Hey friends, especially those who take art commissions — I want to share something that recently happened to me so others can avoid it.

I was contacted via Tumblr by someone requesting a portrait commission. They were polite at first and provided a photo reference. After I created the artwork and sent a preview, they claimed to have sent payment via PayPal.

Here’s where the red flags started:

I never actually received any payment in my PayPal account.

They sent fake PayPal emails that looked legit but were full of grammar errors and strange refund instructions.

Then they asked me to send them money, claiming it was to “unlock” my payment.

Luckily, I didn’t send anything — and I’ve since reported and blocked them. But I want to warn others in the art and creator community:

🛑 Always check your actual PayPal account — not just your email

🛑 Never send money back to a buyer who “overpays” or says you need to unlock funds

🛑 Trust your gut — if something feels off, it probably is

Please be careful. Scammers like this target kind people. And if you ever want help spotting a fake, feel free to message me privately.

Stay safe and keep creating 🖤