Watch out for these scams that target artists
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Art Scams Every Artist Should Know About
*Message to *Josie@gmail.com
*From *extice43002@edress.net
Hello There,
My name is Porter Gardner from Orlando Florida. I actually observed my wife has been storming your website works on my laptop and I guess she like your piece of work. I'm also impress and amazied to have see your various works to, You are doing great job. I would like to purcahse this pieces as a surprise my wfe on our anniversay. My budget is between 500 $ and 10,000 $. Please let me know if you accespet CHECK as payment.
Yours truly, Steve Dave
This is an actual email that I received. And I can vouch for the fact that it is a scam. In fact, I have received some variation of the "storming your works" email almost weekly for 7 years.
Scammers are everywhere. They target the elderly, the vulnerable, and yes—artists. It's exciting to get a message from someone who wants to buy your art or feature you in a show... but it's not always what it seems.
Unscrupulous people can get your email from your website, from social media, and other ways. If you are active on social media (and I think you should be), you can and probably will be a target.
Scammers know exactly who they’re targeting. Artists are often working solo and they’re emotionally invested in getting their work seen.
Scammers exploit this vulnerability—they know how much it means to receive a compliment, an offer, or a bit of recognition. They mirror the artist’s own desire for connection and success, which makes it easier to overlook red flags.
In short, “Steve Dave” is a big dumb idiot.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the most common scams that target artists, how to spot them, and how to protect yourself.
Impersonation Scams Using Familiar Names (like mine)
I am very sorry to report that there are unscrupulous actors using MY NAME in their scam emails. The emails come from josielewisart@gmail.com or something similar—not my email, but close enough to pass. Sometimes they create a fake Instagram account that's very close to my handle but not an exact match.
The latest fake email we've been hearing about promises the user to join an "exclusive art exhibition" that will net you, the artist, between $50K and $250K! 😭
I don’t know what happens when someone replies, but I assume eventually there’s a buy-in fee or a ploy to get passwords or personal information.
So, if you ever get a message from me, look closely at the sender’s email address. And even then, if it looks right but something feels off, email admin@josielewis.com to check.
Podcast Scams
For those with a website or an active social media page, a common scam right now is an email purporting to be from a well known name in podcasting.
For example, I recently got an email from an employee of Joe Rogan. He wanted to pay me $5000 to be a guest on his podcast. This was the signature line:
Yup, a little off brand. Kind of a dead giveaway. In fact, an interview with Josie Lewis Art would be a little off brand for Joe Rogan (and a little off brand for Josie Lewis Art, but that's another story)!
Other emails I have received with these offers look semi-legit, but real podcasts don’t ask you to pay to be interviewed. And certainly not Joe Rogan.
They are just scammers hoping I’d wire money or click a link and enter sensitive info.
I have a very successful friend in the online space, and she fell for this one. Before she knew it, she almost lost control of her Facebook and Instagram account. Thankfully, she put a stop to it before things spiraled out too far and she prevented the worst of the disaster.
But she is a smart, savvy gal, and if it can happen to her it can happen to anyone.
Fake Purchase Offers (Email or DM)
You may get an email like the one I showed you at the beginning of this article.
The common scam seems to be asking the artist to "overcharge" them a few hundred bucks to be wired to their art installer or mover, then they overpay your invoice with fraudulent credentials, which plays out weeks later.
Then you'll be left without the money for your art, without the cash you forwarded and without the art.
Often, if it feels weird, it is. If the email is loaded with typos and odd syntax, it is likely a scam. If the budget is a very broad span, it is likely a scam. Do they want you to wire them $500 for a "mover" and then they'll pay you back via a paypal payment? Yeah, likely a scam.
Naturally, real people who are interested in an art purchase also send emails and DMs and I am very interested in responding to those inquiries! If you are in doubt, asking some clarifying questions!
For myself, I don't conduct business in the DMs. I always ask people to follow up with an email or request their email so I can follow up myself. A serious inquiry will absolutely follow through. Then I ask, what art in particular are they interested in? What is their budget? A real person will show real knowledge of your work, ask normal questions, and not suggest anything weird around the payment.
To further protect myself, when creating a commission, I require 50% down to start work, and the remainder upon finishing the art but before shipping. A legit buyer is usually okay with these terms. A con artist will not consent to this.
Fake Violation Notices from Meta or Facebook
Every day, multiple times a day, I get an email or message that says that my Facebook or Instagram accounts has violated the terms of service and my account is scheduled for deletion unless I immediately click this button and enter my credentials and save my account! The emails and messages feel urgent and scary, but they are scams.
This won't happen to everyone, but the bigger and more active your social accounts are, the more of these you will likely to get. Emails and messages warning that your Facebook account, or bank account, or any other personal account is due to be deleted for violating policy is a tactic of scammers.
Never never click a button or engage, and never enter your password into a link from one of those emails.
Hot security tip: Have you turned on two factor yet? All social media channels will have several methods of account protections, and I recommend using ALL of them. You want all the security layers you can get.
Scammy Advertising Opportunities
Another scam that I get all the time starts with an email from a super goofy email address, like boredpanda.offers.4372c@gmail.com and it goes something like this…
Dear friend,
we are collecting traffic for our site we will to advertise on your site with 1 ad in a day that you can post on the page. We will pay you $7000 per ad payment will be made in advance. We work with Nike, Prada, and Coca-Cola.
If you’re interested, Please response me as soon as possible.
Thank you, Morgan.
By responding to them, they get your page information, hack in, and hold it hostage. For this scam, the warning signs are the use of weird spelling, odd syntax, goofy email address that "almost" sounds official, unbelievable offers, and name dropping.
Again, this is a fishing expedition for your credentials or other personal info.
Expensive Vanity Galleries with Outlandish Fees
The last scam I’m going to review is a little more sophisticated, but all artists need to be aware of this.
A so-called Vanity Gallery is an exhibition ploy that will charge exorbitant fees to exhibit your work. This is a tricky one, because these galleries are often real, brick and mortar gallery locations.
They often have a very complex list of "fees" that you must pay to be displayed. Sometimes they have a very expensive upfront investment, like $5000-10,000USD to participate. Occasionally, these galleries are frame shops that insist that you use their very expensive framing services to be displayed in their gallery. (Then they get framing business from you, and free art to display in their lobby… that rarely sells.)
Vanity galleries will send fishing emails, very similar to the first email I read, but they will be well written and convincing. They may reference and compliment specific works that you have published. They might be informed about your bio or about me pages, or specifics posts on your social.
The links in the email will lead to a professional website featuring a physical gallery. They will describe their successful ventures at Art Basel or flashy art fairs, and sometimes even include a picture of their gallery director with a well known figure in the art world. Those pictures may even be authentic.
These organizations make their money from artists, not from art sales.
I strongly urge you to ignore these queries. Even if you do it for the “resume builder”, legitimate galleries will know what they are, and it won’t help you one bit.
A vanity gallery is different than the following:
a co-op where a number of artists will get together to pay a monthly fee to cover the overhead of a gallery space
a fee to enter your work into a juried group show in an established gallery (usually under $100 USD)
an art fair, where the organizing body will charge a booth fee to take part in their event, but will normally not take a commission from the art sold
some galleries request a cash contribution from the artist for marketing fees, opening night refreshments and other expenses. This doesn't mean they aren't legit, although I don’t think this reflects best practices and I would avoid this type of gallery unless you can negotiate a lower commission.
Security Measures You Should Take
Besides keeping your wits about you in these mean streets and not letting your ego or fear take the wheel, here are a few things artists can take to help protect their various accounts. I regularly do a security audit, update passwords, and keep a close eye on my accounts.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on Instagram, Facebook, your website and email accounts
Use strong, unique passwords for each platform (and update them regularly)
Avoid clicking suspicious links in DMs or emails, even if they look official
Never share your login credentials or verification codes with anyone
Regularly review account access settings for unknown devices or third-party apps
Use a password manager to generate and store complex passwords securely
Use an Authenticator that will generate a unique security code for most major sites every minute or so
Keep software and apps updated to patch known security vulnerabilities
Quick Recap: Common Art Scams to Watch Out For
Scammers know how to speak directly to artists' hopes, urgency, and desire to succeed. They dress up their cons with praise, name-drops, or a sense of exclusivity to make them feel legit. But with a little awareness and a few verification steps, you can avoid falling into their traps. Here's a quick recap of the most common art scams to watch for:
Impersonation scams using familiar names like mine (or other artists) to pitch fake offers.
Podcast scams pretending to be famous hosts like Joe Rogan, asking for payment to be featured.
Fake buyers offering overpayment via check and asking for cash refunds to fake movers.
Fake Meta or Facebook notices threatening account deletion to steal your login credentials.
Scammy ad opportunities offering unrealistic money to post brand content on your site.
Vanity galleries charging high fees to exhibit your work, without real sales or collectors.
If something feels off, it probably is. Take security measures, trust your gut, ask questions, and protect your art—and yourself.
