Update: Facebook-Ad Quilt Scams

In July I posted about Facebook ads providing links to buy “quilt blankets” and other quilt-like products for unbelievably low prices. Many of the photos showed famous (and not-famous) designer quilts, often intricate and beautiful designs. At the time I questioned whether this was a case of design theft or outright fraud. As it turns out, it’s both.

Scammers are using stolen photos of designer quilts as the bait. Would-be buyers enter their orders in good faith, with payment information. Comments on my previous post show that a few people report receiving product of terrible quality. Most people say they don’t receive anything at all, and can’t get response from the party they ordered from. However, the company now has their name, address, payment information, etc.

Cheryl Sleboda at muppin.com provides information on reporting these scams to Facebook. She also provides a link to a Facebook post from Cindy Santa Anna, who is keeping a running list of the scamming companies. There is a discouragingly large number of them. Please see Cindy’s list, hit like to show her your appreciation, and share the list in your groups.

To all of you who are reading this post because you’ve been scammed, I’m so sorry this happened to you. Let’s get these ads shut down by reporting the ones you see to Facebook. Let them know, as Cheryl Sleboda recommends, that both the ad and the facebook page it springs from are scams.

Advertisement

Design Theft or Outright Scam

UPDATE: THESE SITES ARE SCAMMING!

See my new post with a better update, including links to more information and how you can report the scamming ads and pages to Facebook.

There seems to be a never-ending succession of sites popping up, often advertising with photos in Facebook. Those who have tried to order are reporting that the product is never delivered. Complaints to Facebook haven’t been going anywhere, according to those commenting below and other comments I’ve seen. Facebook claims that the ads don’t violate their standards. There are 3 things about this that are illegal and/or unethical: 1) they are stealing money from people who order products in good faith; 2) they are stealing information from people, including name, address, credit card number, etc.; 3) they are stealing photos of quilts and presumably other items to show as the items for sale.

If you see these ads in Facebook, please comment to warn others that the ad and site are a scam. Thanks as always for reading here.

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Some of you are aware of the quilting-and-copyright research project called Just Wanna Quilt. I wrote a little about it here.

Besides the website with interview podcasts (including mine!), there is also a Facebook group linked to the research. The lead researcher, Elizabeth Townsend Gard, is using the group as a way to learn more about the culture of quilting. You can join, too!

Because the research focuses on intellectual property, Facebook group members post interesting items on the topic. Recently there was a post about a company that, apparently, steals quilt designs and prints them on low-quality blanket material. Or perhaps, what they’re doing is using the designs to collect orders, with credit card information, and then not delivering on the order. Whether it is phishing or scamming or stealing designs, it’s kind of horrifying that they are making money on the backs of talented designers and quilters.

Here are three of the companies that are involved with this. I’m not going to add active links, but you can check for yourself if you’re interested. Company names include
ustrendygear.com
greatbuyaz.com
usgearviral.com

A friend tagged me with a link to a picture of a great “quilt blanket” offered by one of these companies. The price of the supposed blanket was $49.95. It was NOT a quilt. And again, without trying to make a purchase, who knows if there really is a product, or if it is a phishing scam?

I looked up the quilt design the friend showed me. It was an elaborately appliquéd quilt, pattern by McKenna Ryan. You can find the pattern, as listed for sale by Ryan’s own site, here. The image below is a linked image from Pine Needles, Ryan’s store. As you can see, this is NOT a cheap blanket. It’s not a $50 item. The actual value would be in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars, based on all the time required to replicate it in appliqué.

McKenna Ryan’s pattern And On That Farm, https://www.pineneedles.com/And-On-That-Farm-s/1920.htm

Here is the product description from the scammer company page (NOT McKenna Ryan’s company.)

And here is a screen shot of the “returns policy” for the scammer company.

I clicked through the link my friend gave me, and on that original post, I said it was McKenna Ryan’s design, and the company appeared to have stolen the design to print it on cheap blanket fabric. Soon after, whoever originally posted it removed the link.

Have you seen this type of Facebook post? You’re welcome to share my post with friends or your online quilting groups, if you’d like to warn them of the scams.