Brides-to-be and how a fake show signed people up

According to a recent news article at guardian.co.uk, scammers set up a website that advertised a fake bridal show that they billed as the “biggest and most extravagant” recently, and then used it to steal from thousands of brides-to-be and their vendors.

Police and FBI experts say that the people were lured in, by the chance of winning fabulous gifts and prizes. A website called The Boston 411, apparently invited brides-to-be and potential vendors to a non-existent Spring Home and Bridal Show this weekend.

An estimated 6,000 people and vendors signed up for the event, paid registration fees, and even bought floor space at the Hynes Convention Center – where it was said to be taking place – through the website, which promised elegant wedding displays.

The authorities first got wind of the scam, after vendors started phoning the convention center to ask when they could go in and begin working on their exhibits for the said show. That was when convention center officials said that there was no such show.

Among the victims of the scam is photographer Aram Archanian, who says that he lost almost $3,000 that he had paid to attend the show and to produce some promotional material for it also. He went on to say that he had heard of the show through Facebook.

You can read more on this story here.