Highlands varsity band boosters fear online scammer stealing craft show fees

Members of Highlands varsity band boosters fear that someone is running an online scam to collect craft show registration fees and defraud the group from its profits.

“I’ve had a couple people call to let me know they’ve received emails to pay with PayPal,” said Desirae Dunmire, the boosters’ vice president, of the March 16 event. “But it’s from an address not associated with the group, and we don’t take electronic payments.”

Harrison police are investigating.

Chief Brian Turack said a complaint was filed Jan. 30 with the township. He said it’s unclear how much money the scammers might have gotten away with.

“We have no way of knowing how many people may have paid that way,” Turack said.

“We urge people to talk to a band officer in person and not conduct business online.”

The fraudulent email asked people to pay the table fee of $25, in addition to $20 for electricity and $50 for an early-bird time. It was charging $160 for food truck applications.

“We don’t do any of that,” Dunmire said.

“I’m afraid people will show up and expect to have a table, having paid the wrong people. I’ll have to tell them they got scammed, and that looks bad on us.”

The event usually attracts about 75 vendors. Proceeds benefit the students in the marching band.

Dunmire said the phishing began almost immediately after the boosters posted the flyer to social media.

“An hour later, people were getting emails from the scam,” she said. “They (the scammers) were saying they had 3,000 guests coming to the show. I wish we got that many.”

The show usually draws about 300 shoppers.

The boosters reported the situation to Harrison police in hopes of thwarting anyone from losing money.

“I just want to get it out there,” Dunmire said. “I’m hoping we can give people a heads up.”