TIMMINS -- Timmins Police Service officials are warning people who sell their crafts and other products at public markets to be aware of a new scam that's targeting them.

Communications co-ordinator Marc Depatie said the phishing scam is circulating on Facebook and promotes that a pop-up shopping festival is taking place in the city during the first week of June.

"Checks with the city have indicated that no such permitting has been allowed," Depatie said.

The ad suggests vendors can purchase tables to display their goods at the event for a fee of $85 a table.

"This is obviously a rather weak attempt to take advantage of people’s naivete. Obviously, there is no such event. Any funds that are forwarded will likely be lost to these fraudsters," Depatie said.

He also suggested people should question the promotion of events while a pandemic lockdown is in effect.

An additional hint the pop-up shop is bogus is that the event's address shown on the advertisement happens to be the location of a car wash.