Two Scams Vendors Should Know
BY CARA LOFFREDO
BOSTON WOMEN’S MARKET
Most customers who walk up to your booth are exactly who they seem to be. But every so often, someone isn't shopping — they're working an angle. Over the past few markets, we've seen two distinct patterns that are worth flagging so vendors can spot them early and protect their business.
I wanted to share something with you that's been on my mind lately. Over the past couple of markets, a few of you have run into situations that felt off — a refund request that didn't quite add up, or someone asking for free product in exchange for "exposure" that never really materialized. If any of this sounds familiar, you're not alone, and it's not something you did wrong.
I put together a short guide covering two patterns we've seen, the red flags to watch for, and some simple ways to protect yourself and your business going forward. My hope is that by sharing this, we can all look out for each other a little better — because none of us should have to navigate this alone.
Scam #1: The Manufactured Refund
What it looks like: A customer makes a large purchase — often several thousand dollars — and along the way, something about the transaction feels a little off. Maybe her card gets declined repeatedly and she spends an unusual amount of time on the phone with her bank trying to push a payment through. Maybe she tries a card with someone else's name on it. She may seem less interested in the merchandise itself and more focused on completing the transaction, then keeps shopping and adding more to the pile.
She'll often ask you to hold additional items "for tomorrow," which sets up a second point of friction. Then, days after the market — after she's already taken the purchased items home, worn them, or used them — she contacts you asking for a full refund. Her stated reason is usually about the held items, not the ones she actually paid for and kept, even though the completed purchase is what she wants reversed.
Red flags to watch for:
Repeated card declines paired with visible urgency to get the transaction to go through anyway
A payment method that doesn't match the name on the account or ID
A request to release unpaid merchandise "on trust" while paying later
Heavy shopping across multiple vendors at the same event (this can be totally normal — but combined with the above, it's worth noting)
A refund request that arrives after the customer has already used or worn the product
The stated reason for the refund doesn't match what was actually purchased — she's unhappy about item A, but wants a refund on unrelated item B
What you can do:
Keep transactions separate and final. Don't bundle a completed, paid purchase with a pending "hold" for different items. If a customer wants to add to an order the next day, treat it as a brand-new transaction.
Document everything in the moment. Texts, photos of held items, and timestamps protect you if a dispute comes later. If a customer is texting you about what's being held, keep the thread.
Don't accept payment methods that raise questions. If a card doesn't match the person in front of you, it's reasonable to decline it — do so politely and move on.
Loop in your payment processor early. If a customer contacts your processor before contacting you, that's useful to know — it can indicate they're trying to build a chargeback case rather than resolve a legitimate issue directly.
Talk to other vendors and market organizers. If someone tries this at one booth, they may try it at others. A quick heads-up to the organizer can help the next vendor avoid the same situation.
Don't over-negotiate to keep the peace. Offering discounts, holds, or workarounds to a visibly frustrated customer can feel like good service in the moment, but it can also create the ambiguity that makes a later refund claim easier to argue.
Scam #2: The "Free Product for Exposure" Ask
What it looks like: Someone approaches your booth — not to buy, but to ask for free product in exchange for a social media post. On the surface it sounds like an influencer partnership. But a closer look often reveals the account has a following built around something unrelated to product promotion (modeling, personal brand, etc.), with no track record of actually driving sales or engagement for small businesses. The ask tends to be transactional and immediate: free stuff now, post maybe later — not a real conversation about goals, audience fit, or what a partnership would actually look like. If it works once, the same person often returns to the next event and repeats the ask, sometimes at multiple booths.
Red flags to watch for:
No prior relationship or outreach before the market — the ask happens on the spot
Vague or no specifics about what they'll actually post, when, or how it connects to your brand
Follower count that isn't tied to any track record of brand promotion or affiliate work
Reluctance to discuss a simple written agreement (even a one-line email confirming what's being exchanged)
Repeat appearances at multiple events with the same pitch to multiple vendors
What you can do:
Treat real partnerships like real partnerships. A genuine collaborator will usually be open to a short call or email exchange beforehand to talk about mutual fit — not just show up and ask for free goods.
Ask to see past work. A quick look at whether they've posted about other small businesses, and what that engagement actually looked like, tells you a lot.
Put it in writing. Even a simple email — "In exchange for [item], you'll post [what, where, by when]" — sets expectations and gives you something to point to if the post never happens.
It's okay to say no on the spot. You don't owe anyone free product because they asked. "I'd love to hear more — email me and let's talk about it" is a perfectly good response that filters out anyone who isn't serious.
The Common Thread
Both of these patterns rely on the same thing: ambiguity. The refund scam works by blurring completed and pending transactions. The exposure scam works by treating an on-the-spot ask as if it were already an agreed partnership. The best protection in both cases is the same — keep things concrete, keep things in writing, and don't let urgency or charm talk you into skipping that step.
If something feels off, trust that instinct, document what's happening in the moment, and don't hesitate to compare notes with other vendors or your market organizer. Chances are, if it happened to you, it's happened — or will happen — to someone else too.