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I was recently DM'd on TikTok by an artist requesting to use my profile picture for mural art as they were creating art based on human expressions. I didn't mind as my profile is public so anyone can see that picture.

They offered to pay me a cut of the money they would make based off this artwork and that I should expect to be paid in the next week or so. The form of payment they chose was a check that would be sent to my email.

They asked for my first and last name and the bank that I bank with. I felt suspicious and gave my name, but refused to give my banks name and suggested we use an alternative form of payment, like PayPal. They said that it wouldn’t work for them and that I have to give my bank's name.

They then told me a whole story about that they know what it’s like to be scammed and that they don't intend on doing that to me. My main suspicion lies in the fact that they have three followers on TikTok, no Instagram or rather any platform that shows this mural art that they do and asked for my phone number to share their work since I wanted to see it.

They also haven't asked for my email, yet are demanding I send my bank's name for this check. Maybe I’m not educated in checks and am just being stubborn not to share my bank's name?

Along with the fact that when I suggested that they finish the mural art and then we'll talk payment, they said they need it now. Is there reason to be suspicious or am I just being paranoid?

Peter Mortensen
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Jordan Nivara Drotskie Jurrast
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4 Answers4

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Is there reason to be suspicious or am i just being paranoid?

Yes, there is. It is a scam. When someone forces you into a specific method of payment that makes no sense to you, has no proof of their claims, demands information they clearly don't need, and refuses to provide information you do need - they're trying to manipulate you. They say "it looks like a scam" because yes, it does, because it is. They say "but we're not going to scam you", and you believe that why?

Also, generally it's bad business for you to first do the work and then discuss payment.

littleadv
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If a legitimate person (like your grandmother) was to send you a physical check for your birthday, they don't have to know the name of your bank.

One risk with a check being emailed to you, is that you can't prevent them from generating a an image and sending it to other people. You aren't holding a physical check. With your grandmothers check, it looks legitimate because it has her name, address, bank information and signature.

Another risk in your situation is that the person you are dealing with is asking for your bank information. They don't need this information. You can use any bank you have an account with. You can take it to a check cashing business. You might even be able to find a person that would take a 3rd party check. Of course those things would be easier with a physical check.

The other things about social media and their story are red flags, that should make your even more concerned about the situation.

Sophie Swett
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mhoran_psprep
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My first post here and I have no financial qualifications besides working along money for many decades, but I'm pretty sure everyone would agree if it smells like a scam it probably is. Human nature, unfortunately. Never take the risk.

Absinthe
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I was recently dm'd on tiktok by an artist requesting to use my profile picture for mural art as they were creating art based on human expressions.

That's a variation on a common scam. There are approximately zero legitimate artists out there who will DM people on TikTok of all things to "use" their profile pictures.

The artists who legit want to do such work will just pay for a bunch of stock pictures. It'll be cheaper and way less hassle that way, and also just about the only way to minimize legal exposure to liability.

There are basically two possibilities in your case:

  1. You have a bona-fide artist who is clueless about how work in their profession is done and is wasting everyone's time, including yours. No need to engage with them in any way, it's silly all around.

  2. You have a scammer.

It doesn't matter whether the artist is a bona fide bumbling beginner or a scammer, just click block and move on. Life is too short to deal with it in either case.

They offered to pay me a cut of the money they would make based off this artwork

Any artist working that way would go broke. It's only ethical not to facilitate them going broke, right? Block, move on, nothing more to it, don't waste your time on it.

If you need to, talk to an actual artist that makes murals for money. They'd get a good chuckle out of the silliness of that "artist". They'd never get anything done if they had to message people to use their likenesses in generic art (as opposed to art dedicated to a particular person).

[In a comment to your question:] As a trained and credentialed artist, this is the most laughable scenario I have heard in a long time. – Yorik yesterday

Case in point.

Kuba hasn't forgotten Monica
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