"John Smith" - Scam?

[pan-h-shiroi.livejournal.com]

Rather a question than a beware ...
Today, I found the following email in my in-box:

"Hello Artist,
How are you doing today..am a at lover and i wish to get a very
good work for my new apartment...I read your Ad and i am interested in buying
your (painting work,) you still have for sale.Send me recent paintwork you have
and there price list and let me know your last asking price on each if you
will accept CHECK as means of payment.Get back to me with the
request information or kindly call me phone +447946609438 asap if there is any
question to ask and have a wonderful day.
Regards,
Johm"

The email was sent by the email address "johnsmithagency@yahoo.co.uk". And in the field for the addressee there was the email address "spookabilly@hotmail.com" (which doesn't belong to me).

So ... after reading this email, I got rather suspicious. I might be wrong but this looks like a scam.
Any opinions?

EDIT: Thanks a lot for all the replies! I already thought it is a scam, I just wanted to make sure. :)

Comments

[kalika-tybera.livejournal.com]

I got that same email just the other day. Personally I think it's scam so I deleted it.

[mandyseley.livejournal.com]

Same word-for-word? That makes it even more suspicious, one of those mass email scams sent out to see who's gullible enough to bite...

[kalika-tybera.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly the same. I also noticed under the details that it was initially sent to an email that wasn't mine, so I suspect it was copied and sent out in mass.

[pan-h-shiroi.livejournal.com]

I also already deleted it, I just wanted to make sure ... Thanks a lot for replying. :)

[frisket17.livejournal.com]

Ditto

[fatkraken.livejournal.com]

it's definitely a scam, quite apart from the obvious scammy content the spelling and grammar are atrocious. Just bin it

[pan-h-shiroi.livejournal.com]

Nothing about the spelling or grammar, I was already working with people with worse grammar and stuff. ;)
Even so, thank you, the content smelled fishy from the start ... and he couldn't even write his name correctly ...

[sepp.livejournal.com]

That email address belongs to Spookable on FA.
And I think it looks like a scam too. I don't think this needs to be said, but I wouldn't even reply to that email. Offering to pay with checks is a bad sign imo, as well as calling you "Artist" and not knowing what your recent work looks like before propositioning to pay you for it. 9_6
All bad signs.

Also, mods add tags after the entry has been made :)

[sepp.livejournal.com]

the spookabilly address, not the spammer's address XD oh god XD

[pan-h-shiroi.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I got really suspicious after he called me only "artist" and offered checks to pay with.

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

If it even slightly smells like a scam, it is. This email with all the typos and the simple fact that they don't know who you are, screams scam. It very likely is the beginning of the Nigerian Refund, where someone sends you a forged Western Union moneygram and then a week later wants a refund of part of it -- you can keep the other half for your trouble.

Just delete it and keep on walking.

[pan-h-shiroi.livejournal.com]

Hm ... it's not always like that ... sometimes there are exceptions (about the smelling like scam thing.)... But I think in most cases you're right. :)

[mandyseley.livejournal.com]

Good rule of thumb: If any part of a request makes you uncomfortable for any reason, don't even reply.

[pan-h-shiroi.livejournal.com]

Good advice, thanks! :)

[crossmirage.livejournal.com]

Definitely smells like a scam, like the 419 ones.

_{I'd be a dick and send him a script-ridden link to a website. I love doing that to scammers. :'D}

[pan-h-shiroi.livejournal.com]

Hehehehe ... nice idea ...

[foxhack.livejournal.com]

Except sometimes these scammers use faked or hacked email addresses... and sometimes the people who own it get hurt by such actions. :(

[ulariogryphon.livejournal.com]

I got the same e-mail. Stinks of a definate scam.

I got suscpicious when he asked for "paintings", since I'm a digital artist and when he asked to pay with checks.

Plus the name "John Smith" just oozes with suscpicion on it's own.

[akari.livejournal.com]

I figure he sends a check and then cancels it before it can get cashed out. Instant free paintings to re-sell as desired.

[wolven-spirits.livejournal.com]

Or the check was bad to begin with.

[wolven-spirits.livejournal.com]

I'd never do business with someone I didn't know and trust who requested to pay in check. There's just way too many possibilities giving the person the ability to get free art when there's checks involved. The check could be bad from the start, faked, or even a stolen check book. Or if the person is the check holder could very well put a Stop Payment on it.

Also with how long a check takes to clear it's just a risky method of accepting payment. I'm even wary of money orders. I always tell those who commission me "PayPal of if you really have to, send money through the mail wrapped in letter paper and put into a security envelope." Even then that's risky too.

[hossblacksilver.livejournal.com]

Strangely enough a friend of mine told me about how she got money through the mail. The person sending the money had put it in a beat up MLP and sent an e-mail telling my friend that the money was inside said pony. Or as I put it, "The pony turned out to be a mule."

[ichigoneko33.livejournal.com]

That's actually really smart! Such a good idea lol

[wolven-spirits.livejournal.com]

Haha. That's awesome!

[dustmeat.livejournal.com]

I got that same letter!

[mrst4nkr.livejournal.com]

:C All the above mentioned things aside-- I wouldn't take a commission from someone who can't spell their own name. LOL. <3

[temrin.livejournal.com]

I recieved the same email XD
I laughed.
A) John Smith
B) What ad? I never put up an ad?
C) "Regards,
Johm" Spelled your own name wrong? Lol

[mabkeeten.livejournal.com]

Just received the same e-mail. Weird.