1000s of Exhibitors & Attendees Jilted by Bogus Bridal Show Pitched on Web
Attracted by the opportunity to market their wedding-related products and services to a huge group of brides-to-be, hundreds of would-be exhibitors paid $350 to $4,000 for a chance to promote their businesses at The Boston 411 Home & Bridal Show 2010. Meanwhile, some 5,000 individuals paid $10 to $15 for tickets to attend the event this weekend, which was to feature cake tastings and “stunning runway fashion shows.’’
But such promises of bridal-event bliss were entirely bogus, officials tell the Boston Globe. The claimed event was an Internet scam orchestrated with the help of a sophisticated website and posts on social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter.
Among those duped was a local radio personality and wedding disk jockey, who produced a radio ad about the event in exchange for a discounted booth fee of $355 to promote his own bridal services, the newspaper reports.
Authorities held a press conference yesterday to alert victims and have asked local hotels to notify out-of-town guests planning to come for the event.
Additional coverage:
Law & Disorder (Ars Technica): “Scammers use Twitter, Facebook for $150k bridal show scam”
Metro Desk (Boston Globe): “Scam touted bogus bridal show at Hynes, police say”
