BogusArtFair.Info

Today, I received an email for the "2009 international encyclopaedic dictionary of modern and contemporary art".

Art Print Issues has written an article about BogusArtFair.Info! While you're there, take a look around---the blog covers many issues relating to art and business.

I havne't posted anything in months because I haven't received any scams... at least not the shipping scams. Perhaps they know I'm reporting all of them here?

I have, however, been receiving an onslaught of email from organizations which offer real services, but where the costs vastly outweigh the benefits. Here's an example:

On Friday, I got a nice little call for artists from artoteque.com. Their email tells me that "The information contained in this electronic message is information intended for the use of only the individual or entity named above and may be PRIVILEGED and CONFIDENTIAL", so take a look at the call on their website instead.

A big thanks to Art News Blog for maintaining a list of scammers too... especially because I've been too busy recently to track them down myself.

Art News Blog reports another scammer, "Maxwells Brown". They seem to be getting lazier with sending readable emails....

Although unverified, I'm going out on a limb and saying that Isabella Trimper with Art Services International is not a legitimate art consultant. The biggest giveaway?

Whether legitimate or not, the folks at ATcultura are persistent. I received my third email from them today (first one in early November, second one in mid-November) , and the persistence makes me more suspicious of their legitimacy. Search results for ATcultura continue to be inconclusive, with a red herring being their name showing in the resumes of many artists who have profiles with artist directories (and in few other places). Why a red herring? Because these artists are the easiest targets for scammers (like fish in a barrel). Proceed with caution!

I wasn't quite sure how to categorize this one, because it's an online extension of a traditional scam: the sale of fake works of art. Coxsoft Art has the story.

There has been a call circulating for the "Toronto Art Show", and the Ontario Crafts Council has issued a warning on it. In recent correspondence the Ontario Crafts Council has confirmed that the three major sponsors listed on the show's website: Tim Horton's, MacDonald's and Coca-Cola have stated that they are not associated with the show.