Small business owners say they are being targeted by scammers claiming to offer them coveted spots at holiday markets, shining a light on what appears to be a larger issue facing the industry. Desiree Battisti says it all started with an email that appeared to be completely legitimate. Battisti says she received an email from a Gmail address in October offering her Italian business a spot at the Ottawa Christmas Market in Lansdowne. It came about a week after she contacted market organizers directly about securing a spot, so it didn’t come as a surprise. In the end, after multiple emails back and forth, she sent two separate payments totaling $500 through e-transfer, which she says is not uncommon in the industry. A short time later, her bank informed her she was likely scammed. “I’m in complete disbelief to be honest, I’m a very resourceful business owner” she said. “I’m relatively computer savvy.” Battisti says she’s now hesitant to use e-transfer in the future. “I was obviously extremely excited because this is new and this is our first season. We’re just getting out there,” she said. “It really breaks your trust.” CTV News has reached out to organizers of the Ottawa Christmas Market but has not heard back. Battisti’s bank, CIBC, says in a statement it is working with her to recover the funds. “This unfortunate case underscores the importance of carefully verifying the identity of anyone offering a business opportunity that involves a payment request,” a CIBC spokesperson said in an email. “We are supporting our client in efforts to recover the funds; however, in situations such as this, once funds have been sent, they can be very difficult to recover. If you believe you may be the victim of a scam, report it immediately to your bank, law enforcement, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.” A growing issue The Ottawa Christmas Market has previously posted a warning on its social media pages calling on vendors to ensure they are dealing with a legitimate representative. It’s not the only market that is seeing the issue. The City of Ottawa has posted a warning on its website saying its aware of scammers targeting the Nepean Sportsplex Christmas Craftshow. Meanwhile, the Ottawa Police Service says it is aware of the scam and is recommending vendors always use official websites for contact information. “We agree with the Ottawa Christmas Market that individuals should exercise caution and ensure they are communicating with a legitimate representative of the organization,” Ottawa police staff Sgt. Cameron Graham from the financial crimes unit said in a statement. “We recommend visiting the organization’s official website and using the contact or registration information provided there, rather than relying on information received through unsolicited messages or other sources.” Reeann Slater, manager of the Metcalfe Farmers’ Market, says she’s been warning her vendors for weeks, including posting to social media, about a similar scam targeting her Christmas market. “It’s terrible,” she said. “They’re just taking so much money from so many people. And this right now, there’s nothing we can do about it.” On the Saturday morning of the market, she says someone showed up with a car full of merchandise for a booth they didn’t have. “I feel so bad for them because now they’ve sent money in, they’ve probably spent time baking, making, growing, creating their products to come to the market to then find out that they have no spot.” Battisti says she will financially recover from the loss but feels the Ottawa Christmas Market has not done enough. She says she’s speaking out so others aren’t affected too. “I feel that, as a small business owner, it’s a integral that people are held responsible. But also, that we also support our smaller businesses when things like this do happen,” she said. Farmers’ Markets Ontario says it’s a serious issue facing the industry and has recently held an information session for members, it says. Technology analyst Carmi Levy says Christmas and holidays can be a busy time for scams like these. “Scammers zero in on the busy season,” he said. He says farmers’ markets are often grassroots, and can seem safe, but everyone can possibly be a target. Levy says to always used direct contact information and question e-transfer requests because they can’t be undone once the money is sent. “A phone call can go a long way toward ensuring that you’re dealing with the individual that you expect to be dealing with when you want to rent a stall at one of these markets. Make sure that you know who they are,” he said.
