Online Fraud Targets Art Galleries and Artists Across Europe
Art galleries and artists are becoming frequent targets of online scams, including identity theft, phishing, and deceptive clients. The German gallery Meyer Riegger issued a warning about a 2025 incident where fraudulent emails imitated its official address. The Bundesverband Deutscher Galerien und Kunsthändler (BVDG) reported a scheme in which criminals sell fake artworks using stolen credentials. Jonathan Pergay from the CPGA highlighted similar threats to French galleries and recommended preventive measures such as multi-factor authentication. Many galleries choose to remain quiet after experiencing losses. A notable fraud case involved hackers who intercepted emails to reroute payments. Additionally, artists, especially in Paris, are encountering scams related to NFTs. This article appeared in Le Journal des Arts on September 4, 2026.
Key facts
- Meyer Riegger gallery warned about fraudulent emails using address 'meyer-rieggar'.
- BVDG documented a fraud scheme involving identity theft and fake sales of artworks.
- Fraudsters obtain official documents by posing as interested buyers and demanding quick transactions.
- CPGA provides prevention advice including multi-factor authentication and domain protection.
- A hacker intercepted emails and substituted their RIB, causing a client's payment to go to a fraudulent account.
- CPGA advises galleries not to deliver works until funds are received.
- Maison des Artistes reports increased digital administrative scams and fake studio ads in Paris.
- NFT-related scams persist despite market collapse; Jérôme Sans warned about impersonation.
- Loïc Volat attributes scams to artists' systemic precarity.
- Article published in Le Journal des Arts on September 4, 2026.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Meyer Riegger
- Bundesverband Deutscher Galerien und Kunsthändler (BVDG)
- Comité professionnel des galeries d'art (CPGA)
- Maison des Artistes
- Le Journal des Arts
Locations
- Germany
- France
- Paris
- Berlin