State police warn Butler County community about scam involving craft show

SAXONBURG, Pa. — State police are investigating an unexpected scam in Butler County, and a community craft show is at the center of it. Investigators are putting out a warning after someone targeted those trying to support the Knoch High School girls basketball team.

It’s a new headache for those organizing a decades-old fundraiser: scammers targeting vendors trying to get a table at the annual fall craft show at Knoch High School. Shannon McGraw, president of the Knoch Girls Basketball Boosters, said 200 vendor spots have been filled for weeks, so someone took advantage and set up a fake application that made it look like people could register online.

“A person reached out and said, ‘Just so you know, there’s someone that’s kind of taken over’ and said that they’re issuing spots,” McGraw said.

Channel 11 obtained screenshots of conversations between a victim and online scammer with a false name, with the scammer asking for specific details and requesting money through PayPal.

“If someone had paid that $70, I guess there is a window they can try to stop payment on PayPal,” McGraw said. “I did reach out to state police. They did try to trace the names of the accounts….they couldn’t get anywhere.”

Channel 11 spoke with family members of those on the team, who couldn’t believe someone would go this far for a few hundred dollars.

“It’s unbelievable to take advantage, but it happens everywhere, even in small towns,” said Cindy Hayes, whose nieces play on the team. “You just have to be safe and be careful.”

McGraw said registrants should have paid by check and will receive an email from the boosters by the end of the weekend. If neither of those apply, they were likely scammed and should contact state police.

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