Artist Scam Alert

You’re poking around on Deviantart (for example) and you get an email from some rando named “mokalilat” and they say something like:

“Dear, [Your DeviantArt Username]! Your artwork received high praise from our team. Kаbаm Games invites you to a new project. Open positions:Junior/Middle/Senior 2D Artist;Junior/Middle/Senior 3D Artist;Senior/Middle Concept Artist;Art Director;Lead Artist;Senior/Middle UI Artist. I request you to examine the file containing examples of our company’s work. This will assist us in comprehending your capabilities and how they align with our company’s projects. Download: ragtedaburgay.gq/wpMLuIAAY Please note that the attached file is confidential and can only be opened on a computer. Reply here for to apply.”

At first you’re like, ‘heck yeah!’ But then you’re like, ‘wait a minute’, and you’re suddenly not sure about what to do or how to respond.

Here’s my recommendation – go straight to the company website: and check out their “careers” page. This is what you’ll find:

“Beware of phishing! We take your online safety seriously. We do not initiate contact with individuals for job offers or to solicit personal information through 3rd party sites. Please exercise caution and verify the authenticity of any unsolicited communication.”

https://kabam.com/careers/

Right there they state that they won’t contact you via a 3rd party messaging system (Deviant Art, Redbubble, Zazzle, etc.) And there is your answer – that message is safe to report as phishing/spam and without need to worry about missing some once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Below are some of the scammer “tells” as described in a previous (and moderately embarrassing blog post I did after wasting 2 hours of my life on a fake/phishing job interview):

• Scammer has two first names.
• Scammer can’t spell or use proper grammar (when message is written in English).
• Scammer may use trusted sources like Indeed, Upwork, or Monster
• Scammer wants you to send or receive money in unusual ways
• Scammer has email from a general domain like “@gmail.com” or “@yahoo.com”

Don’t let your desire for success cloud your judgement in your path moving forward.

Hope this is helpful.