Scammers pretending to sell Girl Guide cookies prompt consumer warnings in B.C. and Ontario
Scammers in B.C. and Ontario are preying on new victims by pretending to sell the beloved Girl Guide cookies.
B.C. Girl Guides recently issued a warning about scammers after several social media users complained about trying to purchase cookies online but were ghosted by the alleged sellers after they sent e-transfer payments, reports the CBC .
District Commissioner Cynthia Tomey, from Sooke in southern Vancouver Island, posted on Facebook on Sept. 30: “You should never have to pay up front for girl guide cookies. If the seller is asking for money to hold cookies (it is) most likely a scam.”
She advised that in-person sales will be held on the weekend of October 24-26 in front of local stores.
The B.C. Better Business Bureau is also warning about scammers posing as Girl Guide cookie sellers online, reports Kelowna Now .
“Recent reports show fraudulent ads circulating on social media promoting ‘Girl Guide cookies’ for sale in BC,” said the BBB. “These posts often overcharge, request e-transfers and never deliver any cookies.”
Lisa Gillis, Monashee Area Commissioner for the B.C. Girl Guides told another media outlet, Castanet : “Evidently there are some dishonest people in our community who are purportedly selling Girl Guide cookies for $10 per box and are soliciting donations. Please do not buy from these people, nor give them any donations.”
Gillis said she has heard of a scammer operating in the West Kelowna area as well as reports of scammers in the Lower Mainland.
There are hundreds of genuine Girl Guide members legitimately selling Girl Guide cookies in the community, she said, doing so through door-to-door sales or booths set up at public locations.
Interested buyers can find bona fide sellers though the Girl Guides’ cookie finder web page.
“When selling door-to-door, younger children are always accompanied by their leaders or their parents/guardians,” Gillis said. “Adults do not sell cookies door-to-door. Girl Guides who are selling cookies will never solicit a donation but certainly appreciate receiving them.”
Girl Guides had been selling cookies for 99 years, Gillis said, and the annual cookie sales are the organization’s major source of fundraising. The organization sold five million boxes of cookies across Canada last year.
Girl Guide cookies in Canada are sold during two main campaigns each year, starting with the classic chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies between March and June. The second campaign has just begun and runs through the end of the year, when Girl Guides are selling the popular chocolatey-mint cookies. The cookies sell for $6 a box with all proceeds going to Girl Guides Canada.
“Girl Guide cookies power everything that we do as an organization,” said Diamond Isinger, volunteer spokesperson for B.C. Girl Guides told the CBC. “To my knowledge, we haven’t seen a scam attempt like this before.”
Meanwhile, in Ontario, Insauga reports that the Girl Guides of Canada — Sault Ste. Marie posted a warning about scams. “Heads up, everyone! It’s come to my attention that some folks in the area are posting about cookie sales in an untruthful way.”
A community Facebook group also warned about a fake post on its page, which looked like it may have been from a real parent. It showed photos of the cookies and asked for funds. The community group removed the post and warned people not to send money.
Similar warnings were issued by Girl Guide chapters in Marathon and SouthFrontenac, Ontario.
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