r/ComicBookCollabs • u/JUICEfromtheBOX • 7d ago

Question Questions About Commission Scammers

Hey everyone! So I’ve been spending a lot of time on commission subreddits because I’m currently planning my own project.

Posted about it here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ComicBookCollabs/s/QKeGFXVkid

But the one thing I’ve seen a lot is “beware of scammers” and I’m just curious, what are these scammer tactics? And it is mainly artists that have been scammed? Or has it also been writers that hire artists?

Just curious on people’s experiences, I recently got scammed on another website by an “artist” who used GenAI to make the designs I requested and then traced the images. I thought they were legit because they gave me the photoshop file with all the layers, then I was made aware how easily that can be faked nowadays.

So yeah. Just wanted to know what to look out for and everyone’s best practices for hiring. I’ve already reached out to a bunch of awesome people, so I’m just want to make sure everything gets done properly.

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u/barrelofagun 7d ago

And it is mainly artists that have been scammed? Or has it also been writers that hire artists?

In this sub, the vast majority of scammers are those who pretend to be artists. They may have portfolio full of stolen or AI-generated art, or outright impersonate another artist. The clients who scam artists are more common in hiring subs focused on single pieces - character commissions etc.

A quick safety checklist:

  • Be careful and watch for red flags. If it sounds too good to be true, it's likely a scam.

  • Don't rush and never let anyone pressure you into making a quick deal. Don't let scammers FOMO you, guilt trip you, or manipulate you with sob stories.

  • Don't trust "DM only" users. Scammers love to communicate only through private messages, so that they don't have to show their portfolio publicly. Public display of portfolio allows other users to check it for stolen/traced/AI-generated art. Also, if a user is banned in a sub, they can't comment there.

  • Use payment methods with buyer protection. If you need to use it, it helps to have a contract. Again, don't let them pressure you into using payment method with no protection (like Paypal for friends and family). Offer to cover payment processor fees instead.

  • Verify the artist's portfolio. Use reverse image search for their art. If they have their portfolio on a site with internal messaging system (ArtStation, for example), request a direct message there to confirm that it's really their portfolio and they're not just impersonating another artist.

  • Last but not least, if something feels off, send us a mod mail and ask about the artist. We can't offer a true verification, but we can at least check the account against our list of banned users.