"Fellow painters, any of you getting "suspicious" enquiries?" Topic

Ive been running a paint commission for a year and a half now.
In that time, Ive noticed there are several people who might actually be the same person, but under different names and different emails. Im pretty trusting and have spent alot of time explaining and estimating prices for them/him(?). But they never committed. They just seem to want to waste my time replying to them over and over. This person has my address and phone number because they said they would come by my home to drop off figures, but never have, and have never called. Im not worried because I live in a gated community and I have home protection. Im just wondering if this is some sort of scam.

Im thinking this person is chinese, not only from two of their names, but even some american sounding names have used the same writing pattern that makes me think they arent native english speakers. I wonder if perhaps this is a chinese painting service that is getting info on western painters. Another possibility is I think this person just wants to join my gaming group.

Im flattered that my Oldhammer Middle-Earth blog has stalker fans, but this is ridiculous.

Any of you commission painters have a similar experience?

OK, lol, I do have a legitimate chinese-american client who shall remain nameless. This wasnt aimed at you. Live long and prosper, buddy!

I've had a fair share of oddities in my time, but nothing recent.

Sounds like you may have an over zealous 'fan'…

Chris.

Marching In Colour

Was it something like this? "I no know you, gimme price nowww! I good man like very much you, Oldhammer very good."
That sounds fairly innocuous ha ha!

Zargon,

Seriously that is inappropriate, mister!
Hmm my tummy hurts now for no reason….
I wasnt laughing at your crude humor.
So why has coffee been spit out at my computer screen?
Very strange.

It could very well be that an asian painting service is "shopping" your services to spy on the competition.

My workplace, a printing company, has gotten telephone calls from a very polite person in India (we think.) He has called numerous people, trying to get information about our company very quickly.

Within the last year, I unexpectedly received one of these calls myself without knowing who I was dealing with. After listening to the caller's inquiries, I told him I couldn't continue our conversation, then I hung up. I felt bad about this until one of my coworkers let me know that several people in our company had been already contacted by this mysterious individual.

check the IP address of the various emails. If its the same address, then you have your answer.

Not necessarily, vast majority of internet users have dynamic IPs which change frequently.

Still worth checking though.

I would suspect that they are rivals – of any nationality – checking out prices before they try and undercut you.

Pretending to be Chinese could be part of their 'cover'.