09.07.2024 - The NCSC has recently received several reports of attempted scams targeting artists and art organisations. One of the scams involves purported donations from a charitable foundation, while the other involves a fake overseas purchase.
Windfall for Ticino artists
In the last few days, several artists and art organisations in Ticino have received emails from a charitable foundation in France. However, the foundation apparently does not exist and the emails are fraudulent. The scammers have registered internet domains and run a website specifically to deceive their victims. The email was in both French and Italian and did not look suspicious.
The message congratulated the recipients, who were each promised a very generous donation of between EUR 60,000 and 150,000. The transaction would be handled by a notary in Paris, whose address was listed in the email with the instructions to contact him directly. A domain had also been registered for the notary's office, exclusively for this purpose. Interestingly, the notary's domain was registered just a few days after the alleged foundation's domain, in May of this year.
The email also contained phone numbers for both the foundation and the notary. One person who had been targeted by this scam told the NCSC that they had called both numbers and were sure that the same person had answered both times.
It is likely that this scam is being run by a small group of criminals who have done a lot of groundwork and who choose their targets carefully.
It is most likey an advance-fee scam: the notary informs the potential victim that there are taxes or fees that must be paid in advance. The promised donation does not exist, of course.
Paintings sold overseas
In another case, a well-known American sculptor approached a Swiss artist and expressed an interest in his work. The sculptor said he would like to buy four of the Swiss artist's paintings for CHF 21,000. The paintings were going to be a wedding present for his wife, so they would need to be shipped to the US as soon as possible. The first step would be to take high-resolution photos and videos of the paintings, measure them for transport and prepare the invoice. The scammer and his victim had a Skype call to clarify the next steps and to build trust – but without the camera on as it was supposedly broken. After a brief conversation, the American sent the Swiss artist the contact details of an employee at a transport company. The artist emailed and called the employee to clarify the transport arrangements, and was told he would have to pay the transport costs of just under CHF 5,000 in advance. The American buyer promised that he would reimburse the seller when he paid for the paintings. He then repeatedly stressed how important it was that the paintings arrive in time for the wedding.
After the artist refused to advance the transport costs, the scammer sent him a PDF from Bank of America confirming the money transfer. The PDF was obviously fake. The contact details of the transport company employee were also fake: he is one of the scammers and does not work in the transport industry at all.
The Swiss artist recognised that this was a scam and cut off contact. The scammers then made several unsuccessful attempts to intimidate him.
With this type of scam, the fraudsters can work their way from one artist to the next, using what they have learned from each scam to defraud the next victim.
In another case, a well-known American sculptor approached a Swiss artist and expressed an interest in his work. The sculptor said he would like to buy four of the Swiss artist's paintings for CHF 21,000. The paintings were going to be a wedding present for his wife, so they would need to be shipped to the US as soon as possible. The first step would be to take high-resolution photos and videos of the paintings, measure them for transport and prepare the invoice. The scammer and his victim had a Skype call to clarify the next steps and to build trust – but without the camera on as it was supposedly broken. After a brief conversation, the American sent the Swiss artist the contact details of an employee at a transport company. The artist emailed and called the employee to clarify the transport arrangements, and was told he would have to pay the transport costs of just under CHF 5,000 in advance. The American buyer promised that he would reimburse the seller when he paid for the paintings. He then repeatedly stressed how important it was that the paintings arrive in time for the wedding.
After the artist refused to advance the transport costs, the scammer sent him a PDF from Bank of America confirming the money transfer. The PDF was obviously fake. The contact details of the transport company employee were also fake: he is one of the scammers and does not work in the transport industry at all.
The Swiss artist recognised that this was a scam and cut off contact. The scammers then made several unsuccessful attempts to intimidate him.
With this type of scam, the fraudsters can work their way from one artist to the next, using what they have learned from each scam to defraud the next victim.
Recommendations
- Always ask yourself if a claim or offer sounds plausible;
- Do not pay any fees, taxes or transport costs in advance when you sell something;
- Break off contact if you realise that you are dealing with scammers;
- If you have suffered a financial loss, contact the cantonal police and file a complaint;
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Last modification 09.07.2024
