A Lloydminster flower shop is warning customers of an online imposter posing as the business.
Art of Flowers says a Facebook account has been set up using their name and sending out friend requests to people. The imposter then sends a message claiming the person has won a contest and asking them to share personal information like credit card numbers.
Assistant Manager Amber Clark says the store would never ask a customer to send them money for a contest and they would call the winners directly or ask them to call the store. She says she’s known of a similar scam popping up on social media but this is the first time it’s happened to the store.
“We have been reporting them and telling everybody else to report them. It’s not a group page like ours is, they’re trying to add people as friends.”
“It is not us. We will never friend request you because we are a page. You can like our page and that is it.”
Art of Flowers is currently running a contest for the month of February in support of Residents in Recovery. The store will be taking in $10 donations in the store or over the phone for draw entries for a one-year supply of flowers with all the proceeds going towards the addictions treatment organization. Clark says the winner will be posted on their page and they will call the winner directly.
Clark says it’s been one day since the scam account appeared and they’ve already been getting several phone calls asking about it.
“I really hope people aren’t handing out their credit card info and sending e-transfers but I know a few people who have already done that.”
Anyone who is sent a friend request from the Art-of Flowers Lloydminster account is asked not to accept it and report the account immediately.