How a $40K Cyber Scam Nearly Grounded 80 Event Pros

Skift

3 days ago

In an era of rising cyber fraud, one planner's $40,000 loss is a wake-up call for the industry: payment security deserves the same rigor as contracts, insurance, and attendee safety.
The call came less than 24 hours before departure. The Tuscan venue hosting Liz Lathan's first-ever mystery trip was canceling due to non-payment.
'The thing is we had sent them the payment, a whopping $40,000,' said Lathan, co-founder of The Community Factory and co-creator of Club Ichi who has also held roles with companies including Dell and IBM. 'Meanwhile, we had 80 event pros ready to meet us and head to Tuscany together.'
In fact, Lathan thought she paid the venue, but the payment had gone to a scam artist.
This 2019 trip, the 'Haute Dokimazo Secret Family Reunion,' was 'the ultimate trust exercise to bring back human connection,' she said.
Eighty event professionals paid between $2,500 and $3,500, showed up with passports at a pre-flight reveal party at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport, and had no idea where they were headed.
What they also didn't know was that just hours earlier, the entire six-day retreat — held at an agrifarm in Tuscany that had never held a group event before — was on the verge of collapse.
The Scam
The $40,000 final payment to secure the venue had been intercepted in an email scam. A hacker gained access to the venue's email account and sent a payment request that looked legitimate, complete with correct branding, formatting, and bank details.
The only clue: an extra period at the end of the sender's email address. 'The criminals somehow had intercepted our venue contact's email, which was a gmail, as they were a family-run agrifarm, not a corporate entity. The scam email was also a gmail that was exactly the same except for the extra period that went unnoticed,' said Lathan.
In a time crunch, last minute details were moving fast. 'We wired the money and when I learned it didn't go to the venue, I could feel the blood drain from my head. I was terrified. Where would we get another $40,000? Would we have to cancel the whole thing? I gave myself 10 minutes to process it, then sprang into action.'
A Midnight Rescue Mission
Lathan and her partners scrambled to replace the missing funds. They borrowed, maxed out credit cards, and pieced together $40,000 to keep the trip alive. The FBI opened a case, but the money was never recovered.
'The struggle, pain, shame, embarrassment, and financial impact is real,' said Lathan.
The experience permanently changed how she handles payments. Now, anyone involved with Club Ichi financial transactions — especially ACH or wire transfers — must complete fraud awareness training through online courses. She recently brushed up on the types of fraud out there with a class offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Lathan is planning the second edition of her 'secret business trip,' scheduled for May 1, 2026. Attendees will meet at LAX, learn their destination at the airport, and board an aircraft together.
'I am absolutely more careful with how money moves,' she said. 'Last week, I wired a $10,000 deposit for a Club Ichi activation during IMEX — only after calling the property owner to verify the bank details multiple times. From now on, large payments always come with a phone call.'
This isn't an isolated incident. In 2024, U.S. consumers lost $12.5 billion to fraud, a 25% year-over-year increase. Approximately 38% of fraud reports result in actual financial loss, with bank transfers being the most exploited method, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
A Growing Threat
Lathan's experience is not unique. Atlanta-based event producer Nirjary Desai, founder of KIS Cubed Event, lost nearly $20,000 in July after a scammer posed as a corporate client.
'There should be standards for payments and RFPs,' Desai said. 'We need everyone vetted. It's time the industry treats payment protocols as seriously as contracts and insurance.'
Desai's story recently helped another planner in Miami avoid the same scam when the fraudster reached out to her. 'It seems the scammer has moved on from Atlanta to Miami,' Desai said. 'I'm urging event professionals to beware.'