Fake street painters in Rome: YouTube video exposes tourist scam
In late November 2023, Lithuanian magician Rokas Bernatonis uploaded a YouTube video that unveiled a scam involving counterfeit street artists in Rome, which quickly amassed 20 million views within a month. These fraudsters peddle poorly edited prints of famous sites, such as the Trevi Fountain, claiming they are original watercolors. Bernatonis exposed the deception by showing a photocopy hidden beneath the enhancements. This con has been documented since 2011, with journalist Antonio Crispino highlighting that fake artists utilize rough paper and Photoshop to market prints priced between €20 and €50. Although a 2017 law aimed to curb such practices, issues remain. The Gualtieri administration is considering new regulations, but no updates for figurative arts are anticipated. The president of a residents' association labeled the scam "an absurd form of abuse."
Key facts
- Lithuanian magician Rokas Bernatonis posted a YouTube video in late November 2023 exposing fake street painters in Rome.
- The video reached 20 million views in over a month.
- Scammers sell retouched photocopies of Rome landmarks as handmade watercolors.
- Bernatonis demonstrated the fraud by rubbing a wet cloth on a painting, revealing a photocopy.
- Similar scams were reported in Florence in 2011 and Venice in 2013.
- In 2011, journalist Antonio Crispino reported on the scam for Corriere della Sera.
- Fake paintings sell for €20–€50; the initial investment for scammers is €500 for a CD of images.
- Rome's current regulations date from 2017; the last selection call was in 2020, with assignments expiring in 2025.
Entities
Artists
- Rokas Bernatonis
- Antonio Crispino
Institutions
- Corriere della Sera
- Daily Mail
- Repubblica
- Artribune
- Polizia Municipale di Venezia
- Comune di Firenze
- Palazzo Vecchio
- Comune di Roma
- Ufficio Attività connessa all'esercizio di arti figurative, di strada, circensi e di spettacolo viaggiante
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Florence
- Venice
- Largo di Torre Argentina
- Villa Borghese
- Piazza del Duomo
- Piazza Navona
- Fontana di Trevi
- Colosseo