EFTA Spot the Scam
Latest Scammer Alerts & Protection Tips
Events and the logistics around them are common targets of scammers. Food Trucks, Food Vendors, and the entire vendor community is often targeted by scammers through fake events and spoofing (imitating) real events & venues. Vending fees for some large events can range from hundreds of dollars all the way up into the thousands of dollars. Not only do vendors risk losing money by paying fake fees, they expose their accounts (banking and otherwise) to potential hacking. In an attempt to combat scammers locally and to help protect not only our members, but the community as a whole, below is a list of active scams we are aware in the Greater Erie Pennsylvania area.
For tips on spotting a scam and what to do if you discover a scam scroll further down the page.
Know of a scam actively targeting vendors in the Erie area? Please contact our Facebook Page here- Erie Food Truck Alliance Facebook Page
Reported Active March 2026
Erie Wild Rib Cook Off & Music Festival
Scam active through emails directly to vendors.
Emails are coming from Christopher Leonard using a gmail of [email protected]
While this event is a real event the only contact is Kathi Danielson at [email protected]
Legitimate RibFest Website can be found here- Erie Rib Fest Website
Reported Active Febuary 2026, Still Reported Active April 2026
Erie Otters
Scam active through emails directly to vendors.
Emails are coming from Darcie Chabola using a gmail of [email protected]
While Darcie is a real employee with the Erie Otters, she, nor the Otters, are currently seeking vendors for any Otters events.
Darcie’s real email is [email protected]
Legitimate Erie Otters Website can be found here- Erie Otters Staff Directory
Avoiding Scammers Tips, Best Practises and Tricks
- Research is your friend. A quick google can help you determine-
- Is the event legit?
- Does the event have a website?
- Are the contacts on the website the same as the person conacting you?
- cross-check names, emails, phone numbers
- Ask around
- check with trusted fellow vendors
- check in the EFTA Facebook Groups
- check this website
- Try a phone call
- Many scammers approach vendors through email or social media, in general most scammers targetting vendors are reaching out to you online. Most will not speak to you over the phone. Legitimate Event Organizers and Venues generally will. This also gives you another opportunity to cross-check the information the scammer is giving you and information available online. Do the phone numbers match? If the scammer contacts you via email does the phone number they give you match the one online for the same event/venue?
- Fact check the event information.
- Does the location exist?
- If you google that location and that date is the event listed as happening or does something else come up?
- Does the location/venue of the event make sense?
- Is this a location that doesn’t normally have events?
- Is this a location that generally has a specific and different contact?
- Pay through secure channels. Unless you have verified the recipeint avoid paying through CashApp or Venmo.
- Be wary of urgent deadlines.
- If the email is pushing you to commit today or the deadline is very immediate this is often a tactic used by scammers to rush you into a decision before you take time to research.
- Don’t feel rushed/presssured to make a payment immediately
- Ask for paperwork
- Most events have contracts/forms/paperwork of some type