Like most artists, I get an email like this 2-3 times a month:

I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regards to my stepdaughter’s wedding, which is just around the corner. I stormed onto 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 yours as a surprise gift for my daughter in honor of her upcoming wedding ceremony. 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 range of $1000 to $7000.

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 could accept a check as a matter of payment. Check clears and you have funds ready before pickup commences. I can only pay with a check at the moment as my daughter handles the bank cards and electronic transactions from time to time.

Alternatively, the most common one, which is the “I noticed my wife/husband” variant:

Hello There,

          My name is Joe. I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and I guess she likes your piece of work. I’m also impressed and amazed to have seen your various works too – You are doing a great job. I would like to purchase, as a surprise to my wife on our anniversary. Also, let me know if you accept check as mode of payment.

I usually post the scams under the title “Art Scam Alert” in Daily Campello Art News- https://dcartnews.blogspot.com/search?q=scam – and I publish the email of the scammer, and I usually get a few artists commenting how (a) they also received that email and (b) asking questions as to how does it work?

Here’s how.

The scam works like this:

The scammer pays you with a bank draft and/or an international money order/postal money order or a “certified” check…sometimes stolen credit card numbers – note I said the last in the plural form.

Your bank accepts the deposit and even clears it three days later and then the artist sees the check has cleared and ships the artwork – usually the buyer volunteers to “pay” for the shipping even before being asked. About a month later, the artist’s bank gets a communication from the other bank, post office, whatever the “check” was issued saying that they’ve discovered that the “check” was a fake.

Then your bank takes the money out of your account.

Meanwhile, you have already shipped the artwork out (usually to a foreign country, to which – of course – they have offered to pay shipping).

The most ambitious and somewhat rarer “local” rip off mutants have you ship to a US address, and once you provide a tracking number, they “wait” for FEDEX or UPS and pretend to be the homeowner as soon as FEDEX drives up and sign for the package – but these “local” mutants are rare – the vast majority has the work shipped overseas.

Be careful and wary.

Finally, and on a way more upbeat note, the ambitious “Women Artists of the DMV” is now up to 17 venues across the DMV! It is now the largest ever, curated fine arts show in the USA.  Curating a few thousand artists, selecting about 500 for the survey, and dealing with not only the artists, but also the 17 galleries, museum, and other art venues has been a Herculean task – but you will not be disappointed.

Title: The Mirror
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas (30”x40”)
Artist: Judith Benderson
On Display at Children’s Hospital Galleries

By the time this article hits the press, the first two of the 17 venues will have their shows up and running: First was the ACM Galleries at the National Children’s Hospital and then The Joan Hisaoka Gallery – both in Washington, DC. Pictured on these pages is Judith Benderson’s The Mirror and Linda Button’s Rose Watchtowers on display at the ACM.

If there is an art show this fall that you cannot miss, one with 17 different opportunities, this is the one… go see some art.

About the Author: F. Lennox Campello’s art news, information, gallery openings, commentary, criticism, happenings, opportunities, and everything associated with the global visual arts scene with a special focus on the Greater Washington, DC area has been a premier source for the art community for over 20 years. Since 2003, his blog has been the 11th highest ranked art blog on the planet with over SIX million visitors. Visit DCartnews.blogspot.com for all things art in the DMV and beyond.

Title: Rose Watchtowers
Medium: oil on birch panel
Artist: Linda Button