Local festival warns of scam artists | #phishing | #scams | #hacking | #aihp

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) -A popular festival in Northeast Arkansas is warning its vendors of a new scam going around.

Event organizers of the Cave City Watermelon Festival say they were alerted last week of a scam pertaining to booth space, which has been sold out since April.

The scam artists are sending Facebook messages to interested retailers, saying there is space still available, which Festival Committee Member Julie Johnson says is easy to believe.

“People have started attaching onto posts saying hey we’ll sell you a vendor spot, we’ve got it, and they are providing people with their email address and PayPal information and they’re getting people to send them money that way. You know, we’ve had several phone calls last week and it started back today.”

Johnson says the scams are harmful to the Festival.

“It’s terrible. To me it’s despicable. Because they are targeting our craft vendors, and those people, they put so much time and effort into what they’re selling and what they’re making, for someone to come in and try to scam someone for money… I don’t have the words for it.”

Johnson said private businesses are still offering space in their parking lots, but to be aware of where your money is going.

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