Understanding Scams: How They Work and How to Stay Safe

A Brief History of Scamming

Scams are not new. For centuries, fraudsters have found ways to deceive people for financial gain — from traveling con artists in the 1800s to mail-based schemes in the 20th century.

What has changed is scale. With the rise of the internet and automated tools, scammers can now collect and target information faster and more convincingly than ever before.

Unfortunately, creative communities and event-based businesses are frequent targets.

How Exhibitors Are Targeted Today

Modern scammers use automated software to scan websites and online listings for publicly available information such as:
– Business names
– Email addresses
– Event participation details

As part of our mission, Castleberry Fairs & Festivals promotes exhibitors so shoppers can discover and connect with handmade businesses. While this visibility benefits artisans, it also means that publicly listed contact information can be harvested by scammers.

A common scam targeting exhibitors involves fraudulent hotel booking or accommodation offers. These messages often:
– Reference specific Castleberry events
– Appear professional and well-written
– Imply urgency or limited availability
– Request deposits, confirmations, or payment

These messages are not legitimate.

How Scammers Collect Information

Scammers obtain contact details through several common methods:

• Website Crawling
  Automated bots scan public webpages for email addresses, phone numbers, and business names.

• Phishing Emails
  Messages designed to trick recipients into sharing information or clicking malicious links.

• Social Media Scraping
  Public profiles and posts provide additional contact and business details.

Important Update: Eventeny & Official Communication

Castleberry Fairs & Festivals now uses Eventeny to manage exhibitor applications, jurying, invoices, and event-related communication.

What this means for you:
– Legitimate application updates, invoices, and event details will come through Eventeny
– Official emails from Castleberry Fairs will only come from @castleberryfairs.com
– We do not contact exhibitors through third-party booking agencies

If a message does not come from Eventeny or an official Castleberry Fairs email address, proceed with caution.

How to Protect Yourself from Scams

While we take steps to safeguard exhibitor data, any information that is publicly available online can be accessed by bad actors. Staying informed is your best defense.

We recommend the following:

• Verify the sender
  Castleberry Fairs emails will only come from @castleberryfairs.com, and show-related communication will be inside Eventeny.

• Be cautious of urgency
  Requests for immediate payment, deposits, or “last chance” offers are common scam tactics.

• Avoid clicking unknown links
  When in doubt, do not click. Instead, log directly into Eventeny or contact us.

• Use a business email address
  Keeping business and personal emails separate can reduce exposure and make scams easier to spot.

• Report suspicious messages
  You may report scams to:

  • The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

  • Your email provider

  • Local consumer protection agencies

Our Commitment to Your Security

Castleberry Fairs & Festivals does not sell, rent, lease, or share exhibitor or attendee contact lists. We do not offer hotel bookings, discounted lodging, or third-party services.

Our website is protected against data breaches, and exhibitor information is handled responsibly. However, publicly listed business details — by nature — cannot be completely shielded from misuse.

If you ever receive a message that feels suspicious, trust your instincts. You are always welcome to verify communication with us directly.

Staying informed helps protect both you and the wider handmade community.