The title says it all really. So if nothing else, please share and reblog this post to raise awareness for those that might be caught out – both artists and followers.
For a TL:DR, please look at the bottom of the post
What is happening?
Right now, there is at least one person actively impersonating multiple artists across tumblr in an effort to scam their followers into paying for fake ‘cheap commissions’.
The scammer will clone a tumblr, usually using a slight change to the url/account name to look like the real deal. They will then message people directly through Tumblr with messages along the lines of “Hey, i’m doing cheap commissions right now. DM me to get one”. Naturally, this is ends up just being a way to take their money without giving anything back in return.
Who does this affect?
Everyone. Simple as that. As long as the scammer in question works unopposed, they are free to spread their influence and continue to scam more people. Even if you haven’t been targeted yet, it does not mean you are safe or immune.
Several artists have already fallen victim to this scammer, and I encourage any artists that have to reblog this post with the details of their affected account(s) and the ones the scammer has set up.
How can we stop this?
Tumblr, like many other social media platforms, seems to care very little about ‘minor’ occurences like this one, and despite reaching out directly to them over a week ago through multiple avenues of contact – they have refused to comment on the situation, provide a recommended response for users, or take action on behalf of those already affected.
Despite this, there are still tools at our disposal that we can use to make this scam more difficult, and to increase its visibility to those within Tumblr staff that are required by policy to take action.
Tumblr has the following to say on the topic of impersonation:
Confusion or Impersonation. Don’t do things that would cause confusion between you or your blog and a person or company, like registering a deliberately confusing URL. Don’t impersonate anyone. While you’re free to ridicule, parody, or marvel at the alien beauty of Benedict Cumberbatch, you can’t pretend to actually be Benedict Cumberbatch.
They then provide a link to this online form that you can fill out if you suspect someone’s identity is being confused. Unfortunately, this can only be filled out if you are the victim of impersonation. In other words, only the artists can fill this out legitimately.
So, what about the followers and users of tumblr whom aren’t being impersonated?
Our most valuable tool in this online platform is the platform itself. It enables us to spread our word near-virally across all the many sub-communities on Tumblr with remarkable efficiency for a user-driven system. We can take advantage of that effect to increase awareness of the situation. Even if you – the one reading this right now – aren’t an artist or don’t know an artist, the act of reblogging this post or sharing it directly with friends improves it’s ‘ranking’ in popularity increasing its chances to be seen by more people.
We don’t need everyone on Tumblr to see the post for it to be effective, just like we don’t need the entirety of the human population of the world to be immune to a disease for that disease to be rendered ineffective or eradicated. If enough people are aware, the likelihood of pulling off a successful scam increases dramatically reducing efficiency to a point that it no longer becomes profitable to continue.
Why should I care?
It disheartens me to say this, but of the many artists I contacted directly over the past week to warn about this issue many of them refused to listen or dodged the responsibility with lines like;
“I’m not being impersonated, so it doesn’t affect me”
“I’m just one person. I can’t make an impact”
“I need to take care of my community. Other people can look after theirs”
This is honestly disappointing that so many artists or art-rebloggers care so little as to intentionally wave the responsibility of keeping their followers and fellow artists safe from this, that they cannot spare 10 seconds of their time to share an informative post.
I’m not here to bash artists, but it is time that everyone takes responsibility for their own communities, and of those around them.
Artists: You have a responsibility to ensure that your followers and fans aren’t being abused by someone who may impersonate you. If they succeed, your reputation will be damaged, and your followers will resent you. Your followers are also almost guaranteed to be following other artists meaning your efforts can spread beyond your own circle of influence, so don’t be naive when you think you have little effect.
Followers: You have just as much responsibility to be aware of those that might try to scam you or your fellow followers. Don’t just sit in silence when you see something wrong: Ignoring the issue only makes it more resilient to our efforts to stop it. You are the vocal majority if you just use your voices to be heard!
TL:DR
A scammer is impersonating artists and scamming money from their followers under the guise of ‘cheap commissions’. If we ignore the issue, it will get worse.
Every single person that reads this can afford to spend just 10 seconds to reblog and share this post. Those 10 seconds can save others from being scammed for hundreds of dollars.
Reblog & Share
I think my followers already know my commission style, as in how I market them and how I run my business. But just in case:
I NEVER outright DM someone to get a cheap commission from me.
I NEVER discuss the terms and conditions of the commission through DM, just through email. I only discuss drawing progresses through DM. Initial contract for commissions will ALWAYS be done through email.
I ALWAYS post my signature “Saera’s Commission” or “#Saera’s Comms” post on my blog to signify I’m currently taking commissions. NEVER through DMs.
Lastly, please please please be aware of the URLs, check the authenticity of the post and always think logically.
Be safe guys! 🙂
All of the above my friends.
As a note: I’m currently in the middle of con prep and won’t be taking commissions for a while nor will I ever DM you directly. Be wary of “artists” sending messages directly guys and be safe.
While I do work through the dm system here, I will only ever message you from this account. I will also only take commissions through the shop. If I’m offering “cheap commissions” it will be via a sale code which will be announced publicly on this blog.
shoes on in the house who cares vs shoes off upstairs vs shoes off at the door. tag urself and where you’re from or/and the main culture u follow at home
Pretty sure that generation has been dead for awhile but ok, pretend one thing has something to do with another
The end of Jim Crow laws was in the 1950′s. The first black student to attend a formerly all white school was Ruby Bridges in 1960.
Here she is being walked to school under the protection of Federal Marshals because angry white people were ready to harm or kill her.
Here she is in 2010, eight years ago.
The generation that enforced segregation is not dead, fucko. They were our fuckin grandparents, and it was not that goddamn long ago.
Google is free.
My dad’s high school was integrated his junior year.
My grandmothe’s school integrated when she was in tenth grade. she was terrified because she’d never had to sit next to a black person before…..and wonders today why her grandchildren scold her for using othering language. Seriously. My grandmother is in her sixties. That generation did not die out long ago, they’re still here- and still in congress. vote.
My father was a pre-teen/teenager in Mississippi when desegregation was going on.
Newsflash: when he graduated high school in 1968 there were still high schools that were only desegregated on paper.
me, every single time i get a kudos on ao3: someone liked my writing. one real irl human being read something i wrote and enjoyed it. they thought it was good enough to read to the end and click the button. an actual person. they liked it.
This is why I have a folder in my in-box that saves every single comment and kudo notification I get. It helps on the bad days when I feel like shit and need to be reminded that someone, more then one someone, liked what I did.
Tell yes about that cow that licked someone into being?
OH MAN OH BOY OH MAN
Okay. Auðumla.
Before all things, there were only the planes of endless fire and endless ice. Where these met, the primal ice began to melt, and from the drops of meltwater sprang a child; Ymir, the first being, who was both male and female and who could reproduce asexually. Ymir had many sons and daughters. From the line of Ymir comes the giants.
Also from the melt sprang Auðumla, the great cow, who licked at the ice for nourishment. As she licked at the ice, Ymir suckled from her and grew. As
Auðumla licked at the ice, her licks uncovered Buri, the first of the Aesir.
Buri had a son named Bor. (The name of Buri’s wife has been lost, but we can assume that he either created Bor asexually or married one of Ymir’s daughters. As Buri is the god of creation, either may be true)
Bor married a giantess named Bestla, the daughter of the giant Bolthorn and granddaughter of Ymir.
They had a son in turn, who they named Odin. Odin Borsson, who with his brothers Vili and Ve slew Ymir to create the world. Odin, who would take on a thousand more names in time, including Allfather.
To clarify…
Auðumla licked the blocks of salt ice into the shape of a man, which then lived.
…what, nobody is going to turn that into a I lik the bred poem?
Don’t look at me, I suck at poetry. But… it just seems like the Universe would want it to happen.
Considering the fact that poetry is a highly honorable pursuit and poets are held in high esteem YES SOMEONE DO THE THING THE GODS WISH IT
my name is cow
and long ago
when I cam
from melted sno
i hav a thirst
so in a trice
i mak a man
i lik the ice
A SKALD EMERGES
Oh I’ll do you one better.
In Old Norse:
Ek heiti kýr ok þá er svǫng ek neyti tungu eins ok eldfǫng
What/who do you want to know more about and also I will not shut up on this so be warned.
My name is Cow and when I’m hungry I use my tongue like fire-tongs
The world is new And I am cold My name is Cow
I lick a salt
I’M CRYIGNG IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL
I just want to add, for those who loved this as much as I did, you should also check out Ada Palmer’s brilliantIce and Fire, a song about the creation of the norse worlds, which features Auðumla the Ice Cow (the first thing in existence that wasn’t innately deadly) prominently. And all the names of Odin. I can’t seem to embed the player in a reply, but go. listen.
Beltainefaerie's Flights of Fancy 