From fake dresses to disappearing salespeople and stolen gifts, there are many ways that unsuspecting couples can fall prey to marriage fraud or theft. While the pandemic has forced many to postpone or downsize their celebrations, marriage scams have persisted.
In May, a Chicago couple lost $3,500 when their wedding photographer ghosted them. Another couple in Melvindale, Michigan, had nearly all of their gifts stolen during their wedding last August. And then there are the dozens of brides in Black Forest, Colorado, who have filed lawsuits this year against a venue owner who kept their deposits after the venue was suddenly forced to close for unlicensed operation. With a big wave of weddings expected to happen next year, there could be a spike in wedding scams by 2022.
However, there are steps couples can take to avoid these types of wedding horror stories. Here are four common tricks and ways to avoid them.
fake sellers
A deposit or prepayment is collected, but services are never provided. In a recent Ohio case, the state attorney general is suing a florist who accepted deposits from customers but then failed to deliver flowers to their wedding.
How To Avoid: It may sound simple, but ask for recommendations before hiring someone. A good place to start is with an event planner. “Wedding planners know, based on experience, suppliers who can be trusted,” says Jennifer Stein, editor-in-chief of Destination I Do, a wedding magazine and website.
Can’t find a supplier through word of mouth? Jessica Bishop, the founder of Budget Savvy Bride, a wedding advice site for couples on a budget, suggests looking for local businesses on the Knot and Wedding Wire. “Both websites are good sources for reviews from real customers,” she said.
Couples should take additional steps to investigate companies, such as seeing if the company has had any consumer complaints with the Better Business Bureau. And ask potential suppliers for references. “Scammers are looking for quick cash,” said Ms. Stein, “which means most scammers won’t take the time to set up a fake credential.”
When looking for references, ask a supplier to introduce you to their three most recent customers. This way, you’re not just talking to customers chosen by the salesperson to sing its praises.
Counterfeit wedding dresses
A designer dress is ordered at a significant discount in an online store, but the dress you receive is from another designer or is in bad condition.
“People can set up a very fancy online store, but when their products arrive, they’re not the quality customers expect,” said Katherine Hutt, a spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau.
How To Avoid: A budget-friendly option is to buy a second-hand dress, but here again you need to be vigilant about where you shop when buying online. Before completing a sale, see what customers are saying about the retailer. A useful website is Sitejabber, where consumers leave reviews of companies. Embed the retailer’s web address and Sitejabber shows stats such as how many positive reviews a site has received in the last 12 months.
Some reputable online retailers that specialize in second-hand clothing, Ms. Bishop said, include Still White, Preowned Wedding Dresses and Almost Newlywed.
If you want to save money on a dress, Ms. Stein also recommends checking out sample sales at local bridal shops. “That way you get a deal and support a small business at the same time,” she said.
And one more piece of advice, according to Ms. Bishop: “Pay with a credit card if possible so you can file a dispute with your credit card company if something goes wrong.”
fake engagement rings
The ring purchased turns out to have a fake diamond, or a stone that was not as valuable as advertised. The Gemological Institute of America, an industry nonprofit that rates and certifies gemstones based on a stone’s size and characteristics, recently reported an increase in the number of lab-grown diamonds submitted for verification with forged inscriptions that point out that they were GIA natural diamonds. (Natural diamonds are more valuable on the resale market than lab-grown diamonds.)
How To Avoid:
Dealing with a reputable jeweler can lower the risk. Ms. Stein, whose grandfather was a jeweler, also suggests having a gem appraised before buying it. Jewelers can request a professional valuation for you from a third party; some may charge a small fee for this service. When you have a diamond appraised, check that the weight is the same as advertised by the seller. (Sterling Jewelers, the operator of Florida-based company Jared the Galleria of Jewelry, is currently facing a class action over alleged diamond weights that are too high.)
Ms. Stein also urges couples to purchase a stone that has Gemological Institute of America certification. (A GIA certificate verifies the diamond’s “four Cs”: cut, clarity, color, and carat weight.)
Gift theft
Wedding gifts are stolen by an uninvited visitor. Earlier this year, a woman in Mississippi was sentenced to five years in prison for stealing money and gifts from more than a dozen weddings she attended uninvited.
How To Avoid: To prevent theft, Ms. Hutt suggests keeping gifts in a secure location, such as a hotel room, or even in a locked box, rather than out in the open. “Even better, ask that all gifts be purchased through your marriage registry or shipped to your home,” she said.
Rachel Slauer, an Atlanta wedding and event planner, said she’s seen clients hire security guards to secure their gifts. She added that some venues require couples to hire their own security for the duration of the event.