A hot air balloon ride scam north of Toronto is leaving customers duped, police say

Police in York Region are warning of a hot air balloon ride scam after at least two incidents where customers paid for the experience, only to find no balloons or staff when they showed up.

In a news release on Thursday, police said they have received reports from several victims of the scam since the beginning of June. The company involved, advertising itself as "The Candle Experience 2025," accepts payments for bookings but then fails to deliver the experience, police said.

Its website has been deleted and its Instagram page is no longer available.

Police said a person responded to an advertisement on social media on June 4 and paid $45 online for hot air balloon ride reservation on July 5.

But on the scheduled day, when that person went to a park in the area of 14th Avenue and Donald Cousens Parkway in Markham, there were no hot air balloons and no staff from the The Candle Experience. A large number of people had also showed up for the ride, police said.

Police said a similar incident happened on July 12, when a large number of people and vehicles went to the same park expecting hot air balloon rides but had been duped out of their money.

"Our investigators want to make the community aware of this scam," Const. Kevin Nebrija, media relations officer, said on Thursday.

"Just be cautious of who you are booking with and through what means. Social media ads are meant to grab your attention real quick. But any reputable company, if you are going to make a booking with them, should be outside of that social media platform," Nebrija said.

How to avoid becoming a victim of a scam

To avoid becoming a victim of a scam, police recommend that consumers:

• Look up customer reviews on several platforms.
• Find a physical address and contact information for the company to help verify its authenticity.
• Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. Hot air balloon rides typically cost a few hundred dollars.
• Confirm your booking by calling or emailing the operator directly. A reputable company will respond to a query promptly.

Anyone who has been a victim of a fraud is urged to call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at 1-888-495-8501.