Many times I’ve received enquiries through Artstation which are obviously fake.
The ones that puzzle me are always some RandomUnremarkableName + Number saying they’re thrilled about my work and want to purchase it. No links, no job offers, no nothing.
Real people always give context as to which piece they want and why or something. I just ignore these weird generic fishy ones and move on.
So what’s the deal with this? Are they just hoping to get my email address so they can sell it as part of a spam mailing list? Or is there something else?
Here, let me pay you $700 for this item that’s worth $500 and you can just send me the extra $200 difference. I have to do it this way because it’s your father’s, brother’s, nephew’s, cousin’s, former roommate’s will and I’m just signing the whole check off to you.
Meanwhile the original check is fake and now you’ve lost the original item AND $200 and the bank is investigating you, and not them.
can you legally accept the check and tell the scammer you are gonna wait until the check fully clears?
Yes, but since you deposited a fake check, they’ll freeze all your bank accounts while they audit and investigate you and everything you do.
It’s very unpleasant.