RBC Place, White Oaks Mall warn of scams targeting vendors and artisans

As the spring fair and festival season grows closer, small businesses in London are being warned to ensure the events they see advertised online are legitimate before handing over deposits.

The warning comes after some local small business owners alerted the public about being scammed on Facebook posts soliciting interest for fake events.

Some posts targeted vendors for a craft and vendor show at Wortley Public School, while others promoted a spring market at RBC Place and a family event at White Oaks Mall. The posts have since been taken down.

In an email to CBC News, London police said the department hasn't received any reports regarding the fake events as of Friday.

"We have had about half a dozen different inquiries over the last few weeks inquiring whether this event was real," said Sarah Imrie, White Oaks Mall's marketing manager.

The post appeared in a Facebook group for vendors in the Durham Region, east of Toronto. It said vendors were needed for a "Kids and Family Expo" at White Oaks Mall on March 1 and 2. 

Early this week, the mall warned on social media that no such event was planned, and an identical post, which has since been deleted, was also found in a London Facebook group with the location changed to Centennial Hall. 

The mall has since added an events page to its website to help local vendors avoid future scams.

"It was definitely more proactive, wanting to make sure no one did get impacted by this, obviously, very incorrect information," she said. "We don't want to see anyone out of funds and given false information while using our name."

Such scams using fake profiles are all too common, said Allison Neufeld, coordinator of the Old South Artisan and Vendor Market, a  biannual fundraiser for the home and school association at Wortley Public School in London.

Earlier this week, a post in a local Facebook group issued a call-out for a "Celebration of New Year Craft and Vendor Show" at the school on March 1 and 2 — but it's all fake. 

Neufeld said she worried the similarities between the fake event and her April market will keep vendors from reaching out to her. In the past, she says scammers have taken her posters and added their own information to trick people.

"It happens about three or four times a year, and it's getting worse. The scammers also post underneath all of my events, to have the vendor send them money directly," she said.

"If we get a bad reputation for being a scam [or] if they use my poster and send out scam messages, vendors get suspicious, and then they don't apply to my real event."

Last month, RBC Place also found itself roped into a scam.

A post in a London event Facebook group was spotted calling for applications for a spring market it claimed would run over two weekends in April.

"There is no such event scheduled, and we have been actively warning vendors not to send money to this individual," said Joy Gallaiford, a spokesperson for RBC Place.

"We received some inquiries from concerned vendors, which is why we posted on our own social media channels encouraging potential vendors and attendees to verify events through our official website or speak with our guest services team."

An online search of an email address provided for the fake event turns up a Facebook post plugging a spring market in Calgary. The user and event poster are identical to the phony London event. 

The Calgary post links to an online form that reads: "Please remember spaces are limited and your spot is not guaranteed until we receive payment." A second email address is also listed. 

CBC News messaged both email addresses, but received no response. The initial email is linked to at least two fake events in Ridgefield, Wash., and El Paso, Texas.