DATCP advises food truck vendors of potential ‘fan event’ scams

OSHKOSH, Wis. (WBAY) - Food trucks are among the most popular ways to dine in Wisconsin and have seen a surge in popularity in recent years.

However, they’re also seeing a number of scams come their way, especially as we head into football season.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) says they’ve had numerous reports from local law enforcement regarding these scams.

Now they’re trying to inform as many small business owners as possible before it’s too late.

“We prepare and take days and time to prepare, and money to prepare. And you show up and there’s nothing. So, it’s very important that these events are legit,” says Virginia Moua, the owner of the Asian Haven Company food truck.

Scammers are using numerous Gmail accounts to avoid those automated spam filters and reach your inbox.

Some even look legitimate, providing dates, times, amenities, and expected attendance.

One thing that stands out is asking for a “vendor fee” up front through a peer-to-peer banking method, like Venmo.Kyle Fritz, the president of the Fox Valley Food Truck Association, says this isn’t the first time he’s seen something like this before. He’s helping inform food vendors of what they can do to keep themselves safe from being scammed."

“These guys are looking for payments through CashApp or Venmo. So, as soon as you hear that, right away, that’s a red flag, and you know that you need to either step back a little bit or start asking some more questions,” says Fritz.

They come at a time when major events like XRoads 41 in Oshkosh, which draws in around 60,000 potential customers.

Food truck owners can protect themselves by using due diligence, like Virginia Moua, a fairly new food truck owner of Asian Haven Company, has.

She says she’s seen these emails before and took the steps needed to protect herself from losing money.

“If it’s like, out of town and I don’t know the area, or I don’t know the event, then I look them up. Look up the place where they host it, and I try to contact the owner directly first to say, ‘Hey, this person says they’re hosting an event at your place, is this true?’,” says Moua.

If you receive one of these emails, do not click on any links, check the email’s authenticity, and report it as spam. You can also report them to the Wisconsin DATCP here.