Good music, great food, and good times for an unbelievable discount. What could be sweeter than that? Not getting conned into paying money for a bogus event, that’s what. Customers have been burned by fake advertisements posted on social media, on sites like Groupon, in local newspapers, and online. Business Consumer Alliance warns bargain seekers to beware of food fest scams and offers advice on what you can do to avoid spoiling your good time with a phony scam.
Scammers go to great lengths to pull off these scams, using enticing ads to lure food lovers into purchasing what could be considered a “steal” of a deal. And a steal it is. Victims have reported buying tickets to food festival events and being sadly disappointed when they show up to the venue and find nothing but other victims taken in by the con.
Here are some ideas to help avoid getting burned by these types of schemes:
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Search – Take a moment to do a search online for the event. Search by the festival name and add the word “scam” “complaints” “fake” or “fraud” to see if anyone has reported the event as a fraud.
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Seek – Look for any contact information for event promoters and locations. Call any phone numbers you find or send an email if you locate one to see if you can reach someone. You should be able to contact the venue where the festival is being held to see if it is a real event.
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Use Caution – Some events advertised on social media and on the web can lead you to look-a-like and spoofed sites. These events may appear legitimate at first glance but a more in-depth look may reveal typos, grammatical errors, and other tip-offs that it may not be authentic. Only purchase tickets through reputable sellers. Get a report on the seller before you make a purchase.
If you are aware of a scam or have been victimized by one, Business Consumer Alliance would like to know. Fill us in on the details by filing a complaint or sending details on our contact page.
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About Business Consumer Alliance
Business Consumer Alliance (BCA) is a non-profit company that started in 1928. The broad purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. BCA's mission is achieved by assisting consumers in resolving complaints with businesses and using that complaint information, along with other relevant information such as customer reviews, to forecast business reliability. With community support, BCA can identify trustworthy and ethical businesses and warn the public to avoid unscrupulous businesses whose purpose is to defraud the marketplace. BCA also helps businesses promote themselves by providing services and tools to protect their business and reach out to their customers. BCA obtains its funding from member businesses who support the mission and purpose of the organization and who agree to abide by high standards of ethical business practices.