Artists Beware: Lingling-Arts of DA

[eggyolkqueen.livejournal.com]

WHO: Lingling-arts

WHERE: Lingling-Arts

WHAT: A digital YCH for two characters for 500 points (roughly the equivalent of $5.00)

WHEN: The YCH was submitted on February 1st 2016, and I contacted her the same day. Our last interaction was on May 23rd, 2016.

PROOF: http://imgur.com/a/WaVBa
Some links are provided within explanation.

EXPLAIN: On February 1st, I saw a really cute Valentines Day YCH was posted. Since I had points to spare, and it was within my limited price range, I scooped it up. I transferred 500 points to her.

The first was completed on February 5th, and the next was submitted the next day. It was kind of strange, since it appeared she had skipped over me (I was the first) and went onto the next people. I didn't think much about it. She submitted the next, and so far last one, on February 12th.

http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/TakeALook-MyGF-gl0wstars-588957466
http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/TakeALook-MyBF-ClockworkWillow-589170834
http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/TakeALook-MyBF-Thoughtful-Stargazer-590435859

The day before Valentines Day came, and she posted a journal. It was about her entering an artistic slump, so there wasn't going to be much art coming. I was a bit disappointed due to not getting it in time, but I didn't fret. It was going to be a cute pic any of my favorite anthros. About two weeks pass, and she posts another journal on February 27th. She claims she has no inspiration, she's leaving, that she knew taking on 5 slots for her YCH was a bad idea, and she'll repay the remaining people.

http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/journal/No-Inspiration-Leaving-again-593432926

Alright, stuff happens. I'm very sad that I wouldn't be getting the pic I really wanted, but at least I'll get my points back. March comes along, and I'm getting kind of impatient. I ask her if I'll be getting them back soon, and she says she doesn't have any at the moment.

March 8th, March 14th, and March 17th she steadily posts art again.
http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/PrincessDay-WIP2-595419685
http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/WALK-596722555
http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/Family-Matters-597132702

On March 18th, she posts another YCH.
http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/YCH-5-597466305

She completes the slot on that and does two more pieces on the 20th and May 20th. On the last piece, she mentions her inspiration came back for a moment, but left her as soon as she completed it.
http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/YCH-5-PrincelyPixels-597613247
http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/Theres-A-First-For-Everything-597869166
http://lingling-arts.deviantart.com/art/Spideypool-pone-610256124

Fed up, I warn her on May 23rd that if I don't have my points back by June 1st, I'll be making an artists beware. She tells me to go ahead, and that she's lost all her inspiration and has no points to give me.

May 30th comes, and she posts a journal. She states she's not coming back because her inspiration has left her. She also says she doesn't care if we report her for not returning our points.

It may have been just 5.00, but 5.00 wasted. I don't care about inspiration, I paid you to do something and you've scammed me. I haven't reached out to the other person who hadn't received any art from her, so I do not know if she paid him back or not.

Current Mood: Mad

Update 12/17/16 - Today I have recevied my points from Lingling back in full. I'd mark this as a resovled.

Comments

[rhyn ghye (from livejournal.com)]

That's just awful, I can't believe people think they can steal money from people and get away with it just because they aren't a part of a business or corperation.
I don't know how to offer advice (unless you deem $5 worthy of small claims court) since I know DA staff aren't going to do anything about it.

[rachael walters (from livejournal.com)]

I cannot believe she is running off, she had enough time to do your YCH as well as refund the points because she took on others. What did she spend all those points on to not be able to refund you?

Her watchers don't seem to care she openly admits she won't refund. Most likely she will appear on another account so keep track of those who watch her and such they most likely will watch her new account pretending to be someone else.

[jebboy.livejournal.com]

Inspiration has nothing to do with giving someone a refund,specially when she already said she'd repay.

[bearprince.livejournal.com]

Not only is them not giving you a refund unacceptable, I'm rather shocked by the attitude they showed towards of of their other customers who got that YCH. Refusing to correct a mistake that they, the artist, made due to no fault of the customer, then claiming the customer is guilt tripping them when they try to inquire about getting it corrected? Yeesh! Really disrespectful.

[totschrei.livejournal.com]

I think what makes me upset the most is in one journal they are agreeing to refund. Then turn around and just say f**k it I am done.
Also, those people encouraging them is not helping. Very disappointing.

lingling-arts

[emily king (from livejournal.com)]

This is lingling. i have repaid you and all the others and have now abandoned my account for another fandom i'm much more happy in.
I'm here to ask if you can either remove this warning or edit it to say i repaid you because seeing this every time i look up my name to see old pictures is making me feel like shit for how my life has panned out.
no i am not saying i'm not to blame for everything that has happened, i'm just trying to say (sorry if i'm coming off as rude i'm really trying not to) it would be nice to not have this looming over me any longer now that i have repaid my debts and fixed the problem.

mod comment

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

Bewares are not deleted when they are resolved. As you can see at the very bottom of the user's post they have already marked it as resolved as of 12/17.