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Order from Spain.

S

Syd Sellers

Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
138
Likes
8
Location
Rocky Mountain House, AB
Has anyone else received this type of e-Mail.
This seems a bit strange to me. What do you think??


From: jamie granger <jamiegranger11@gmail.com>
Subject: order
Date: 4 April, 2013 5:42:57 PM MDT
To: sydsellers@gmail.com

I am impressed when I read your profile on your website, with the amazing current pieces you have in your gallery. I guarantee to be a great customer only if your art products market are affordable within my price range and reach my maximum standards of interest.*

I will be more pleased if you could email me your on-line portfolio or inventory where I can re-view your new works. I can make 20 to 25 percent upfront payment only for commission order with my Master Card as a method of payment.

Concerning the shipment,my shipping company will be coming to pickup the items because i already have some merchandise with them in which they will be shipping together to me here in Spain and you don't need to be worried about the shipment or handling fee.

I will be more than happy if you can get back to me as soon as possible.

Regards
jarmie Granger
Sincerely
C VALDEPERAL, 10
City:La Virgen Del Camino - Leon
zipcode:24198
Spain.

Let me know what you feel
Thanks
 
I have had similar requests over the past few years, although not from Spain.

Bright, flashing "SCAM ALERT" signals should be screaming through your brain.

A response of any kind will indicate to them that they have reached an active e-mail address (likely bringing more spam/scams) and that there is a live body at the other end that reads the crap they send out.

Hit "Control-D", "Control-K", "Delete", "Trashcan", or whatever software command is required to get this out of your inbox as quickly as possible.

Rob
 
If you had to ask, then maybe your scam alarm needs to be recalibrated. If you had no doubts and just wanted to show the latest twist on helping out a poor Nigerian prince, thanks but just reading about it set off so any alarm bells here that it may take a couple days to quiet all of them. 😀

I suppose that there has to be a few people that actually fall for stuff like that or else nobody would be concocting those scams. I suppose that their target audience would be people who are both greedy and gullible.

In my case, the first sentence would be enough to tell me that something is rotten in Denmark (or Spain in this instance):
I am impressed when I read your profile on your website, with the amazing current pieces you have in your gallery.
​
Flattery is one thing -- outright flagrant BS is another. I have enough trouble just giving my turnings away, much less having an international market.
 
I have enough trouble just giving my turnings away, much less having an international market.
Click to expand...

Balance is key here. Yes, of course this is a scam. However, there ARE markets out there for our work. You want to find them? LOOK. Get out there and research, interview galleries, etc. Campaign for yourself. You will not get far by waiting for someone to find you or notice your work. It takes effort, and sometimes it's just "pounding the pavement". Word of mouth is a powerful tool, but how does one turn the corner on getting that started? Sometimes it is just getting a few of your pieces out there, whether given away or otherwise. A lot of it is luck. Also social connections ("politics").

Don't have the time for this? Then you are limiting your chances. Not a problem at all if you are turning for other reasons than selling or recognition. There are other satisfactions than making it a business or making a name for yourself.

Bill is right. I'm just saying that we should believe in ourselves and go from there. See what happens from that stance and then adjust as needed.

Sometimes, though, you are "never a prophet in your own land". This ain't that.
 
In my case, I am doing what I want to do and selling stuff is not on my radar. I know all about selling from many woodturners in my club who do sell through various venues from craft shows to art galleries. I make things for friends and family and donate turnings to Empty Bowls and other charitable causes.
 
Syd Sellers said:
Has anyone else received this type of e-Mail.
This seems a bit strange to me. What do you think??


From: jamie granger <jamiegranger11@gmail.com>
Subject: order
Date: 4 April, 2013 5:42:57 PM MDT
To: sydsellers@gmail.com

I am impressed when I read your profile on your website, with the amazing current pieces you have in your gallery. I guarantee to be a great customer only if your art products market are affordable within my price range and reach my maximum standards of interest.*

I will be more pleased if you could email me your on-line portfolio or inventory where I can re-view your new works. I can make 20 to 25 percent upfront payment only for commission order with my Master Card as a method of payment.

Concerning the shipment,my shipping company will be coming to pickup the items because i already have some merchandise with them in which they will be shipping together to me here in Spain and you don't need to be worried about the shipment or handling fee.

I will be more than happy if you can get back to me as soon as possible.

Regards
jarmie Granger
Sincerely
C VALDEPERAL, 10
City:La Virgen Del Camino - Leon
zipcode:24198
Spain.

Let me know what you feel
Thanks
Click to expand...

Sounds fishy to me, too.......

I'm having a hard time understanding what the scam is all about, though. Doesn't sound like Syd will have any money of his own involved in the deal......so, the purpose is to (?) steal Syd's artwork and pay 25% through a credit card? Sounds like this person might own a commercial art gallery, or something like that.

ooc
 
Forget it. I know of a fellow who refuses to do business with Europe as they either take months to pay or don't pay at all. I vote for the scam idea.
 
I have a friend that sells a lot of her production to Europe (Ruff's, like the ones people wear).

Amazing how many blame her for their postal and customs issues
 
odie said:
Sounds fishy to me, too.......

I'm having a hard time understanding what the scam is all about, though. Doesn't sound like Syd will have any money of his own involved in the deal......so, the purpose is to (?) steal Syd's artwork and pay 25% through a credit card? Sounds like this person might own a commercial art gallery, or something like that.

ooc
Click to expand...

Losing his work is the same thing as losing money.
 
Bill Boehme said:
Losing his work is the same thing as losing money.
Click to expand...

True........It certainly is a loss in value to Syd.

If it is a scam, it looks like the object is to get saleable items at a very cheap price (probably less than Syd has invested in the materials alone), and then supply a retail outlet with quality items at cheap prices that would turn over for quick profit.....leaving Syd out of the equation.

What raises another question is the wholesale purchaser has his own shipper that will pick up from Syd. (What? 😕) Is it possible that the end destination isn't in Spain at all?.......maybe it's right here, but the credit card user is in a foreign country? Since some money will exchange to the artist, it's likely this "hook" is what makes some people bite on the bait.....🙄 Normally, consignment sales don't involve up-front money......that didn't make much sense to me either, and is likely that way on purpose. Designed to be part of the "bait" to make the artist feel like the offer is on the level.

Very skeptical.......too many things that don't seem right.

ooc
 
Last edited:
Other questions arise such as why 25% and not the full agreed wholesale price. Or, ... will the shipper be off with the "booty" and the supposed down payment never materializes -- that is the scenario I believe. I also agree with your theory that the turnings are not going to Spain and that was inserted as a red herring to mislead any attempt to track down the scammers.

The interesting thing is that some actual work is required of the scammer to sell the loot.
 
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