Elaborate Scheme Dupes Thousands of Brides and Businesses

by Terrence O'Brien on March 2, 2010 at 04:14 PM

By now you're well aware of the fact that Internet swindlers have no souls. So, it should come as no shock that one group of crooks has targeted both the lovestruck and the marital industry (the latter of which, arguably, already exploits the former).

Of late, the Web would have you believe that the Boston 411 Bridal and Home Show is the largest such convention in New England, but it is, in fact, an imaginary event cooked up by Internet charlatans. The ruse was particularly effective because it leveraged several different outlets, including Twitter, Facebook, a proper Web site, and even radio ads -- all employed to lend an air of legitimacy. Police told the Boston Globe that an estimated 5,000 people had paid a minimum of $15 to gain access to the show, with some businesses handing over larger exhibitor fees, in amounts as high as $4,000.

Chris Matyszczyk, from CNET, estimates that the scammers made off with roughly $100,000 before the event was discovered to be a fraud. The event's Facebook page has been removed, and the entry on EventLister.com has been updated to indicate the show is a fraud. However, the scam's Twitter account, The Boston 411, is still up and running.

Police are investigating, but have not yet identified the perpetrators. The incident illustrates how easy the Internet makes it to craft a compelling hoax. No matter how smart or careful you might be, there is always a chance that some scammer is smarter. [From: Boston Globe, via: CNET]

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=489673&pid=489672&uts=1267626565

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

Elderly Amish Man Caught on Film With Prostitute, Blackmailed
When a 75-year-old Amish widower slept with a prostitute, he -- we feel certain -- felt pretty bad about it the next morning. As if that guilt weren't enough for the old man, the prostitute and her boyfriend demanded $67,000 from him, claiming that they had filmed the scene with wall-mounted cameras and would upload the recording to the Internet. The pair was later arrested and, we can only imagine, the Amish man abhorred technology more than ever.

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

Bank Robber Gets Away With the Help of Craiglist
In October, a bank robber -- wearing a safety vest, blue shirt, face mask and goggles -- eluded police with the help of Craiglist. Just outside the bank, while the robbery was in progress, stood a group of men who were responding to a Craiglist day labor opportunity. As the advertisement required, they were all wearing safety vests, blue shirts, face masks and goggles.

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

Nude New Zealander Arrested After Responding to Fake Sexy Text Message
Late in 2007, a Wellington, New Zealand man received a racy text message from two anonymous "ladies," giving him only an address and a request that he show up naked. Well, he indeed showed up naked... at the home of one appalled, unsuspecting New Zealander. Both the nude Romeo and the sadistic texter were arrested, though neither were prosecuted.

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

Fake Craiglist Ad Costs Man Most of What He Owns
Last Spring, a post appeared on an Oregon Craigslist board stating that the owner of a specific house was leaving all of his worldly possessions (still in said house) to whoever wanted them. When homeowner Robert Salisbury rushed home -- on a tip from a woman suspicious about the offer of a free horse -- he found his house being ransacked by 30 strangers. We suggest he take that horse and collect some vengeance Clint Eastwood-style.

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

17-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Virtual 'Furniture'
When a 17-year-old Dutch boy hacked into several accounts on the Second Life-style site 'Habbo' in 2007, the the law got involved. The boy was discovered to have stolen $5,800 worth of virtual furniture and knick-knacks. Apparently, crime -- whether actual or virtual -- does not pay.

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

Phishers Going After Your Phones in New 'Vishing' Trend
Over the past year, sneaky spammers have begun to forsake the worn-out territory of e-mail in favor of cell phones' fertile frontier. The result? "Vishing." Get it? Voice mail + phishing. It might be more ominous if it didn't sound like a James Bond villain saying, "Wishing."

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

Tags: boston 411, Boston411, crime, scam, socialnetworking, the boston 411 bridal and home show, TheBoston411BridalAndHomeShow, top, twitter, viral

Comments

Bill KMar 3rd 2010 9:39AM

Neutral

elope?

Dislike

Report

KakhtabMar 3rd 2010 10:00AM

Neutral

Souless deceivers never admit their love for lies.

Dislike

Report

AngelaMar 3rd 2010 10:10AM

Neutral

Anyone who would buy tickets or make donations to a website like (//bit.ly/9dZskH) sort of gets what they pay for. It certainly doesn't allude to any specific convention and obviously it is NOT a Hynes affiliated website. If you lost money? Oh, well, it sucks to be you. And if it's any consolation, I understand how that feels....

Dislike

Report

CHRISSF4529Mar 3rd 2010 10:25AM

Neutral

BARRY, GET OVER YOURSELF. iTS A BUSINESS (A BIG ONE) WHAT YOU DO IS HARDLY ALTRUISTIC. DO YOU WORK FOR FREE? IS YOUR JOB DONE FOR CHARITY? NO IN BOTH CASES .Stop with your "we work hard long hours for little money"......... Its a profession.

Dislike

Report

T-DoggMar 3rd 2010 11:35AM

Neutral

This could all be avoided by just simply not getting married in the first place. It ain't gonna last anyway.

Dislike

Report

MalsdotterMar 3rd 2010 12:24PM

Neutral

Brides are hardly "the lovestruck." What they are in love with is the idea that they (regardless of the man they're marrying and his wishes and feelings) are a fairy princess for a day, and will leave no stone unturned .. doves, glass carriages, ten of their BFFs lined up in a row dancing attendance at the coronation in hideous pastel dresses, for their big day, photographed more often than Princess Diana. They LIVE to be exploited. If they would conduct themselves with some rationality, some modesty, and some awareness of the event for what it truly is (or should be) and not some Disney-inspired sideshow, no one could exploit them.

Dislike

Report

RGarrisonMar 3rd 2010 4:38PM

Neutral

I am outraged that someone would pull a scheme like this and leave so many trusting individuals and businesses with their pocket books foiled.

That said I am equally outraged that this article states "it should come as no shock that one group of crooks has targeted both the lovestruck and the marital industry(the latter of which, arguably, already exploits the former)". I own a bridal salon in Washington State and have run it for 14 years. I have not and would NEVER exploit a customer or another business. In my years in the industry I have found that it is full of kind, caring and honest people. As the previous person stated, most of us are not getting rich in this industry. Quite the opposite.

It is sad to me that a horrible situation like this cannot be just seen for what it is and instead turned into an attack on the bridal industry as a whole. There are many of us that really do care about our customers and the communities that we employee members of and contribute to financially. I feel for all of those who were taken advantage of.

Dislike

Report

V GlennMar 3rd 2010 5:05PM

Neutral

CHRISSF........you have no idea unless you work in this industry just how many hours we work to serve our customers. Most folks in this industry make very little money and yet say in the business more for the love of it than anything. Everyone out there seems to be under the impression that there is boatloads of money to be made in the bridal industry....not so. Walk a mile in our shoes before you go spouting rhetoric you know nothing about.
As far as scams go this one is pretty heinous and is right up there with scamming little old ladies out of their savings. As people who run honest businesses, I too resent the implication that anyone in the bridal industry is out to dupe their customer, but the media will once again turn this situation into an attack on our honesty and credibility. As my high school age son once told me everyone graduating form school should be made to work in retail or food service for a year......it would be a very humbling experience.

Dislike