Story perspectives

UK Small Business Owner Warns After Fake Food Festival Scam

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 4:14 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Harriet Thomas, a UK small-business owner, was duped by a fake Abergavenny Food Festival stall offer.
The scam email used a legitimate-looking address, branding and a JotForm she regularly uses.
After paying for the pitch, Thomas posted on Facebook, where she saw the festival warn of the scam.
Thomas reported the fraud and expressed embarrassment.
She said competition forces traders to fill forms quickly.

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Story summary

Harriet Thomas, a UK small-business owner, was duped by a fake Abergavenny Food Festival stall offer.
The scam email used a legitimate-looking address, branding and a JotForm she regularly uses.
After paying for the pitch, Thomas posted on Facebook, where she saw the festival warn of the scam.
Thomas reported the fraud and expressed embarrassment.
She said competition forces traders to fill forms quickly.