A few days ago I received an internet enquiry from a potential purchaser in the USA, about one of my pictures. He had encountered my art on my web-site. This was all very gratifying, and we began to correspond about a possible deal. He accepted my suggestion of a suitable piece, and the price I requested, and he began to put in place the arrangements for its transfer to his home. Not surprisingly, I was delighted.
Before long, however, I began to notice similarities in the script with an experience I had had several years ago, when I had realised in time that a similar approach was actually a scam. On that occasion I simply pulled the plug. As I had no direct evidence that the new enquirer was not actually genuine, I have set in motion a couple of lines of enquiry in order to reassure myself, before committing myself to the transaction. At the moment I am awaiting responses, and beginning to fear that the silence that has greeted my requests might indicate that my fears have been justified.
It is too early at the moment to reach a definite conclusion about the situation, and I live in hope. I have written tonight to the potential purchaser to explain the delay, and requested his patience. It will be interesting to see what happens.
I am not the only artist who has been on the receiving end of attempts at fraud. It does seem, however, that there could well be in circulation a belief that we artists are all day-dreamers with our heads in the clouds, and without a sound appreciation of the risks of the real world, and hence easy prey for one kind of scam or another. It is not easy to judge where is the line between paranoia and sensible caution, and I hope that I have kept to the right side of that line. At the risk of embarrassing my potential client, however, I do hope that in the next few days my picture will be setting out on its journey to a new home …. with the proceeds from its sale comfortably in my bank-account.