Home - Updated July 2008 -
A new section of the website created for my occasional writings on a diversity of subjects, art and culture related and more general ramblings.
Follow the links for each essay, however my first entry regarding e-mail/art fraud is directly presented below this contents section.
Each essay will open in a new window.
Contents
A study of the famous Rembrandt van Rijn fantasy portrait of Aristotle, painted in 1653 and since 1961 a key feature of the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
An analysis of the most famous of the bizarre paintings of Hieronymous Bosch, painted around 1500.
My views regarding the UK's dysfunctional public transport system.
My review of this northern city. I tried to drag up some positive points...
My personal, and mainly positive, review of this often maligned city.
An overview of this important cinema in Newcastle's city centre.
A diverse rant regarding modern living, health and the general accessibility of our heritage and countryside.
This, unsurprisingly is an attack on the mainly unnecessary and excessive use of dairy products and their derivatives in the modern western diet.
Other items:
|
A guide to less well known historical, cultural and natural sites in the U.K. |
| - 01 - | - 02 - | - 03 - | - 04 - | ||||
E-mail Fraud Alert: The Nigeria
Scam
August 2005
Whether interested in the buying or selling of art, increased awareness is needed of the growing problem of fraud often perpetrated by individuals operating in Nigeria.
In recent weeks I have been twice approached via e-mail by persons claiming to be interested in purchasing art for sale on this site. At the end of this warning I have reproduced the two e-mails exactly as received. They requested shipping costs, photos of the art and address details so as to send payment. Both declared that they would wish to send certified bank cheques (cashiers cheques) for this purpose. The first stated openly that he was in Nigeria and the second professed to be an art collector in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
However. The first person never actually referred to which piece of art he was supposedly interested in and furthermore bizarrely asked me to send him a link to the site? Both e-mails are poorly written and neither supplied any personal details. The second person requested an absurdly convoluted process of payment and shipment. Both parties were using Yahoo e-mail accounts which are infamously much used and abused (never accept any business or related interactions with people using Yahoo for e-mail). In regards to requests for quality photos of an art piece, this may seem at first reasonable enough (and legitimate buyers may well request this) but in these circumstances it is apparently related to another scam. This involves the distribution of such across the internet for purposes that probably include trying pass off the photographed item as being in their possession in order to exploit potential 'buyers.'
The second e-mail refers to a non existent company, 'Tradax Trade Inc.' Furthermore, "John from Dubai's" e-mail address begins with the word 'mande.' This is the name of a Nigerian language! Many of these people are now pretending to be from other countries including the United States and the United Kingdom.
How this scam often works: They wait to receive your total for the item plus shipping and then send you a cashiers cheque for much more than the amount you requested. They give any number of excuses for this, and ask for the difference to be returned to themselves as quickly as possible. The cheque often appears to be perfectly legitimate so you the recipient unsuspectingly pay it into your bank account. After a day or so the cheque appears to clear and the funds appear in the account, so as requested you send their 'change' back to them.
Unfortunately, a couple of weeks later your bank contacts you to demand that the money paid into your account is returned as the cheque is discovered to be fraudulent. You end up losing a lot of money, the artwork and the bank blacklists you (though I would assume that the latter problem at least can be dealt with).
Many people have unfortunately been taken in by this and not just specifically through art dealings.
For further information please consult the following websites;
"A Worldwide Art Xpo for Artists, Artworks and Galleries"
Artists Beware, Artists fraud, Artists scam
From: dannycreates2001@yahoo.com
Hello and gooday i would like to make a puchase for your artwork from your gallery so please i need some informations from you
1)would you accept a cashiers check drawn in british pounds funds as means of
payment alternatively it would be so nice if you could accept a
mastercard or visa card charge directly other than paypal because i
have tried paypal before and they do not have an account with my
region
3)what is your shipment method because i would prefer UPS
so thanks a lot and look forward to hearing from you soonest
regards
danny
From: mande_67@yahoo.com
Hello ,
I
just came
across your
A silhouette
of Durham
Cathedral
advert,I am
based in
United Arab
Emirates.[DUBAI],
i do collect
Painting,
Drawing,
Sculpture and
other art
works i go
far away
Asia ,
Africa to
get art
works too
from great
artist. so i
will love to
buy it ,but
i want to
know if it
is still
availble so
that i can
make my
purchase
without any
delay .Your
painting is
distinct
very full of
colour rhyme
and even
very
perfect.i
will also
appreciate
some
photographs
of the art
if you can
get it for
me.
I will want
you to send
the actual
price and
the cost of
shipping all
togther to
U.S because
that my ware
house where
i
compile all
my art
collection befer
bieng taken
to DUBIA.
I will
have one of
my British
based Client
make the
payment to
you by
having a
Certified
Bank payment
sent to
you.I hope
that will be
convinient
for you.To
have this
done,The
following
informations
will be
required to
have the
payment made
without
delay.Your
Full name
that you
will want on
the
payment,Your
address
where you
will want
the payment
sent,Your
Contact
phone number
for verbal
arrangements
to be
concluded
with you.I
will
instruct
payment as
soon as i
have the
above listed
informations
from you and
Photos of
the
art including
the total
price with
the shipping
expenses .
After
the payment
has been
recieved,i
will have my
pre-paid
shipping
agent
[TRADAX
TRADE INC]
contact my
worker in
the ware
house in U.S
to picked up
and shipped
along with
some other
consignments
from the
U.S.
I
know you
will need my
informations
to have the
art titles
and Bill Of
Sale
Strictly
addressed in
my name.I
will have
the
informations
forwarded to
you when the
payment
arrives to
you and
aggreement
have bieng
made.The
titles on my
name and the
Bill of sale
will be
required to
have the
arts cleared
with the U.S
Customs at
the point of
Export and
with the
United Arab
Emirates
Customs at
it's point
of Entry
into Dubai.
I await your
quick
response.
Thanks.
Regards
JOHN