Nigeria: Shipping Address: Store Address: Mr. Gbenga Damilare 3A, Damilare Street, Papa Ajao, Mushin. Lagos State. Nigeria. 23041. Above is my shipping/store address I will ike you to send me a reply email if you do ship to this location and if you accept credit card for payment and I will also like you to forward your website address to me so that I can pick from the available items you have online. I want everything shipped via DHL/USPS (Global Express) shipment. I will be awaiting your urgent response with required information. Best regards, Mr. Gbenga Damilare Owner.

FROM: Thomas Mccrae tm_mccrae@yahoo.co.uk

Hello there,i am interested in purchasing a few art works from you.I am an American citizen working as a Projects Manager with a construction firm here in Belgium and i really appreciate good art.I would be glad and honoured if you can find some time to email some pictures of works you might have presently available for sale. My interests are in more of either abstract art or works relating to landscapes/still life generally done with any materials(ink,oil,water color...etc)....i really do not have any fixed picture in mind at the moment but i would be very glad to purchase some good works from you as soon as possible. Thank you for your time and hope to hear from you soon. Best Regards, Thomas.

FROM: contactmikelovaarts@hotmail.com

Hello sales, I am MIKE LOVA, I am an art exhibitor and will like to get some interested pieces from your galley and will like to get back to me with your website so that I can choose the piece(s) of my choice and you can quote me the total price of the pieces together with thw shipping cost via DHL Worlwide Express and I can forward my card info to you for charging. Meanwhile my price range is $1000 - $1500. Hope to hear from you soon. Best Regards MIKE LOVA

FROM: shawn_brandson@yahoo.com

Hi , I am a procurement officer i help individuals and companys get ITEAMS for their use and i get commisions for doing that. My customer is interested in your beautiful art works 'Katie Wall 3' -( Katie Croxford),'School Bus' -( Caroline Hulse).,'Midnight Sea' - Annabel Walker,Square world' - Katie Croxford,please let us no the price and if you accept a cashers check so that we can negeotiate and make payment. stay bless. Shawn Brandson Jr

FROM: mic_paul@fastermail.com

Dear sir, I am interested in purchasing your advertise PAINTINGS and i found the price £450 okay by me.I have gone thru the features of the product and i found it okay by me.I will like to know if it is okay to pay you with a cheque.Please if this is okay by you do get back to me with your full name,contact address and phone number so as to issue the check in your name asap. Also i will like you to send me the pictures if you have it available.I 've made neccessary arrangement with my shipper who has been helping me to ship goods and he promised to come for the pick up from your place as soon as this transaction is sealed. Here is his email address preciousshippers@doramail.com If there might be any reason for you to get in touch with him on the pick up. I look forward to read from you fast so that the cheque can be issue in your name and the transaction completed asap. Best regards. mic

This is a new twist(!!)

Hello, I am very happy to come across your reputable website. My Wife will be celebrating her birthday nextmonth,and as the breadwinner of the family i need to give her something she can look ok and thing that will remain to be a memory after the birthday so i decided to contact you maybe you can help me to make up a lovely birthday landscapes specially designed for My wife and she is turning 48yrs old this year. Pls get back to me if you can do a lovely landscapes for me.We are here in U.S and regarding the payment i will instruct a client of mine to send you a certified check from the USA and also regarding the shipping of the frame i will want you to realise that i have a shipping company that will come for the landscapes pickup at your place

Signs John Peter johny2k@keromail.com

CONVINCING EH? AND VERY FLATTERING

DO NOT BE FOOLED

More email addresses that contained similar content:

Flavour of the month is from:

Purchasing Manager. LASMEDAS. 149 isolo road mushin-lagos, nigeria 23401.

Hello sales, My Roxy Clair by name .I wrote to let you know that i'm interested with one or two products on your site and also if i may ask you do you ship internationally to lagos,nigeria and do you accept creditcard payments? your soonest response to this mail ill be highly appreciated so that i can let you know the items needed as soon as possible.hope in doing business with you And i want you to send me your website. Looking forward your soonest response.And i will like you to send me your website. Regards, Roxy Purchasing Manager. LASMEDAS. 149 isolo road mushin-lagos, nigeria 23401.

They are using a number of email addresses including:

luke111@atlas.cz

inystore@yahoo.com

Jimroselimited@atlas.cz

gb207@hotmail.com

More email addresses that contained similar content:

freddoo2@yahoo.ca (Fred D. Mark)

moore51@zipmail.com.br (Larry Moore)

thomaspink@atlas.cz (Thomas Pink)

terry_micknight@usinmail.com (Terry)

johny2k@keromail.com (John Peter)

peterwell1@gemari.or.id (Peter Well)

tonyjones05@yahoo.com (Mr Tony J)

james_smithstore@hotmail.com (James Smith)

g_allen1211@yahoo.com (George Allen)

kennyayans@tiscali.co.uk (Mr Jack Matthew)

purchasing_department1@rediff.com

talk2me_boutique01@yahoo.com

shawn_brandson@yahoo.com (Shawn Brandson Jnr)

williamsoriowo@yahoo.ca (Williams Oriowo Okadigbo)

mallambello@tiscali.dk (Mallam Bello Ali)

roseadel04@yahoo.fr (ROSE ADEL)

jameshutu@netscape.net (James Hutu)

princess_jan50@eresmas.com (Princess and family)

sahostores@echina.com (Tom Greco)

bennieonyiuke@yahoo.co.uk (MR .BENJAMIN ONYIUKE.C_MR .BENJAMIN ONYIUKE.)

moturazzy@yahoo.com (papil)

basmajam1998@o2.pl. (Basma Mustache)

mudkhalili@indiatimes.com (Alhaji Muhammad Khalil)

janekabila555@yahoo.co.uk (Jane Kabila)

jamostore@echina.com (James)

bill_morg@echina.com (Bill Morgan)

jeanproduct@echina.com (Jean)

jamostore4ever@echina.com (James)

osuolalethom@yahoo.com (osuolale thomas)

jolbreaden21@zipmail.com.br (Jol Breaden)

apache@ricotek.tzo.com (Agnessa Vlachko)

lawson_allynson@yahoo.com (lawson Allynson)

clarajones_co@atlas.cz (Clara Jones Co)

kelvinstore05@atlas.cz (Kelvin Houston)

JIM STORE NIG. 144 isolo road mushin-lagos, nigeria 23401. (Jimroselimited@atlas.cz)

John houstonjohn220@yahoo.com

dennismills4real1@yahoo.com

tyritelummy@yahoo.com

Roxy Purchasing Manager. LASMEDAS. 149 isolo road mushin-lagos, nigeria 23401. inystore@yahoo.com luke111@atlas.cz

jolithcox05@yahoo.com

anjelaspringfieldart@yahoo.com (Anjela)

walterbrown_company@manchester.com (Walter Brown)

anjelaspringfieldart@yahoo.com (Anjela)

kaybestore@atlas.cz (Kim Williams)

jamostore@sify.com (james cola)

slaaxonnet@zipmail.com.br (Abraham)

dianecausby@atlas.cz (Diane Causby)

art_gallery@zipmail.com.br (Funmi B.) HOME OF ARTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS 2, Efon Alaye street, Mushin. Lagos 23401. Tel : 2348028475642

art_gallery02@yahoo.ca (Funmi B). HOME OF ARTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS 2, Efon Alaye street, Mushin. Lagos 23401. Tel : 2348028475642

SMC-LINK STORE LTD BRANCH OFFICE: 7, Aladesuru street, Papa ajao, Mushin, Lagos State 23401 Nigeria. sales@smclinkstore.com,smclinkstore@yahoo.com,

smclink@hotmail.com,smclinkltd@hotmail.com

taylor_shop@hotmail.com (David Taylor)

lekanstores@yahoo.com (Lekan Sturock)

equineartist_1999@yahoo.com (Lekan Sturock)

elelejide@yahoo.com (KOOL)

jkstores@atlas.cz (James Kenny)

henry_stores@atlas.cz (Henry Igwe)

desmond_browns@yahoo.com (Desmond Brown)

cms_link@atlas.cz PURCHASING MANAGER, WILLYAM & CO. 50 DADA STREET PAPA AJAO, MUSHIN-LAGOS STATE NIGERIA-23401. MRS MARY WILLIAMS

lauremoore01@yahoo.com (laure moore)

carolsparrow_arts@yahoo.com (Carol Sparrow)

steven_hill_97@hotmail.com (STEVEN HILL)

steffanartonline@yahoo.co.uk (steffano)

mariamal2u@atlas.cz (Mariam Alfred)

steven_hill_97@outgun.com (STEVEN HILL)

accessoriesunlimited36@yahoo.com (Kenny Koma stores Inc Lagos Nigeria 23401)

banks_williams@yahoo.ca (Banks Williams 25,Sadiku Street Papa AjaoMushin, LagosNigeria-23401)

bellviewshop@hotmail.com (Seyi Adeola)

collinsupplierworld_123@yahoo.com (COLLIN TOMMY)

elibeth_international@hotmail.com (Elibet Lord)

jcool_buyer@yahoo.com (Keneth Alex )

prince_tonyzama2000@yahoo.co.uk (Prince Tony Zama)

prince_tonyzama@zipmail.com.br (Prince Tony Zama)

steven_gills@yahoo.com (STEVEN GILLS)

storeinng@hotmail.com (REBECCA WILLFREE)

kelvinrobertsonstores@rediffmail.com (kelvinrobertson)

janestore01@teenmail.co.za (JANE STONE)

walex_addy.yahoo.com (wale adeniji)

ALL THESE WERE SENT TO A WEB SITE THAT HAS ONLINE PURCHASING FACILITIES - SO IF THE BUYER WAS REALLY GENUINE - HE WOULD JUST BUY ONLINE AND LET THE SENDER DO THE SHIPPING.

Well now this is FAB!! One artist has conned the fraudsters(!) She responded to one of these emails and then asked the fraudster for £50.00 to cover the cost of her bank accepting the cheque. The fraudsters sent her £50 (in cash!)

WELL DONE - MORE OF THIS PLEASE!!

Send us your scam emails and then we can add the fraudsters email address to the list. email