All around Northeast Ohio, hundreds of families paid for an Easter “egg drop” service that was never received.
Local news outlets have dubbed the so-called scam “Eggate,” and multiple city police departments are investigating, after having been flooded with complaints.
OK, here’s the Eggate story, as told by Facebook users:
Hundreds of parents spent $50+ to receive a lawn full of stuffed plastic eggs on Easter Eve. Eggs were promised to be delivered by 6am Easter morning.
Well – they weren’t all delivered.
These comments rolled in by the hundreds all day Easter Sunday and the following Monday. Users took to neighborhood communication groups, news outlets, buy/sell groups, and their own personal pages to express their ire. One user even went as far to create a new Facebook group, simply titled, “Easter Egg Delivery -Not Delivered,” to mobilize upset, eggless families. The group has over 300 members thus far!
The other side of the story? The egg woman in question swears it’s all a big misunderstanding. Basically, she was overwhelmed, short-staffed, etc….She’s also publicly stated (via Facebook) that she’s making her way through the customers list, and reaching out to make it right.
So, was this actually a scam or just a case of an entrepreneur who screwed up in a big way?
Honestly, I don’t know.
Listen, I get it. Lots of people paid lots of money for a service they never received. I’d be pissed too! You buy something, you expect to get that something – COMPLETELY REASONABLE!
But, here’s where this whole story goes from disgruntled customers to disgusting internet lynch mob…
Ahh, the good ol’ social media judge & jury.
Yes! The lady brought this on herself! Now, if only someone would post some personal information about her so she can be rightfully tarred and feathered…
Oh, good! Now, hopefully, someone will think to look up names and addresses of known relatives…
See where I’m going with this, people?
Again – I TOTALLY get that you’re pissed you didn’t receive a service you paid for. You should be!
But, man, DO THE RIGHT THING.
Contact the egg drop lady. Make your police report. Warn others of a possible scam, even. But, don’t start a GD internet lynch mob! Please.
Mobs have such a domino affect – one person says something nasty. So, then does another. And another. And another…Until we end up in a place where actual privacy is being violated, death threats are happening, and you begin to hurt your own cause. Because now, instead of just “upset customer,” you’re taking on a mob mentality that has you acting like an entitled Karen no one wants to take seriously.
I sincerely hope that everyone who paid for a surprise egg hunt, and didn’t receive it, gets something for their troubles. Your kids definitely didn’t deserve to get the shaft Easter morning!
But, just – come on, guys. Leave the mob, and take care of things the adult way.
And, maybe next year – hide your own eggs?
I Wore This Yesterday 