Careful of this scam!
so let me give some background someone had messaged me about painting one of my photos as reference, I agreed for them and they said their "client" would pay me unfortunately I gave my email and phone number and first name I know I know stupid of me but I genuinely thought the person was being nice
then the "client" texted me asking if I can put the online check in with my bank or take photos of a check and they wanted me to send a screen shot of what it looked like because they wanted to send a check to me! I blocked them because I finally came to terms with the fact that I was being scammed! I looked up scams on lemon8 too and saw other people have similar questions from other scammers so pleas be careful out there! (unfortunately, I don't have screenshots) please be careful! #scamlemon8 #scam thankfully I wasn't hacked!
Scams like these are becoming increasingly common, especially in creative communities. Many individuals are duped into sharing personal information or even providing work without any legitimate payment. It's crucial to understand how these scams typically operate. Often, scammers present themselves as clients looking for creative services, requesting freelance work with promises of payment. They might ask for bank details or photos of checks to seem credible. Always verify the identity of potential clients and never share sensitive information without proper validation. Research shows that social platforms like Lemon8 have become breeding grounds for such scams, with numerous users sharing their experiences. Protective measures include setting privacy restrictions on your profiles, being skeptical of unsolicited messages, and reporting suspicious activities immediately. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Familiarize yourself with the various types of scams; knowledge is your best defense. Joining forums where users share their experiences can also be beneficial in recognizing and preventing future scams.
