Georgia agriculture officials warn of fake Atlanta State Farmers Market vendor scam
A polished social media advertisement inviting vendors and artisans to take part in a three-day shopping event at the Atlanta State Farmers Market may look legitimate. Georgia agriculture officials say it is anything but.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture has issued a consumer alert warning that the advertisement is part of a scam targeting farmers, vendors and small businesses, and investigators are now trying to determine who is behind it.
The ad proclaims "Vendors Wanted," promising a three-day shopping experience at the Atlanta State Farmers Market in Forest Park where sellers can showcase everything from food and arts and crafts to clothing.
But according to Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, the event is not affiliated with the state or the farmers market.
"This is just the latest case of fraudsters trying to take advantage of our farmers, and they're using our farmers market here in Atlanta," Harper told CBS News Atlanta by telephone on Friday.
The person or group behind the advertisement directs prospective vendors to an email address to request an application and then asks them to pay a fee electronically.
Harper, who stepped away from work on his own farm to speak with CBS News Atlanta, said investigators believe the operation could be based outside the United States, making it more difficult to identify those responsible.
"Sometimes it's hard to get to them because they don't reside in the United States of America," Harper said.
CBS News Atlanta contacted the email address listed on the advertisement for what it calls the "2026 Gate Atlanta Vendor & Artisan Market."
Within minutes, we received a response welcoming our inquiry, along with instructions to complete an application and pay a fee electronically.
"Unfortunately, these groups are extremely difficult to track," Harper said.
Atlanta vendors are not the only ones being targeted. Similar farmers market scams have surfaced across the country, with fraudulent social media posts soliciting vendors for purported events in places including California and Michigan. Similar schemes have also been reported in Canada.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture says it has issued a cease-and-desist notice to the Facebook account promoting the Atlanta event. The department's law enforcement team is also working to identify whoever is behind the operation.
Harper said the concern is that legitimate farmers and small-business owners could see a professional-looking advertisement, assume the event is real and send money before realizing they have been scammed.
"We don't want vendors going on there and participating unknowingly," Harper said.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture says there is only one legitimate way to lease vendor space at the Atlanta State Farmers Market: Vendors must apply directly through the department's official portal, at agr.georgia.gov/state-farmers-markets
