Takashi Murakami overwhelmed by excessive fraudulent websites and impersonation accounts, "Little Flower" NFT

Takashi Murakami's Small Flower project was initially scheduled to launch at the end of February this year. However, since the announcement of its restart, the project has garnered significant market attention, with numerous fraudulent messages and counterfeit minting websites flooding various social media platforms. In response to this phenomenon, the 60-year-old Murakami seems a bit overwhelmed, and today (24th) he also expressed the recent situation to his fans on Instagram.

Too Many Scams Leading to Disappointment

Takashi Murakami posted a seemingly disheartening video on his Instagram page at 8 a.m. today, expressing his exhaustion and disappointment due to the excessive scams and counterfeit websites on social media and OpenSea related to his Murakami Flower project. This situation has prevented him from sharing more updates about the project on Instagram. He has since apologized to his fans multiple times.

A search on OpenSea for Murakami Flower reveals numerous counterfeit series.

Similarly, Twitter is filled with various scam accounts.

It is worth noting that the official social media link for Murakami Flower's website is only Instagram and the mint has not been opened yet.

This situation has taken a toll on Takashi Murakami's mental and physical well-being. At noon today, he shared his recent condition on his personal Instagram.

"Every day, I receive reports of fake Murakami Flower sales websites and scam notices, causing me to be nearly overwhelmed by stress. To be honest, I am amazed by the immense psychological resilience of NFT art pioneers. As for me, I have been in a state of despair for over two weeks.

My studio is located in an industrial area in Miyoshi-cho, Saitama Prefecture, where I work and live for over 300 days a year to create my artworks. Currently, my NFT project is nearing completion as I prepare for a solo exhibition at Gagosian Gallery.

Last night, my throat and lungs began to ache, and the coughing wouldn't stop, making me even suspect it might be COVID. Only after applying patches to my throat and lungs could I finally fall asleep. Simply put, I am under too much pressure," Murakami expressed in his post.

From Murakami's account, it is evident that he has invested a significant amount of effort into this project, yet external factors have imposed a heavy burden on his well-being. Although it has been almost a month since the initially planned launch date, fans who genuinely admire Murakami should exercise patience and wait a little longer!