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.
My lumbar puncture procedure was a big failure. Which means, not only are my muscles still sore from being repeatedly stabbed with a needle in my back and abdomen, but I wasn’t able to get the test done that I went in for. So now I’m back to doing referrals and tests and procedures, which has me travelling all over the city while we try to pin down a diagnosis. It gets expensive for me, so I am putting out my tin cup to ask for small donations.
My Ko-Fi account is here: http://ko-fi.com/A4027SH One Ko-Fi donation equals one bus trip to see a doctor! If you aren’t able to drop some change in my cup, I would appreciate it if you could reblog this.
Coming up soon, I have another round of tests on my eyes, another MRI on my brain, and an MRI on my thoracic region to see if the tumour on my spine has grown.
my name is naima and i’m an eighteen y/o somali lesbian in desperate need of help. over the past few months i have been under the impression that my family is warming up to the idea of me not being what they want me to be. unfortunately this is not the case and i believe the only way out is to escape as they have now resorted to basically treating me like a prisoner and promising me to a man instead of letting me go to university as they promised. i have no funds of my own and to even think of escaping and surviving the first few weeks i desperately need money. i have to use ko-fi since it’s the most anonymous of ways and my father has found out what i do online before (i had to remake my tumblr). despite everything i do not wish any harm on them. i simply want to part ways. i don’t have a lot of followers but if any of you is willing to help i will forever carry you in my heart.
Hi everyone, I’m remaking this post due to my last one receiving so many notes but I am still struggling and desperately need help to make ends meet. As many of you are aware, I’ve struggled a lot these past few months with my benefit cuts and reassessments.
I’ve almost been made homeless twice this year and when everything seems to be working out, they all fall apart. My benefit is currently under a reassessment and the only good news coming out of all this is that I had a long-awaited appointment on (December 18th) with the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments, for my mental health and for a WCA. Once my reassessment is complete, my benefit will be fully reinstated, but this can take a further 3 – 4 weeks to be processed meaning I won’t receive my benefit until late January (roughly the 25th).
And I know that everyone is struggling with the holidays but, if anyone is able to spare anything to help me get some groceries, even if it’s just £1/$1, please try.
Thank you 🙏❤
($/€ donations please use the PayPal icon on my blog)
December 29th: Please help me get groceries guys if you possibly can. It just started snowing here and it’s freezing in my home, my gas is rapidly running out and I’m getting really desperate now. If anyone is able to help, please try.💖
On New Year’s Eve someone set off a firework that landed on the roof of my grandmother’s house in Corsicana, Texas. The house caught fire at the same time the local fire department was responding to another fire. Because Corsicana is such a small town, emergency services didn’t have enough time to respond to the fire. As a result, the house and everything in it burned down.
My grandmother Wendy and her husband Duane lost everything and need help. She and her husband have no clothes, no place to stay, and no means to make money on their own. They ran a photo business out of their home, but everything they needed for their business burned as well. Wendy is diabetic and Duane has recurring heart issues, and they have a lot of medical costs. Recently, there was also a lapse on their home insurance due to money issues.
They only have the clothes they were wearing and their phones. Their vehicle didn’t burn up but the keys did, so it will be a little bit before they can access the car too.
This fundraiser is to raise money to help Wendy and Duane find more permanent housing. Right now my family is helping them with a place to live by covering the costs of a hotel room, but it’s a temporary fix. Everything, even a dollar, helps. I’ll also soon be posting an address where clothing for Wendy and Duane can be sent.
Additionally, if anyone in or around the town of Corsicana can keep an eye out for Molly, my grandmother’s dog, we would be eternally grateful. Molly is afraid of fireworks and likely ran away before or during the fire, as the fire department said there was no evidence of her being burned. Molly is a blue tick cattle dog mix, around the age of 9 or 10, and she responds to her name. I’ll post a picture as soon as we find one.
Thank you so much in advance for your help and compassion. I will be posting updates as they come.
My last donation post got a lot of notes but not a lot of help so I’m trying again.
I am the sole income of a family of 5. My parents are making the transition to government assistance but the process is slow and full of hurdles. I also take care of my younger siblings both of which have asthma.
I work retail and keeping up with everything is incredibly difficult. At the moment we are out of food and I am out of money for the bus to and from work. My mom and sister require monthly medications and are running low. I just spent my last dollar on pads from dollar tree. I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon and I work 10 hour shifts.
If you can help please do so with my squarecash cash.me/weedlesbian or $weedlesbian or on PayPal paypal.me/weedlesbian or Kaylarf96@gmail.com
Even 20 bucks gets us thru a couple days please we’re desperate
Please just 10 bucks for my sister and I eat today
Things have slowed and I really need help
Venmo: @weedlesbian
If anyone can please please send a few bucks so me n my sister can eat tonight
It’s starting to come down to either eating and getting to work or paying rent. Please help us put so I can pay rent on time. I don’t want my little sister to be homeless 2 times in 2 years.
Once again I’m closing with no way home. With it being holidays we won’t get out till at least 3. Please help if u can throw a couple bucks my way so I don’t have to walk 2 miles at 3 am
Hey im overdrafted 147 because of phone bill please help me out so i dont get a fee
We are a little short on rent if someone can pleasr help us. Our apartments dont let ppl pay late anymore so its inctedible urgent. We need 180.
God please even 5 dollars im so desperate i cant be evicted
i only heard about this 2 months ago. its been 3 years????
Remember this started because Snyder switched Flint from a freshwater mountain lake to the polluted Flint River simply to allow his wife’s company to use the lake for bottling instead. This is a manufactured crisis of corruption and capitalism.
Also remember that the pipes corroded because they refused to pay for the chemical used to make the water less acidic.
Remember that when the first E. coli outbreak from the water popped up, the city hall was given water coolers by the state, free of charge, all while denying that the water could be unsafe to drink.
Remember that, despite having a huge budget surplus and a “rainy day fund,” set aside that could easily cover the cost of relocating the residents by buying their houses/paying their debt, or could cover a large chunk of the cost of replacing the pipes, the state has decided to continue to only put in the minimal amount of effort.
Remember that flint is majority POC, majority impoverished, and is still being faced with crippling water bills from the Detroit water supply company, where they are often charged $50 a month just to use the service, on top of the cost of their water bill.
Remember that there will now be an entire generation of children who will now be damaged by lead poisoning and damage from the multitude of neurotoxins.
Remember that this is what privatized natural resources looks like. Remember that these people are being punished for having the audacity to dare to be poor in an economy that won’t let them be anything but.
At every level, this has not been a mistake.
The State and City are most upset that people know its happening and are resisting nation-wide.
But if we lose focus they lose even the small amount of aid they’ve managed to get.
This is how they do it. It’s a siege on the public empathy. Eventually we become numb to the problem and despair. Or something bigger happens.
I have no money for the next 2 days and I have no food and no $$ to buy supplies to do a final project I have to do for school,
if anyone wants to send some money my way I would be thankful forever
This is actually what you should say to an ICE agent who has come to your house looking for an undocumented immigrant.
Specifically, do not open the door; tell them to slide their warrant under the door. Read it carefully and check to see if it’s a JUDICIAL warrant, which will have specific information like the time and location where they’re allowed to search, and a specific description of who or what they’re allowed to search for. ICE practically *never* have this; they’ll have an ADMINISTRATIVE warrant, which is just their orders from their boss telling them to arrest a particular person. It does not give them the right to enter your house.
ICE *can* enter your house if they have probable cause, such as if they see the person they’re looking for through a window or door (which is why you don’t open the door). Other forms of probable cause include kids telling agents that they were born outside of the US. Agents will trick people into chatting with them, especially kids who serve as translators for their parents, asking things like “What part of Mexico are you from?” Staying silent keeps the onus on them to prove in court later that they had evidence someone isn’t here legally.
It’s important to remember that for now, at least, every person ICE wants to deport has to go before a judge, and ICE has to provide evidence that they know this person is undocumented and that they were arrested without violating the 4th amendment (against unreasonable search and seizure). We know that cops lie and that judges usually side with them, but agents would rather go for a sure bet from a targeted raid than risk wasting their time and energy on arrests that could be thrown out. Knowing your rights and being prepared makes you a more difficult target.
“I do not consent to entry without a warrant.”
(This information comes from notes I took at a workshop on being an immigration ally. Learn more at welcomingamerica.org)
Here are 4 black mothers you can help. Each have babies
and need your help. They also need to feed themselves. As usual, share
if you’re unable to donate.
Dolly has a baby. they’ve been surviving on juice. Help them eat lunch and dinner. Paypal.me/dollyisded
Marne has a formula fed baby. She’s still unemployed after losing her
job because she couldn’t afford child care. Please help her with the
cost of formula. Paypal.me/marnegrover
Janisha and her baby recently left an abusive environment. She’s safe
but unemployed. She could aways use some extra money for expenses. Paypal.me/JanishaBlair
Kiwana needs help so her girls can return to safe and CAPABLE schools. This is important. Read more here.
Beltainefaerie's Flights of Fancy 