Art Scams: What Artists Need to Know Before Saying Yes

• When an Art Sale Isn’t What It Seems
• 🚩 Artist Scam Red Flags
• Why Artists Can Be Attractive Targets for Scammers
• The Fake-Check and Overpayment Scam
• The Commission Scam: When a Dream Project Has a Catch
• Fake Art Fairs, Exhibitions and Opportunities: Do Your Homework Before You Pay
• “I Want to Buy Your Art as an NFT”
• When Someone Else Profits From Your Art
• Social Media Scams, Impersonation and Phishing
• Protecting Yourself and Your Artwork
• What If You’re Not Sure?
• What If It Already Happened?
• If This Happens, Do This
• Important Websites for Artists to Know
• Conclusion

A Note to Our Readers:

This article is intended for educational purposes and provides general information for artists. It is not legal, financial, or cybersecurity advice. If you are dealing with a significant financial loss, suspected identity theft, or unauthorized commercial use of your artwork, consider consulting the appropriate financial institution, government agency, or qualified professional.

When an Art Sale Isn’t What It Seems

There are few messages more exciting for an artist than hearing from someone who wants to buy your work—especially when that person has found your website, looked through your portfolio, and wants to purchase several pieces.

Unfortunately, scammers know that, too.

During a recent Alabama Art Academy workshop, an artist shared an inquiry she received from someone claiming interest in purchasing six pieces of artwork from her website. The total price was approximately $1,300. The prospective buyer offered to send her a $2,500 check and asked her to send the additional $1,200 back.

Something about the transaction didn’t feel right, so she stopped and asked before accepting the offer.

That decision may have saved her $1,200.

The arrangement has the hallmarks of a common fake-check overpayment scam. A fraudulent check can be deposited, and the funds may even appear in your bank account before the bank discovers that the check is bad. By then, if you have sent the “extra” money back to the buyer, the money you sent was real—even though theirs never was.

Artists can be particularly attractive targets for scams. We display our work publicly. We maintain websites and social media accounts. We expect people we’ve never met to contact us about purchases, commissions, exhibitions, and other opportunities. And unlike many retail transactions, there isn’t one standard way to buy a piece of original art.

That means a message from a stranger saying, “I love your work. Is this piece available?” may be the beginning of a wonderful relationship with a new collector.

Or it may not be.

Fake buyers, commission scams, fraudulent checks, bogus gallery opportunities, social-media impersonation, phishing attempts, and increasingly, suspicious offers to purchase artwork as NFTs are all things today’s artists need to recognize.

The goal isn’t to become suspicious of every new customer or opportunity. It’s to know the warning signs well enough that excitement doesn’t keep you from asking the right questions.

And perhaps the simplest place to start is this:

If someone wants to buy your art, money should be coming to you. You should not have to send money to the buyer in order to make the sale.

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🚩 ARTIST SCAM RED FLAGS

Stop and investigate if someone:

• Sends you more money than you asked for and wants some returned.
• Asks you to send part of their payment to someone else.
• Wants to pay a shipper, supplier, assistant, or third party through you.
• Offers an unusually large amount for your work but seems surprisingly uninterested in the actual artwork.
• Pressures you to act or pay immediately.
• Insists on a payment method or process you don't normally use.
• Directs you to an unfamiliar NFT, cryptocurrency, payment, or verification website.
• Says you must pay a fee before you can receive your money.
• Asks for passwords, banking credentials, or verification codes.
• Wants a high-resolution image before you've agreed on how the artwork will be used.
• Wants commercial use of your artwork in exchange only for “credit” or “exposure.”
• Sends a link saying your social media account has a problem and you must log in immediately.

One unusual detail doesn't necessarily mean you're dealing with a scam. But when the money, request, or behavior doesn't make sense, stop before you act. Verify the person or organization independently and ask someone you trust.

If someone is buying your art, money should be moving toward you—not away from you.

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Why Artists Can Be Attractive Targets for Scammers

Artists do something that most people are routinely warned not to do online: we make ourselves easy for strangers to find.

We share our names, our artwork, our websites, our social media accounts, upcoming exhibitions, and often information about where and how our work can be purchased. If we want to sell our art, much of that visibility is necessary.

We also want strangers to contact us.

A new collector may discover your painting on Instagram and send you a direct message. Someone across the country may find your website and ask whether a piece is available. A parent may contact you about commissioning a portrait. A gallery you've never worked with may invite you to submit work for an exhibition.

All of those things can be completely legitimate.

That is part of what makes scams targeting artists so effective. The scam often starts exactly like a real opportunity.

Artists also sell products that don't always have obvious or standardized prices. An original painting might sell for $150, $1,500, or $15,000. A commission may require a deposit. Shipping can be complicated. Galleries charge commissions. Juried exhibitions sometimes have legitimate entry fees. And increasingly, artists are approached about licensing, digital artwork, cryptocurrency, and NFTs.

For a scammer, that creates plenty of room to invent a plausible-sounding transaction.

There is also an emotional component. Selling artwork is personal. When someone says they love a piece enough to buy it—or wants to purchase several pieces at once—it can feel like validation of years of work. Scammers may use flattering language, unusually generous offers, or a sense of urgency to encourage an artist to act before stopping to examine the details.

The answer isn't to distrust every unfamiliar buyer.

Instead, develop the habit of slowing the transaction down.

A legitimate buyer should be able to tell you which artwork they want. They shouldn't object to reasonable questions about payment or shipping. They shouldn't need you to send part of their payment somewhere else. And they shouldn't pressure you to complete an unusual financial transaction immediately.

That last point is particularly important. The Federal Trade Commission warns that a classic fake-check scam involves someone sending more than the amount owed and then asking the recipient to send some of that money back or forward it to someone else. Even if the deposited funds appear in your account, the bank may later discover that the original check was fraudulent.

Excitement is not a red flag. An unexpected opportunity is not a red flag. A new customer is not a red flag.

But when the way the money moves stops making sense, pay attention.

A Good Habit: Pause, Verify, Proceed

Before accepting an unfamiliar or unusual transaction, give yourself permission to stop and investigate.

Ask questions. Look up the person or organization independently. Don't use contact information or links supplied in a suspicious message to do your verification. Talk with your bank if a payment arrangement concerns you. And ask another artist, gallery owner, retailer, or trusted businessperson what they think.

The artist in our opening story did exactly the right thing.

She didn't have to know the name “fake-check overpayment scam.” She simply recognized that receiving $2,500 for a $1,300 sale and sending $1,200 back didn't make sense.

She stopped.

She asked.

And she didn't send the money.

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The Fake-Check and Overpayment Scam

One of the easiest scams for an artist to recognize is also one of the easiest to fall for—because the money can appear to be sitting right there in your bank account.

The basic setup is simple. A buyer contacts you about purchasing artwork. Everything may seem normal until it is time to pay. Instead of paying the agreed-upon amount, the buyer sends a check for more than the purchase price.

There's usually an explanation for the extra money. Perhaps it was an accounting mistake. Maybe you're supposed to pay a shipper, courier, or other third party. Or the buyer may simply ask you to return the difference.

Whatever the explanation, the important part is the same:

You deposit their check, and then you send some of that money somewhere else.

That's the scam.

The Federal Trade Commission specifically warns sellers not to accept a check for more than the selling price. The FDIC describes the same overpayment scheme: the scammer wants the seller to send legitimate money back before the bank discovers that the original check is counterfeit.

“But the Check Cleared.”

This is where things get confusing.

You deposit the check. A day or two later, you look at your account and see the money. You may even be told that the funds are available.

It certainly looks as though the buyer paid you.

But available funds don't prove the check is legitimate.

Banks must make deposited funds available relatively quickly, but discovering that a check is fraudulent can take much longer. The FTC warns that a fake check can take weeks to be identified—even though the funds appeared in the recipient's account much earlier.

Suppose an artist sells $1,300 worth of artwork.

The buyer sends a $2,500 check.

The artist deposits it and sees $2,500 appear in the account. Following the buyer's instructions, the artist sends $1,200 back.

Later, the bank discovers that the $2,500 check was fraudulent and removes that money from the artist's account.

But the $1,200 the artist sent?

That was the artist's real money.

The artist can therefore lose $1,200—and potentially the artwork as well if it has already been shipped. The FDIC specifically warns that victims of counterfeit-check schemes can be responsible for money they've sent after depositing the fraudulent check.

The Math Should Make Sense

Artists sometimes encounter complicated transactions involving galleries, commissions, shipping companies, deposits, or clients purchasing multiple works. Complicated doesn't automatically mean fraudulent.

But the financial transaction should still make sense.

If someone owes you $1,300, there is no legitimate reason they should send you $2,500 and make you responsible for distributing the remaining $1,200.

Ask them to pay the correct amount.

If they say they already wrote the check incorrectly, they can cancel it and issue another.

If they insist that you deposit the larger check and return or forward the difference, stop the transaction.

The FTC's guidance is straightforward: don't accept a check for more than your selling price.

Protect Your Information, Too

An unusual payment request should also signal that you should be more careful about the information you share.

Don't provide banking credentials, passwords, verification codes, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive financial information to someone simply because they claim to be purchasing your artwork. Be cautious about links or attachments sent by unfamiliar buyers, too. The FDIC recommends independently verifying organizations and contact information rather than relying on links, phone numbers, or information supplied in a suspicious message.

One Rule Worth Remembering

You don't need to understand banking regulations or become an expert at identifying counterfeit checks.

Remember this:

If a buyer sends you more than the agreed-upon price and asks you to send some of it back—or send it to someone else—don't do it.

A genuine buyer is purchasing your artwork.

You are not their bank.

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The Commission Scam: When a Dream Project Has a Catch

Receiving an unexpected commission request can be exciting.

Someone may contact you through Instagram, Facebook, your website, or email and say they've seen your work and would like you to create something special. Perhaps it's a portrait of a spouse for an anniversary, a painting of a child as a birthday gift, or a beloved family pet.

Those are all perfectly reasonable reasons to commission an artist.

So how do you tell a legitimate commission inquiry from a scam?

The answer usually isn't in the artwork's subject. It's found in what happens next.

Watch the Transaction, Not Just the Story

A scammer may begin with a flattering message and offer an unusually generous amount for the commission. The conversation may then shift to an unusual payment arrangement.

You might be told that a client, employer, business manager, or other third party will pay you. You may receive an electronic image of a check and be instructed to deposit it using your banking app. Then comes the catch: you're asked to send some of the money to someone else, pay for supplies, return an overpayment, or otherwise move part of the money after receiving it.

At that point, the commission has become a version of the fake-check scam we discussed earlier.

The FTC has specifically warned about a social-media variation in which someone offers money connected with creating artwork from a person's photograph. A check follows, and the recipient is instructed to send part of the money to someone else for “supplies.” The check is fraudulent, and the money the victim sends is real.

Reports to the Better Business Bureau show that variations of these art-related schemes continue to occur, including people being approached through TikTok about paintings and then being pressured to send money for art materials.

Questions a Real Client Should Be Able to Answer

A legitimate commission doesn't necessarily begin with a beautifully written inquiry. Real customers can be brief, awkward, unfamiliar with art terminology, or unsure about exactly what they want.

So don't use grammar or writing style as your fraud detector.

Instead, focus on whether the transaction makes sense.

A prospective client should be able to discuss the artwork they want, the size or scope of the project, your price, payment terms, deadline, delivery or shipping, and other ordinary commission details.

They should also be willing to follow your normal business procedures.

That's an important distinction.

You are the artist. You establish how you accept commissions.

If your policy requires a 50% deposit before beginning and the balance upon completion, say so. If you invoice customers through a payment processor, send an invoice. If you don't accept checks, you don't suddenly need to accept one because an unfamiliar customer insists.

A legitimate buyer may ask whether another payment method is possible.

A scammer is much more likely to tell you how the transaction must work.

Be Wary When the Commission Becomes Complicated

Stop and investigate when an otherwise simple art commission suddenly involves:

An overpayment. A third-party check. Someone else's “business manager.” Money for supplies that you must forward. A special courier or shipping agent the buyer insists you pay. Gift cards. Cryptocurrency. Or pressure to act immediately.

The FTC identifies pressure, unusual payment instructions, fake checks, and requests to send money elsewhere as common scam warning signs.

Remember: a customer commissioning a painting is hiring you to create artwork.

They shouldn't need you to become their banker, purchasing agent, money-transfer service, or intermediary.

Create a Commission Policy Before You Need One

One of the best ways to protect yourself is to decide how commissions work before the next inquiry arrives.

Your policy might establish your deposit, accepted payment methods, revision process, cancellation terms, estimated completion time, shipping arrangements, and when final payment is due.

Then an exciting message doesn't require you to invent a financial arrangement on the spot.

You can simply say:

“I'd be happy to discuss the commission. Here's how my commission process works.”

A professional process isn't just good customer service.

It also makes it much harder for a scammer to dictate the rules of the transaction.

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Fake Art Fairs, Exhibitions and Opportunities: Do Your Homework Before You Pay

Artists are regularly invited to participate in art fairs, exhibitions, competitions, gallery shows and other opportunities. Many of these opportunities legitimately charge application, jury, booth, or participation fees. Being asked to pay a fee does not automatically mean an opportunity is a scam.

But it does mean you should know who you're paying and what you're paying for.

This can be particularly difficult when an event is advertised for a familiar or reputable location. We occasionally see art fairs promoted at recognizable local venues, yet the organizers' names are unfamiliar, and we don't recognize anyone associated with the event.

That doesn't necessarily mean the event isn't legitimate. New organizations form and new art events are created all the time. But the name of a familiar venue shouldn't be the only thing that gives an opportunity credibility.

A Real Venue Doesn't Necessarily Mean a Real Event

A flyer, social media post or website can claim that an art fair will take place at a city entertainment district, park, gallery, brewery, hotel or other well-known location.

Before paying an application or booth fee, verify that relationship independently.

Don't rely solely on the phone number, email address, or link provided by the person soliciting artists. Find the venue's official website or social media account yourself. Is the event listed there? If not, contact the venue directly and ask whether the event is actually scheduled.

The same applies when an event claims sponsorship or affiliation with a city, arts organization, gallery, or business. Look for confirmation from the organization itself.

Investigate the Organizer, Too

Even when you've confirmed that an event is actually taking place, you still need to know who is producing it.

Before sending money, ask some basic questions:

• Who is organizing the event, and can you identify a real person behind it?
• Has the organizer produced previous art fairs or exhibitions?
• Can you find photographs, participating artists or information from previous events?
• Does the organization have an established website or social media history?
• Is there a clear application process, refund policy and explanation of what your fee includes?
• Can you contact the organizer and receive reasonable answers to questions about setup, booth requirements, attendance, security and event logistics?

A new organizer isn't necessarily a problem. An organizer being impossible to verify is.

Scam—or Simply a Bad Opportunity?

Another distinction is worth making: not every questionable art opportunity is fraudulent.

An art fair can be completely legitimate and still be a poor investment for an artist.

Perhaps there's little advertising. Maybe attendance is historically low. The organizer may accept almost anyone willing to pay the booth fee. The event may be marketed as a fine-art show while also accepting vendors selling unrelated merchandise. Or the audience may simply not match the type and price of work you sell.

That's not necessarily a scam. It's a business decision.

Before spending $50, $100, $300 or more on a booth, consider the entire cost of participating—not just the application fee. There may also be travel, displays, tents, tables, signage, packaging, credit-card fees, meals, and an entire day or weekend of your time.

Ask other artists about their experiences. If the event has been held before, see whether you can find previous exhibitors and contact a few.

Questions like “Was it well attended?” “Did people actually buy art?” and “Would you participate again?” can tell you considerably more than an organizer's promotional material.

Don't Let Urgency Make the Decision for You

Be especially cautious if you're pressured to pay immediately to “reserve your spot,” particularly when the opportunity arrived through an unsolicited message.

A legitimate deadline can certainly exist. But you should still have enough information to understand who is receiving your money and what you're purchasing.

If someone discourages you from verifying the event, can't clearly explain who is organizing it, insists on an unusual form of payment, or pressures you to send money before answering reasonable questions, stop and investigate further.

A legitimate opportunity should survive a little research.

Before you pay to show your art, verify the event, verify the organizer, and decide whether the opportunity makes business sense for you.

Sometimes the research will reveal a scam.

Sometimes it will reveal a legitimate event that simply isn't right for you.

And sometimes you'll discover a new opportunity that's absolutely worth pursuing.

The goal isn't to say no. It's to know what you're saying yes to.

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“I Want to Buy Your Art as an NFT”

For many artists, their first encounter with NFTs doesn't come because they decided to enter the digital-art market.

It comes from a stranger contacting them.

The message may arrive through Instagram, Facebook, email, or an artist's website. The person compliments the artist's work and says they would like to purchase one or several pieces as NFTs.

Sometimes the amount offered is surprisingly high.

For an artist unfamiliar with NFTs, the proposal can be both exciting and confusing. What exactly is the person buying? Why does the artist need to do something first? And why is the artist suddenly being asked to pay a fee?

Those are very good questions to ask.

First, What Is an NFT?

NFT stands for non-fungible token. In simple terms, an NFT is a unique digital token recorded on a blockchain that can be associated with a digital file or other asset.

The key thing for artists to understand is that the NFT, the artwork, and the copyright to the artwork are not necessarily the same.

Creating or selling an NFT associated with your artwork does not automatically mean that you've sold your copyright. Likewise, buying the physical painting doesn't automatically give someone permission to create an NFT from your artwork.

Those rights matter—and they should be clearly understood before you agree to anything.

The NFT Buyer Scam

One common approach begins with an unsolicited offer.

Someone tells an artist they love their work and would like to purchase several pieces as NFTs—perhaps offering hundreds or thousands of dollars for each.

Then the prospective buyer explains that the artist must first “mint” or list the artwork on a particular NFT marketplace.

Conveniently, the buyer provides the website.

The artist creates an account and is told to pay a fee before the transaction can proceed. It may be called a minting fee, gas fee, activation fee, verification fee, transaction fee, or withdrawal fee.

After the artist pays the first fee, another may appear.

A fraudulent website may even display an impressive account balance suggesting that the buyer's money has been deposited. But when the artist tries to withdraw the money, another fee appears.

This brings us right back to one of the simplest rules in this article:

If someone wants to buy your art, you should not have to keep sending money in order to receive your payment.

A professional-looking website isn't proof that the marketplace is legitimate. Websites can be created to show convincing account dashboards, transaction histories, customer-service messages, and completely fictitious balances.

If you're being directed to an unfamiliar platform, stop and investigate it independently before creating an account, uploading artwork, connecting a cryptocurrency wallet, or sending money.

What If They Don't Offer Money at All?

Artists should recognize another kind of NFT approach.

During a recent Alabama Art Academy workshop, an artist told us that someone had contacted her about using her artwork as NFTs on the video system in his gym. He offered to display her name with the artwork.

He did not offer to pay her.

Whether or not the inquiry itself was fraudulent, it raises an important issue for artists:

Credit is not the same thing as compensation.

If a commercial business wants to reproduce or display your artwork, don't let unfamiliar terminology distract you from the basic business questions.

What exactly do they want to do with your artwork? Where will it be displayed? For how long? Who will see it? Are they asking to reproduce the image? Are they asking for permission to create an NFT? Can that NFT later be transferred or sold? What rights will you retain? And what are they offering you in exchange for those rights?

A promise to put your name beside your artwork may provide exposure, but exposure doesn't automatically compensate an artist for commercial use of their work.

Permission to Display Your Art Isn't Permission to Do Everything With It

This distinction is particularly important.

If you give a business permission to display an image of your artwork on its screens, that doesn't necessarily mean you're also giving permission to create NFTs, sell reproductions, put the image on merchandise, use it in advertising, or provide it to someone else.

Those are different uses.

If you're interested in a proposal, ask the prospective client to explain in writing exactly what rights they want and how they'll use your artwork before you provide high-resolution files or agree to anything.

And if you aren't interested in NFTs, you don't need to become an expert in cryptocurrency just because someone contacted you.

You can simply say:

“Thank you for your interest in my work. I don't authorize NFTs of my artwork. If you're interested in licensing my work for display, I'm happy to discuss the usage and licensing fee.”

Don't Let a Stranger Introduce You to Cryptocurrency Under Pressure

NFTs and blockchain technology are not inherently scams. Artists who deliberately choose to participate in that market can research established platforms, understand the risks and costs, and decide whether it makes sense for their work.

That's very different from being unexpectedly recruited into cryptocurrency by someone who appeared in your inbox.

If you've never sold an NFT, don't own cryptocurrency, don't have a crypto wallet, and weren't planning to enter that market, an unsolicited offer of thousands of dollars is not a good reason to learn everything while a stranger pressures you through the transaction.

Slow down.

Research independently.

And don't send money or high-resolution artwork simply because someone has promised a lucrative sale.

One More Question: Who Benefits?

When you're approached about an NFT—or any unfamiliar use of your artwork—strip away the technical language and ask a very ordinary business question:

What does this person want from me, and what am I receiving in return?

If someone genuinely wants to buy your artwork, there should be a clear way for them to pay you.

If a business wants to use your artwork, there should be a clear discussion about permission and compensation.

And if the proposed “sale” somehow requires you to pay the buyer, pay their preferred website, surrender valuable rights you don't understand, or provide high-resolution artwork without compensation, it's time to stop.

New technology doesn't change an old rule: your artwork has value, and you get to decide how it is used.

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When Someone Else Profits From Your Art

Not every threat to an artist begins with a suspicious email or an unusual payment request.

Sometimes the problem is much more direct:

Someone is already using or selling your artwork without your permission.

A longtime Alabama Art Supply customer experienced this in two very different ways.

In one case, someone she had trusted to help sell prints of her artwork was making sales without her knowledge and keeping the proceeds.

In another, someone apparently took images of her artwork from her website, made prints, framed them, and offered them for sale from a booth at a local mall.

Those examples illustrate an important point:

Your artwork can have commercial value even when the original painting never leaves your possession.

The image itself has value.

Posting Your Artwork Online Doesn't Make It Free to Use

Artists understandably want people to see their work. Websites, social media, online portfolios, newsletters, and digital galleries are important ways to attract collectors and build an audience.

But making an image publicly viewable does not mean you're giving everyone permission to reproduce it.

Someone seeing your painting on your website does not automatically have permission to download the image, make prints, put it on merchandise, use it in advertising, create an NFT from it, or sell reproductions.

Just because an image can be copied easily doesn't mean it is free to copy.

Selling the Original Is Different From Selling the Copyright

This distinction surprises many artists.

If someone purchases your original painting, they generally own that physical object.

That does not automatically mean they have acquired your copyright or the right to reproduce the image.

For example, buying an original painting doesn't necessarily give the buyer permission to:

• Make and sell prints of it
• Put the image on greeting cards or T-shirts
• Use it in advertising
• License it to another company
• Create NFTs from it
• Allow someone else to reproduce it commercially

Copyright and ownership of the physical artwork are separate issues.

If you sell or license reproduction rights, the terms should be clear and preferably in writing.

Permission Should Have Boundaries

Artists also need to be careful when giving someone else permission to reproduce or sell their work.

Suppose you authorize someone to make prints of three paintings and sell them on your behalf.

That agreement should answer some basic questions.

Which images can they reproduce? How many prints may be made? What sizes? Where can they be sold? Who sets the price? How are proceeds divided? How are sales reported? Who owns the digital files? What happens to remaining inventory when the relationship ends?

Those details can feel overly formal when you're working with someone you know and trust.

But a written agreement isn't necessarily an expression of distrust.

It records what both people agreed to.

That protects everyone involved.

Credit Is Not Permission

Another misconception artists encounter is the idea that using an artist's work is acceptable as long as the artist is credited.

Credit is important.

But credit and permission are different things.

Putting an artist's name underneath an image does not automatically give someone the right to reproduce or commercially use that image.

Likewise, an offer of “We'll give you exposure” doesn't necessarily compensate the artist for the work's commercial value.

If a business wants to reproduce or display your artwork, ask what rights it wants and how you will be compensated.

What About Watermarks?

Some artists place watermarks over images posted online or upload smaller, lower-resolution versions of their artwork.

These measures can discourage casual copying and may make unauthorized reproduction more difficult.

But they are not foolproof.

Watermarks can sometimes be cropped or removed, and even lower-resolution images can be copied.

So view a watermark as a deterrent, not a guarantee.

We'll talk more later about practical steps artists can take to protect images online, including watermarks, image resolution, record-keeping, licensing agreements, and monitoring how artwork is used.

Most importantly, remember this:

An artist does not lose the right to control the use of an artwork simply because they shared an image of it online.

Pay Attention When Someone Says, “I Saw Your Work Somewhere…”

Sometimes artists discover unauthorized use almost by accident.

A customer may mention seeing one of your images in a store. Someone may send you a photograph of artwork displayed at an event. You might stumble across your work on another website or marketplace.

Don't automatically dismiss those moments.

Ask where they saw it.

Take screenshots or photographs.

Save links, messages, receipts, advertisements, and anything else that documents what you've found.

Before confronting anyone, collect information about what is being reproduced, where it is being sold, who appears to be selling it, and how long the activity may have been occurring.

If You Find Your Artwork Being Sold Without Permission

First, document what you found before contacting anyone.

Take screenshots or photographs. Save URLs. Record the seller's name, location, prices, dates, and any other useful information. If physical prints or merchandise are involved, document those as well.

Then determine what relationship, if any, exists between you and the seller. Is this someone who once had permission to reproduce the work? A gallery? A printer? A complete stranger?

That distinction may affect what steps you take next.

If the situation involves significant sales, repeated infringement, or a dispute about ownership or licensing rights, it may be wise to consult an attorney familiar with intellectual property or copyright law rather than trying to resolve everything through social media messages.

Your Artwork Is an Asset

Artists are sometimes uncomfortable thinking about their work in business terms.

But if someone else is willing to reproduce your artwork and sell it, they have already recognized something important:

Your artwork has economic value.

You should recognize that value, too.

Protecting your work doesn't mean hiding it from the world.

It means understanding that you get to decide who uses it, how they use it, and under what terms.

Art Theft Can Happen Offline, Too

Unauthorized copying isn’t limited to websites, social media, and online marketplaces. Artists sometimes report seeing work at art fairs, markets, booths, and other physical retail spaces that appears to reproduce another artist’s work without permission.

That can make infringement particularly difficult to discover. The original artist may live hundreds of miles away and have no idea that reproductions of their work are being displayed and sold. Customers may also have no reason to suspect that the person selling the work isn’t its original creator or an authorized seller.

If you recognize another artist’s work being sold somewhere unexpected, consider looking out for your fellow artist. If appropriate, take a photograph, note the vendor and location, and contact the artist privately. Avoid confronting the seller yourself—you may not know whether a legitimate licensing or reproduction agreement exists.

And remember that inspiration and copying are not the same thing. Artists have always learned from one another and been influenced by the art they admire. Sharing a subject, technique, color palette, or artistic influence is very different from reproducing another artist’s actual work and selling it as your own.

A strong arts community doesn’t just celebrate each other’s work. We help protect it, too.

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Social Media Scams, Impersonation and Phishing

Social media has become an essential tool for many artists. It allows us to share new work, announce exhibitions, connect with other artists, and—perhaps most importantly—meet people who may eventually become customers.

Unfortunately, scammers know that artists depend on those accounts, too.

One common tactic is to frighten you into believing that you're about to lose access to your Facebook, Instagram, or other social media account.

You may receive a message claiming that your page has been reported, your advertising account has been suspended, or your artwork violates someone's copyright. The message may warn that your account will be permanently disabled unless you appeal immediately.

Then it gives you a convenient link.

Don't click it.

“Your Page Will Be Deleted”

These messages can look surprisingly convincing. They may use a platform's logo, official-sounding language, case numbers, copyright terminology, or names such as “Support,” “Security,” or “Business Help Center.”

The urgency is intentional.

Artists and small businesses have years of work invested in their social media accounts. The thought of suddenly losing followers, photographs, customer contacts, messages, and access to a business page can create exactly the kind of panic that makes someone click before thinking.

The link may lead to a website designed to resemble the real platform. There, you may be asked to “verify” your identity by entering your email address, password, business information, or a security code.

Instead of appealing a violation, you may actually be handing someone the information they need to take over your account.

Don't Verify a Message Using the Message

This is one of the most useful habits you can develop:

If a message tells you there is a problem with one of your accounts, don't use the link in that message to investigate the problem.

Open the app yourself or type the website address you normally use. Check your account, notifications, support inbox, or account-status area from there.

If the warning is legitimate, you should be able to find information about it through the platform itself.

The same principle applies when a message supposedly comes from a gallery, bank, shipping company, payment processor, or other organization.

Verify independently.

Watch Out for Verification Codes

Sometimes a scammer doesn't need your password.

They need the temporary code that was just sent to your phone or email.

You may receive a message from someone claiming they need you to send them a code to verify your identity, confirm a purchase, vote for them in a contest, recover an account, or complete some other seemingly harmless task.

That code may actually be the security code protecting your account.

Never give someone else a login or authentication code sent to you.

If a legitimate website sends you a security code, enter it only into the official website or app when you initiated the login yourself.

Your Friends Can Be Scammed Through Your Account

Account security isn't only about protecting your photographs and followers.

If someone gains control of an artist's account, they also gain something valuable:

the artist's reputation.

A scammer can impersonate you and contact your friends, customers, students, collectors, or fellow artists. A message asking for money or recommending an investment is considerably more convincing when it appears to come from someone the recipient already knows.

That's one reason a hacked account can become more than an inconvenience. Your identity and the trust you've built with your community can become tools for scamming someone else.

Look-Alike Accounts

Scammers don't necessarily have to hack your account to impersonate you.

Someone can create a new account using your name, profile photograph, biography, and images of your artwork. They may then follow your existing followers or contact people pretending to be you.

If someone tells you they've received an unusual message from “you,” take it seriously.

Search for accounts using your name and images. If you discover an impersonator, document the account and report it through the platform's official reporting process. You may also want to alert your followers so they know which account is actually yours.

Be Careful With Buyer Links, Too

A supposed customer may send you a link and say:

“I paid for the painting. Click here to receive your money.”

Or:

“I need your email address so the payment service can upgrade your account.”

Or:

“The payment is pending. You need to pay a fee before the funds can be released.”

Stop.

Go directly to the payment service you normally use and check your account there. Don't determine whether you've been paid by clicking the buyer's link or relying on a screenshot or email the buyer sent you.

A screenshot showing that someone “sent” $800 is not $800.

Money actually received through your established payment system is.

Slow Down When Someone Tries to Speed You Up

Notice how many scams in this article depend on urgency.

• Your account will be deleted.
• The buyer needs the artwork immediately.
• The check has already been written.
• The NFT sale expires tonight.
• Someone else wants your booth.
• You need to send the refund now.

That pressure isn't accidental.

It is designed to keep you from doing the one thing that defeats many scams: stopping long enough to think.

A legitimate customer, gallery, organization, or technology company should survive five minutes of independent verification. And if someone is trying very hard to prevent you from taking those five minutes, that's information worth paying attention to.

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Protecting Yourself and Your Artwork

You don't have to become an expert in fraud, copyright law, cybersecurity, or cryptocurrency to protect yourself as an artist.

What helps most is having good business practices in place before an unfamiliar opportunity lands in your inbox.

When you already know how you accept payments, handle commissions, license images, and provide digital files, it's much easier to recognize when someone is asking you to do something outside your normal process.

Make Your Rules Before Someone Else Makes Them for You

Decide how you conduct business—and don't abandon those practices simply because a prospective buyer has a different idea.

If you accept commissions, establish your deposit and final-payment requirements. Decide which forms of payment you accept. Have a policy for cancellations and revisions. Determine who is responsible for shipping and how those arrangements are handled.

Then, when someone approaches you, you can say:

“I'd be happy to work with you. Here's how my commission and payment process works.”

A legitimate customer may have questions or request reasonable accommodations. That's normal.

What should concern you is someone who insists that you abandon your normal process and follow an unusual series of financial instructions instead.

Keep Money Transactions Simple

If someone owes you $500, they should pay you $500.

You should not need to receive $1,000 and send $500 somewhere else. You shouldn't need to pay the buyer's shipper, assistant, supplier, agent, or business manager. And you shouldn't have to pay a fee to an unfamiliar website before a customer can supposedly pay you.

Whenever possible, use payment methods you already understand and trust.

And remember: a screenshot of a payment isn't payment. An email saying you've been paid isn't payment.

Verify transactions through your own bank or payment account, not through links supplied by the buyer.

Put Important Agreements in Writing

You don't need a complicated contract for every interaction, but you should document significant agreements involving your artwork.

This is especially important for:

Commissions. Define the artwork, price, deposit, timeline, revisions, cancellation terms, and delivery.

Licensing. Specify exactly how someone may use your image, for how long, where it may appear, and what you'll be paid.

Prints and reproductions. If someone else is producing or selling prints for you, establish which images may be reproduced, quantities, prices, your share of the proceeds, reporting requirements, and what happens to files and inventory when the arrangement ends.

Commercial use. Don't assume you and the other party mean the same thing by “permission.” Spell out what you're authorizing.

A written agreement doesn't mean you distrust the other person.

It means everyone knows what was agreed upon.

Be Thoughtful About the Images You Put Online

Artists need to show their work. Hiding your paintings from the internet isn't a particularly useful marketing strategy.

But you don't necessarily need to make your highest-resolution files publicly available.

Consider uploading web-sized images that look good on a screen but aren't the same files you would use to produce high-quality reproductions.

You may also choose to use a watermark, particularly on images you believe are at greater risk of being copied. A watermark isn't foolproof, and it doesn't create copyright protection where none existed. Think of it as a deterrent, not a force field.

Most importantly, keep your original, high-resolution files somewhere secure.

If someone requests a high-resolution file, ask why they need it and what they're authorized to do with it before sending it.

Keep Records of Your Work

Good records become extremely valuable if you ever need to establish what you created, when you created it, where it has been sold, or who has permission to reproduce it.

Consider keeping records of finished works, including photographs, titles, dimensions, completion dates, sales information, and exhibition history.

Also retain invoices, commission agreements, licensing agreements, print-production records, and correspondence concerning reproduction rights.

For limited-edition prints, keep accurate edition and sales records.

You don't need an elaborate database. A system you actually maintain is more useful than a sophisticated system you abandon after three weeks.

Protect Your Accounts

Your social media, website, email, and payment accounts are part of your art business, even if you don't think of yourself as a business.

Use strong, unique passwords, particularly for your email and financial accounts, and turn on two-factor authentication when it's available.

Never give someone a security or authentication code sent to your phone or email.

And if you receive an alarming message about an account problem, don't click the link in the message.

Open the app yourself or go directly to the website you normally use and check your account there.

Verify People and Opportunities Independently

Before paying an unfamiliar art-fair fee, accepting an unusual commission, working with a new gallery, or entering into a licensing arrangement, spend a little time investigating.

Search for the person or organization independently. Look for a history that makes sense. If someone claims to represent a gallery, business, festival, or venue, contact that organization using information you find yourself, rather than relying exclusively on the contact information supplied in the message.

Ask other artists, too.

Our arts community can be one of our best resources. Someone else may have worked with the gallery, participated in the show, encountered the same buyer—or received the exact same suspicious message.

Occasionally Look for Your Own Art

You don't have to spend your life policing the internet, but it can be worthwhile to periodically search for your name, studio name, and distinctive artwork.

Reverse-image-search tools can sometimes help identify places where an image appears online.

And listen when someone says, “I saw your painting somewhere.”

If you discover something concerning, document it before taking action. Save screenshots, web addresses, photographs, seller information, dates, messages, and other evidence.

Give Yourself Permission to Stop

Perhaps the most useful protective habit costs nothing.

You can stop a transaction.

You can tell someone you'll get back to them tomorrow. You can call your bank. You can research the company. You can ask another artist. You can show the message to someone you trust.

You don't have to understand exactly how a scam works before deciding that something doesn't make sense.

The artist whose $1,300 sale opened this article didn't need to understand how counterfeit checks work. She noticed something strange: she was sent $2,500 and asked to return $1,200.

She stopped and asked.

That's a pretty good security system.

Slow down. Verify independently. Protect your information. And when something doesn't make sense, don't be afraid to ask someone else what they think.

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What If You’re Not Sure?

Sometimes a scam is obvious. Often, it isn't.

A message may sound perfectly reasonable at first. The buyer may know your name, mention a specific piece of artwork, or have a convincing explanation for an unusual request. You may simply have a nagging feeling that something about the transaction doesn't make sense.

Pay attention to that feeling.

You don't have to prove that someone is a scammer before deciding not to proceed. And you don't have to respond immediately.

Stop. Verify. Ask.

Before you send money, ship artwork, provide a high-resolution file, click a link, or share personal information, stop long enough to investigate.

Verify the person or organization independently. If someone says they're associated with a gallery, festival, business, or other organization, find that organization's contact information yourself and ask.

If the concern involves a check or unusual payment, talk to your bank. If it involves a social media account, go directly to the platform rather than following a link in the message.

And sometimes the best thing you can do is simply ask another person.

Ask another artist. Ask someone who runs a gallery. Ask a trusted business owner. Ask someone who has more experience selling work online.

And if you're standing in Alabama Art Supply wondering whether that strange art-related message you received makes sense, ask us. We may not have every answer, but someone in our arts community may have encountered something similar.

That's exactly what happened with the artist whose story began this article.

She didn't have to recognize the term fake-check overpayment scam. She simply knew that someone wanting to pay $2,500 for $1,300 worth of artwork—and asking her to send $1,200 back—didn't feel right.

So she asked.

And she didn't lose $1,200.

You don't have to know exactly how a scam works to know when it's time to stop and ask questions.

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What If It Already Happened?

Maybe you deposited the check.

Maybe you sent the money before realizing something was wrong. Maybe you paid an NFT “minting fee,” clicked a phishing link, gave someone your password, or discovered that another person is selling reproductions of your artwork.

Act as quickly as you can.

The sooner you respond, the better the chance a financial institution, payment provider, online platform, or other organization can help. The Federal Trade Commission recommends contacting the company you used to send the money and asking whether it can stop or reverse the transaction. 

If You Sent Money

Contact your bank, credit-card company, payment app, wire-transfer service, gift-card company, or cryptocurrency platform immediately.

Tell them that the transaction was connected to a scam and ask whether it can be stopped, reversed, or recovered.

Don't assume it's too late to ask. Some types of payments are much harder to recover than others—cryptocurrency transactions, for example, are typically irreversible—but the FTC still recommends contacting the company involved and reporting the fraudulent transaction.

If you deposited a suspicious check and haven't sent any money yet, don't spend or return the funds. Contact your bank and explain the situation.

If You Gave Someone a Password or Account Information

Change the password immediately.

If you've used that same password on other accounts, change those passwords as well. Turn on two-factor authentication where available.

If you've lost access to a social media or email account, use the platform's official account-recovery process. Don't follow recovery links sent by strangers offering to help.

If you've given someone sensitive personal information that could be used for identity theft, the FTC directs consumers to its identity-theft resources for a personalized recovery plan.

Save the Evidence

Before deleting messages or blocking accounts, document what happened.

Save emails, text messages, direct messages, usernames, phone numbers, websites, payment records, receipts, checks, transaction numbers, screenshots, and any other information connected with the incident.

If someone is reproducing or selling your artwork without permission, document that as well. Take screenshots or photographs showing the artwork, seller, price, website or physical location, and date.

You may need that information later when contacting a financial institution, online platform, attorney, law-enforcement agency, or other organization.

Report the Scam

Reporting may not immediately recover your money, but reports help authorities identify patterns and investigate fraud.

In the United States, you can report scams through the FTC's ReportFraud.gov. You can also report internet-related fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Depending on the circumstances, you may also want to contact your state attorney general or local law enforcement. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau currently recommends these avenues for people who believe they've been victims of fraud.

If your artwork is being sold or reproduced without authorization, the appropriate response may be different from a financial scam. Document the use first, then consider contacting the website, marketplace, venue, or platform where the work is being sold. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, you may also want advice from an attorney familiar with copyright or intellectual-property law.

Be Careful of the Second Scam

Unfortunately, being scammed can make you a target again.

Someone may contact you claiming that they can recover your lost money, cryptocurrency, or account—for a fee.

They may describe themselves as investigators, recovery specialists, government representatives, attorneys, or cryptocurrency experts. They may even know surprisingly specific details about the original scam.

Be very cautious.

The FTC warns specifically about refund and recovery scams, in which someone promises to recover money you've already lost but first demands a fee or personal financial information.

Losing money once doesn't mean you should have to pay someone else to get it back.

Don't Let Embarrassment Keep You From Asking for Help

Scammers succeed because they're good at manipulating ordinary human reactions—excitement, trust, fear, urgency, and the hope that an opportunity is real.

If something has already happened, don't spend valuable time worrying about whether you should have known better.

Stop the transaction if you can. Secure your accounts. Save the evidence. Ask for help. Report what happened.

And tell other artists.

Your experience may be exactly what helps the next person recognize the same scam before they send the money.

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If This Happens, Do This

Then underneath, I'd put one final box in larger type:

STOP. VERIFY. ASK.

You don't have to know exactly how a scam works to know when something doesn't make sense.

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Important Websites for Artists to Know

This should be the practical, bookmark-this list. I’d keep it to authoritative government resources rather than giving readers twenty different websites.

• Federal Trade Commission — ReportFraud.gov
  Report scams and fraud and find guidance about what to do after you've been scammed. The FTC also has particularly useful information about fake-check and recovery scams.
  ReportFraud.gov
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
  Report internet-enabled crimes, including phishing, account takeovers, online financial fraud, and other cybercrime. IC3 also publishes scam and cybersecurity alerts.
  FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
• U.S. Copyright Office — Resources for Visual Artists
  This is an especially good link for our audience. It explains copyright specifically for visual and graphic artists, including what copyright protects, an artist's rights, registration, and options when work is used without permission.
  Copyright Information for Visual Artists
• U.S. Copyright Office — Registration Portal
  For artists who want to learn about registering paintings, drawings, photographs, illustrations, and other visual works.
  U.S. Copyright Office Registration Portal

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References & Further Reading

Then I'd add a more formal reference list underneath. It doesn't need to look like an academic bibliography. This is a consumer-facing Studio Notes article, so I'd make the titles clickable:

Federal Trade Commission

• How to Spot, Avoid, and Report Fake Check Scams
• Refund and Recovery Scams

Federal Bureau of Investigation — Internet Crime Complaint Center

• Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
• Account Takeover Fraud: Warning Signs and Protective Steps

U.S. Copyright Office

• What Visual and Graphic Artists Should Know About Copyright
• Visual Arts Registration Information
• What Is Copyright?

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Conclusion

Stay Open to Opportunity

Selling your artwork, accepting commissions, exhibiting your work, and connecting with new collectors should be exciting. The answer to scams and art theft isn't to fear every unfamiliar email or opportunity.

It's simply to become a little harder to fool.

Know how you do business. Protect your artwork and your information. Slow down when something doesn't make sense. And don't be afraid to ask for another opinion.

The artist whose story opened this article did exactly that. She didn't need to know the name of the scam—she just recognized that something felt wrong and asked before acting.

That may be the most important lesson of all:

Keep sharing your art. Keep saying yes to good opportunities. Just give yourself permission to stop, verify, and ask first.

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Alabama Art Supply is your one-stop shop for all things art! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned artist, we have everything you need to bring your creative vision to life. From paints and brushes to canvases, sketchbooks, custom framing, and more—if you’re looking for art supplies, we’ve got you covered. Don’t see what you need? Just reach out to us at 205-322-4741—we’re happy to help you find exactly what you're looking for!

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