Safety & Scam Protection
Buy, sell, and connect with confidence.
Artelx connects artists and collectors, but payments, shipping, and transactions take place directly between users. Knowing what to watch for can help keep your experience safe.
Protect Yourself
Keep communication on Artelx when possible
Using Artelx messaging creates a record of your conversation and makes suspicious activity easier to report.
Verify before sending payment
Review the artist's profile, artwork, and information before purchasing. If something doesn't feel right, don't send money until you've verified who you're dealing with.
Never feel pressured to pay
Be cautious if someone pressures you to send payment immediately, changes payment information unexpectedly, or creates unnecessary urgency.
Be careful with unusual requests
Never provide passwords, verification codes, banking login information, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive account information to another Artelx user.
Watch for Common Scams
Be cautious of:
-Artwork that appears stolen or copied from another artist.
-Users impersonating another artist or studio.
-Prices or offers that seem unusually good to be true.
-Requests for payment that suddenly change during a conversation.
-Requests to send additional money after an agreed transaction.
-Suspicious links sent through messages.
-Claims that Artelx is holding, processing, guaranteeing, or requesting payment.
Artelx will never contact you through another user's account to request payment for an artwork transaction.
Buying Artwork
Before sending payment, confirm:
The artwork — Make sure you understand exactly what you're purchasing.
The price — Confirm the total amount before paying.
Shipping — Discuss shipping cost, carrier, tracking, and expected shipping time with the artist.
Payment — Verify that the payment information belongs to the person or business you intend to pay.
Save your payment receipt and Artelx conversation until the transaction is complete.
Selling Artwork
Artists should also protect themselves.
Confirm that payment has actually been received before shipping artwork. Don't rely solely on screenshots, emails, or messages claiming that payment was sent.
Never send money back to someone because they claim they accidentally overpaid unless you have independently verified the transaction through your payment provider.
Use tracked shipping whenever practical and keep shipping documentation until the buyer receives the artwork.
Report Suspicious Activity
See something suspicious? Report it.
Use the Report User option on the user's profile and select the reason that best describes the problem.
Reports can include issues such as suspicious behavior, scams, impersonation, harassment, stolen artwork, or other violations of Artelx guidelines.
Do not confront a suspected scammer. Report the account and discontinue the transaction if you believe something is wrong.
What Artelx Does — and Doesn't Do
Artelx provides the platform that connects artists and collectors.
Artelx does not process artwork payments, hold funds, provide escrow services, ship artwork, or participate directly in transactions between users.
Artists and collectors are responsible for arranging payment, shipping, and completing their transaction.
Reports of scams, stolen artwork, impersonation, or other violations may result in account restrictions, suspension, or removal from Artelx.
Need Help?
Have a safety concern or need help?
If you've encountered suspicious activity or need assistance with an Artelx account, contact us through the Artelx Support/Contact page.
