How do I spot a scam when someone contacts me about buying my art?

Key red flags: (1) They try to move the transaction off your website to PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or checks—always direct buyers to your secure website checkout. (2) They ask if your art is ‘available’ when it’s clearly listed for sale online. (3) They offer to buy for a special occasion with an emotional story (e.g., ‘my wife has cancer’). (4) They mention NFTs, cryptocurrency, Ethereum, or digital downloads. (5) They ask for your personal PayPal or want you to create a business account outside your site. Legitimate buyers purchase directly through your website. If in doubt, check community scam report threads where other artists share similar attempts.

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Asked by an artist worried about online fraud · Answered by Art Storefronts team member (Indra) · art-marketing-101 · 2026-07-20