Fine Art Shippers recently received an inquiry from a person who had never used our shipping services but had received what appeared to be an invoice from our company. The individual contacted us to ask why they were being charged for services they had never ordered. This prompted an internal investigation, which revealed that scammers were impersonating Fine Art Shippers and sending fraudulent invoices. Here is what we know about the scheme and how to protect yourself from invoice fraud.
Details of the Fraudulent Scheme
A person identifying themselves as Jerry Lewis, who claims to be a Shipping Manager at Fine Art Shippers, has been sending fraudulent invoices requesting payment for shipping services and additional art handling or service fees. The individual may be working with another person identifying themselves as Dr. Tyler Lang, who claims to be a traveling cardiologist currently working in New York.
Please note that neither of these individuals is affiliated with Fine Art Shippers.
How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of Invoice Fraud
If you receive an invoice from Fine Art Shippers, the first thing to do is verify the payment instructions and other invoice details. Our legitimate contact information is published on our website, and our team is available to answer questions during business hours. If you have actually ordered a service from Fine Art Shippers and are expecting an invoice, please contact our staff directly and confirm the payment details before sending any funds.
It is equally important to verify that you are communicating with an authorized Fine Art Shippers representative and that the invoice corresponds to a service you have ordered. We confirm payment details directly with clients when necessary, so do not rely solely on information provided in an unexpected email. You can also verify the email address and contact information through our official website.
We are continuing to investigate this invoice fraud and take steps to prevent further misuse of our company’s name. However, please remember that payments sent to fraudulent accounts can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to recover.
Fine Art Shippers is a New York City-based art shipping company with three decades of experience in the professional art market. If you receive an invoice that seems unusual or are unsure whether a payment request is legitimate, contact us directly through the contact information published on our official website. Our team can confirm whether the invoice was issued by us and verify the applicable payment details.
Please also note that Fine Art Shippers does not provide Asset Documentation, Certificates of Ownership, or any related services. If you receive an invoice, payment request, or other communication offering these services in our name, it is fraudulent. Please do not make any payment or provide personal or financial information.
Always double-check incoming invoices, email addresses, payment instructions, and bank account information before transferring funds. Taking a few minutes to verify a payment request can help protect you from invoice fraud and other common scams.