In the past we’ve shared information regarding various scams in local Facebook groups, including mobile car detailing and duct cleaning scams, imposter tattoo artist, and event ticket scams. Local Facebook group administrators have recently reported two scams: nostalgic shirts and fabricated stories behind a young entrepreneur’s new business venture.
The nostalgic shirt scam typically targets Facebook groups centered around a specific area or school. A fake account– seemingly genuine– posts a shirt that appeals to group members because of its nostalgic connection. Often, a story is appended, claiming that a child or grandchild designed the shirt. In some cases, the actual shirt design is real and created by someone else, but when members inquire about purchasing it, they are directed to fraudulent websites aimed at stealing credit card information. This does not mean that all nostalgic t-shirts are attached to scams.
The young entrepreneur scam typically features a photo of a young person– often a teenager– along with a glowing review and a story about how the young person it attempting to get their business off the ground. Comments on these types of posts are usually turned off with an email or phone number included to keep other members from calling out the scam. This scam prompts group members to inquire about and pay in advance for services that never materialize. This does not mean that all posts involving young entrepreneurs are attached to scams.
We spoke with two Montgomery County residents who are admins of four local Facebook pages about these scams. They explained that it doesn’t take long for a fraudulent post to fool a group member or two before it’s spotted and removed. “The shirts are often priced so low that members jump at the opportunity to buy one, unwittingly providing their credit card information for an item they’ll never receive.” Meanwhile, the young entrepreneur scam takes a bit longer to evolve, yet it still manages to deceive well-intentioned group members eager to support a local teen.