This fake festival in Montreal promised big names in music to defraud its clientele

BET À DAY

A fake music festival that promised the arrival of big stars like Harry Styles, Doja Cat and SZA in Montreal is ultimately a scam set up from scratch.

Quebec promoter Cenari was behind the so-called Aurora festival, which will not take place from June 1 to 3, as announced on his Instagram page, in particular.

Friday noon, the website of the two shareholders was closed. Other shows were announced in Old Montreal.

The Old Port of Montreal Corporation was monitoring the situation after discovering the promotion of the festival in its sector, without notice.

“We discovered the publications at the same time as the general public. Internally, we did all the necessary follow-up to try to contact the organizers, explained to TVA Nouvelles the organization's spokesperson, Kaven Gauthier. 

“We did the also followed up with the sponsors who were associated with this event to confirm whether the intentions of the organizers were to create an event intended for the general public or a fraud.”

The Société du Vieux-Port de Montréal realized the obvious on Friday morning and had already warned.

“To all the people who have contacted us, we have advised to exercise caution and not to proceed with a transactional operation until the organizers' intentions have been confirmed.” 

A cybersecurity expert is not surprised by this fraudulent scheme, since many music lovers are trapped in Quebec.

“It's commonplace. There have been some in the past few years for pre-sales of artists who were actually coming to town. You have to understand that it's still easy, analyzed Éric Parent. 

“If we take any artist and we look at (the tour schedule), and we wants to make a promotion (…), how are we going to see the difference?”

It is often too late for the people cheated, who often show up with their fake tickets at the place of the event before being turned around at the entrance.