Artist speaks out after client scammed by fraudulent tattoo page
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A local tattoo shop is warning the public about fraudulent social media accounts after a client was scammed out of money for tattoo services.
Jeff Zuptich, owner of The Tat Shack Tattoo in St. Joseph, recently discovered that someone had been using his tattoo artwork online under the name of another artist.
"I don't have much of a social media presence," Zuptich said. “I just post pictures of my tattoos. I don't have a ton of followers, so I'm not sure why they picked me, but maybe that's exactly why."
A Facebook user operating under the name "Ink By Davis," with multiple accounts using variations of the name in different text fonts, has been targeting potential clients and scamming them out of money by falsely claiming to work out of The Tat Shack's address.
Using these fake accounts, the individual has reportedly scammed several people across the metro area and beyond. Dozens of confirmed victims, including some from Topeka, Kansas, have left online reviews describing their experience with the fraudulent service.
"This specific page that targeted my client has also gone after people from Pennsylvania to Joplin." Zuptich said. "The scam seems to originate from this 'Ink By Davis' page in Potosi, Missouri. He even shows a Colorado tattoo license to appear legitimate and convince people to send deposits."
Zuptich was alerted to the scam by a Platte County officer who had sent a deposit to the scammer and then followed up to confirm whether the individual worked at The Tat Shack.
"This person is telling clients that they'll either work at my shop or do tattoos at their house, but to my knowledge, no one's actually received a tattoo from them yet," Zuptich said.
Feeling frustrated by the lack of recourse, Zuptich reached out to the media to raise awareness, stating that law enforcement options appear limited in cases like this.
"There doesn’t seem to be much law enforcement can do with these types of crimes," he said. "At least by speaking out to the media, it might do more good. If we can keep people from falling for their tricks, maybe they'll just stop."
Digital Payment Apps Add Complexity to Internet Fraud
News-Press NOW spoke with Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett about the complexities of prosecuting internet scams. He explained that payment methods such as Venmo and Cash App make it especially difficult to recover funds or catch the perpetrators.
"That's the problem with things like Venmo, Cash App, and other applications,” Puett said. "It's really easy for someone to pose as a legitimate business, take payments through those apps, and then disappear. Once the money's sent, it can be extremely difficult to recover or trace, especially if the person is in another country."
With scams continuing to evolve, Puett emphasized the importance of vigilance.
"Going forward, we all have to do our due diligence," he said. "Just because something appears on social media doesn’t mean it's trustworthy. Do your research before you type in any account numbers or send money."
How to Protect Yourself from Tattoo Scams
Zuptich advises potential clients to verify the identity of any artist before sending payments, and ideally, to choose tattoo artists through trusted referrals.
"Get referrals from family members, friends, or people who someone has tattooed," Zuptich said. "Before giving any money, try to schedule an in-person consultation. I personally like to see exactly what arm or leg I’m tattooing. That's a good sign that you're working with a legitimate artist."
