Bourbon Scammers Are Active in Missouri—Stay Vigilant

I’ve been to two bourbon tasting events this year. Both were well attended and a lot of money was spent. Both ingredients together are enticing for scammers.

One event was a tasting that had people from several states in attendance vying to win the chance to buy bottles of bourbon that are hard to find, making them quite pricey. The event wasn’t advertised outside the remote area and yet when word got out within the bourbon buyers network attendance soared.

The other was a fundraiser where limited bottles of bourbon were auctioned off with winning bids ranging from the hundreds to the thousands.

These numbers in the form of dollars being spent, and the numbers of people looking to find the rare bottle create a situation for scammers to exploit.

Scammers can easily exploit new enthusiasts who won’t know they are buying a counterfeit bottle of rare bourbon online.

The old adage “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” Is in play here.

The problem even with the statement is the word “probably”. Would be buyers desperately want to believe they’ve stumbled upon a super sweet deal and think even if their conscience is telling them it’s not real that maybe there’s a slight chance it’s legit. That’s when a scammer has you.

If the price is too far below the market, there’s a reason. If the item online has a blurred thumbnail, it’s a red flag. Shipping liquor isn’t legal everywhere, if they assure you that they ship everywhere in the USA that’s also a red flag.

Should you be tempted to reach out to an online bourbon seller ask questions about shipping. Ask about ID confirmation. Also, the more you know about the bourbon you are attempting to buy the better. That will give you a better footing to spot the scam. Remember these are people just in it for the money. Odds are you know more about the product than they do. Be wise.

Pro tip. Talk to the liquor retail store managers in your area. They know what is available, what isn’t at the moment and can give you ideas about putting yourself in the best position to be able to buy a “hard to find” bourbon.

Fake labels on bottles or real labels and real bottles filled with cheap bourbon, and the basic not receiving the item purchased at all. All of these are happening.

If you've been scammed contact the Better Business Bureau