Recently, I’ve noticed a significant uptick in spam and scam attempts on my social media and commission page. It got me thinking—if I’m encountering these issues, other artists likely are too, and they might be at risk of falling for them. I’m fortunate to have a background in IT, which has made it easier for me to spot these scams, but I realize this might not be common knowledge for everyone. After researching, I found there weren’t many comprehensive guides on this topic, so I decided to create this post. Here, we’ll explore some of the most common scams in the digital art community and share tips on protecting yourself.
1. Commission Scams
- How They Work: Scammers will contact an artist to commission a piece and may even provide a detailed description. After receiving the artwork, they either vanish without paying, or they dispute the payment if made via a platform like PayPal, claiming they never received the piece.
- Red Flags: Vague requests, reluctance to provide clear terms, requests for high-cost work upfront without a deposit, or rush demands without a reason.
- How to Avoid It: Always use a contract for larger commissions and require a deposit upfront. Make sure to keep records of all communication. For online payments, consider using platforms that offer some protection for artists. For me I use the website https://artistsnclients.com/ so it will encourage buyer to pay first before you even start working.
2. ArtistsnClients Fake Support
- How They Work: For this one, scammers will contact you and act as a support in https://artistsnclients.com site. And will ask you to resolve a problem. For this case it will be something about a service purchased that didn’t went through.
- Red Flags: The site link is suspicious, It will try to be urgent
- How to Avoid It: Report this in the official artists and clients support team which is in the Help link above the site
3. NFT and Crypto Scams
- How They Work: Scammers will usually contact you through your social media and will ask you to work with them and they want you to draw for their NFT projects. Sometimes, they want your existing work, and they will pay you in crypto.
- Red Flags: Requests to “mint” artwork on a platform you’ve never heard of, unsolicited offers promising high returns, or anyone asking for your wallet private keys. Or they will pay you in crypto and would want you to sign up on a suspicious platform.
- How to Avoid It: Stick to well-known NFT platforms, never share your private keys, and regularly search to ensure your work isn’t being sold by someone else. Many reputable NFT platforms have procedures for reporting fraudulent listings. Also for me, I stick to well-known payment platform just to be safe
5. Phishing Scams via Email that says: Enquiry via ArtStation
- How They Work: They usually start with an email with the subject Enquiry via ArtStation, which is weird because if you go to Artstation they have their own messaging, but the message isn’t there.
Then when you reply to them they will reply with:
> Thank you for your response. I’m currently working on a private NFT event featuring a variety of unique pieces. Regarding selling your work, I’m definitely interested. Do you have telegram or discord? So we can discuss further details and make a deal
- Red Flags: Suspicious email addresses. Again with the NFT, so beware of that.
- How to Avoid It: Never click on links in unsolicited emails.
Tips for Staying Safe in the Digital Art Community
- Use Contracts: Whether it’s a simple commission or a major project, having written agreements helps protect both parties.
- Use Websites or Legitimate Platforms: Follow other artists where they do their commissions
- Do Your Research: Look up every client, platform, or employer. The more you know, the less likely you are to fall victim to a scam.
- Stay Skeptical of “Too Good to Be True” Offers: Many scams prey on artists’ desire for exposure or high-paying jobs. Be wary of offers that seem overly generous.
- Use Trusted Payment Platforms: Use secure payment methods that offer buyer/seller protection, like PayPal’s Goods and Services option, and avoid payment methods that offer no recourse.
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