Comments on: International Art Scammers Want You!

By: Art Marketing: Our Top 5 Articles Of All Time | Art Marketing Secrets

Art Marketing: Our Top 5 Articles Of All Time | Art Marketing Secrets — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:56:57 +0000

[...] #1: International Art Scammers Want You [...]

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 04:16:00 +0000

Yep, just happened to me, and I almost got taken. I was sent a 3,200.00 check for 550.00 worth of artwork. The “mistaken” amount was so odd that I just didn’t feel right, and then when “Alicia Jones” asked that I simply deposit the check and send back the difference, I REALLY didn’t feel right. So I googled “art buying scams” and discovered I was being scammed.

I received the same “Twin sister’s wedding in London” email. Plus their “Cartage” company wanted to arrange for the shipping.

I am sorry for anyone who has lost out in a scam like this. It is truly insidious.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:22:26 +0000

Actually, I did not receive an email from Linda Cooey.

But strangely enough, in the last week, I have won four lotteries and several million dollars, and inherited billions from Africa! And all I have to do is send my bank account number to claim it!

By: John Jobson

John Jobson — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:26:27 +0000

Practically word for word experience with Tracey. My line was no painting till cheque had cleared—— Silence.

I think another one is trying to hook me now. Is Paypal the best way to go?

Thanks John.

By: rebecca

rebecca — Sun, 30 May 2010 23:21:19 +0000

I got Tracy’s letter recently. Of course I was excited, but wondered why she would buy an abstracted version of the muses for her daughter’s wall–some sophisticated baby. Just like everyone else’s experience except I googled her after her confirmation of the intent to buy. I wish I had read Dave Santillanes earlier–good one. I just said if she sent the check, I’d pass it by my bank’s fraud investigator.
She should google herself.

By: Ilka

Ilka — Mon, 10 May 2010 22:57:12 +0000

This is now May 2010 and this Linda Coey has one loooooong wedding to attend, lasting months!
So her letters reached Trinidad and Tobago, asking Art Galleries to ship her the art work, same wedding story still. And by the way, that letter was probably written by one MAN, sitting at the key board in Nigeria in a cyber cafe or some other country ( Eastern European for example) scamming the rest of the world. You must give them credit for the very creative stories they invent.
Thanks for having these posts up, I put a link to this website on our Art Society’s website.

By: Sandhi

Sandhi — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:27:21 +0000

I, too have been approached several times by different scammers.

Always google the email address of a potential buyer to see if they’ve come up as scammers. So far, everyone already has!

I’ve been approached by a store with a [fake] address in Seattle – who wished to buy inventory – without even finding out what I sell – for a store in New Zealand [another fake address]. Of course, it was needed immediately.

I knew from experience about this sort of scam, so I made sure to ask the potential buyer to first send by SNAIL MAIL – a purchase order on company letterhead with tax license and resale information.

They must pay by credit card via PayPal and only for the exact amount – and payment must clear prior to shipment.

I would only use my shipping company [they offered to have someone pick it up] and only to a valid US address [who wants to deal with customs?]. I told them no one was to come to my studio. I did offer to use either their corporate FedEx or UPS account if they would forward it to me.

I did contact the company whose address was used in Seattle to let them know someone else was using it…

Sorry, I would have pasted the text here for these emails, but I deleted them.

By: Susan Giannantonio

Susan Giannantonio — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:18:09 +0000

Thank you for this article. I received Tracey Coey’s inquiry letter this morning re: one of my paintings. This is an old trick. Probably the 10th such scam in as many years for me. Artists: spread the word!

By: Merritt

Merritt — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:59:45 +0000

I really wish I had googled the name Tracey Coey before wiring the money. Thankfully, I didn’t send the entire amount so I’m only out $2500 and not $3800. I have promoted this page on my facebook and twitter accounts, so hopefully the word will spread. I just wish I’d seen this page beforehand.

What kind of world do we live in that people think they can just cheat others like that? It’s evil.

By: Karen Utz

Karen Utz — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 23:10:17 +0000

Yes…I too received the Tracey Coey at traceycoey03@yahoo.com email and did respond to her before I knew what this was about. They responded back with the same email everyone has been getting about being in London with her twin sister and didn’t I know how intimate identical twins are….bizarre.

Thanks for the heads up and I’ll be adding this email address to my spam folder!