Canadian retailer Peavey Industries LP is warning customers of imitation scams as the company closes its stores beloved for farm goods.
Jest Sidloski, the vice-president of marketing for the Red Deer, Alta.-based company, said Wednesday fake Facebook accounts and websites have been created pretending to be Peavey Mart, selling non-existent goods at steep discounts to defraud customers and steal their information.
He said he thinks fraudsters are using the store closures as an opportunity to scam.
“They’ve built these websites rapidly and are selling products customers would come to expect at a Peavey Mart store, but they’re 80 percent off,” Sidloski said.
He added the company is only offering sales in person, not online.
“Unfortunately, people are falling victim to this because these fraud sites look legitimate,” he said.
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Peavey Industries LP announced last month it’s planning to close all of its 90 stores across Canada after nearly 60 years in business.
The company has deep roots in western rural communities, selling everything from animal feed, hardware, snacks and toy tractors to live chicks by special order.
Sidloski said the company has filed a report with RCMP about the fake sites and has encouraged customers to do the same if they’ve been swindled.
He said at one point there were nine Facebook pages imitating the company, and all but two have since been taken down. There are also three fake websites, he added.
“They keep creating these pages and Facebook keeps allowing them to advertise,” Sidloski said.
“It’s going to be a cat-and-mouse game. We’re certainly trying to get them removed and protect customers.”
Kevin Smith was shopping Wednesday at a Peavey Mart in Regina when he learned of the scam.
He said it’s sad the store is closing.
“I farm so there’s lots of different stuff you can get here and you’re not sure where else you can get it from,” Smith said.
“It’s where I can get work clothes, work gloves, coveralls and calving supplies.”
Shopper Rob Zerr also said losing the store is unfortunate. He normally buys items for his pets and the farm.
“Once it’s gone, it’s gone,” he said.
“It’s just sad that (the closure) takes away another option. Peavey Mart is that one-stop shop.”
The company has sought creditor protection and says the closures are due to several factors, including record-low consumer confidence, increased operating costs and continued disruptions to the supply chain.
Sidloski said there’s no date yet on when all the stores are expected to shutter.
He said the company is working to see if there are opportunities to keep locations from closing.
“Should there be an opportunity for a solution to be in place, it could have the ability to have those stores come out of closure if there is a future that Peavey Mart can exist in a different way,” he said.
“But again, there’s no formal or public information on the possibility of that happening.”
He said many people have trusted the store for years.
“The reason we’re seeing so much love and appreciation for this brand is because people felt it was their brand,” he said.
“People took a great sense of pride and ownership of having these stores in their communities.”
