Beware: Girl Scout Cookie Scalping Scam Hits New York

It's that time of the year in the Hudson Valley, that special time when groups of smiling scouts, dressed in their best vests and sashes are stationed around the area offering us the opportunity to get our hands on highly addictive substances.

I'm referring to Girl Scout Cookie season.

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Girl Scout Cookie Season Underway in the Hudson Valley

As the parent of a young cookie entrepreneur (aka, my daughter is in her 3rd year as a scout) I have learned how seriously people take their cookies. 'Selling season' happens at different times in the region, and even between states, causing some cookie confusion.

There's also been quite a bit of chatter lately about different Girl Scout Cookie 'recipes' - the truth behind this is that there are two different baking companies that produce the addictive sweet treats and therefore consumers may notice a bit of a difference in packaging and or cookie design.

The important thing to know is here in the Hudson Valley, digital ordering, door-to-door sales, Girl Scout Cookie booths are in full swing for you to get your cookie fill.

New Girl Scout Cookie Flavor Sells Out On Launch Day

Though many people are loyal to their faithful cookie flavors (I'm looking at you Thin Mints and Samoas), lately the scouts have been introducing some new flavors to the lineup. This year, all the buzz was around the Raspberry Rally, which was announced back in August.

Looking quite similar to a Thin Mint, the chocolate coated cookie was instead filled with raspberry and was going to be sold exclusively online.  It even went on sale on a different date than the rest of the cookie options locally.

Well, sadly, the inventory sold out on the first day.

I had people who wanted to purchase cookies from my daughter's troop waiting for Raspberry Rally release day to place their orders, and by the time they logged in, inventory was gone.

Cookie 'Crooks' Scalping Raspberry Rally Girl Scout Cookies on Ebay

It looks like we've got some cookie scalpers out there trying to make a dollar, or hundred dollars, on the sold out raspberry flavored treat. Immediately after it was announced that the cookie had sold out, boxes started showing up on eBay, and with a pretty heavy price tag.

A quick search on the resale site brought up 250+ listings for the sold out product, ranging in price from about $5 to well over $40, for a single box.

A statement from a spokesperson for Girl Scouts of the USA shared that they were 'disappointed to see unauthorized  resales of Girl Scout cookies online through third-party e-commerce platforms,' as this also impacts the experience of selling the products for the scouts, as well as proceeds that the individual troops get from the sales.

When the cookies are purchased through an unauthorized third-party seller, Girl Scout troops are deprived of valuable experience, and, more importantly, proceeds that fund critical programming throughout the year.

The boxes were marketed at $5 through the official Girl Scout Cookie website and sales materials.