\u00a0<\/p>\n
Blance said some \u201calarm bells\u201d soon started ringing, such as the customer being unable to say what the cost of their alleged purchase was, while they could not provide any photos.<\/p>\n
With the person saying they were not at home because they were in \u2018hospital\u2019 in Unst, Blance then searched the phone number on Google \u2013 with reports of other scams against food producers involving hair then rearing their head.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile I absolutely do have a duty of care to my customers and take things like this seriously, they can have a huge effect on my business if false information was to start circulating,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I saw other businesses \u2013 albeit not local but mostly in the same food and drinks sector as myself \u2013 had already posted about this exact number it all sort of clicked.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince making the post I\u2019ve had a couple small businesses owners thank me and share their own stories too.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s so important for both small business and individuals to be aware of online scams, they\u2019re only getting more common and the people that run them are getting smarter too.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really lucky in that if this chap had succeeded, I\u2019d only be about \u00a320 out of pocket but I\u2019ve seen scams happen up into five or six figures and personally that would absolutely destroy both my business and probably my life too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinead at her stall at the museum at the weekend.<\/p>\n
Blance encouraged other small businesses to doublecheck that queries and message are genuine, such as by Googling the number and asking for proof like she did.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis guy did slip up, but many of them seem so genuine and don\u2019t make mistakes with wrong information,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Blance said she started Wild Coast Cakes in 2024 after baking professionally in a deli in John o\u2019Groats while attending university in Thurso.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always loved baking so it seemed like a bit of a natural progression for me to start up my own business,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just me behind the scenes \u2013 I do everything from marketing and admin to the actual baking and packaging.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started with custom cake orders only, then opened The Cake Cubby in Scalloway, and we supply a few local shops such as Sound Service Station and we\u2019ve recently started doing events and markets too which I\u2019ve been absolutely loving.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s such a vibrant community in Shetland between all the producers and small businesses and it\u2019s been great to get out and put some faces to names.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next up will be a stall at Da Muckle Market in Islesburgh in Lerwick on Saturday from 3pm to 5pm.<\/p>\n
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