In the close-knit Pittsburgh-area community of Crafton, Halloween is far more than a date on the calendar. It is a season of anticipation, when neighbors begin planning costumes, stocking up on candy, and imagining the annual gathering at Crafton Park. The air turns crisp, leaves scatter across lawns, and children start talking about pumpkins and spooky decorations. It is a time of innocence and fun, which is exactly why the Borough of Crafton Police Department is asking everyone to be careful. There is an unauthorized event listing circulating online, and it has all the markings of a scam. The listing, titled “Halloween Candy Craze,” was posted on Eventbrite and advertises a Halloween event at Crafton Park on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Police have made it clear that this event was never brought before the borough, nor was it sanctioned by the Borough of Crafton. The post is not official, and it likely exists for one reason: to trick people into sharing personal information. The police department’s warning is direct and simple. Do not interact with the Eventbrite post. Do not click on any links. Do not click “Reserve a Spot” and enter your personal information. Those exact words were shared in an announcement, but the message behind them is even more important. Scammers are counting on people to rush through their day, see something friendly and free, and act without thinking. A parent scrolling on a phone, a grandparent looking for something fun to do, or a young person searching for local activities could easily be fooled. The name of the event sounds harmless. The location is familiar. The promise of candy is always appealing. But every detail of the listing is a carefully placed hook, and the police want residents to know that before they take the bait.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this scam is how credible it appears. The “Halloween Candy Craze” listing reportedly uses the name and website of Net Breakers, a legitimate organization. This is not random. Scammers understand the power of a familiar name. When someone sees a local or trusted organization attached to an event, they are far less likely to question it. The mind automatically thinks, “If Net Breakers is involved, then everything must be okay.” But scammers borrow names the same way they borrow logos and images—without permission and with bad intentions. After learning about the listing, the Crafton police reached out to Net Breakers directly. What they received in return was conflicting information. That inconsistency is a major red flag. It suggests that no one is fully taking responsibility for the listing, or no one truly knows its origins. It could mean that the legitimate organization is itself a victim, unaware that their name and website were stolen for a fake event. It could also mean that someone with partial knowledge or loose connections created the page without authority. Either way, the public is left with a confusing situation that should not be trusted. The safest possible response is to ignore the listing completely. Sharing personal information on an unverified event page can lead to a long list of problems: spam messages, phishing emails, identity theft, or even fraudulent purchases. The data you exchange for what you think is a free spot at a candy event can be used against you later in ways you cannot imagine. That is why the police are so insistent. They are not trying to ruin anyone’s Halloween fun. They are trying to protect residents from a situation that might follow them far beyond the month of October.
It is easy to understand why these kinds of scams succeed. Think about the way people search for local events. Maybe you have done it yourself: you pull out your phone, open an app, and scroll through dozens of pages looking for something exciting to do with your family. You might search “Halloween events near me” or “free candy for kids.” When a page appears that matches your search, you let your guard down. The images look festive. The description sounds welcoming. The event details appear in a familiar format, with a date, time, and location. In that moment, you are not thinking about phishing attacks or data collection. You are thinking about smiles, costumes, and memories. That is the vulnerability predators exploit. They rely on your kindness, your excitement, and your natural assumption that people would not create a fake event for a children’s holiday. But they do. The consequences can be serious. Once a scammer has your email address, phone number, or home address, they can send targeted messages that look almost identical to official communications. They might even call you pretending to be from Net Breakers or the Borough of Crafton. This is why the police advise residents to be skeptical. When you see an event page, ask a few simple questions: Does this appear on the official borough website? Have I heard about it through official police or community channels? Who is the organizer, and can I verify them? If the answers are unclear, do not provide any information. A legitimate event will still be there after you have confirmed the details. A scam will not survive the light of day. Talk to your relatives and neighbors, especially older adults who may be more trusting of official-sounding names. Share the police warning, and remind everyone that a real community event will always have a real, verifiable sponsor.
Amid the warnings and caution, there is genuinely good news for Crafton residents. The borough is supporting a legitimate community event called Pumpkin Alley, and it promises to be a wonderful evening for people of all ages. Pumpkin Alley will take place on Alton Street inside Crafton Park, offering the kind of simple, neighborly joy that no internet listing can fake. The police department has confirmed that officers will be there, setting up their command post tent and handing out candy to children. That alone is a beautiful image. Picture a group of officers in uniform, standing near the park with a tent full of treats, laughing with parents and chatting with kids. It is a reminder that police officers are members of the community too. They are not always responding to emergencies or writing reports. Sometimes, they are standing in a park on Halloween, making sure everyone has a safe and happy time. The official gathering will also feature a lighted display of jack-o’-lanterns created by residents as part of a pumpkin carving contest. There is something magical about a row of pumpkins glowing after dark. Each one has a personality—a winking ghost, a jagged-toothed grin, or a beautifully carved star. As families walk along the paths, they will see the creativity and care of their neighbors, and they will feel a sense of belonging that cannot be downloaded. Residents who have already carved a pumpkin can bring it to the park, watching their creation become part of the display. Winners of the carving contest will be announced before the end of the week, so everyone should stay tuned for that announcement. This is where Crafton’s Halloween spirit truly lives: in the real, physical, colorful world of Pumpkin Alley.
The contrast between the fake Eventbrite listing and the official Pumpkin Alley event is a lesson in the importance of vigilance. The internet is, in many ways, a strange landscape. Anyone can create a page, write a description, and make it look professional. You can spend only a few minutes and put together an event listing that seems completely believable. There is no gatekeeper checking to see whether the information is true. That reality is what makes a scam like “Halloween Candy Craze” possible. But it is also why community ties matter so much. The people behind Pumpkin Alley are not anonymous. They are your neighbors, your local business owners, your police officers, and your friends. They do not need to borrow someone else’s name to attract attention, because they have an authentic connection to Crafton. The police department’s warning is not meant to make residents paranoid. It is meant to keep the community safe, so everyone can enjoy the season without falling victim to an invisible threat. In fact, the same officers who released the warning will be at Pumpkin Alley, ready to hand out candy and high-fives. That is the kind of relationship-building that makes a neighborhood feel like home. By supporting official events and ignoring suspicious ones, residents are casting a vote for transparency and trust. The scammers may have created a fake event, but they cannot create the sense of warmth and togetherness that will be present at Pumpkin Alley. They can steal a name and a website, but they cannot steal the spirit of the community. At the end of the day, the best defense against fraud is not suspicion—it is connection. When neighbors look out for neighbors, when information spreads by word of mouth, and when everyone knows to check with the police about local events, the scammers lose their power. They can only win if we are isolated and distracted.
For anyone who wants to stay informed about warnings like this one, local news resources are ready to help. Download the free WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter, and watch WPXI NOW for the latest updates. These tools help residents stay one step ahead of scams, weather alerts, and other important community news. But perhaps the most valuable resource is simple conversation. When you hear about something suspicious, share it with someone else. Text a friend. Tell your parents. Mention it at the grocery store. The more people know about the “Halloween Candy Craze” listing, the less likely anyone is to fall for it. And if you or someone you know has already interacted with the listing, contact the police and consider taking steps to protect your personal data. In the end, this situation is about more than one strange Eventbrite page. It is a reminder that we must stay aware, look out for one another, and preserve the things that make Halloween special. Scammers will always exist. They will always try to take advantage of our generosity, our busy lives, and our love of holidays. But they never truly win if we refuse to let them. The Borough of Crafton Police Department has done its part by issuing a clear warning. Now the rest is up to us. Ask questions, verify sources, and support the real events that make our neighborhoods feel like home. The magic of Halloween is not in a click of a button or a form on a website. It is in the glow of a jack-o’-lantern at Pumpkin Alley, the sound of children’s laughter, and the sight of a police officer handing out candy from a command post tent. Stay safe, stay informed, and enjoy every wonderful moment of the season.