Fake Port Fairy Artist Scam Raises Concerns About 'Ghost Stores'

A recent scam targeting Port Fairy residents has raised concerns about the impact of 'ghost stores' on local artists and consumers. A fake online store claiming to sell handmade glassware by a non-existent artist, Eleanor Whitmore, has been contacting locals and selling fake products.

Port Fairy glassblower Robert Gatt received an email from someone claiming to have bought glassware from another artist in the town, but not receiving a receipt. Gatt said, "I thought, 'This sounds a bit scammy,' so I just ignored it." The next day, someone phoned Gatt's studio, trying to track down Eleanor Whitmore, whose husband had allegedly died.

Gatt told the caller, "Well, I'm the only glassblower in Port Fairy and I'm not dead, and neither is my wife." He said he had been getting messages and calls from people asking about the mysterious glassblower, who does not exist.

The fake website, which is owned by a Hong Kong-based company, claims to sell sets of eight nautical-themed drinking glasses for $250, purportedly handmade by Whitmore. Consumer Action Law Centre's assistant director of policy and campaigns, Meg Dalling, said, "[Ghost stores] look legitimate, they are typically built by AI, but they really have the sole intent of taking people's money without really ever delivering a product to them."

Dalling said the website was an example of a "ghost store" scam, which uses AI-generated images and stories to deceive consumers. "It has a very compelling, emotionally heart-rending story, but it's actually all just fake," she said.

Regional Arts Victoria communications and engagement director Kate Gerritsen said the organisation had no record of a Port Fairy-based glassblower called Eleanor Whitmore. She said, "It takes away from the real and beautiful stories, particularly in regional Victoria, about artists connecting to their country, and artists creating beautiful products for sale."

Gerritsen said the rise of AI had caused issues around artist consent, attribution, and transparency. "To add on this fraudulent artist profiling, it's just another example of harmful practices that are coming out of AI," she said.

Gatt said he only permitted online sales for customers who had previously visited his studio. The experience has made him more cautious when purchasing goods personally. "It does start making you wary of buying online," he said.

Despite being caught up in the situation, Gatt said he did not expect his business to be impacted. "I don't think I'm implicated at all, but you always worry," he said. Gatt said customers often appreciate a real connection with the artist. "We've worked on the philosophy that people want to buy a piece of the artist, so we like to chat with our customers and explain what we've done."