Scammers take aim at potential Kielbasi Fest vendors, Mahanoy basketball fans
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - The crowd at Kielbasi Fest in Downtown Shenandoah on Saturday, May 20, 2017.
SHENANDOAH – It often seems like there’s a new scam every few days trying to take advantage of people on social media.
This week, two relatively new, at least to our area’s organizations, scams popped up targeting a potential vendors at a popular Shenandoah event and fans of the red-hot Mahanoy Area basketball team.
Downtown Shenandoah, Inc., posted to Facebook Monday warning that scammers had taken to the public discussion section of the Kielbasi Fest Facebook event, posing as volunteers and trying to swindle potential vendors.
In one instance highlighted by DSI, one scammer posted to another’s post.
The downtown revitalization group reminds potential vendors that they, and only they, are the point-of-contact for vendor registrations and can be called directly at 570-462-2060.
They also said that they only accept checks as payment, “so if you paid another way, you were scammed.”
“If you are worried you may have been a victim of this scam please contact us to confirm your vendor spot reservation,” DSI wrote in their Facebook post.
The Mahanoy Area School District also dealt with an uptick in scammers commenting on their posts after their allotment of tickets for Saturday’s state playoff opener sold out within an hour.
Dozens of fake accounts commented claiming they were trying to resell tickets. One example claimed they were “trying to recuperate losses” and would “sell for less” than they paid for the $8 tickets.
The school district said they were trying to block all of the scammers and added that the game will be livestreamed for folks who cannot make it.
Sports livestreams are also another common target for scammers, as they flock to any post mentioning a sporting event with fraudulent links.
If a livestream link isn’t posted by the school district itself, it is likely a scam.
Meanwhile, fans who want an in-person option to watch the game, but can’t get a ticket, can go to the West End firehouse at 700 West Mahanoy Street.
They are hosting a watch party. Hall doors open at 2pm and close an hour post-game.
Cost is $5 with no alcohol and $15 with alcoholic refreshments. The kitchen will be open as well.
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