Product (PWYW Commission) was offered as a public solicitation in a local State Telegram Chat. I was interested and contacted the seller via direct message on Telegram with inquiries. They explained that they were offering "Pay What you Want" (PWYW) commissions for sale: "just tell me what u want and a price and ill do it" to which I responded with for a $10 traditional commission request. After providing my character reference and commission details they gave me their paypal address and responded "ill get started when im on break", and "and i cant start until paid btw :)" to which I immediately paid $10 for. Up until now, all of this had occurred within one day on February 19, 2020. After I sent the payment, we had casual conversation about their fursuit and our dogs, which does not have much relevance here.
My next communication with the seller was on March 10, 2020: I sent another Telegram DM "Hey there. Have you had a chance to work on the pwyw I had paid for a little bit ago?" to which they responded "no- i ned to make a trello. my commission list is so big atm xD. cuz i opened a ton of like $1 headshots". This was no big deal to me, it wasn't even a month since I purchased the commission and they seemed to have taken in a lot of other commissions at the time.
On March 11, 2020 they reached out to me, "To all of my commissioners: its been super hard to keep on schedule so i have decided to make a trello 🙂 please send your ref(s) and what you purchased at your earliest convinience so i can add you to my trello, hope to satisfy you with my work soon - Connor~!" and I immediately resent my reference sheet along with the details that I paid for a $10 pwyw commission.
On April 10, 2020 I sent the seller a screenshot of our previous telegram history of the initial 2/19/20 communication to which they replied "ty"
On May 2, 2020 I replied to my 4/10/20 message asking "Any update on this? If you can't do it can you just refund me the $10?" to which they responded "i cant as that was my exs paypal. and he took it over" This was the last time that I spoke with the seller. To this day (Currently 06/08/21) I have gotten neither commission or a refund.
In short, the seller made a solicitation in a public Telegram chat and I requested a $10 commission on 02/19/20 which I paid that day. Months went by with no commission despite me asking about it every once in awhile, and on 05/02/20 I requested a final update or a refund to which the seller said they could not do because the paypal that I sent the money to was not theirs and the actual owner locked them out. I never got a commission or a refund. Relevant images of the discussions I had with this seller and paypal transaction history are shown below. I censored out the seller's paypal address for the purpose of this posting.:
Originally contacted on December 10, 2014: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6331414/#cid:43439341
Payment supplied on December 19, 2014:
Originally paid for a 2 character picture, have currently been waiting almost 7 years with limit contact from the artist. Every time contact has been attempted I am either met with excuses or stories of troubling life events (Which I can understand to a degree). Although I believe I have been patient with the artist, I personally feel it is unacceptable to have taken my money and not provide any updates on what is happening. Since initial contact the artist has taken on other commission work AND finished them in a timely fashion while I am left waiting. They have also bounced around to different websites (Initial contact was on FurAffinity. They have also been spotted opening commissions through twitter in very recent times).
I have managed to have recent contact with them through Telegram, and have even agreed on a different image as they had "lost" the WIP they had made for me. Agreed image would be 1 less character, so what would be regarded as an image of less cost from what I originally paid for. Since the agreement I have tried to keep in contact with the artist to attempt to make sure that there is frequent communication but have so far not even had my messages read, even though telegram states they have been active.
I would have more conversation logs, however since the length of time I have waited for the artist, most of the chatlogs on FA have disappeared and Skype has become a thing of the distant past.
I commissioned Coyot a year ago on Feb 8th, 2020 to draw a full body painting for $80, I tipped +$5 for a total of $85.
Initially, I spoke to them through their now defunct twitter account Coyot_Tea, but they have a new and active account called Cyo0t3.
I paid them promptly on Feb 8, 2020.
They acknowledged payment received and that's when the delays started happening.
I did ask for a refund on Feb 13, 2021, a year later, but they said they couldn't because they already started the work. They stopped responding on March 24, 2021.
There seems to be several Artists Beware on their Coyot_Tea username but they made a new account under Cyo0t3. I have also tried reaching them through that account but to no avail. They are still active on Coy0t3.
I received zero WIPs and have already filed a case with PayPal. It's been a year so unsure if PayPal can do anything but fingers crossed.
I commissioned Angela on Furry Amino for a chibi fullbody on a base on the 4th of March 2021. The commissioned was $8. I lost the original thread of messages (their messages) since their profile was banned on Furry Amino. When a profile/account gets banned, all their messages get deleted as well. I sent payment on March 4 to Angela (payment receipt below).
After a while, I try to reach ask her for more progress (if any), and whether my commission was completed yet. This was when I found out that their profile has been banned. Since their profile was banned, I tried emailing them on the PayPal email I sent the money to, but there was no response on the email (at the time). So, I asked a curator (a staff of Furry Amino) if I could take a look at their profile to see what other social media they're on, and they gave me a screenshot of their profile. I noticed that in their bio, there is a text that says "angxlavex" (the fancy text). I tried looking on different sites, and found that they are mostly active on toyhou.se, so I sent them a message.
I sent her a message on 13 May, saying that she still owes me a $8 chibi. I asked her for a refund because so far, it seems like she wasn't going to complete the commission at all. 😞 She then replied (quite promptly) saying that she doesn't "have the toyhou.se usernames of everyone who had commissioned me", even though I never received any kind of contact from her (she never tried to reach out to me on my email on paypal, or literally anywhere else.. my username is 2DFIEND on every site btw). I replied, saying that surely she would have a list somewhere? And I asked for a refund, but she ghosted me, even though she already opened the message.
They have opened and (I assume) read my message asking for a refund- if she hasn't opened my message, the text would be pink. I sent her another message on May 19, which basically has the same contents as the image above (asking for a refund, transaction ID and date). The message that was sent on May 19 is pink, which means she hasn't read it while the other one, she has opened it. Within the same hour of sending that message, she read my message, but still, no reply.
They changed their username from angxlavex to inactiveaccont as of 18/5/2021:
Update on the email as of 25/5/2021: I got a reply back on the email that was attached to the PayPal account, and I was told that Angela was not the owner of the account, and that the actual owner (the person emailing me back) has been letting Angela use it. He also told me his name (blue) and Angela's real name (pink), I blocked them all out for privacy.
Proof that https://www.facebook.com/angela.vexx and https://www.facebook.com/purr.via is the same person as angxlavex on toyhou.se- the first two screenshots show that the same artwork was posted to toyhou.se within a week of each other. With the other two screenshots, angxlavex posted the EDITED version on her toyhou.se way back in February, and Purr Via used the unedited version as her profile picture on 19 May, and also has a copy of the unwatermarked image of the edited version.
TLDR; I commissioned Angela, waited for 2+ months, they gave me no updates and they ended up getting banned on Furry Amino. I tried to reach out to her on toyhou.se (because she made 0 effort to try and look for me), and I asked her for her a refund but she changed her toyhou.se username, and didn't reply to my message even though she opened it. Basically, she ran away after I asked for a refund.
Epilepsy warning: This usser made kidcore/webcore stuff, so lot of shiny things
Okay, im kinda nervous and i hope i made this right.
On September 6th, i asked NekoB0mb on their da about the prices of their customs. We come to an agreement and they give me their discord to talk about how i wanted the customs, originally they were 2. On discord i tell em i want 3 more and they agree, so i send the payment. They answered me and there wasnt any problem. I asked for updates each month, and they answered me, telling me they have exams or things like that.
Agreement of two customs for 150 points each one and to pm them on discord
Payment of points, it has two screen since later on discord, i tell them i wanted 3 more
Description of how i wanted the customs, and kinda proof of them deleting their discord( it doesn't appear their ussername)
Some months later, they desactivate their account on da, and delate their discord, thay were erasing their stuff on th. I panicked and send a message to someone they frecuently commissioned them. Who tell me they were in a difficult situation and that i didnt worry, that my comm will be make. So i waited. And time later they reactivate accounts.
On ends of march i send them a message via th, and they tell me to contact them again via discord on a new one. So i did. And asked them if they have a problem with the comm they can cancel and give me a refund or that i can wait, i also asked if they had a waitlist.
Contacting them after they desactivate their media and giving some time to rest, asking for update or refund if they cant do it. They answered me, they have wips of two of them.
They telling me to contact them on discord to show me the wips and that.
Me telling them that day and some days later i pm them.
They ghost me for weeks. Time later i discovered they had instagram and i pm them about wanting a refund there sending the proof of the agreement and payment. And they continue ghosting me. They continue active on th and opening commissions on instagram and making some adopts.
Me pming them about the customs and asking if they have trello/waitlist And being ghosted
Contacting them on instagram, telling them that they tell me to pm them but they never answered, showing them proof it was me, and being ghosted again.
Now on may, they got the last of my patience, i asked again about a refund on their the profile since they didn't answer any pm message i sent. And they erased the comment i put on their th. So some hours later i asked again telling them that please stop ghosting me, and how cynic is to make a post about being upset about being ghosted when they are doing the same. Time later two of their friends answered me with a low bad joke. Telling me they were dead/killed. I would have believe them if it wasn't by the fact that the user erased my comment and that they continually post and interacted with other commenters. Also that their kind of fun is like that inbetween them. Feel kind of immature.
Contacting them on the comments for second time after the first comment was erased , telling them i wanted a refund becouse of the time with no updates and ghosting. And stuff of them accepting more comms and they need to have a better communication.
I was approached by the user BiiYrd on furaffinity on May 2nd, 2021 who sold me this character on July 22nd, 2020 and wanted to buy them back Which I declined on many times, after declining their offers of other characters or money BiiYrd/AnimyalNoIsEs
#4442 as we spoke on discord they decided to inform me it was "illegally" sold to myself "Imply" and that the original owner wanted it back. I asked for the users name which they wouldn't provide but eventually they added me "UnluckyRNG#3303". I Clarified with The original designer ZerOlativity that this user was indeed "CoCoaFloof" the original owner .
However ZerOlativity also stated that UnluckyRNG#3303/CoCoaFloof sold this adopt 23rd of july 2020, I personally have notes and a paypal invoice purchasing this character from BiiYrd@FA on that date. When making the purchase I asked for confirmation of ownership and for them to inform the seller ZerOlativity. BiiYrd@FA Had stated that CocoaFloof was indeed them and that they had confirmation with ZerOlativity, that they user another handle for twitter.
At the time of the situation my anxiety had peaked and I did not have a folder of evidence that I have back tracked and gotten after the matter occurred. During conversation I noticed that the users AnimyalNoIsEs#4442 and UnluckyRNG#3303 never spoke at the same time with delays typical of switching log ins, it was a suspicion but over time I fell for the false sale and agreed to a pay out for the situation to be fixed so I wouldn't be at a loss. Despite this 100% wanted to keep the character but after being convinced it was a false original sale I felt obligated.
on May 5th I opened my paypal to see a negative balance of $158 AUD ($128 USD) The price sent as the payout/fix plus the fee from paypal, After investigation I found that the same day May 2nd it was sent they also reported it as a false payment/charge and put a ticket in unaware to myself until to late. This caused for the evidence digging which uncovered all the userdames all linked by the paypal "[email protected]". This paypal was the one who received the original purchase funds of character sale, that both paid and claimed back the "fix funds" of $128 usd and then later confirmed by an artists who wishes to remain anon that paid for commissions from usernames aw00saka and @Deactivatetis both usernames who askes to be referred as "CocoaFloof". In the end of all these users and handles the one thing linking them all is the paypal "[email protected]" with confirmation of two respected artists and screenshot evidence.
Clarity of ownership
Providing my paypal
receipt sending "BiiYrrd" Purchase amount to "[email protected]"
asking to buy back
Telling me it was stolen after I declined offers, I asked why they wanted him back.
UnluckyRNG#3303 made contact, they were pushing me to delete things while AnimyalNoIsEs was un responsive. When AnimyalNoIsEs finally came back when I stopped talking with UnluckyRNG#3303 I eventually got paid the agreed "fix" price and given @Deactivatetis as the new handle.
when I woke up to minus funds and found the charge back made the same day. "[email protected]"
After seeing a submission from anon artist after this incident I politely contacted them to ask who the username was that purchased it due to all accounts I had contact recently being deactivated they state aw00saka @Furaffinity is and that they paid with "[email protected]" paypal. The specifically asked to be listed as "CocoaFloof" on this character and had originally used a different oc but requested a change to mine May 12th.
They later come back and state @Deactivatetis on twitter has in the past purchased work and used "This is for my friend" aw00saka @Furaffinity but also paid with "[email protected]"
Screenshot of Zer0 confirming that UnluckyRNG#3303 is "CocoaFloof" the original buyer and stating they were told it had been sold on July 22nd,
character that this topic involves.
Early in November someone I followed on twitter posted some art by an anonymous artist. Goopy approached me claiming she was the artist and after some back and forth I ended up commissioning her for a ref sheet totaling just over $68 USD/$85 CAD.
Sadly my twitter account has been suspended so the initial conversation has been lost.
During the first few days after payment she was actually quick with responses and actually proved a few WiPs, even giving some insight on changing some character details
This was the last update on the order since I paid her
A while later and after a bit of small talk I bring it up with her again as it's been a four months at this point.
She was facing some personal issues at the time which I excused believing it would be resolved in time.
Two more months pass by and yet again I ask if there has been any progress since then, I get yet another reasoning as to why she hasn't been working on it with an issue that I would have thought could have been resolved by the next day
After that I was getting a bit frustrated and just decided to ask for a refund, she's since then still hasn't replied to me.
What's even more aggravating is knowing she's doing fine and well, as she's been streaming on twitch up to 5 hours a day on some days.
Mod note: Twitch cap removed because it was difficult to read and too large. But it was here.
At the current time of this it's been six months since I've paid her, and I can no longer go through paypal to dispute the charge.
I know there's another beware of this artist here already and really just hoping more people can be aware before she starts accepting more money from people.
I'll try my best to explain this case in chronological order.
I claimed an YCH from said artist on Furaffinity on March 7th, 2020.
I also paid it the same day.
The basics, linking characters and discussing the little details. Nothing alarming.
Fast forward couple months, when nothing seemed to happen, I asked them about the delay.
It already took over three days to get a reply after being left on read, which unfortunately cannot be seen here.
In August 2020 I actually got a WIP, well, after asking for it. Little did I know when I thought I'd get updates without asking.
I was still confident that my fear was irrational and that work is being done.
9 months went by in absolute silence. (Later in the post why I didn't go poking them) I started to get really suspicious about what's going on.
Anyone familiar with Furaffinity's file number system notices immediately, that their queue has years old YCH's and commissions,
from which some has been completed, but I'm unable to find the most. Tells something how well clients are updated when even public queue is so neglected.
Almost every client update has been a new or old reason why work couldn't have been done. Very unprofessional in my opinion.
The text above describes my experiences with them until my first attempt here at Artists Beware. Moderators instructed me to give them a final warning before posting on AB, so I did. I went on full disclosure, and said that I've already gone to AB with this case, mainly to strongly describe my disappointment.
I admit on my end that my actions haven't been flawless either, not even close. But I believe lots of the readers here at
AB know the frustration when you think you've been scammed. Even in that case, I should have asked some questions,
no matter how pointless doing so felt at the time. In the other hand however, I've commissioned dozens of other artists and they all provided updates themselves.
So it's fair to assume it's a standard? Especially when to my surprise, today I found out that their TOS actually comes in two parts. The second part being so well hidden in the clutter of their front page that in all honesty I only found out today, May 19th, 2021, when making sure that none of my sayings is false. To which I never received a link or instructions to find it, neither of them. Well, see for yourself, is it easy to find?
Though it seems that there is a connection in my proof that I have seen both parts. From which I had close to zero memory at this point, I realized this myself when noticing that my statement "I remember being told it'll take some time" was written on said missing TOS half. Honest question, am I expected to remember after over a year who had split their TOS in two, or what exactly was written there? Well at least that I was wrong about the client update policy, but also that the usual waiting time has been multiplied by 14.
Content of the easily found TOS...
...and the not-so-easy-to-find one.
My initial assumptions were quickly proven wrong, work had been done. To which I tried to apologize and told them that I'll have to reconsider my actions.
I explained what has led to this and said I may take down the AB entirely. Well that was a lost cause.
The main point is turning to their wait time and attitude. I've waited over a year and I get told that queue must be skipped due to a tight(??) deadline.
How long I would have had to wait? Another year? This time frame is simply unacceptable.
On top of that, my apology was turned down, with quite offensive wording.
It was indeed me who started this, but it was also me who tried to apologize and make things right. They decided to hold to the hostility until the very end. It's apparent that they had no intention to resolve this in a civil manner. I wasn't left with much more options other than showing everything from start to finish.
By the time of writing this I'm fairly confident that I'll receive the art after all, much work has been done in the last few days.
On January 19th, 2021, guppygoopy advertised five slots for iPad sketches for an uncolored $15 through Ko-fi tips/donations. As instructed, I donated through her Ko-fi with my username and left my DMs open for her. From reviews and her activity, I didn't think of the consequences of commissioning through donations as it was a simple commission that could've been delivered right away.
Once the payment was completed, she contacted me through DMs. As brief as it was, her replies were quick and simple.
After that last message, the conversation ended and I assumed that would mean she was going to start on my commission.
Around February and March, guppygoopy took a hiatus. As far as I know, no formal announcement was made on social media. I was not messaged about the hiatus either.
After a few months of waiting without any progress, seeing her active on social media again, I asked her about the progress of my commission on April 1st, 2021. The message was left unread. I asked again on April 22nd, 2021. That message was also left unread.
During that time, guppygoopy was active on her profile to announce Twitch gaming streams and post doodles for friends and outside of commission works.
On April 30th, 2021, I wrote another message to her requesting either a refund or for her to communicate with me. I included my feelings about being ignored when expecting a product from her. The message was left unread.
As of April 29th, 2021, guppygoopy has been inactive on her profile. I have no other way of contacting her; she has a Discord that isn't made public where she appears to be much more active and her Ko-fi is bustling with donations. As of writing this, she is currently live on Twitch as well.
I am beyond frustrated at this point. The least I want from her is communication or my money back.
Contacted the Artist on the date of August 25th 2019 after seeing them advertise in a Dealer Den group on Telegram. Commissioned from them an Icon and a Sketch. After talking about the commissions for a short while I payed them. The next month they told me they were going through personal stuff and thus they've been radio silent. They said it'd be done by the following Sunday and thanked me for my patience. That was the last time I'd hear from them. For the next few months all the way to April of 2020 I would message them to try to get some form of update from them. On Feb 9th 2020 I sent them a message asking for any kind of update and that I'd be fine with the wait so long as they gave me anything. On April 16th 2020 I've had my last straw and sent them a lengthy post telling them that the ghosting was unacceptable and that I'd be reporting them to the telegram group I saw them on originally. Months later they deleted their Telegram completely. Their FA hasn't had a post in a year and their Twitter is Private. Chat logs will be posted as photos however with their real name blacked out.
A final attempt was made to contact the artist again on May 15th on the email address specified plainly on their FA account and the artist has not responded, since.
