**ATTENTION ARTISTS** Please Share this! Beware if this person comes to you asking for art! Eric Neely may seem like a dependable commissioner, but I think it needs to come out that he has scammed many artists here on Facebook and Instagram, including myself. Some artist's we've talked to have requested to remain anonymous, but another artist (Jordie) and I have our own testimonies.
I posted this on Facebook but was advised to also post this on Tumblr as well. So far lots of other artists have come forward saying they were scammed as well. But just in case, I think it needs to circulate here too.
Eric had bought a commission from me and told me he'd pay in November, but then didn't pay me until Jan. 6th. (I don’t do art until I’m paid first). 2 weeks after payment he told me his parents were getting suspicious about the art and they wanted a refund, even though he claims he didn't want it. I assured him that I was working on it and sent him an update.
I finished the drawing on February 19th, and sent it to him, and I didn't get a response. About a week later, I got a paypal notification that someone requested a refund from me. I asked Eric about it and he claimed it was his cousin's paypal (Kenneth) and his cousin was the one who did it. He sent me a screen cap of him messaging Kenneth about dismissing the refund, but then didn't send a screen cap when Kenneth responded. I disputed it with Paypal, but then I was penalized 20 dollars from this "Kenneth" guy's bank. I talked to paypal about it and they said he requested the refund directly through his bank claiming he didn't get the "requested item" even though I finished the art.
Eric apologized saying he was so busy with school and hadn't been on Facebook, even though it said he had seen my messages and he was posting a bunch of pictures of himself to Facebook. When I came out and said he or "Kenneth" owe me 60 dollars (40 for the drawing, 20 for the penalty) didn't responded to me. He finally messaged me today saying that he was going to get me the money back tomorrow, but I have a hard time believing him. Plus, how do I know whether or not he'll just refund that money too? He also blocked me immediately after so I couldn't message him, telling me he's gonna be away from Facebook to focus on school. Which I know is a load. He also blocked my friend Audra.
Jordie had come to me in November saying Eric wasn't paying them for art and then buying art from other artists. Jordie was eventually paid, but I came to Jordie when this happened and Jordie had the same thing happen. This is what they had to say: "Eric requested five pieces of art from me, each cost $10. Took him 2-3 months to finally pay me in full. A month later turns out he used someone else's paypal account to send me money and Paypal sent me a dispute which held and took the $50 AND a $20 banking fee, and it ended up being taken away from me regardless of me fighting against it. He has yet to do something about it."
Now it's not for certain, but Audra, Jordie and I are pretty sure that his cousin "Kenneth" is fake. It just doesn't add up. I emailed Kenneth myself, as well as tried to add him on Facebook. I got no response. With all the things Eric tried to pull it, we just think it sounds fishy. Regardless, Eric Neely and or his cousin Kenneth Polk took money from us and that's not OK.
So why am I doing this for just 60 dollars? It's not because of the money. He's scammed other artists. I'm sure he's scammed other artists besides Jordie, I, and the other artists that wish to remain anonymous. I want this out there so people can be aware, and also if others have been scammed by him to come forward. PLEASE SHARE this around! His name is ERIC NEELY on Facebook. He really needs know that what he did is not ok.
His tumblr is http://neely-kun.tumblr.com