Port Chester Officials Warn About Event Scam Targeting Vendors

PORT CHESTER, NY — A nationwide social media scam is targeting local vendors with notices about fake events at local parks.

The invitations to participate in festivals name local parks and look like officially sanctioned community events, but when the hopeful vendors send registration fees to participate, the "organizers" are nowhere to be found.

The cyber-flimflam has come to the local area with a call for vendors to rent booths at an upcoming event held in a Port Chester public park. A number of local small businesses and artisans have already been swindled by the organized and polished looking trickery.

"Be advised that this is a SCAM, and such an event has no affiliation with either the village or a local civic group — nor is it real," Village of Port Chester officials said in an alert to potential victims. "DO NOT send money or engage with any such poster who is promoting such a vendor event in our parks or on our property unless you have first contacted the village's Recreation Department (914-939-2354) to validate same."

Village officials reminded everyone to exercise caution whenever a transfer of money is solicited thorough social media — no matter how legitimate the post appears.