Vendor Scams Hit Ottawa Christmas Markets
Small business owners preparing for the holiday season are facing financial losses after scammers began impersonating holiday market organizers. Desiree Battisti, an Ottawa-area vendor hoping to sell Italian sodas, lost $500 through two separate e-transfers after receiving a fraudulent email offering her a booth, CTV News reported.
The deceptive emails are arriving from Gmail addresses, mimicking legitimate invitations to lucrative seasonal venues. For Battisti, the message arrived just a week after she had reached out to the Ottawa Christmas Market directly, making the request appear routine. Her bank, CIBC, later flagged the transactions as fraudulent. I’m in complete disbelief to be honest, I’m a very resourceful business owner,
she said, adding that she is relatively computer savvy.
Battisti noted that she is now hesitant to use e-transfer in the future, explaining, I was obviously extremely excited because this is new and this is our first season. We’re just getting out there. It really breaks your trust.
CIBC stated that it is supporting her in efforts to recover the funds, though noting that once funds are sent they can be very difficult to recover.
Multiple Markets Targeted Across the Region
The fraudulent operation extends beyond a single venue. City officials and market managers report that similar tactics are targeting multiple holiday sales events across the region.
The City of Ottawa issued a public warning on its website regarding scammers targeting vendors for the Nepean Sportsplex Christmas Craftshow. Meanwhile, the Ottawa Christmas Market posted its own social media warning, urging participants to verify identities before sending funds. At the Metcalfe Farmers’ Market, manager Reeann Slater noted that vendors have received similar fraudulent outreach for weeks, describing it by saying, It’s terrible. They’re just taking so much money from so many people. And this right now, there’s nothing we can do about it.
Slater described a situation where a vendor arrived on a Saturday morning with a car full of merchandise, only to discover their booth booking was entirely fake. Farmers’ Markets Ontario has since held an informational session for members to address the rising frequency of these holiday booth scams.
Police and Security Recommendations for Vendors
Once sent, the funds cannot be easily reversed.
Ottawa Police Service financial crimes unit staff Sgt. Cameron Graham advised vendors to rely exclusively on official websites for contact and registration details rather than answering unsolicited emails. CIBC noted that recovering e-transfer funds remains difficult once the transfer is complete.
Affected vendors are urged to report incidents immediately to local law enforcement, their financial institutions, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ottawa Holiday Market Scams
Which Ottawa markets have been targeted by the booth scam?
Official warnings and reports identify the Ottawa Christmas Market at Lansdowne, the Nepean Sportsplex Christmas Craftshow, and the Metcalfe Farmers’ Market as targets.
How much money did individual vendors lose in these incidents?
Vendor Desiree Battisti lost $500 across two separate e-transfer payments before her bank flagged the transaction as fraudulent.
What do police recommend vendors do to prevent fraud?
Ottawa police recommend using contact information found only on official event websites rather than responding to unsolicited email messages.
Where should victims report these fraudulent e-transfer payments?
The Ottawa Police Service advises victims to report scams directly to their bank, local law enforcement, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
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