I would like to alert artists and craft people to a scam that I have recently seen on the internet. It basically goes like this:

Someone poses as a buyer of your art or craft by email contact.    Of course you respond, because you don't know that they are not for real.  The tip off though, is in the vagueness of their descriptions of your work.  ( they probablly haven't even seen your work and are targeting many artist at once.) 

They will respond back to you telling you that they are interested in purchasing from you.  In my case it was with an over payment and an "agent" of the buyer would collect the overage when he picked up the piece. 

Beaware of checks and money orders also.  They can look ok but be worthless.  For more on this you can go to the article I hav posted on my website http//www.richardnickson.com/html/fraud_alert.html