Introduction:When a coffee shop receives a large group order from a school or company, many owners get excited. However, such “good fortune” may be a carefully crafted scam. Scammers often lure shop owners into making advance payments by claiming to purchase gifts on behalf of others or to pay suppliers in advance, even using bank transfer screenshots and money-laundering schemes to leave businesses both out of pocket and without their goods. This article compiles real cases, breaks down common scam tactics, and offers specific preventive advice to help independent coffee shops and small food and beverage operators spot traps and make wise decisions.

For an independent coffee shop, a large group purchase order from a school or company is often very tempting. But a recent “big order” encountered by a coffee shop owner in Tianjin turned out to have hidden risks. At first, the person inquired in detail about the supply of coffee and desserts, and even quickly finalized the delivery arrangements, making the owner believe it was a sure-money business.

However, the next day, the contact person suddenly said that they also needed to purchase a high-end Wagyu gift box and asked the shop owner to help contact the supplier. When the owner explained that they were not familiar with the relevant channels, the other party actually sent a WeChat ID directly and asked the owner to contact on their behalf and pay the deposit. Even more cunningly, the other party showed a bank transfer screenshot to try to prove their ability to pay, but the owner never received the funds and eventually realized they had fallen into a scam, promptly terminating the cooperation.

Such tactics are not uncommon across the country, especially targeting smaller or newly opened coffee and food and beverage outlets. Many operators, having rarely received group orders worth thousands of yuan, easily let their guard down when someone claims to represent a school or company and fall into the trap.

Scammers usually act out the group meal ordering process very realistically, gradually easing the owner’s vigilance, then use excuses like purchasing gift boxes or gifts to ask for advance payments and set traps in collusion with fake suppliers. If the shop owner carelessly provides sensitive information such as bank card numbers or mobile phone verification codes, the risk increases further.

This type of scam is not new in the food and beverage industry, and similar cases have been reported by the media in the past. Experienced professionals advise that when facing large orders, it is essential to insist on receiving a partial deposit or prepayment before proceeding with production and delivery. Most scammers, upon hearing that a prepayment is required, will often make excuses to back out or even disappear immediately.

In addition to the scam of advancing payments for goods, there is another more subtle scam worth being wary of. Scammers might first transfer money into the shop owner’s account, and after the owner receives the money and ships the goods as agreed, the transaction seems to have been completed smoothly. But later, someone may claim that the funds are proceeds from fraud and demand the account be frozen and investigated for possible money laundering. Even if the owner is ultimately proven innocent, the related funds in the account may still be deducted, leaving the owner both out of money and goods.

In summary, when faced with a sudden large group order, coffee shop operators should remain calm and vigilant and not be misled by the superficial “business opportunity.” It is recommended to take the following preventive measures: request an upfront deposit, carefully verify the identity of the other party, refuse unreasonable requests for advance payments, and avoid casually providing personal financial information. Remember, there’s no such thing as a free lunch—beware of scammers using crude lines to make you an innocent victim.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.