10/16/2019
HORSE SHOW SCAM ALERT!!!
We here at EqEntries take our users privacy and security *very* seriously and so we wanted to alert everyone to a scam that hit some of the entrants to one of the larger California shows recently that I wanted to make sure all of our users were aware of.
The scam goes like this - a text comes through saying there is an issue with your show entry for show XYZ around shavings/bedding (or something else on an entry). They say that shavings/bedding for the entry shouldn't have been paid for through EqEntries, it should have been paid directly to the show/show venue at a lower price. Then they ask you to please provide a Credit Card number so they can process the new, less expensive, price. They also promise to get the previous charge refunded through EqEntries back to your original card. ALL OF THIS IS UNTRUE!
The horse show world is a small one. Many people, trainers/clients/independents, attend the same shows year after year. Because of that, it's not difficult to guess/figure out who is most likely to attend a show in the future and then do a quick internet search for their contact details. With that information, someone can call/text/email and sound *very* convincing when they contact you.
Please be sure that whoever you are giving any private information to, including credit cards, is legitmate!
This is a classic "phishing" scheme! Remember - phone numbers and email addresses can be faked ("Spoofed") so it's really difficult to tell when a scammer is contacting you.
