Phishing Notice

Last updated: August 12, 2026

KB Fine Art is aware that galleries, artists, collectors, and art-market professionals may be targeted by phishing, impersonation, payment-diversion, and invoice-fraud scams.

Fraudsters may pretend to represent a gallery, artist, collector, shipper, advisor, or payment provider in order to obtain money, images, login credentials, identification documents, or personal information. This notice explains how to recognize suspicious communications and how to verify whether a message claiming to be from KB Fine Art is genuine.

How to Verify Genuine Contact from KB Fine Art

Official KB Fine Art communications should come from a verified KB Fine Art email address or from contact details listed on our official website.

Our primary contact details are:

Email: kate@kbfart.com
Phone: +1 650 696 0182
Website: kbfineart.com

If you receive an unexpected message claiming to be from KB Fine Art, do not rely on the phone number, email address, payment link, or website link included in that message. Instead, verify the communication independently by contacting us using the details above or by visiting our official website directly.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

A message may be fraudulent if it:

  • comes from a free email service such as Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, Hotmail, or Proton Mail while claiming to represent KB Fine Art;
  • uses a lookalike domain, misspelling, extra word, hyphen, or unfamiliar variation of KB Fine Art’s name;
  • asks you to send money urgently or secretly;
  • asks you to send payment to a personal bank account or newly changed account;
  • claims that wire instructions have changed unexpectedly;
  • requests payment by cryptocurrency, gift card, Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, or another informal payment method;
  • asks for passwords, one-time login codes, two-factor authentication codes, or account-recovery information;
  • requests high-resolution artwork images, certificates, identity documents, or collector information without a clear professional context;
  • invites artists to participate in an “open call,” exhibition, award, or representation opportunity in exchange for a fee;
  • contacts you only through Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, LinkedIn, or another messaging platform;
  • includes suspicious links, QR codes, attachments, or file-sharing requests;
  • creates unusual urgency, pressure, secrecy, or fear of losing an opportunity; or
  • contains inconsistent grammar, unusual formatting, copied branding, or vague references to artworks, artists, or invoices.

If something feels unusual, pause and verify before responding.

KB Fine Art Will Never Ask You To

KB Fine Art will never ask you to:

  • provide your password, login credentials, or two-factor authentication code;
  • pay exhibition, representation, or artwork-review fees through an unsolicited message;
  • send money to a personal account without a formal invoice;
  • accept changed wire instructions by email alone;
  • pay with cryptocurrency, gift cards, or informal peer-to-peer transfers;
  • share sensitive identification documents through an unsecured or unexplained link;
  • provide private collector information without a legitimate business reason; or
  • download software or grant remote access to your computer in connection with an artwork purchase.

If you receive a request like this, do not respond until you have verified it directly with KB Fine Art.

Wire Transfer and Invoice Security

Payment-diversion scams are common in high-value transactions. Fraudsters may intercept or imitate email conversations and send altered invoices or fake wire instructions.

Before sending any wire transfer or large payment:

  1. Confirm the invoice directly with KB Fine Art.
    Call us using a previously verified number, not a number included in a suspicious email.

  2. Verify account details verbally.
    Confirm the beneficiary name, bank name, and last four digits of the account number.

  3. Be suspicious of last-minute changes.
    Treat any changed payment instructions as suspicious until independently verified.

  4. Do not rely on email alone.
    Email accounts can be compromised, and fraudsters may send messages from addresses that appear familiar.

  5. Act quickly if you sent money to the wrong account.
    Contact your bank immediately and ask whether the transfer can be recalled or frozen.

KB Fine Art is not responsible for payments sent to fraudulent accounts where the buyer has not independently verified instructions, except where liability cannot legally be limited.

Guidance for Artists

Artists are often targeted by fake gallery, curator, collector, and exhibition-opportunity scams. Please be cautious if someone claiming to represent KB Fine Art contacts you unexpectedly.

Before sending images, files, personal information, or payment:

  • confirm that the message came from an official KB Fine Art email address;
  • do not pay “review,” “application,” “booth,” “press,” or “exhibition” fees unless the opportunity is clearly listed on our official website and verified directly with us;
  • avoid sending high-resolution files before confirming the recipient;
  • watermark images or send low-resolution files for initial review;
  • do not share passport, bank, tax, or copyright documents unless there is a legitimate transaction or agreement; and
  • verify any opportunity by contacting KB Fine Art directly at kate@kbfart.com.

Guidance for Collectors and Buyers

Collectors should be especially careful with invoices, shipping requests, and payment instructions.

Before purchasing or paying for an artwork:

  • confirm that the invoice was issued by KB Fine Art;
  • verify wire instructions before sending funds;
  • do not click unexpected payment links;
  • do not send payment to an individual claiming to be a KB Fine Art staff member unless verified directly;
  • be cautious of “exclusive,” “urgent,” or “private” offers sent only by social media message;
  • confirm shipping arrangements through KB Fine Art before releasing an artwork or paying a shipper; and
  • contact us directly if an invoice, payment request, or message seems unusual.

Guidance for Consignors

If you are consigning or selling artwork through KB Fine Art, be cautious of messages claiming that:

  • a buyer has already paid but additional fees are needed;
  • your artwork must be shipped immediately to a new address;
  • a third-party logistics company requires payment outside the normal process;
  • KB Fine Art has changed commission, payment, or bank terms without a signed agreement; or
  • you must provide identity, tax, or bank information through an unfamiliar link.

Always confirm consignment-related requests directly with KB Fine Art before taking action.

Protecting Yourself Online

To reduce the risk of phishing and account compromise:

  • enable two-factor authentication on your email, social media, cloud storage, and banking accounts;
  • use strong, unique passwords for each account;
  • avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages;
  • type known website addresses directly into your browser;
  • keep your devices, browsers, and security software updated;
  • review email sender domains carefully;
  • be cautious with QR codes from unknown sources;
  • do not open unexpected attachments;
  • limit the amount of personal information you share publicly; and
  • regularly review bank and credit-card activity for suspicious transactions.

The FTC advises consumers to avoid clicking suspicious links and to report phishing attempts; the FBI also identifies business email compromise as a common scheme involving deceptive wire-transfer requests. 

What to Do If You Receive a Suspicious Message

If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from KB Fine Art:

  1. Do not click links, open attachments, or scan QR codes.
  2. Do not send money, files, passwords, or personal information.
  3. Take screenshots of the message.
  4. Note the sender’s email address, phone number, username, or profile link.
  5. Forward the message or screenshots to kate@kbfart.com.
  6. Contact KB Fine Art by phone if money, shipping, or account access is involved.

Please include as much detail as possible, including:

  • date and time received;
  • sender name and email address;
  • phone number or social-media account used;
  • copies of any invoice, payment instructions, or bank details;
  • screenshots of the conversation;
  • links to any suspicious websites; and
  • whether any money, files, or personal information were sent.

If You Have Already Sent Money or Personal Information

If you believe you have been defrauded:

  1. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately.
    Ask whether the payment can be stopped, recalled, frozen, or disputed.

  2. Change your passwords.
    Start with your email, banking, social media, cloud-storage, and payment accounts.

  3. Enable two-factor authentication.

  4. Preserve evidence.
    Do not delete emails, messages, invoices, screenshots, phone numbers, or transaction records.

  5. Report the incident.
    Consider reporting phishing or fraud to the FTC and, for internet-enabled fraud or wire-transfer scams, to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. 

  6. Notify KB Fine Art.
    If the scam involved our name, artists, invoices, staff, or website, please contact us so we can investigate and warn others where appropriate.

Impersonation of KB Fine Art

KB Fine Art may take steps to report fraudulent domains, fake social-media accounts, impersonation attempts, and phishing messages. However, we cannot guarantee that third-party platforms, banks, hosting providers, or law-enforcement agencies will remove fraudulent content immediately.

If you see a fake account, suspicious website, or unauthorized use of KB Fine Art’s name or logo, please report it to us at kate@kbfart.com.

Contact

If you are unsure whether a communication is genuine, please contact KB Fine Art directly before taking action.

KB Fine Art
Email: kate@kbfart.com
Phone: +1 650 696 0182
Website: kbfineartgallery.com

When in doubt, stop, verify, and contact us directly.