Social media has made people comfortable sharing everything they’re doing with the general public —where they go, what they wear, who they’re with.
But sometimes, this transparency can backfire, especially if you’re trying to get away with something nefarious — and your profile is public.
Related: California Woman Arrested For $60 Million Postal Service Scam
This was the case for Australian clothing designer Kayla Thomas of REAKT Apparel. In a clip that’s been viewed over one million times, Thomas says a customer (who goes to her gym) placed an order for several items of clothing, but after the package was delivered, the customer claimed items were missing.
Im still shocked a customer tried to scam my small business??…. Always trust your gut instinct ?
Thomas also noted that Shopify had flagged the shopper’s account as having “fraudulent characteristics” and could be potentially suspicious.
“I’m thinking, ‘How was that possible?’ Like, did I make a mistake? I was literally second-guessing myself,” Thomas told viewers after she received the email that one of the shopper’s three crop tops had allegedly not been sent to her. “So I emailed her back, and I was like, I will investigate this and get back to you ASAP.”
When Thomas offered to deliver one right away, the girl asked if she could exchange it for a different shirt instead, which is when she started to get suspicious. She then decided to go to the gym’s Instagram, where she knows the shopper is a frequent visitor — and was stunned by what she saw.
Related: I’m a Business News Editor, and Even I Fell Victim to an Online Scam That Cost Me $300
“I couldn’t believe it. There she was that same day wearing the black crop that was apparently missing,” Thomas told viewers. “And the weird part is she literally tagged me in the post, but I didn’t see it because our account is private, and we don’t follow each other.”
In a second video, Thomas said she messaged the girl multiple times and received no response.
@reaktapparel PART 2 of a customer trying to scam my small business!!! Watch part 1 first ?? #smallbizau #scammer #scam ♬ original sound – Kayla | REAKT APPAREL
“She literally did not care that she got called out for her behavior,” she said bluntly. “Honestly, I’m still shocked, like she has no shame for what she’s done. And she’s most likely doing this to other businesses as well. So I guess always trust your gut instinct.”
Many in the comment section jumped to Thomas’ side, some even lamenting that the same thing had happened to them in similar situations with their businesses.
“This happened to me a few times … I now record every single package I send out, so that doesn’t happen anymore,” one person wrote.
“This happens to my friend all the time,” another explained. “She photographs every order she packs now!”
The moral of the story for small business owners: record your packages before sending them out to avoid getting scammed by customers who try to get more items from you for free.
