(203) 838-9444

COMPLAINT: Impersonation Fraud / Vendor Payment Scam Organization Impersonated: Norwalk Seaport Association (NSA) 213 Liberty Square, Norwalk, CT 06855 EIN: 06-0986800 Website: seaport.org Phone: (203) 838-9444 Fraudulent Email Address: [email protected] Names Used by Scammer: – Daniel Arellano (used August–September 2025) – Jessica (used March 2026) – "Event Coordinator" (used March 2026) Description of Fraud: Beginning in August 2025 and continuing through at least March 2026, an unknown individual operating under the email address [email protected] has been impersonating staff of the Norwalk Seaport Association (NSA) to solicit fraudulent vendor payments for the annual Norwalk Oyster Festival, a legitimate event held each September at Veterans Memorial Park in Norwalk, Connecticut. The scammer contacted real, prior-year festival vendors using accurate event details (dates, location, pricing structure) to appear credible. Victims were asked to submit vendor applications and pay booth fees — $475 for three days plus $20/day for electricity ($535 total) — via App Store or online payment links unaffiliated with the NSA. The NSA does not use Gmail accounts for official communications. All legitimate vendor correspondence originates from @seaport.org email addresses. At least one vendor (name withheld) received these fraudulent solicitations and fortunately contacted the NSA before making any payment. It is unknown how many other vendors may have been targeted or defrauded. The scammer appears to have obtained legitimate vendor contact information, possibly harvested from prior festival participation records. The NS [BBB Scam Type: Identity Theft] [Business: Norwalk Seaport Association Date Rep] [Location: CT, USA- 06855]