social media art scams
Image courtesy of @did77 on Pixabay

“This is a beautiful painting. Is it still available for purchase?”

When we see a message like this from a stranger on social media, our first response is likely a stroke to the ego. Yes! Buy my art! But it’s worth noting that such a request is quite possibly fake, sent either by an individual with ulterior motives or a spambot.

Part of my role as Editor of Realism Today, Fine Art Today, and Plein Air Today, is to review comments that come to our social media pages, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Because the pages I manage represent broad brands that feature many artists, requests like these are no-brainer spam. It’s clear to me, as someone with many moons of professional social media experience behind me, but it might not be obvious to everyone who’s reading this. That’s why I began collecting screenshots to share as a warning to our artist friends. I’m looking out for you.

As you scroll through the art scams (and/or spam) below, you’ll notice that some are almost identical, which is why it’s easy to spot them. If you receive one on your page, the best thing to do is report the comment if possible, then delete it and move on.

For expert advice on how to sell your art, including through social media, check out ArtMarketing.com, which includes the Art Marketing Minute Podcast with Eric Rhoads.

Examples of Social Media Art Scams

social media art scams
Yes, this is the same message – it came to two different accounts. If you receive identical messages to or from different accounts, it can be a red flag that it’s an art scam – or spam at the very least.

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fake NFT art sale offer
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scams that target artists
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fake NFT art sale offer
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scams that target artists
5.fake NFT art sale offer
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scams that target artists
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fake NFT offer
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social media art scams
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social media art scams

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social media art scams
Yes, this is a duplicate message – not that it’s the same first name with a different last name. The fact that it came to us twice, word for word, but with a slightly varied name, is a red flag.

Additional Social Media Spam Examples

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social media art scams
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social media spam messages
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social media art scams
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social media spam messages
This one came to a friend of mine and went into more detail, but this shows you a preview to give you an idea of an example.

Spam Friend Request Examples

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spam friend request
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spam friend request

Browse RealismToday.com for more art business tips and advice, and visit our sister site, ArtMarketing.com.


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4 COMMENTS

  1. Unfortunately, these are EVERYWHERE. I’ve been getting (almost daily) Messenger “warnings” from bogus FB accounts stating that my page is in policy violation, I have posted something that is against rules, or is about to be closed due to an error. That I need to click on the link to fix the issue. DO NOT CLICK any links like this on social media. They are all scams. I forward them to FB or IG and then block the sender. Scammers are getting smarter. We have to be vigilant as to not become caught in their traps.

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