I just wanted to send a heads up to all artists out there - a scam artist is using fake Western Union checks to swindel people out of thousands of dollars.
In one case, the scam artist commissioned an artist to paint a series of presidential portraits. The scam artist sent a check for the full amount VIA western Union. After the first picture was sent to him for approval, the scam artist sent him an e-mail saying the project had to be cut short and asked him to send back over $1300!
It's a good thing that a red flag went up in the artist's head because the Western Union check turned out to be a fake and he would have lost a good amount of money.
The complete story about the artist's run in with him: http://anthonyfoti.deviantart.com/journal/33998880
The entire story: http://www.voiceoverxtra.com/article.htm?id=pkzpzwqv
In one case, the scam artist commissioned an artist to paint a series of presidential portraits. The scam artist sent a check for the full amount VIA western Union. After the first picture was sent to him for approval, the scam artist sent him an e-mail saying the project had to be cut short and asked him to send back over $1300!
It's a good thing that a red flag went up in the artist's head because the Western Union check turned out to be a fake and he would have lost a good amount of money.
The complete story about the artist's run in with him: http://anthonyfoti.deviantart.com/journal/33998880
The entire story: http://www.voiceoverxtra.com/article.htm?id=pkzpzwqv
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Request a USPS issued money order. They're the safest forms of payment, at least in the US of A.
I've never heard of WU being used in anything BUT scams, honestly.
Everyone should also be on the alert for anyone trying to buy art located in Nigeria, Cameroon, or other African areas. 99.9% of the time it's a scam to get you to send them money.
My defense to the Western Union scam is to just reply that I haven't deposited it yet, and I'll just mail it back to them. You'll be surprised at the cartwheels they do trying to keep you from mailing their bogus check back. But honestly, it's the same with any check deposit -- anyone wanting a refund has to be told that until the check clears, they get no money back. And even then DO NOT USE A PERSONAL CHECK TO REPAY ANYONE YOU DON"T KNOW FOR ANY REASON! Once the criminals have your check, they can print hundreds more and go on a shopping spree with you paying the bill. Either use a postal money order or the same western union you originally got it through.
If someone ever sends you "extra" on a check and asks you to return it, HUGE RED FLAGS. Again, talk to your bank to make sure there's no chance the funds could have been faked.
I have seen more people lose money this way, and if you win something off Ebay and they want you to pay that way... DON'T.
Cause once you send money, they get it... and it's gone.