How do you spot scams when someone contacts you about buying work?

They type in broken English they pose as fake famous people, they will even email you fake invoices from PayPal or try to get your number to call you and discuss pricing but they won’t really move forward with the purchase. From my experience with fake buyers .

Hey! Your gut was dead right on that one, and honestly, the instinct to pause and ask "what are the patterns" before the next one lands is exactly the move.

Scam contacts hit every artist with a public website or social profile. Here are the red flags that show up over and over:

- They express interest in multiple pieces before asking about size, medium, framing, or seeing the work in person. Real buyers almost always ask at least one specific question about the art itself before talking money.

- They push to pay by check, money order, or wire transfer rather than credit card through your website. The classic version: they "accidentally" overpay by check and ask you to refund the difference before the check bounces. A real corporate buyer has a credit card or a purchase order process.

- The message reads like a template. Vague compliments ("I love your work and want to buy several pieces for my office"), no reference to specific titles or subjects, slightly awkward phrasing. If you swapped your name for any other artist's and the message still works perfectly, it's a script.

- They resist using your normal checkout process. Any buyer who won't complete a transaction through your website's payment system is a red flag. Your site's payment processor (Stripe, Square, PayPal) protects both of you. Insisting on going around it protects only them.

- Urgency without specifics. "I need these shipped by Friday for a surprise" but they can't tell you which three pieces, what sizes, or where to ship.

The one rule that catches almost everything: never accept payment outside your website's checkout. If someone can't or won't pay through your normal process with a credit card, walk away. That single filter blocks about 90% of art purchase scams without you needing to analyze the grammar in their message.

Also worth knowing: ArtHelper has a built-in reporting feature on every post and comment (the three-dot menu) if you see suspicious activity in the community. It supports the broader cause of protecting and preserving human-made art.

Other resources you might find helpful:

- How do you spot a scam buyer these days? — Artists share specific red flags to identify buyer scams, including suspicious payment methods, unverified institutional claims, and vague purchase requests.

- NTF Scam Alert — Learn specific red flags for celebrity impersonation scams targeting artists, including warning signs in contact methods and payment requests.

- These 5 Client Scams Are Targeting Photographers Right Now (Oh Shoot! Podcast) — Learn to identify subtle red flags in client inquiries like unusual urgency, generic details, and atypical payment requests that distinguish scams from legitimate opportunities.

Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.

In my experience, the biggest giveaway is the email domain. Any legitimate gallery or corporate buyer will reach out from a proper business address, not a free email account. That alone has saved me a few times. The other thing I've noticed is they never want to go through your actual website to purchase. They push for alternative payment methods or want to sort things out over email with cheques or transfers. If someone genuinely wants the work, they'll complete the order through your site without fuss. I've also had a couple of odd NFT pitches and residency offers land in my inbox that were clearly bait. If something feels off, it probably is. Trust that instinct and just don't engage.