When Atlanta-based event planner, Nirjary Desai of KIS Cubed Events, came forward to share the story of how she lost nearly $20,000 to an elaborate scam, she thought she was alone. She had no idea how many other planners were contacted by a fraudster posing as a Glidden Paints executive planning a corporate event, going under the name “Gregory Mount.”
The scam involved paying “preferred vendors” up front for fake invoices and tax documents that appeared legitimate, for an event to celebrate the opening of a new office. It was only a coincidental meeting with another planner who was also in talks with the fraudster that revealed there was no new office planned and no inauguration event.
There were also many more local planners who reported similar outreach from the same scammer using a fake LinkedIn profile and phishing websites.
Skift reached out to Glidden and was told that PPG Industries sold the business last December to The Pittsburgh Paints Company (PPC). Chaitra Gokul-Srinath, chief legal officer for PPC, said the company is aware of the Gergory Mount situation and stressed it is not associated with the parties involved.
The Scam Continues
Three months later, Gregory Mount continues reaching out to event planners. Sara Beth Raab got the Mount referral from her local MPI chapter. She spoke with him a few days before IMEX. During an IMEX session about media coverage that mentioned Mount, Raab realized she was on the verge of getting scammed.
“The breadth of the scam is extensive causing significant financial harm and I too almost became a victim,” said Raab.
More small business owners have come forward as being targeted by the same scammer asking to plan office opening parties for Glidden Paints in different cities.
“He was very convincing and there was nothing out of the ordinary. We talked on the phone about the office he was opening in Miami,” said Alicia Houston, founder of Experiential Consulting.
The scammer signed Houston’s proposal but refused to pay via Zelle, opting to pay via credit card instead. But when the credit card transaction was declined, this raised suspicions with Houston. “His responses started becoming very ChatGPTish, overly rehearsed. There were too many red flags, and I decided to step away from the job. I also asked my bank to change my account number.”
How Companies Are Fighting Back
Brightspot Incentives & Events receives one to two scam attempts like this each month.
“An RFP is needed for a rushed, important project. Usually, it’s too rushed to be realistic. These are often signs of fraud,” said Mike May, executive chairman at Brightspot.
Jason Neal, Brightspot’s director of information technology, said the company has thwarted around $200,000 worth of scams and potential losses.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t prevented them all,” said Neal. “The issue with any system is the people. So training is necessary.”
Brightspot trains staff to maintain what Neal calls “professional paranoia” — being cautious about any financial or urgent request. Suspicious emails are flagged internally and forwarded to the FBI’s cybersecurity division.
“We use real incidents — phishing emails, wire requests — as training examples,” Neal said. “If you have not done business with us in the past, you’re suspicious, and there’s a protocol we follow to validate every new vendor.”
Protecting Against Scams
Industry experts say scams like these are becoming increasingly sophisticated, blending digital deception with high-pressure tactics to appear legitimate.
Sean Clancy, director of SEO at Gold Coast, recommends a strict, two-step financial verification process before spending any time or money.
“We find that a simple initial barrier, like requiring a $150 security deposit via a verified payment system, is more than 85% effective on scam attempts,” said Clancy. “Scammers look for businesses that don’t do their due diligence.”
Benson Varghese, a criminal lawyer and managing partner of Varghese Summersett, weighed in. “Today’s scammers don’t hide behind phishing emails anymore,” he said. “They show up wearing professionalism, charm, and a calendar invite. They prey on trust and urgency, two things that usually go hand in hand when planning corporate events.”
Experts agree the best defense is slowing the process down, confirming identities through official channels, and requiring traceable payments and verifiable contracts.
