Hey there,
Hope all is good. This week I want to chat about how many scams there out there and how to spot a common commission scam, which seem to be very popular at the moment.
So the first thing to consider is their approach. A genuine customer is unlikely to find you once on instagram and DM you immediately for a commission. How long have they been following you? Have they interacted with your posts before? Are they on your mailing list? If they literally just turned up out of nowhere this is red flag number one, as genuine buyers take their time. People impulse buy small, cheap items like a sticker or postcard. It is highly unlikely that they will buy a commission the first time they lay eyes on you, as flattering as it is!
Watch their language. Not always, but often there will be inconsistencies in language and often English isn't their first language. That doesn't mean that all overseas buyers are scammers, obviously, but it is something to watch for and to be aware of. These days there are also AI written posts which may sound very genuine but also will not be able to go 'off script' as naturally as a human will (for now at least!) To spot someone who is reading off a scripted plan or an AI generic post, try asking specific off topic questions like 'Thank you so much for reaching out, where abouts are you based? What is the weather like there today? I would love to know how you heard about my work? What is it you are attracted to within my work? What is your home decor like do you have a specific colour palette to work with?' I find the more questions you ask the more they will get impatient for you to just hand over your bank details...they will want to move on to someone else. A genuine customer will be excited to work with you and happy to answer questions about themselves. Keep them talking and allow them to reveal themselves
They will ask for unusual or different pay methods. So if you usually pay through Paypal, they will ask you to pay via a different app or claim it isn't working. There will be some reason why they can't go through your usual safe payment channels and they will be constantly trying to get you across to somewhere else. Never do this. Better to turn down a payment then get scammed by using an unknown platform.
Flattery. It can be incredibly tempting to fall for someone praising your work, especially when its a quiet time of year and you are keen for sales. Just remember genuine flattery is out there for you and to try and take it with a pinch of salt especially when it is from someone who hasn't been following you previously. If they love your work they will follow you, join your mailing list and interact happily with you.
Hope this was helpful, let me know if you have experienced the same thing!
If you need more advice and help, head over to my Patreon, Hobby to Hustle, here
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