A weekend party ended in frustration for a small Las Vegas business after one of their custom rental carts mysteriously vanished from a local park. Now, the owners are speaking out—and warning others.
Carts by Boozie, a small but growing local cart rental service, says they’ve been hit hard by what they believe was a carefully planned scam. The company, which provides uniquely styled carts for drinks, desserts, and event themes, was hired through Facebook Marketplace. But what started as a routine rental ended with a disappearing cart—and a lot of unanswered questions.
A Feeling They Couldn’t Shake
The owners of Carts by Boozie say something just didn’t feel right from the jump. The customer who booked the rental gave vague details and delayed communication. Still, a deal was a deal.
They delivered the cart to a public park, like they’ve done countless times before. The plan was to return after the event and collect it. But intuition kicked in. They decided to head back early.
By the time they arrived, the party was already over. The park was spotless. The cart? Gone.
Communication Cut Off
That’s when things got even weirder. The business owners tried calling, texting, and messaging the person who made the booking. No response. Soon, they realized they’d been blocked.
“We had a bad gut feeling about this one, so we went early. If we hadn’t gone at all, we probably would’ve just assumed someone picked it up late,” said one of the co-owners. “But no. It was gone. Just gone.”
Now, they’re scrambling to replace the cart—custom-built, not cheap, and needed for bookings lined up for the coming weeks.
“We’re not a massive operation,” the owner added. “So when something like this happens, it’s a real hit.”
Facebook Marketplace: Blessing or Burden?
Facebook Marketplace is a lifeline for many small businesses. It’s free. It’s popular. And it brings in a steady stream of bookings.
But it also comes with a darker side: scams, ghosting, and fake profiles. For service-based businesses like Carts by Boozie, the risks are often invisible until it’s too late.
Here’s where it gets risky:
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Lack of formal verification on Facebook Marketplace
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No payment protections like those on Airbnb or Turo
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Easy for bad actors to block and vanish without trace
“People trust the platform because of the Facebook name,” said a local vendor who’s experienced similar issues. “But that doesn’t mean it’s safe.”
Cart Rentals Aren’t Just Carts
This wasn’t just a cart on wheels. These are built for events, with custom features depending on what’s needed—cocktail bar setups, candy displays, even mobile coffee stations. Replacing one can take weeks and cost thousands.
“We basically had to reorder one and ask them to rush it,” said the co-owner. “That means extra costs, plus we’re losing money from bookings we can’t take right now.”
Not the First Time, and Probably Not the Last
While this incident might sound unusual, it’s part of a growing trend. Scammers target small businesses, especially those using peer-to-peer platforms without traditional contracts or insurance protections.
In a 2024 report by Cybercrime Watch, scams through social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok spiked 37% year-over-year. Small business services made up a large chunk of the victims—mostly because they’re more likely to trust word-of-mouth arrangements or informal communication.
Carts by Boozie say they’ve since beefed up their process.
“We’re now requiring deposits through secure apps and asking for ID with every booking,” the owner said. “If someone won’t provide that, we’re walking away.”
One sentence, but it says a lot.
Vegas Locals Rally Around Small Biz
Word of the stolen cart spread quickly through local Facebook groups, and the Las Vegas small business community is rallying. Several vendors have shared the story, warning others to be careful and verifying their own systems.
One vendor even offered to loan a backup cart to help them cover weekend events. Another offered discounted repair services if they recover the original.
That’s Vegas for you.
“When something like this happens, yeah it sucks—but the people here? They show up for you,” said the co-owner. “That’s what keeps us going.”
