FRAUD ALERT!!! Hi everyone. I recently had a close call with a fraudulent client and check. They were really working it, saying things like I hope to give this piece a wonderful home and enjoy it for many years. I thought I was dealing with a wealthy, trophy wife - but it was all a con. Long story short, they found me via my website, commissioned a sculpture, sent me a check for $1,500 over the agreed price and then wanted me to deposit the check, send the sculpture and then forward the remaining money back to them in a check. This would have swindled me out of a sculpture AND $1,500!!! Please read the interactions below to see how these people write and to see what the fraudulent check looked like. I ignored the spelling and grammatical errors, as many of my best clients speak English as a second language. But from now on, in online transactions I am going to be very cautious. Also, I will no longer be accepting checks - now its cash, PayPal or go straight to the gallery. I would suggest you do the same to protect yourselves (if you dont already). Reading this back I am so ashamed that I didnt catch on sooner. But hopefully I can help prevent this from happening to someone else. Below you will find the emails between myself and Mary Collins. I have removed some of the information: “Mary Collins” Email: tessylim1@gmail Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creative works on your website and i will like you to get back with more details if they are still available for purchase. “Little Owl AND Goat” I will appreciate an urgent reply. Best Regards, Mary Collins Me: Hello Mary, Thank you for your interest in my work! Both the pieces you are interested in have already sold. However, I do take commissions if you would like to order a piece. I could have an owl finished by the end of this week, the goat a bit longer. I also can ship work and offer gift certificates, if you are thinking of a gift. The little owls sell for $325 and goat are in the $500 range. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions. This and next month are exceptionally busy with orders and art shows, so if you interested in commissioning a piece please let me know as soon as possible, so I can write it into my schedule. Mary Collins: Thanks so much for your response to my query about those pieces. I will like to make a commission of the Owl piece. Can you please confirm the time frame of completing the piece so I can proceed as soon as possible. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks. Me: Hello Mary! Thank you for your interest. Do you have a deadline for the owl? I have a pretty tight schedule through July 10th, with several intensive projects due then. If possible, could it wait until mid July? If not, I can make it happen sooner - but would require a 25% deposit for an expedited piece. Please let me know what date you would need it by and I will be sure to squeeze him in! Also, do you live in Thurston County, or will this piece need to be shipped? Me again: Actually, I do have a finished, small owl that I created as a donation for the silent auction of Relay for Life (cancer). However, I have plenty of time to make another one for them and you could purchase this one. I will e-mail you photos this evening. Mary Collins: It is nice to hear back from you. I will like to proceed with the purchase of the Owl piece. I think it is a lovely work and I hope to give it a good home. I am presently traveling for my Sisters wedding even though it comes at a time when I am preparing for a big move to Miami Beach, FL but it means so much to her and I should be back in few days. Miami Beach, FL 33139 Meanwhile, can you pls get back with your mailing address and phone number so I can inform my husband on where to forward the payment. He can have one of his PA handle the payment asap. About shipping , you can handle it from your side to my new address above or I can forward your contact info to the local cartage company handling the shipment of all our house decors. They can arrange FedEx or UPS pick up of the artwork from your studio.I will look forward to hearing from you so i can know how best to proceed. Cheers. Me: Hello again Mary! My apologies about not getting the photos to you last night, as I said I would. I didnt get his base finished in time. I have the owl done, but still need to attach him to the base. I imagine I could have photos to you by 7PM tonight. I can proceed with the packing and shipping of the owl myself, as I am quite particular on how they are packed. Shipping and packaging would cost $20, bringing the total to $345. Your husband can mail a check or if electronic payment is more convenient, I have a PayPal account and would be happy to send you an invoice later this evening. My address and contact information are listed below. Thank you so much for your business! I love when my work travels East! Mary Collins: Hope this message finds you well. I am very sorry I have not been able to get in touch for the past few days. It has been a very busy time with so many things on my plate. I am not sure if my husband has been able to forward the payment to your mailing address but I will check with him and get back later today. Meanwhile , I will like you to acknowledge this email so I can be sure we are still on the same page. Thanks for your patient. Me: Hi Mary! No worries, sounds like a very busy time! Yes, we are still on the same page and I can ship to Florida or if you provide an address in Olympia, I can drop him off at your husbands office or your home address. I do still need an address to deliver/drop him off. I will do so upon receiving payment. Mary Collins: Good to hear back from you and thanks for your understanding. I will like to confirm that the payment was sent by my husbands assistant and he was advise that you will receive it tomorrow or Friday via USPS(tracking # [I took this out to hide my address] ) so try and be on the lookout for it. My new address is below... 302 W San Marino Miami Beach, FL 33139 Kindly acknowledge this email as soon as you can. Thanks. Best Regards, Mary. Me: I received a check to my home today with the routing number you provided. However, I believe there has been a mistake in the check writing. It is written for $1,845.00 - exactly $1,500 over. How would you like me to proceed? I could send the check back to you or I could take it to the bank and have them shred it. Thanks so much. I will wait to hear from you before doing anything with the check. Mary Collins: I got your email now. Thanks for the update. I am so excited you have received the payment and cant wait to have the piece. I hope to give it a very good home and enjoy the piece for many years. Regarding the check , my husband made a terrible mistake and overpaid you because he didnt have full details of the transaction since I was too busy when he sent it. I am very sorry for the confusion but I will like you to go ahead and deposit the check , you can then deduct the cost of the piece plus shipping to my address below. Then you can forward the difference back to him. Me (I have finally caught on at this stage): Hi Mary!I just got your message. I have a couple questions. Who should I make the check out to and where should I send it? The check I received is from Air Power Inc. and the address on the check is 4900 South Collins Street, Arlington, TX 76018. However, the check was mailed from California Institute of the Arts, 25060 Avenue Stanford, Santa Clarita CA 91355. Your husbands name does not appear on any of the materials I received. Could you provide me with a name and address, so I can be sure the check finds him safely? I will go straight to the bank and post office as soon as I get a response. Thank you so much for your patronage! I am sure the little owl will have a lovely life in sunny Florida! Mary Collins: Good to hear back from you. I will discuss with my husband and get back with the name and address to reimburse the difference later today. Meanwhile, you can go ahead and have the check deposited today Mary Collins: Are you able to deposit the check yesterday. Any update on the shipment. Try and get soon. Thanks.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 21:02:43 +0000
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