Many scams begin with an email or social media message inviting you to apply for a market, craft show, farmers’ market, or vendor event. The message may look professional and include real information about the event, such as the venue, dates, and number of exhibitors.

However, the application link may lead to a fake form, and the payment instructions may send money directly to the scammer.

Common tactics include:

• Fake application emails that appear to come from a real event
• Application links hosted on form platforms that are not connected to the official organizer
• Payment requests by e-transfer to a personal email address
• Lookalike domains that are very close to a real website
• Social media messages from personal accounts or unofficial pages
• Pressure to apply or pay quickly to “secure your space”

Scam messages can look convincing at first glance, especially when they use real event names, dates, venue details, and language copied from legitimate event websites. Below is an example of a scam email with a few common red flags highlighted.

One of the biggest red flags is an email that claims to represent an official event but comes from a personal or generic email address.

Scammers may use addresses such as:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

For Signatures Shows, official emails will only come from an email address ending in @signatures.ca.

If an email claims to be from Signatures Shows or one of our events but comes from Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Outlook, or another personal email provider, do not click any links or send payment.

Scammers may also create websites or email addresses using domains that look very close to real ones. These can be easy to miss at first glance.

For example, a real website might be:

albertafarmersmarket.com

A fake version could be:

albertafarmersmarkets.com

Always check website addresses carefully before applying or submitting payment. Look for extra letters, missing letters, hyphens, spelling changes, or domain names that feel slightly different from the official event website.

A scam email may include a link to a fake application form. The form may look convincing and may even use copied event details.

The safest way to apply for any event is to go directly to the official event website yourself, rather than clicking a link in an unexpected email or social media message.

For Signatures Shows events, official applications can always be found at:

https://signatures.ca/exhibit/

Be cautious if you are asked to send booth fees, deposits, or application payments by e-transfer to a Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Outlook, or other personal email address.

Legitimate event organizers should have clear payment instructions that match the official application process. If the payment request feels unusual, rushed, or disconnected from the official website, pause and verify before sending money.

Scammers may contact artisans, vendors, and exhibitors through Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, or Facebook groups. They may use personal accounts, fake profiles, or unofficial pages to invite people to apply.

Before trusting a social media message, check whether the account is officially connected to the event. Look for links back to the official website, consistent branding, posting history, and verified contact information.

Before submitting an application or payment, take a few extra minutes to verify that the opportunity is legitimate.

Here are some simple steps that can help protect you:

• Visit the event’s official website directly.
• Apply only through links listed on the official website.
• Check the sender’s email address carefully.
• Be cautious with cold emails or unexpected social media messages.
• Do not send e-transfers to generic personal email addresses.
• Search for the event independently instead of clicking the link provided.
• Check with the venue if you cannot find any information about the event beyond a cold email or social media message.
• Contact the event organizer directly through the contact information listed on their official website.
• Save screenshots and copies of suspicious messages.

If something feels off, trust that instinct. A legitimate organizer will understand if you want to verify an application or payment request before moving forward.

If you receive an email, form, or social media message that seems suspicious:

1. Do not click any links.
2. Do not submit personal information.
3. Do not send payment.
4. Take screenshots of the message, sender, links, and payment instructions.
5. Forward the message to the legitimate event organizer.
6. Report the fake form, account, or email address to the platform being used.

If the message claims to be from Signatures Shows or one of our events, please forward the original email to:

[email protected]

This helps us report the scam and work to have fraudulent forms, accounts, and messages removed.

If you believe you may have filled out a fake form or sent money to a scammer, act quickly. It is important to know that these scams are often designed to look legitimate, and you are not alone. The sooner you take action, the better.

If you sent payment, contact your bank or credit card provider immediately. Explain what happened and ask what options are available. If you sent an e-transfer, your bank may be able to advise whether anything can be done.

Keep copies of:

• Emails
• Form links
• Screenshots
• Payment confirmations
• E-transfer details
• Phone numbers
• Social media messages
• Any replies from the scammer

These details may be helpful when reporting the scam.

If you submitted passwords, account details, or sensitive information, update your passwords right away. Use different passwords for different accounts whenever possible.

Report the fake form, email address, website, or social media account to the platform where it appeared. You may also wish to report the incident to your bank, local police, or the appropriate fraud reporting authority in your area.

If the scam involved the name of a real event, contact the legitimate organizer. They may not be aware that their event is being impersonated and may be able to warn others.

Signatures Shows is actively monitoring and reporting fraudulent emails, fake application forms, and impersonation attempts connected to our events.

We have seen scammers copy real event names, dates, venue information, and language from our websites to make fake applications appear legitimate. We are working to report these scams and have fraudulent forms and accounts taken down whenever they are identified.

Your reports are extremely helpful. If you receive a suspicious email or message claiming to be from Signatures Shows or one of our events, please forward it to us at [email protected].