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If you recently bought art from a charismatic art student selling his wares door-to-door, chances are you have been duped into buying a worthless piece that is mass produced in China.
A handsome young man with a French accent recently paid my parents a visit in Western Sydney, claiming to be an Israeli art student from the University of Jerusalem. He was carrying a portfolio which he said contained the work of he and his fellow students. Despite the work being unremarkable, my parents – always eager to support the arts – were willing to part with $120.00 for an oil painting depicting two boats docked against a wooden pier.
“These sell in galleries for $1,500” he said cheerfully. While this shyster was still in my parents’ living room, I was summoned to offer my opinion of the work.
The ‘art student’ presented me with some of the pieces in his portfolio – a tree, some generic abstracts, a scene of the Eiffel Tower. Each of the artworks had an associated back story – the tree was apparently a ‘burning bush’, representing the first time God communicated with Moses. The oil painting of the two boats symbolised the hope of peace between Israel and Palestine. They were just boats. I immediately recalled a story a colleague had shared only weeks earlier, who knew someone who fell for a similar scam. In his case, the ‘art student’ was a French man named Pierre, and the victim only discovered afterwards that the art was mass produced in Chinese sweatshops for $3 apiece.
“I don’t like any of them.” I said, before retreating. I quickly Googled ‘Israeli art scam’ and was presented with plenty of accounts of similar stories. Luckily I was able to tell my mother in time – so she wrote out a cheque instead of paying cash. As soon as this trickster left, she contacted the bank and cancelled the cheque.
These people are conducting fraudulent business – they sell cheap Chinese rip-offs to people who believe they are supporting art students. Anyone is at risk of falling prey to these swindlers, including the elderly and the vulnerable.
It’s time to close the door on these art scams!
Related Links
Israeli art student scam in Melbourne?
Chinese Oil Paintings for Wholesale – the origin of the paintings
They have been scouting the Inner West in the last few weeks. We were visited last week by a lovely Enlgishman claiming to be selling the paintings of his fellow artists for them. He claimed it was a 2 weeks project whereby artists got together to paint pieces for sale. He called at the very inconvenient time of 5pm for us but we were looking for some art to hang on the walls so we took a look and decided on 3 pieces. He charged us $300 + for hte paintings but we didn’t have casj luckily so paid him a cash cheque which after a web search we promptly cancelled and we are yet to hear from the “framer” that was supposed tp call us on Sunday. We like the pieces so will hang them up as planned.
I don’t have anything against these guys per se as people are free to sell their wares door to door if they eish. It is the misrepresentation that I object to. Luckily we didn’t pay them cash and even if we had it wasn’t huge amounts of cash we parted with but I do feel for those who lost money and were taken for fools. It has taught me a lesson and I will be extremely wary of anything sold door to door in the future.
I assume the Inner West of Sydney will be off the radar for a while but be aware, I’m sure they’ll be back.
well craig thats a very good question. when i present the paintings i never say that i made them my self, or that i know who made them as a matter of fact i try to be as honest as possible. but like anything that you want to sell. you need to make it sounds better and more beautifull. especially when trying to sell door to door.
but in the end of the day what is important is that you get a REAL oil painting and not a print like some suspect you can check it by yourself. and it’s something you like and it fit to your house and you paid a good price for it .
so you have nothing to feel bad about because you did made a good deal.
Its only a matter of perspective.
Well craig thats a very good question.
Oil painting is a product that we are trying to sell and like anything for sale you need to market your product and present it in an attractive way.
the paintings are REAL oil paintings and not a print like some suspect you can just check this for yourself.
The bottum line is: you paid a good price for a good product that you loved and looks good in your house, you made a good deal.
and you shouldnt feel bad about it take it in the right perspective.
@ oil painting saleswoman:
The issue isn’t the paintings being sold using lies, or sold for 1000% more than its really worth.
There is one thing you should know about Australians. We are tough and rough, but we are also honest, giving and respect each other as best we can. When we have a person that lies to us about the origin of a sentimental product such as a painting, it really is sad to us and we feel sorry for you. We feel for you poor salespeople because we know that your boss put you up to this and made it seem easy to earn a quick buck. Your boss is riding and counting on the good nature of the people of Australia and the reason why you are getting sales is because we know you guys are doing it for cash, whether it’s a lie or not. We feel sorry for you to tell you the truth and some are angry at you for not being smarter!
Loss of money means nothing to most of us in Australia, we are tough as rocks, but to Israeli’s I guess money is more important than their own dignity and respect to other people. It’s very very disappointing because most of you art salespeople are young, beautiful and intelligent people that could do better rather than defacing yourselves and the people of your country.
If you told the truth on my doorstep and said that these paintings are chinese hand painted works and I’m a tourist or student which is raising money for a trip in Australia, I would definitely buy your artwork. You would find that people would be willing to do the same also.
Therefore it’s not about the product you guys sell, it’s about YOU GUYS! We hate seeing nice young people being used for some stupid money making scheme that your boss set up. I bet inside, it makes you feel terrible, but it doesn’t have to be this way. There are so many good people here in Australia, your lies will get the better of you in the end.
I hope those that are employed by these greedy heartless bosses stand up against them. Australian’s are not “Goyim” because they are caring and giving! Australians are not stupid, dumb or gullible! Most of us would break an arm to just to save you from death.
Hi,
There is a site I found that tracks door to door scamming – see http://www.support.aus-scambaiters.com/forum/index.php
worth checking and help keeping up to date.
Interesting to read this – I just had one of these guys at my door in Edinburgh, Scotland – I guess it’s because the Edinburgh festival is on. I agree, if the guy had been straight about the paintings he was selling rather than spinning a bogus story (that it is part of a project for Glasgow School of Art – as if they would get students to produce and sell these mass market paintings!) then I would be able to take it or leave it as I pleased, but he blatantly lied and that is very annoying. Anyway I was pretty sure was a scam but thought I would google and check – the description matches the top post here, right down to the French sounding accent! I worry for the more vulnerable people he will be targetting (he knocked on my door pretty late in the evening). These guys could easily apply to set up a pitch here in Edinburgh and do some honest selling, some of the paintings were pretty good! There is no need for such dishonesty.
Just had my visit as well. pretty girl, said she was from that art institute in Isreal yada yada. I am a major Isreal sympathiser too, so I had a big conversation with her about the whole mid-east deal, and how the world is notrecognizing the difference between the Isreal objective and the Arab objective (Jewish extinction basically). Weird thing though… she didn’t seem comfortable with her skin type, and kept saying she was darker than all her friends there and was teased etc… it was odd. I didn’t buy anything cause I’m pretty broke right now, but I would have because she was awesome. Then I read these forums etc and felt stupid ;). I also found the prints online at some Chinese website. Very dissapointed with her. Here’s the ting though, and it’s just a possibility here. I’m in the U.S.. I read some big article about there being a link between these door to door Isrealis and terrorist cell locations. That made me laugh at first because no Jews would EVER help them for any reason. I also though it weird that Isreali’s… our huge allies whom we give our soldiers lives for, would be targeting us in mass ( I mean by the droves they are being caught over here) for scamming us after lying to us silly. Doesn’t seem right or make sense to me. BUT… then i thought… what if they ARE connected to the cell locations as the rediculous news article suggested, but because they are actually Islamic arabs?? What better way to get some scam money from your enemy#2 for your own purposes, and when it all falls apart finally, your enemy#1 looks like a bunch of scamming sleeze bags with no integrity. Hmmm… just say’n here… maybe that’s the link. Who knows. My mind is still spinning from the fact she lied like that to me and my son and wife. I really liker her alot too. I may just be reacting. But it does link the wierd articles, and at least it makes some sense rather than none at all.
Sorry about the massive spelling errors…. using my phone.
And yes… lord have mercy… I know I mispelled Israeli 50 thousand times lol ;).
Jase,
Take your ignorant and racist views with you and dont shut the door on the way out, we will barracade it.
good bye.
I am a seller of these paintings too and the story that the people who visit you tell that they make the paintings themselves is just a white lie to make it more romantic for their customers to buy the paintings.
For the money you still get a fairly good piece of art to hang upon your wall. “Scam” is a to big word for it, it is true that there are more than one of the same painting and that you buy a reproduction, but what do you want for 120 dollars, a Van Gogh?
My experience is that if you tell your customers that there are more than one of the same painting they want to buy from you, that they are reproductions, people still buy them because they like them and they fit in their home interior.
I agree with you Peter. I’m in Melbourne and People are selling here too. It’s not specifically “Israeli” it could be any nationality, preferable European. Two things:
1 – It’s a scam and people are trying to get the most out of it before is too late. (and spreading the word is the only way to end this unfair business faster).
2 – I would hate to be fooled like this and every person that I know would hate just the same. So please, FOR THOSE WHO SAYS THERE’S NOTHING WRONG, I have something to sell to you too here’s “I love you guys” – That’s what I want you to see but what I just sold to you guys is this “FUCK YOU!” .I bet you didn’t like this, did you? Let’s wake up people, don’t be careless, THINK about the consequences of your actions.
Hi everyone,
I’m a student at UTS (Sydney) and I’m doing some research on these door-to-door ‘art scams’. If anyone has bought one of these pieces, or knows someone who has, I’d love to have a chat about it.
Also, it would be really great to speak to anyone who sells, or has sold paintings door-to-door in the past.
My email is gmackenziee@gmail.com
Cheers!