Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest says their vendors are being targeted by scammers. Organizers issued a warning on Wednesday after learning some small businesses had lost hundreds of dollars after responding to the fake emails and messages. The phishing scheme is similar to ones recently reported by organizers of the Wellesley Apple Butter & Cheese Festival, Cambridge Holiday Market and Christkindl Market in Kitchener. Vendors said they received messages, either by email or through social media, from a person claiming to represent the event or members of the organizing team. “These communications may attempt to approve vendor applications, request payment and credit card information or other personal or business information,” explained Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest. The sender, in this instance, pretended to be executive director Tracy Van Kalsbeek, and the email requested payment to reserve a spot in the vendor’s village at Willkommen Platz. Van Kalsbeek said she received more than a dozen emails and phone calls from concerned business owners. “Unfortunately, we have had some people that have fallen prey to the scams and paid money to be a part of our vendor market, which wasn’t us at all.” Those bad actors also created social media accounts to contact potential victims. “They’ve been going out with emails, setting up fraudulent Facebook and Instagram pages and contacting people.” Organizers said they are no longer accepting applications for this year’s event and any messages claiming otherwise, especially ones requesting payment, are a scam. Christine Beam, a sales representative for A Spice Affair, wanted to sell products at Oktoberfest. She told CTV News she applied to be a vendor through a Facebook ad. “It looked very legit,” she said. Beam filled out an application. When she received an email saying she had been accepted, she learned the cost to become a vendor was $350. Beam sent the money but became suspicious when the sender asked her to also pay for insurance. Beam said she also fell for a second scam involving a similar application process, leaving her out more than $700 in total. “That’s a lot of products I have to sell just to make up that money,” she admitted. “Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is not affiliated with these communications or accounts,” the organization warned. “Anyone who receives a suspicious email, Facebook message or other communication claiming to be from KWO is encouraged not to send payment or provide credit card, personal or business information. Recipients should also avoid clicking suspicious links, opening unexpected attachments or responding to the sender.” Organizers noted that they never request credit card numbers by email. “All official invoices and payment-related communications will come directly from an official @oktoberfest.ca email address,” they said. “If there is any uncertainty about whether a communication is legitimate, vendors and partners are encouraged to contact KWO directly at info@oktoberfest.ca before taking any action.” Van Kalsbeek urged vendors to be cautious. “Do not provide any credit card information. Do not provide any personal information until you do that follow up with us,” she advised. “Anytime you would get an invoice from us, it would definitely come from an Oktoberfest email too. So be very, very wary.” Van Kalsbeek said she reported the scam to the Waterloo Regional Police Service and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
