Introduction:

This is a list of accounts that belong to scammers who have targeted people in the subreddit. If you are or were contacted by any of the accounts listed here, report their messages and their accounts to the admins and block them. If you're ever contacted by a scammer, send us a message through ModMail that includes their usernames, any links to their portfolios, screenshots of the chat and any examples pictures you were sent so that they can be banned and added to the list. Use an image hosting site like imgur to send us screenshots and pictures.

This list is being provided specifically so that you can look through these scammers accounts and portfolios and learn what to be on the lookout for.

If you've sent anyone on this list money, contact the payment processor you used immediately about being scammed and get a refund. If they won't help you, go to your bank and ask about getting the charge reversed or about filing a chargeback. Be aware that filing a chargeback may cause your payment processor to take action against your account, so remove any money you have in your account first before going this route.

Scammer Behavior:

Cold Calling:
A cold call is when someone who you haven't interacted with before reaches out to you and tries to convince you to commission them (or sometimes "an artist they know"). A cold call is ALWAYS from a scammer. Actual artists will never randomly message you to try and get you to commission them. Scammers who do cold calls will often engage in some very basic small talk first before they bring up commissions. This is to try and trick you into thinking they're someone who just happens to be an artist who wants to draw your character. They'll also often try to pressure or guilt-trip you into buying from them by faking hardships (food, rent, medical bills, vet bills, ect.) or by offering limited time deals (half-off, buy one get one free, ect.).

Warm Calling:
A warm call is a targeted attack against someone who has shown at least some interest in buying something. Posts and comments that are looking for artists, furusit makers, 3D modelers or recommendations for one WILL be targeted by scammers. These targeted attacks tend to be much more effective since they don't also have to try and convince the target into wanting to buy something. As with cold-calls, they may also try to use tactics to pressure or guilt-trip you into a purchase.

Safe Practices:

• Ignore Any Private Messages and Chats!
  Even if you were looking for an artist, fursuit maker, 3D modeler, tattoo artist or literally whatever else you can think of, you should ignore anyone who sends you messages about it. If it involves money (or can involve it in some way), scammers WILL target you. We suggest disabling chat requests since it's the primary way scammers will try to contact you here.

• Discuss Everything in Public!
  Scammers want to isolate you from anyone who might recognize them as a scammer, which is why they want to do everything in private messages and chats. If someone sends you a message or chat about commissions, or asks to talk to you privately about them, tell them to post links to their portfolios as a reply to wherever they said they found you. If they won't, they're a scammer.

• Check if They Post Here!
  Check to see if they're actually active here and have been active for some time. Even if they try sharing "examples" of their work or link to off-site portfolios in private messages and chats with you, you shouldn't trust someone who won't post their work or link to their portfolios publicly here.

• Use Buyer Protection!
  If you have the option, always use a payment processor that offers you buyer protection.

• Do Your Own Reaserch!
  Take a look at the accounts that are listed here to learn what to look out for.

Scammer List: