Unicorn Dream Scam

Mlom

Hi All

Looking for advice I paid on my bank debit card £198 for an event hosted by https://unicorndream.co.uk on 20th July

Today I saw this https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/13/little-girls-left-tears-unicorn-experience-turns-total-shambles-9949089/

Even worse there is a Facebook page about the scammer, apparently they have cancelled events, rescheduled elsewhere and cancelled again. There is an article on Kent events where they are being investigated for fraud

I'm absolutely distraught as I have 2 very excited children who have been counting down since April and utterly disgusted that someone would do this to young children

I honestly can't imagine turning up after paying so much money and finding a couple of gazebos and a unicorn when I was expecting so much more and at a loss what to do as I am uncertain of my rights

I would appreciate any advice thanks

hollydays

Yes criminals do do this sort of thing.

What address did you send the money to?
Do you have any names?
It looks like they have had more than one companyn as the latest one was formed on 5th may

Mlom

Thanks for your reply

I paid on there website which led to a tickets sales ticket or and paid on my banks debit card
I have numerous names that he seems to go under Darren, Stafford Carrington etc
I found a Facebook page that is related to others affected by the scam

I'm lost for words at the moment

Aylesbury_Duck

I expected "Unicorn Dream Scam" to be a Brexit thing. Then I see it's one of those peculiarly British crap "events" like the Christmas-land experiences that turn up every year promising Lapland and Bethlehem and delivering a stuffed reindeer in a B&Q shed in a field and some fairy lights thrown into a tree.

Join the Facebook group. Collective action and negative press coverage might get you somewhere IF your experience turns out like the one in the article. As it hasn't happened yet, it's possible that it won't be as bad as that one.

hollydays

From their Facebook page 3 hours ago- blame everyone but themselves.

Dear All

After extensive conversations today we have looked at the fact we have only sold 7% (440 tickets not refunded) of available tickets for the event and we have nearly 100 of you requesting a refund to cancel all events going forward. We do not come to this decision likely but with the amount of anger and upset this has caused it seems impossible that we will be able to get the numbers or sponsorship to be able to run successful events in the future.

With the lack of ticket sales that is in decline because of the recent attacks on the business, we are left with no choice.

We refunded those who went to cancelled events or we arranged for them to go to other events, we have some customers from last weekends cancelled events in Bristol (caused by thunderstorms) have gotten back to us recently for refunds, but to say we have not done our best is very unfair.

When we took on the management of this event we did so full of optimism but the gauntlet of abuse, false accusations and systematic approach to ending the event from animal rights protestors and other individuals is sickening. That they would come after peoples livelihoods in this way when our only goal was to run shows for kids.

Shirley Thompson of Eventrate LTD who have been part of setting up the Facebook group and is not a concerned customer was in charge of customer service, venues finding and updating customers. She invoiced the company for nearly 400 hrs work 10% of total sales and was responsible for managing the first event at Brunswick park but is now helping coordinate an effort to close the company only a few weeks ago she wanted to come back and work for. The other admin for the facebook group Kate Howell received a full refund on contacting us along with complementary and VIP tickets. These two who worked so hard to bring the company down benefitted the most. We have launched legally proceeding against both people and an animal rights organisation for there part of defamation of the business. Which has been a key part of us having to come to this decision.

We have had 2 venues cancel on us due to the bad press and being hounded by phone calls and it is all becoming an avalanche which is impossible to fight. Again we will refund everyone. This morning the company was determined not to let the untrue statements stop us and go on to deliver these events for the kids and customers. But today's further hacking of the website and continued attacks and threats against our staff have left us no option but to let the people who wanted to stop the show be successful. Our intention and vision was to put on a great show at Newcastle and that be the turning point to move forward but that now is impossible, so with sadness in our hearts we are now postponing the remaining dates and the company is looking at options to make sure everyone gets their money back and we will give timescales over the forthcoming days but aim to have this completed within our terms and conditions. Like from previous messages no one has benefited from this there has only been a loss. With production, marketing, staff, stage, deposits and other event costs the company has paid out much more than it has received in tickets sales and all refunds will come directly from the people involved as a gesture not wanting anyone out of pocket.

Why did this happen?
This started off as a semi-popular event but bad press caused by malicious organisations and high turnover of staff caused by threats have affected us deeply. Once ticket sales dried up we have again been left funding the business to try and make it work but with only 14 bookings in Hull this weekend 12 for London and only 60 for Newcastle (July 13/14) we were still prepared to try and make things work with the change of weather expected and at a great loss to put on these events to showcase all we have been working on.

We have been having to consider the way forward for weeks hence some change bookings of locations were not always finalised until we reached a certain booking number, the event not being as popular as first thought.

The team at Unicorn Dream have gone through a lot and faced great resistance, we are sorry we failed to put on the shows we wished for you, we are sorry that the children will not get to meet the unicorns, we are sorry that we were not able to fight back and defeat the activist who did not believe you should chalk hair and hug unicorns so the show could go on.
We tried our best but the campaign off late was just too much to handle and the cancelled booking meant we could not move forward.

Again apologies to everyone involved and we only wish we could be putting together successful unicorn events instead of writing this mail but we are left to work on getting everyone their money back which we will do in an agreed timescale. This can only be done a fair basis based on when your booking is, emails and calls cant effect this.

Sorry, and we will be in touch with everyone by email.

hollydays

Stafford Jamie Michael Carrington
Allegedly:

"CEO Stafford Carrington is no stranger to putting on events – Alyssya’s father was the co-Founder of Thriller Live and has over a decade of experience putting on award-winning spectacular events in the UK and abroad.

“I’ve put on concerts in Dubai for 25,000 people and flew in top acts from around the world such as Shakira, Katy Perry, Akon, Kelly Rowland, Nelly, Shaggy to name a few but the challenge of making kids happy has a lot more satisfaction but believe me it’s hard work. Can you imagine it, my daughter is my boss! Alyssya has made me work hard but is great working together, she knows what she wants, she understands a kids mind and shown she understands the effort it will take to make this a success. I am extremely proud of her.”