Warning: Do not do work for grifsnuff on Furaffinity

[dannyazazel.livejournal.com]

I hope this is okay to post here. I know there is a different community for art/name/character thieves, but this person is commissioning artists while they are pretending to be someone else.

Who: grifsnuff

Where: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/grifsnuff/

When: March 7th, 2015

Proof:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dq5fd5i3kzj1rnw/ThiefNote.png?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jw76kcvvntzossb/griffsnuffnote.png?dl=0



Explain:
I got a note from grifsnuff, asking for four reference sheets. At first I was pretty excited but then I checked their profile to find it (at the time) completely empty. Nothing on their description, no submissions, no favorites, and no watches. I was pretty suspicious but gave them the benefit of the doubt and noted them back asking what they would like. After that I ran a Google search on their name to see what else I could find, and that's when I saw griffsnuff's deviantart gallery. I was pretty sure then that I had run into someone pretending to be them but I waited.

Then I received this note. In the note it links to these four submissions below for the reference sheets they wanted.
http://griffsnuff.deviantart.com/art/The-glow-505502294
http://griffsnuff.deviantart.com/art/Abysselin-505535935
http://griffsnuff.deviantart.com/art/Dat-sand-497165502
http://griffsnuff.deviantart.com/art/Panikk-467284371
However they were all the download versions of the links so that I could not view the actual artist.

So I sent a note to griffsnuff alerting them on this thief and asking if that was them. They confirmed in this note that it is not them and to report it.

I have since reported this person, asking them to be banned. However I know how long it can take to get through trouble tickets and so I wanted to warn people now. I know most people are generally pretty good at looking this sort of thing up, but I know they are adding more to their profile (as of posting this, they have some info up on their profile) to make it look legit. So this is a warning to NOT do business with this person.

Comments

[traceymordeaux.livejournal.com]

If you've put in a ticket it should actually be resolved pretty quickly I think, with the new staff trouble tickets have been very good lately.

[purpule.livejournal.com]

why... I mean, assuming that they know commissions involve money exchanging hands, why on earth would you pay someone else to draw characters that aren't your own/aren't for a present for someone, I've never understood it

[thaily.livejournal.com]

They probably think it makes the characters theirs, I've had people take my stuff and complain "But I cleaned up the linework!" and think that made it okay for them to use my art. It's just a lack of common sense and logic in this type of person.

[runspotter.livejournal.com]

Who in their right mind....? o - o People just confuse me.

[dannyazazel.livejournal.com]

I have a feeling they thought me (and other people) would be foolish enough to just go through with it. I think enough people called them out though because they seem to be back pedaling.

But in general, yeah I don't get it either. I've had plenty of characters I've loved but I know taking them and commissioning art of them wouldn't make them mine.

[matsiwolf.livejournal.com]

It would likely work out better if the owner reported them instead of you, but meh.

[dannyazazel.livejournal.com]

While I agree, they asked me to so I just honored that. I assume they have some reason for not wanting to get involved with Furaffinity.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Just block and report. I'm unsure why this A_B was submitted for a troll account that'll get banned anyways. GriffSnuff is rather popular on DA so they're not going to get far.

[purpule.livejournal.com]

That's assuming all artists know who griffsnuff is - they're not going to get far, you're right, but the OP was almost caught out in drawing something for them; so I think it's a valid beware for anyone who might be questioned for a commission by this person. I actually don't think this is a troll account, but rather someone who's trying to do some sort of fraud, but I'm not sure why they would pay for work of other people's characters

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Holy replies.

My point in the popularity comment was that this artist has A LOT of followers on there so if someone was to commission art of their character, as presented here, they wouldn't get far. If the accounts don't add up that should have been a red flag right there.

I'm seconding your comment in that I don't understand why someone would attempt to purchase art of a character they don't own. In some strange way to a strange person it /could/ be flattering but all in all it's weird. Why not spend the money on a character you actually made/own yourself?

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

...and not everyone lives on dA.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

Before this post I had no idea who Grifsnuff was and I've been on DA for 12 years. Posts on A_B are moderated, so if the post is here the mods have decided it belongs here.

[tyrano-tiggs.livejournal.com]

Same :/

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

Seconding this, I had no idea who Griffsnuff was until this post.

Not to mention that I have done commissions with people who have blank profiles and they have all gone without a hitch. And even if I, or someone else takes payment up front, it doesn't spare anyone from a potential chargeback, so it's really good to know that this account is fraudulent.

[sleetfury.livejournal.com]

I have no idea who griffsnuff is and I've been on dA for seven years. I actually like ABs like this because I've been caught out by people stealing characters for commissions before.

mod comment

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

Posts are moderated, so keep in mind that we ask that folks not debate if something is worthy of a beware or not. If it wasn't, then it wouldn't have come through the queue.

[dannyazazel.livejournal.com]

At the time of posting, they were trying to make their page appear more legit and I know not everyone has a deviantart. I didn't want people to end up in a mess where they did the commissions for this person and then had people getting angry at them.

[alriandi (from livejournal.com)]

I do have a dA, and I do watch Griffsnuff on dA, but since I can't keep an eye on all the people I watch, something like this is such a good thing to know. Its more the matter of "making sure everyone understands" as people can and will steal identities for gains, even though sometimes it can be unintentional.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

Gross :C

[calicofeathers.livejournal.com]

Ugh, someone did the exact same thing on Weasyl, only they uploaded a bunch of Griff's stuff and were trying to sell adoptables. Blegh, gross.

[zzyzx.livejournal.com]

While it's generally frowned upon in the furry community, I just want to mention that for the most part, characters cannot be trademarked nor copywritten, so there technically isn't anything illegal about drawing a character without permission. Morally is a completely different story, however.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

That is not the main issue here. The main issue is the impersonation of another person. If the deal should go sour, then the real Grifsnuff will receive the heat.