Spa Scammers Miss a Target

    Approximately two months ago, I was approached by a marketing sales associate at Oakridge mall sometime during the afternoon. The strange thing was that I myself was also on duty for work and that she had walked into my store. The twenty-something caucasian woman had been walking around the mall offering coupons for a local spa, located in Yaletown. At the time, it was particularly quiet in the store, so we had conversed for approximately half an hour. I recall most parts of my conversation with the sales associate; I had asked her if she was an employee of the spa. She had told me that she worked for a marketing agency that had been hired by the spa, but that she had actually gone to the spa several times on her own time. As for the coupon itself, she was offering a packaged deal, worth about $400, at a promotional price of $55. Initially it seemed like an amazing deal, and I asked to take a brochure home to share with friends, but she refused, saying that if I wanted the deal, that I would have to pay right there and then. Thinking that this was a suspicious and unattractive marketing tactic, I replied her refusal with my own refusal, stating that I had forgotten my wallet and had no cash. She then took out a wireless pinpad processor, but I said that logically, if I had no wallet, I had no plastic.

    I had long forgotten the strange incident, but this morning, I discovered that I was nearly one of many victims of a local scam. In the 24 newspaper, an article titled “Coupon scam costly for local spa” tells the story of spa owner Jenny Truong who was recently scammed. She had agreed to allow a company to market free coupons for services worth under $10, but started to receive customers who were promised services worth $400. Why did these people believe they were getting such expensive treatments? Simply because they paid for it, at $55 a coupon (Loy, 2009). Appalled, I suddenly connected the story with my own experience, especially with fifty-five being a familiar number, and realized that I had narrowly escaped the swindle.

     This is a prime example of how many businesses may get scammed. One thing all business owners should do before interacting with an unknown company is to do a background check. Perhaps visit their store location, speak to supervisors or managers, and visit any existing company websites. Additionally, they can search the company through a search engine, since the company website may be biased. They should also get a follow up report from any activities done out of sight. These are just a few of many ways to help prevent businesses from scams. For extra tips on general business safety, visit http://www.jewelrymall.com/buyingscams.html.

References

Loy, I. (2009). Coupon scam costly for local spa. 24 Hours Vancouver. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2009/06/23/9894111-sun.html