Scammers are targeting clients looking to get their hair braided by using real stylists’ work and creating fake social media pages.
Reports of Scams
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is receiving reports of scams targeting individuals wanting braids. Scammers take pictures from legitimate stylists and post them on fake social media pages.
Modus Operandi
Potential clients find the fake pages and book appointments, often making small deposits. Clients realize they have been scammed when they do not hear back from the supposed stylist on the appointment day.
Impact on Legitimate Businesses
Real stylists like Porsche Hensley, who has been braiding hair for over 10 years and owns Divine Innovation 615 in Nashville, are affected. Hensley reported instances where clients arrived for appointments, only to find out they were scammed.
Precautions to Avoid Scams
BBB advises not to pay for the service in full before the appointment. Visit the stylist’s location before booking. Verify the stylist’s work by searching for them online and including the word “scam” after their name. Ask for the stylist’s license number and verify it.
Continuing the Business
Despite the scams, stylists like Porsche Hensley remain undeterred and continue their work.
Conclusion
Scammers exploiting the popularity of hair braiding are causing issues for both clients and legitimate stylists. Clients are advised to take precautions to ensure they are booking authentic services.
WGN America’s ‘Underground’ To Screen At The White House (PRNewsFoto/WGN America)On Monday, February 22, WGN America’s highly anticipated original series “Underground” will be screened at the White House, as part of the White House Office of Public Engagement’s Black History Month event, “These Hallowed Grounds,” highlighting landmarks and monuments around the country significant to the African American community, including stops on the Underground Railroad. Prior to the screening will be panel discussions with the “Underground” cast and creative team, including executive producer John Legend, creators and executive producers Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, executive producer Akiva Goldsman and director and executive producer Anthony Hemingway, and stars Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aldis Hodge, Christopher Meloni, Alano Miller, Jessica de Gouw and Amirah Vann. The panel event will be live streamed at WhiteHouse.gov/Live, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET.In an exploration of the pulse-pounding journey about the revolutionaries of the Underground Railroad, the “Underground” cast and creative team will discuss the inspiration behind the escape thriller, premiering Wednesday, March 9 (10 p.m. ET/PT) on WGN America and produced by Sony Pictures Television and Tribune Studios.Attendees at the White House event will include Senior Administration Officials and leadership from The Association for the Study of African American Life & History, the founders of Black History Month.”Underground” follows a group of courageous men and women who use their ingenuity, power and perseverance to attempt the greatest escape in history and break free, despite the dire consequences that awaited them on the other side. The story follows a courageous blacksmith who covertly organizes a small group of his fellow slaves and pieces together a daring plan of escape across hundreds of miles to freedom. The odds of success are razor-thin for those who make it off the plantation, while the risks, dangers and obstacles multiply each step of the way.
