vendor Scam
Event Ticket Broker Scam
Pop-up ticket brokers pretend to be local concierge firms, then disappear with payment when events sell out. WebVetted audits their LLC records, physical addresses, and marketplace complaints to keep your seats safe.
Red flags
- Broker refuses escrow or insists on instant wire transfers.
- Business address maps to a mailbox store or coworking space.
- No photos, licensing, or staff names on the website or invoice.
How to Respond
- Search the broker via the Local Business Check for licenses and litigation.
- Confirm with the venue box office that the broker is an authorized reseller.
- Hold payments until you can verify seat assignments through the official ticketing system.
📌 Case study
We stopped a “VIP ticket broker” that collected $40k for Formula 1 seats and never delivered, even though the LLC was registered a week earlier. Another outfit pretended to be tied to a theater but used a Gmail address for contracts.
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vendor Scam
Fake Home Repair Inspection Scam
Scammers pose as licensed inspectors, demand deposits, and vanish before any work begins. WebVetted checks licensing data, litigation history, and customer complaints to see if the “inspector” is real.
Red flags
- Company name does not appear in state contractor or inspector databases.
- Insists on cash deposits before providing a written scope of work.
- Only reachable through prepaid cell numbers or messaging apps.
How to Respond
- Look up the business through the Local Business Check to confirm licenses and complaints.
- Call prior clients or references they list and confirm those jobs actually happened.
- If funds were lost, file police and licensing complaints with the WebVetted dossier attached.
📌 Case study
We profiled a Florida duo that created a fake mold inspection LLC and booked ten homes before disappearing with deposits. Another ring printed forged insurance certificates and used them to talk elderly homeowners into upfront payments.
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vendor Scam
Wedding Vendor Deposit Ghosting
Fraudulent planners and photographers launch Instagram portfolios, take deposits, and disappear weeks before the event. WebVetted correlates business filings, tax IDs, and review signals so you know who is safe to book.
Red flags
- Portfolio photos reverse-image-search to unrelated weddings.
- Contract lacks venue details or clear refund triggers.
- Business name differs from the one on their payment account.
How to Respond
- Use the Local Business Check to verify registration, liens, and lawsuits.
- Ask venues and other vendors if they have actually worked with this person.
- Pay through methods that support chargebacks and document all promises in writing.
📌 Case study
One planner we tracked copied Pinterest boards and never showed up for three destination weddings. Another vendor took Venmo deposits, then deleted every social profile after pocketing the cash.
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