09/06/2026
On Sunday morning, I woke up to what appeared to be an exciting email from a food festival in Edinburgh.
The organiser told me I had been selected to trade and asked me to confirm my interest. Having missed out on some great opportunities in the past, I was keen not to let this one slip through my fingers, so I replied immediately.
Within five minutes, I received an invoice and payment request. That was my first red flag.
Having dealt with event organisers before, I know that responses and confirmations usually take time. Then I noticed something else: electricity was listed at just £10. No one had asked what equipment I would be bringing or how much power I needed. How could they know what to charge?
The pitch fee was also surprisingly low for a major Edinburgh event. The numbers simply didn't add up.
I decided to investigate further. I went back to the festival website but couldn't find an official contact email. Then I looked more closely at the email I had received. It came from a Gmail account claiming to represent the festival. That didn't seem right. Most established festivals use email addresses linked to their official websites.
At that point, I realised it was likely a scam. Thankfully, I hadn't paid the £400 invoice. Had I had the money available at that moment, I might have become a victim.
I'm sharing this to encourage fellow traders, caterers, and small business owners to stay vigilant. When you're eager to secure your next event, it's easy to overlook warning signs. Sometimes a little hesitation can save you hundreds of pounds.
If you know of any genuine festivals, markets, or events looking for food traders, please send me a message.
Stay safe and happy trading.
