Addressing the threat of scammers. It’s so hard as we organise events and the thought of great traders being scammed is terrible.
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‘Tis the season to get ripped off.
This appeared yesterday in lots of social media groups, appealing for local traders. An event at Whilton Locks Garden Village. It is fake. It’s a scam. They want money for a pitch fee and your bank details too so they can steal a lot more. The originators are the lowest of the low. Scum.
It’s not just us. It can be ANY venue, ANY event, ANY time of year. The fake events will be in Facebook groups, even on official pages as comments or links. All fake. All ready to steal your money.
We do events. Great ones. We have just launched our Christmas season fun and they will be plagued with fake events on the comments (oh and people selling tickets – they are fake too!). We have to delete them before people are suckered in. ‘Tis the season to be aware!
We (and our sister site) Heart of the Shires Shopping Village organise events. So we have to appeal to new traders all the time. This is what the scammers rely on. So here’s a few tips for traders, from an organisers view.
If you see an appeal from an unsolicited source (ie not direct from the official page of the company) consider it a scam.
If you like the sound of the event, look on the official website and socials pages to see if the event is advertised on there. If it isn’t the marketing guys need a prod (honestly they are probably writing this right now instead of advertising our legitimate events – Christmas is coming y’know guys!) or most likely (because our marketing is awesome) it’s a scam.
Contact the venue direct. Most won’t bite.
Send an email to an official address to check the event is real. Never use the contact details on any flyer. If it is real your email query can register interest and most likely get you that pitch from them direct.
Use a telephone. Speak to the venue.
DM’s and other sources. Yes they come through too. Call us old fashioned but we believe an email is a better way to do business. The venue is professional, you are professional. Social media pages and fake profiles are so easy to set up. Who are you actually messaging?
Visit the venue. Just pop in and ask about the event, you’ll be told if a scam is a scam.
AI fakery is awful for social media and the environment. AI is a scammers dream. Official posters can be changed within seconds to ‘look right’ but with different contact details. AI can be used by fraudsters to produce contracts and invoices that look realistic but are fake.
Don’t hand over bank details or pay for anything online unless you are 100% sure.
Scammers will add urgency ‘book now.’
Tell the venue your concerns with payments. Most (the ones that don’t bite) should understand.
So if you are a trader and you see an event. Be aware. Oh and please share this post EVERYWHERE, before someone else falls for the scam
