Israeli art scam is back

matamoros1965

I know that this has come up before but my Dad who is quite old but cautious enough was visited by an "American artist" selling door to door.

As you may know, these "artists" are actually from Israel and buy their paintings from a mass producer who gets them done in China. The mass producer pays a maximum of €20 and sells them on to the "artists" for up to €70.

I have no problem with students making extra cash by working during the summer but it's bald face lies and massive mark up the annoy me. A work colleague of mine from Israel got a great laugh when I mentioned this to him as this business is well known there.

91011

matamoros1965 wrote: »

As you may know, these "artists" are actually from Israel and buy their paintings from a mass producer who gets them done in China. The mass producer pays a maximum of €20 and sells them on to the "artists" for up to €70.

They're also from Ireland, Poland, France, Latvia etc etc etc.

Similar paintings sell in many regular stores for about €70 - €100.

The scam in this is the lies that are told to households rather than anything else - they are not painted by artists in a small village, but they are original paintings painted as you said in mass market fashion in China.

patriks

Hey guys,

I know this has been brought up before (probably more than once), but I just had an "Israeli art seller/student" call to the door. Since she left, I've gathered that this is a scam (and possibly even a spy ring: http://www.rense.com/general25/spys.htm).
Now, I didn't actually purchase anything; however, she did manage to get into my house and use the bathroom (I know! I know!). Is there anything else to worry about other than the extortionately priced prints? Should I anticipate a break in this evening or in the coming days? Anything else I should expect or look out for?
I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Thanks in advance!;)

MagicMarker

Was she hot?

patriks

Yeah, she was conventionally good looking, I guess. She kept talking about conscription though, which kind of freaked me out a little.
Have you had had this experience?

tallaghtoutlaws

I'm more concerned about that bear that is with you....:D

But on serious note I think there is a thread knocking around here about them there sirens trying to offload art. They are hot most of them but not being an artistic type of guy I send them on their merry way.

dudara

Threads merged

dudara

Round here in Dundalk yesterday also.

It is and it isn't a scam, yes they are making a profit and lies being told (every good sales person does it), like the OP says they are mass produced for next to nothing and then sold on for €150+ but at the end of the day it's the person buying it that puts the value on it, if you like it and you're happy to pay then that's all that counts really.

I had a look myself at the paintings being sold and I have to say some of them were really nice. I was willing to pay €50 maybe a bit more for one or two of them but no deal.

Here are two sites where you can see some of the paintings that they will try sell onto you:

http://b-free.co.uk/index.php?cPath=27

http://www.art4all.eu/oil-patintings-reproductions/search-by-wholesale

patriks

Yeah, I'm currently based in the Dundalk region too.
To be honest, I don't have much of an issue with the over-priced paintings. If you don't want them, don't buy them, I guess. I suppose it's still underhand, but I can deal with that.
She would never have made it past the door had the dogs not started barking. I went to lock them in another room until she had gone and as I was doing this, she more or less invited herself in. I didn't want to physically remove her if there were no need, so I allowed her to show me one or two paintings in the front room of the house, and then politely declined to purchase any.
I'm worried about the possibility of them "casing" the house. I did allow her to use the bathroom (after refusing her a drink). However, like I say, she did manage to enter the house and use the bathroom. I accompanied her to and from the bathroom, but I presume the process of asking for a drink and using the bathroom is common practice, and I can only assume this is in order to gain more information on the house. Is there any danger of any follow-up behaviour?

Tristram

Mossad Summer Csmp

Japer

Tristram wrote: »

Mossad Summer Csmp

Why would they go to the Mosque in Clonskeagh after their daily sales tour if they were Mossad ?

With all door to door sellers who are strangers , I think its best not to let them inside the house / allow them to use the bathroom etc.

foggy_lad

Japer wrote: »

Why would they go to the Mosque in Clonskeagh after their daily sales tour if they were Mossad ?

With all door to door sellers who are strangers , I think its best not to let them inside the house / allow them to use the bathroom etc.

I agree! Keep your foot placed firmly behind the door when dealing with these dodgy salespeople.

ejmaztec

patriks wrote: »

Yeah, I'm currently based in the Dundalk region too.
To be honest, I don't have much of an issue with the over-priced paintings. If you don't want them, don't buy them, I guess. I suppose it's still underhand, but I can deal with that.
She would never have made it past the door had the dogs not started barking. I went to lock them in another room until she had gone and as I was doing this, she more or less invited herself in. I didn't want to physically remove her if there were no need, so I allowed her to show me one or two paintings in the front room of the house, and then politely declined to purchase any.
I'm worried about the possibility of them "casing" the house. I did allow her to use the bathroom (after refusing her a drink). However, like I say, she did manage to enter the house and use the bathroom. I accompanied her to and from the bathroom, but I presume the process of asking for a drink and using the bathroom is common practice, and I can only assume this is in order to gain more information on the house. Is there any danger of any follow-up behaviour?

Have you still got your passport?:eek:

jimoc

Japer wrote: »

Why would they go to the Mosque in Clonskeagh after their daily sales tour if they were Mossad ?

With all door to door sellers who are strangers , I think its best not to let them inside the house / allow them to use the bathroom etc.

' I have explosive diarrhoa and haven't had a chance to clean it up yet' usually stops them from using the bathroom :eek:

patriks

Yeah, like I said, I wasn't planning on allowing her in, but I also wasn't expecting her to just walk in when I was putting the dogs in another room (maybe I should have expected this). I didn't want to remove her forcefully, so I allowed her show me two or three paintings and then said "no, thanks."
Also, regarding the bathroom thing, it was after I had already refused her a drink of water, and it caught me a little off guard to be honest; I guess that's the idea though. I did follow her to and from the bathroom, but, like I said, ultimately, I wouldn't normally have allowed her to step inside.

macl

patriks wrote: »

Yeah, like I said, I wasn't planning on allowing her in, but I also wasn't expecting her to just walk in when I was putting the dogs in another room (maybe I should have expected this). I didn't want to remove her forcefully, so I allowed her show me two or three paintings and then said "no, thanks."
Also, regarding the bathroom thing, it was after I had already refused her a drink of water, and it caught me a little off guard to be honest; I guess that's the idea though. I did follow her to and from the bathroom, but, like I said, ultimately, I wouldn't normally have allowed her to step inside.

I had one insist on coming into the house before after I said I had enough pictures. Then she wanted to use my PC to show me some more pictures online. Didn't let her take one step and she was pretty surprised when I told her no (perhaps she really wanted to get it on!?) Anyhow....Nothing against the Israelis but I have everything against them these days with their dodgy international goings on.

foggy_lad

nevermind the politics here but the paintings are worth very little compared to the prices being asked for them and this look of surprise when you say no to a glass of water or use of a toilet is to throw you off your guard and make you feel guilty and put your hand in your wallet(if you still have it:))

Haggis The Dog

They were round mine last night, saw one of the old dears buying some so i went over and helped her out...told her they are not penniless artists peddling their own work, i kept thinking the guy stnading there was about to hit me, but he shrugged his shoulders and moved on.

brightkane

patriks wrote: »

Yeah, like I said, I wasn't planning on allowing her in, but I also wasn't expecting her to just walk in when I was putting the dogs in another room (maybe I should have expected this). I didn't want to remove her forcefully, so I allowed her show me two or three paintings and then said "no, thanks."
Also, regarding the bathroom thing, it was after I had already refused her a drink of water, and it caught me a little off guard to be honest; I guess that's the idea though. I did follow her to and from the bathroom, but, like I said, ultimately, I wouldn't normally have allowed her to step inside.

maybe you have already but check your bathroom window to be safe it hasnt been left open, screws taken out ect.

Just a thought

kelle

patriks wrote: »

Yeah, like I said, I wasn't planning on allowing her in, but I also wasn't expecting her to just walk in when I was putting the dogs in another room (maybe I should have expected this). I didn't want to remove her forcefully, so I allowed her show me two or three paintings and then said "no, thanks."
Also, regarding the bathroom thing, it was after I had already refused her a drink of water, and it caught me a little off guard to be honest; I guess that's the idea though. I did follow her to and from the bathroom, but, like I said, ultimately, I wouldn't normally have allowed her to step inside.

This happened my sister-in-law a couple of years ago. A heavily pregnant woman called to her house and asked to use her bathroom. There was a car outside and 2 men inside it. My SIL was shocked, alarm bells rang in her head but she said OK (felt she couldn't say no to a pregnant woman using the toilet). The woman spent nearly 10 minutes there, then on leaving told my SIL her house is big. They drove off and, thankfully, nothing happened afterwards - though SIL was worried. I'm not sure which country they were from, but maybe it's seen as OK to do this in their own country?

matamoros1965

Regarding door to door callers, I would be in favour of a ban on anyone calling to my door except my neighbours. When I want to buy something, I go to the appropriate place to get it whether online or bricks and mortar so why would people selling random products assume that I would want their wares. I work hard and all that I want is a little peace and quiet when I come home, not too much to ask? The next ban for me has to be junk mail and definitely paperwork from various restaurants and charities, I consider this to be litter that is pushed through my door. I even considered nailing up my letterbox and collecting my post personally from the local Post Office.
The No Soliciting sign goes up this week, I'll see how it goes.

amdublin

The last one who called to my house said he wasn't selling that the art was free.

I was insistent, no you're grand," don't want to look at it" etc so he eventually left.

What was the scam there??? One is "free" but the rest have to be paid for etc?

Aglomerado

I get these regularly, they are very pushy!

One very polite guy called to my door selling paintings on a day when I was suffering from a chest infection. When he heard me wheezing he offered to "give me a back massage to help with the chest infection" if I let him come in! Amazingly he told me that as well as an art student he was a medical student! :rolleyes:

I politely declined and he went on his way, a bit miffed that he hadn't made a sale or gotten past the door.

matamoros1965

I worked for a car rental company and these Israelis used to rent a 7 seater for a month, firstly the state that they would leave the car back in was just unreal, easily the worst that I had seen in my five years doing that job.
Secondly, they were used to dealing with my Manager who was pregnant at the time, when they came back she had just had her baby and was visiting us to show us her son, they went straight over to her and were all chat, I thought that at least they are human enough to care about my Manager and her baby, alas no, she told me that they were asking why the price had gone up since she had gone. They literally spent three hours taking it in turns to argue about the price with my colleagues. That is my experience of Israelis, when I go abroad I realise that I am representing Ireland to an extent and that my behaviour good or bad may reflect on people's opinion of my country, if all Israelis are like these, I would stay well clear.

LeNNoX

Had one at the door tonight in Douglas, Cork - turned her away.

MunsterCycling

Ask them how much of their profits go to help rebuild Palestine?

RandolphEsq

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Ask them how much of their profits go to help rebuild Palestine?

What's this 'Palestine' you speak of?

MunsterCycling

A real country instead of a made up one.

RandolphEsq

MunsterCycling wrote: »

A real country instead of a made up one.

Oh, I thought it referred to a hostile tactic of firing missiles at targets when surrounded by civilians as human shields so retaliation is not possible, my bad

Kintarō Hattori

Funny I thought this was the Consumer Issues forum and not the Politics forum. Silly me.

dudara

No political comments here please. This is not the appropriate forum.

dudara