Advice: What to do if someone thinks they commissioned you?

[stormslegacy.livejournal.com]

I just got a note in my inbox that says thus:

"I think I paid you for a badge and
if so you told me you were gonna contact me after ac and its been a month."

Now, I did get a number of commissions, but I kept great records and I KNOW that I did every commission that I received.  Thankfully, I make receipts for any commission over $15, and most of my badges fall into that category.  I find, if for no other reason, it reminds the commissioner that they have a commission to pickup, and I always write my table-name and number so that they can relocate me.  I admit, i don't always do it for the $10 badges--they're generally very quick by comparison and never ones I potentially take home. 

I've asked him to scan the receipt if he has one, and that he probably has a different artist since I'm 100% certain I finished my que.  

If he was to get upset or insist what should I do?  I mean, if this ended up here, aside from pointing out that he doesn't have a reciept I have no idea how else I could defend myself against a claim like that. 

And secondly, is this possibly someone trying to get free art?  It would be a very easy scam to pull with some artists >.>  Especially if others are getting similar notes. *EDIT TO ADD* I'm not saying I think he's a scam artist!  I'm JUST saying that a scam like this would be very easy to pull. 

Update:  I got a second note, with a bit more detail, he's emailing everyone in my general area at the con because he knows where he got a commission from but not who from.  He described someone putting the data in the back of a notebook--I don't use a notebook, so it's definitely not me =3  I totally understand getting confused--but for the record, I imagine that most people would A. give details about the commission in the first note rather than the vague example above, and B. be a lot more polite in the same situation.

Comments

[shiftergoddess.livejournal.com]

Frankly, this sounds like someone who's trying to swindle you.
If you're postivie you're finished with your work and he can't provide a receipt or even how much he paid for it i would assume such.
Do you keep track of usernames/e-mails for future contact or something that might make his name/username/e-mail look familiar?

[stormslegacy.livejournal.com]

I keep contact info for those that commission me, be it an email or a cell, but I don't keep a list for other things. I've never seen this person's name or the characters in their gallery before.

I thought that too, given that the note was so vague.

[shiftergoddess.livejournal.com]

Well unless he can be more specific with you and provide more proof, i'd say he's trying to fool you. At least, that's what it looks like. :|

[solalia.livejournal.com]

Wait and see if he has a receipt. If not then I would tell him without it you can't verify his claim and he might have the wrong artist. I would make receipts for all the badges in the future, that way no one can scam ya later.

The "if so" is kind of weird. It's almost like he's hoping that you're flaky enough not to keep track and might be in doubt enough to make him a badge.

[grygon.livejournal.com]

I reading you're reading too much into two words. He also said "I think". Doesn't read like scam to me, reads like "I THINK you might be this artist, are you? IF SO then please let me know what's going on."

[kurenaipaladin.livejournal.com]

I agree with this. It just sounds like confusion to me. Frankly I think he should be a bit more certain of who he has commissioned but I'm betting he will learn his lesson here.

[solalia.livejournal.com]

No one knows until he either does or doesn't provide a receipt. Frankly I've spent too much time doing psychology-related stuff to take people's words at face value, especially where money is concerned.

[stormslegacy.livejournal.com]

XD I feel the same way--my scam thought may or may not be related to the fact I'm currently reading Feldmans "The Liar in Your Life" which is basically a book on how ubiquitous liars are in society...

I thought it was vague to the point of fishing. Not knowing if you commissioned an artist is one thing, but it's such an easy scam to pull if you observe what looks to be a less-than-organized artist and one that aims to please and responds to pressure like "AC was a month ago, why haven't you contacted me?." It wouldn't be hard to look through someone's gallery and fabricate a vague story about a commission, always with the out of "oops, wrong artist!"

That said, I only considered that possibility, I didn't automatically think "OMG SCAMMER."

[skulldog.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if he can't put forth a receipt, that's tough luck.

However, it may just be a case of 'buyer took cards for a few artist he commissioned, and got you confused with someone else that took his commission home'. If you can get him to give more details on what he bought, you might be able to weed out if this is the case.

I wouldn't jump to a 'scam' conclusion, the size of the Alley at AC can be a bit hard to navigate during and after the con, I know I've mixed up artists before and did the same thing with a badge taken home, emailed the wrong artist.

[stormslegacy.livejournal.com]

*nods* It definitely is confusing, I've has a few people ask me there if they'd commissioned me--that's why I started doing receipts after my first AC--I wrote my table # on them so they could find me.

I considered scam only because the note was so vague and with an "if so." I just thought that was odd.

[skulldog.livejournal.com]

It's a poor word choice for sure, but I think it might be more like 'if you happen to be the artist I think I'm looking for..'

Let us know what happens from here!

[lurkerwisp.livejournal.com]

That could definitely happen. I did that to some poor potter after a local arts festival. I sent her an email asking all about custom metalworking and ring sets when I had actually taken her card to put in my list of maybes for stoneware for the wedding registry and the metalworking artist was a few booths down the row. It was embarrassing, to say the least, but she was understanding.

[genkigami.livejournal.com]

Off topic but a giant isopod with a cane and tophat is probably the best thing I've seen today.

[animecat.livejournal.com]

He might just have you confused with another artist. It's happened to me before- someone though I was another artist with "cat" in their handle and demanded their badge that I supposedly took home to complete. I kindly and politely told him that I didn't have any record of his commission, and after a careful discussion, he realized he had the wrong artist.

I think the trick is to be polite but firm, and stick to your guns if he's honestly not one of your commissioners. After all, if you didn't take any work from him and have no proof that you did, and neither does he, then he doesn't really have a leg to stand on in his argument. Just be polite., which I'm sure you will.

Good luck!

[mandyseley.livejournal.com]

Sounds like honest confusion to me. Someone who doesn't keep very good records... your art style or username might be similar to someone he saw at the convention.

Here's hoping it's resolved with a simple "I'm sorry, you have the wrong artist."

If he tries to raise a stink, frankly, he's got no proof at all that you're the artist he commissioned and even said as much in his message to you. You need only state the truth to defend your position, and he's got nothing to use as evidence to make you look bad if it heads that direction. Reasonable people will see the difference.

[grygon.livejournal.com]

If he has no receipt then end of story. If he has a receipt... customer's always right, right? Do the badge.

[stormslegacy.livejournal.com]

If he had a receipt I wouldn't question it at all. I took pics of every badge/commission I did so I would have had a record if I already completed it. I would never not do something if he had the reciept--my handwriting is very difficult to fake!

[volmise.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking this is just an honest misunderstanding.

The guy probably got you confused with another artist - it does happen, hell I've done it myself a couple of times. D:

[kurenaipaladin.livejournal.com]

He could simply be mistaking you for someone else, totally innocently. He could also be trying to swindle you. I wouldn't jump to conclusions until he responds. He might say OH I got the wrong person, or he might freak out at you or something. Who knows. If he does get upset, but does not have a receipt, just plainly inform him that you only ever do take home badges of a certain complexity, and those would be ones which you would have gotten a receipt for.

As a side note- even though you may not have to bring them all home, I'd suggest, highly, to make receipts for ALL commissions you take on during a convention. It doesn't just provide both you and the buyer security, but it also helps if someone forgot to pick theirs up, or if you take on enough work that you DO have to bring one home, and, of course, in situations like the above.

[coyote-feathers.livejournal.com]

I agree with this... a receipt book is only a couple of bucks. The peace-of-mind is well worth it. Even if you finish your workload at the con, you have an easy way to track what belongs to whom, plus you have a written record for financial and tax reasons.

[myenia.livejournal.com]

I agree with only doing it if a receipt is shown, but I wouldn't assume he's trying to scam you just yet. I know at AC, I had 3 different people come up to me and say "Did I get a commission from you?" who didn't. Some people are just confused.

[genet.livejournal.com]

I've had this experience soooo many times.

I have a little form I fill out for everything except my pre-made stuff (I track those sales another way). It was cheap and easy to print out 25-30 pages and keep it in a binder, keeps me from losing track of who I owe art to :)

[jerrinfox.livejournal.com]

Hey how about that full color commision you promised when I bought you donuts at AC? ;)

[stormslegacy.livejournal.com]

Not until after you give me that thousand dollars you promised me at that time during that thing for doing stuff....

[jerrinfox.livejournal.com]

I suddenly remember it was someone else. :)

[caninepawprints.livejournal.com]

If you're certain you're done with all commissions, politely tell him you think he has you mixed up with another artist. Let him know you provide receipts to anyone whose work you have to go home with to complete. Also, ask him to provide more information about your conversation if he's certain it's you he commissioned (e.g. any clothing he may have worn, what you talked about during your conversation, badge description). Even if you're really careful, sometimes things do slip through the cracks.

[mrst4nkr.livejournal.com]

Do you mind dropping the name??

[stormslegacy.livejournal.com]

PMing it to you =3