Scam?

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3214

I received this email today.
It looks like some sort of scam. If it isn't then the publishers of this book could do a lot better.
It had a small image of the proposed front page that looked like my seven year old daughter put together.

Featured Artists Vol II

Featured Artists Vol II
Annual art book
Estimated Release Date: 2010
Hardcover
Inclusions by selection only
We invite artists to submit images of their work for selection, to be published in "Featured Artists" 2nd edition, an international art book. Every nomination is based entirely on the merit of the work submitted for selection.
EDITORIAL FEE
Any artist is free to submit his/her artwork for selection. Selected artists will have to pay a participation fee. This fee covers a standard editorial cost for the creative layout, design per page and full editing, such as offset print, packing, shipping, distribution.
DISTRIBUTION
"Featured Artists" distribution is made internationally through large book wholesalers and e-shops, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and more.The book is also distributed to over 1.200 top galleries, museums, curators, art consultants in the U.S and in Europe.
AWARDS
In the end of the editing progress, the jurors will select two of the best artworks submitted in this edition and these artworks will be used for the front and the back cover free of charge.
More info: http://www.modernartcomscam.com/featured_artists.html
If you do not wish to be contacted by email please reply with 'unsubscribe' in the subject heading.
Mediaplan publishing
US office 15 Albamont Rd. Winchester MA 01890
Europe office 16 Chr. Smirnis 185 47, N. Faliro, Athens, Greece

pugwash · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 1380 Location: Perth

If it's not a scam you should be able to track down Featured Artists Volume One.

ocker1 · Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Posts: 775 Location: NZ

I Tried that link , and guess what ?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Server not found

Firefox can't find the server at www.modernartcomscam.com.

* Check the address for typing errors such as
ww.example.com instead of
www.example.com

* If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's network
connection.

* If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure
that Firefox is permitted to access the Web.

marri · Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Posts: 267 Location: Western Australia

I don't think its a scam. Volume 1 seems real enough and avaliable on abes books and amazon. It is 97 pages, hardbound. 97$ on abe books and about half that on amazon. I followed links from Modern Art Community but then followed a few links on abe and amazon to make sure they were not just clone pages done as part of a scam.... it seemed ok. If it is a scam it is very elaborate. It cost 490 Euro to have a page in the book, which seems like a lot. I suppose you are buying a bit of the publication so you can then say you are in a publication (bit like buying a degree). You have to pay the 490 Euro before publication though. Interestingly they only accept deposit to European or American bank account, Moneybookers, or PayPal, that is, none of the reputable credit cards like Visa........ that in itself is cause for caution.

marri · Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Posts: 267 Location: Western Australia

Here is the right link if anyone wants to check it out. To summarise my last post - I think it is spurious but not necessarily a scam.... a fence sitter. Wouldn't touch it.

LINK http://www.modernartcom.com/index.html

gggraph · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 3:16 pm Post subject: Re - Scam?

I would say it's not a scam as such - there actually IS a Featured Artists #1 for sale on Amazon. Whether it's worth being in, or whether the entry cost(??) is justified would be up to the individual. The same comments apply to the Yellow Pages...

We used to have something similar for Graphics people called "The Wizards of Oz" - but it wasn't juried, you just had to pay to take out a page. I'm in #5 as part of the agency I was working for. Before the Interwebnet, it actually was a useful reference for agencies trying to find creatives.

My favourite not-quite-a-scam are the offers to include me in some sort of internet based business directory for a fee (try 887 euros...). Seems a tad expensive just to get my business listed on the web.

Gittus Graphics
Gittus Graphics
Gittus Graphics

There, I've just done it three times for free....

Cheers

Grant

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3214

Thanks.
Sorry Ock I altered the link so if it was a virus ridden scam then no one would get infected. Wink

They didn't give any idea of pricing that I could see.

AvG · Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 1912

You know the term 'vanity gallery'? Well there is another term 'Vanity publishing' and this is an example.

I get 'offers' like this all the time. (I went in a prize once where the prize was inclusion in a book similar to this so I guess I got on the mailing list for all of these vanity publishers)

It is a money making venture for the publishers. How it works is: the artists all pay a 'fee' toward publication. They collect rather a large number of artists for each book, with the individual fees more than making up all costs and then, inevitably, each artist in the book purchases at least one copy each *kerching*

The books do actually get produced and a small number will get bought by someone somewhere but I doubt you will find them on a library shelf or in a collectors library.