DA Warns of Fake Restaurant Ordering Website

Source: Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley is warning the community about a consumer scam involving a fake restaurant webpage for “La Tapatia #3” in Goleta. The fake webpage is “latapatia3ca.club” and is affiliated with a website named OrderHero.

Even though this webpage has no actual connection to the restaurant, Google provides this webpage in response to a search for “La Tapatia #3 Goleta.” The fake webpage appears to allow online ordering for pickup at the restaurant and actually takes customer payment and credit card information, but the orders are not forwarded to the restaurant.

The District Attorney cautions the community when ordering food and other products on-line and recommends verification of services through the business before placing an order, especially when using a new or unknown service provider.

Anyone with information about on-line scams involving fake websites or OrderHero is encouraged to contact Investigator Greg Hons, District Attorney’s Office at (805) 568-2390. If you have been the victim of this or any other fraud, please contact the law-enforcement agency of jurisdiction where the crime occurred.