Do you officiate, photograph, cater or provide other wedding services? If so, scammers may try to steal your money by claiming to be potential clients.

Several Vermont Justices of the Peace reported to the Consumer Assistance Program a scam in which fake wedding planners reached out to them using fake email addresses. First they asked about their rates for service. Next, they sent a check for a large overpayment and requested a refund.

Wedding officiants are not the only businesses to encounter these fake orders of services. Photographers, caterers, as well as non-wedding related businesses have reported receiving fake requests for services or goods. The end result is always the same. The scammers claim they sent too much money (sometimes drawn on actual accounts fraudulently) and ask businesses to send the claimed overpayment back.

When businesses comply, they lose large sums of money. When the business remits funds by check, the business checking account and routing numbers are provided to the scammer, making businesses susceptible to possible identity theft.

Safeguard business funds by establishing internal protocols to prevent scams:

• Consider how the email was sent. Was it sent to multiple parties? Was the email address itself an odd combination of letters and numbers? Does it look like a form letter? Are there spelling errors? These are usually scams.
• Complete online searches to help make an informed decision . An online email verification checker can give you feedback on how the email address has been used. Cross-reference the information provided with information on wedding planning websites.
• Call the event location and confirm whether there is an event registration under the parties’ names.
• Require a video call and interview the parties before completing a written contract.
• Plan to accept payment for the contractually agreed upon amount. The sender can cancel the overpayment and resend payment for the correct amount.
• Add a multi-step verification process for abnormal payments (consult colleagues, do online research, talk to your bank’s fraud department about potential scams).

Please help stop scams by sharing this information with someone you know. If you have questions about this scam or have provided personal information or money to the scammers, please contact the Consumer Assistance Program at 1-800-649-2424 or https://ago.vermont.gov/cap/recover-scams.