Just received this email and thought I should warn others that it is very probably a cunning way of getting details for a mailing list or to get you to buy the book because you're in it and it shows you've reached the pinnacle of professional excellence. Others have blogged that they've received this, so this is just a possibly cynical warning...they want everything but your sexual history to be included...so alarm bells rang loud and clear.
Dear Helen Nicol:
On behalf of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals, I am pleased to inform you that you have been nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the 2007-2008 Edition. We congratulate you! Nomination into WHO'S WHO is an honor in itself. WHO'S WHO has over 20,000 members in 154 countries worldwide. It is the most elite professional network in the world. Our members assist each other daily with business and career opportunities. It is in times like these that such a network is most valuable and we are seeing members help other members expand their businesses, find new positions, even relocate to another country.
If selected into WHO'S WHO, you will also be listed in the 2007-2008 Edition of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. This is the definitive work on the world's leaders in commerce, economics, policy, and trade.
We do require additional information to complete the selection process and we ask that you provide your biographical data by accessing the form on our website at: http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE1964C.aspx
Our editorial deadline is quickly approaching. I urge you to act today. If you delay, I cannot guarantee the committee will have ample time to review your submission.
Sincerely,
Wayne Uehara
President
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
P.S. There is no cost or obligation to be listed in the International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. To ensure your biographical data is received in time, please complete this online form http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE1964C.aspx by November 15, 2007. Upon review, our Membership Selection Committee will be in touch with you.
Members of our Board of Advisors include: Wallid Abdo, CEO, Eurobrokers-Greece; Michael Gondive, CEO, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank-Kenya; Fehmi Sami, Senior VP, Citibank, N.A.-Great Britain; Yusuf Alami, COO, Abdu Dhabi Investment Company-UAE; Mikhail Zaitsev, Finance Director, Volvo Car-Russia; DR. Jung Kook Paeng, CIO, Hyundai Motor Company, Korea; John Sai Chi Mak, Managing Director, Bulova Watch International, Ltd.-Hong Kong; and Aldo Castelli, President, Shell Brasil, Ltda.-Brazil
Note: If you wish to unsubscribe from WHO’S WHO of Professionals please click on the link below:
http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/unsubscribe.aspx
You have received this message because you are registered to receive messages from Informa, One Research Drive, PO Box 5195, Westborough, MA 01581.
102 comments:
I have received the same email. So I googled and here is one older link:
http://www.ecademy.com/module.php?mod=blog&uid=22911&s=&cat=&seen=1&off=30
Nice Scam. Internetional Who's Who has different address: http://www.worldwhoswho.com
Good work, Nicole. I wish I could say that I hadn't fallen for it in 2004, but I did. At that time they claimed more than fifty thousand members world-wide, but the invitation letter was about the same. I joined and became active. IN FACT I ended up running a club free of charge and of benefit to these people while paying a huge sum of money to them for the honours.
Of course, at the time, the supposed book in which entries would appear was constantly "fastly approaching the editorial deadline",... year after year. I never received it and after showing patience began to speak legalese, after which part of my money was promptly refunded. The book still had not come out when I checked in 2006.
After visiting the website:
http://www.internationalwhoswho.de/
and getting a strong "deja vu" feeling, I looked these people up in the Better Business Bureau databases and lo and behold I found a wealth of info on Gibralter Publishing (at the time, the core persona) and the about fifteen other names these people use.
Not long after quiting IWWHS, I was approached by a new "networking" society (apparently they had shared my details) and when I asked who their executives in charge were I found several of the same North Carolina-based names from IWWHS!
Unfortunately, those vane enough to list this "merit" not only advertise a questionable enterprise, but many times will have their OWN integrity questioned by those in the know! Beware!
Thanks for the warning anonymous...it's a real shame that there are people out there without any scruples who take advantage for their own gains. It'll come back on them eventually...
Helen
I just got the same e-mail yesterday. That deadline's 'fast approach' is operating in another space-time continuum, I guess.
Hi all,
I (in France) received this e-mail a couple of weeks. And last tuesday, a woman who claimed to be in Washington proposed to me an interview with her "director" for "the final step of selection".
The day after, "the director" called me and our "interview" was interesting ... he sounds actualy like a professional interviewer, but he ended the call when I choose a $800 registration option but never give him may credit card details.
I hope it's for free!!!
Thank you all for your information.
WARNING: “WHO IS WHO”/ internationalwhoswho IS quite probably SCAM !!!
I have exactly the same experience: "deadline was "fastly approaching" - this time in March 2008, and one day, when I was busy ,I gave them my information and my credit card number (we ARE busy, and this is what they take advantage of). They immediately withdrew $800 for a book and some pins & stuff I had orally been coaxed into saying "yes" to. I understood the same afternoon that this might be scam and cancelled the 'order'. Got a letter back from them, which said "We will be more than happy to assist you with your membership cancellation as soon as the proper information is pulled. An Account Manager will get back to you as soon as possible and thank you in advance for your patience." Signed Sabrina Fuentes. Many days later the letter from the "account manager", Sandy Garcia, came. According to Sandy Garcia, who would from now on be my contact,
the "cancellation policy" of "whoswho" was to retain 358$.
I protested immediately in an e-mail to Sandy Garcia, only to receive a bounce-back e-mail that I was "not authorized to contact" Ms (Mr?) Garcia. This is no doubt SCAM, and probably plain fraud. The method is:
1. Appeal to /boost people's vanity, or other things which may make them feel good (for some time). Promise people something good and cheap (here: for free).
2. Give the ppoor fool an opportunity to buy something expensive, but valuable, in addition to the free stuff.
3. Be sure you have a huge "cancellation fee" - more or less hidden underneath the offer.
4. Ask for the credit card number
of the stupid fool you are fooling
5. Withdraw the money immediately
6. When the stupid/ victim realizes that he is about to be fooled, promise your "account manager" will contact you "soon": However, that will take so many days, that the fool/ victim will give up, or the deadline of complaint is running out.
We must warn the world against these crooks ... I was one of the fools. I have learnt, and will do what I can to warn others. I will also try to sue them (very unpleasant, but - if necessary -I will grin and bear it).
ViVa
hello, just had an interesting interview with these people too - you can learn a lot from their interviewing style and the gaps in their so called research - the fact that my business is not yet registered or trading, and that the relevant website is not yet active, did not seem to deter them. They also suggested that I would be able to make use of the informal social networking down the road at a local pub (450 miles away in London)and never once gave any indication of understanding what sector I might actually be in. VERY smooth interview style, very much about stroking the old ego. I swear I heard the file being deleted when I said I'd be in touch as soon as I thought such a membership would be appropriate (ie, no thanks) - in fact I thought I was very pleasant given that someone had just asked me for $950 for what we all do through Facebook anyway.
cheers (see you down the pub!), Sarah, Edinburgh
Just received the following e-mail:
* * *
On behalf of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals, I am pleased to inform you that you have been nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the 2008 Edition. We congratulate you! Nomination into WHO'S WHO is an honor in itself. WHO'S WHO has over 20,000 members in 154 countries worldwide. It is the most elite professional network in the world. Our members assist each other daily with business and career opportunities. It is in times like these that such a network is most valuable and we are seeing members help other members expand their businesses, find new positions, even relocate to another country.
If selected into WHO'S WHO, you will also be listed in the 2008 Edition of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. This is the definitive work on the world's leaders in commerce, economics, policy, and trade.
We do require additional information to complete the selection process and we ask that you provide your biographical data by accessing the form on our website at: http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2059C.aspx
Our editorial deadline is quickly approaching. I urge you to act today. If you delay, I cannot guarantee the committee will have ample time to review your submission.
Sincerely,
Terrence Leifheit
Chairman and CEO
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
* * *
Obviously, I will not respond to it. I am just posting it, so people are aware they still are active.
Thanks for this info. I just got an email from the same group today.
I just receive the same email as anonymous and started to look through the site to see what elaborate ends people go to so as to catch people in their nets.
Just a note to viva, it is very easy to contact your credit card company and advise them that you have been involved in a scam. They are obliged to follow up the matter and obtain a refund if there is proof that all was not above board. You just need patience and perceverance. I believe this should be done to show these crooks that scamming others is not a done deal!
If only I had seen this site on Tuesday when I ran a search on these people. They are indeed very active and using a lot of tricks to get you to believe they are genuine. I had many calls from them...they were very persuasive and boy do I feel stupid (and poorer).
Hi Nicole,
Thanks for the findings..
I today received a call from International Who's Who and they were demanding USD700/- for membership and than I googled it to know the authenicity of the organisation.
so its a big professional fraudelant activity that they are udnertakin...
Regards,
Ali
They're still trying... An hour ago I received the call for scheduling the 'meeting'. And an e-mail. Although I don't remember asking for membership - maybe it was an on-line invitation which did not say how much to pay for nothing !
I too was caught by my ego. Like pyramid selling, this is straight out fraud and the US Government should do whatever is neccessary to stop it and to prosecute. This is another form of US resentment so I strongly suggest it be dealt with as part of the process of recovering world wide US popularity.
These guys are still going strong. Received the same email today.
Dear XXXXX :
On behalf of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals, I am pleased to inform you that you have been nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the 2009 Edition. We congratulate you! Nomination into WHO'S WHO is an honor in itself.
International WHO'S WHO has over 20,000 members in 154 countries worldwide. It is the most elite professional network in the world. Our members assist each other daily with business and career opportunities.
It is in times like these that such a network is most valuable and we are seeing members help other members expand their businesses, find new positions, even relocate to another country.
If selected into WHO'S WHO, you will also be listed in the 2009 Edition of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. This is the definitive work on the world's leaders in commerce, economics, policy, and trade.
We do require additional information to complete the selection process and we ask that you provide your biographical data by accessing the form on our website at: http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2088C.aspx
Our editorial deadline is quickly approaching. I urge you to act today. If you delay, I cannot guarantee the committee will have ample time to review your submission.
Sincerely,
Terrence Leifheit
Chairman and CEO
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
P.S. There is no cost or obligation to be listed in the International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. To ensure your biographical data is received in time, please complete this online form http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2088C.aspx by January 30, 2009. Upon review, our Membership Selection Committee will be in touch with you.
Members of our Board of Advisors include: Wallid Abdo, CEO, Eurobrokers-Greece; Michael Gondive, CEO, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank-Kenya; Fehmi Sami, Senior VP, Citibank, N.A.-Great Britain; Yusuf Alami, COO, Abdu Dhabi Investment Company-UAE; Mikhail Zaitsev, Finance Director, Volvo Car-Russia; DR. Jung Kook Paeng, CIO, Hyundai Motor Company, Korea; John Sai Chi Mak, Managing Director, Bulova Watch International, Ltd.-Hong Kong; and Aldo Castelli, President, Shell Brasil, Ltda.-Brazil
Note: If you wish to unsubscribe from International WHO'S WHO of Professionals please click on the link below:
http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/unsubscribe.aspx
Thank you for warnings!!! Just got their email as everybody here.
Hi All,
i am from India and today i received the same mail which you people have also received. I must Thank you all for taking putting this kind of info on the net and saving many people from fallinf pray to theses kind of FRAUDUELNT people/mails.
i am posting the mail - as it is - for others:
Dear :
On behalf of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals, I am pleased to inform you that you have been nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the 2009 Edition. We congratulate you! Nomination into WHO'S WHO is an honor in itself.
International WHO'S WHO has over 20,000 members in 154 countries worldwide. It is the most elite professional network in the world. Our members assist each other daily with business and career opportunities.
It is in times like these that such a network is most valuable and we are seeing members help other members expand their businesses, find new positions, even relocate to another country.
If selected into WHO'S WHO, you will also be listed in the 2009 Edition of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. This is the definitive work on the world's leaders in commerce, economics, policy, and trade.
We do require additional information to complete the selection process and we ask that you provide your biographical data by accessing the form on our website at:
http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2095C.aspx
Our editorial deadline is quickly approaching. I urge you to act today. If you delay, I cannot guarantee the committee will have ample time to review your submission.
Sincerely,
Terrence Leifheit
Chairman and CEO
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
P.S. There is no cost or obligation to be listed in the International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. To ensure your biographical data is received in time, please complete this online form http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2095C.aspx by March 15, 2009. Upon review, our Membership Selection Committee will be in touch with you.
Members of our Board of Advisors include: Wallid Abdo, CEO, Eurobrokers-Greece; Michael Gondive, CEO, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank-Kenya; Fehmi Sami, Senior VP, Citibank, N.A.-Great Britain; Yusuf Alami, COO, Abdu Dhabi Investment Company-UAE; Mikhail Zaitsev, Finance Director, Volvo Car-Russia; DR. Jung Kook Paeng, CIO, Hyundai Motor Company, Korea; John Sai Chi Mak, Managing Director, Bulova Watch International, Ltd.-Hong Kong; and Aldo Castelli, President, Shell Brasil, Ltda.-Brazil
101 B Middle Street
Jacksonville, NC 28546
Note: If you wish to unsubscribe from International WHO'S WHO of Professionals please click on the link below:
http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/unsubscribe.aspx
************************************************************************
You received this email because you are a registered member of
Forbes.com . Periodically, we will inform our members who have opted-in
to receive such information of special offers and new products from
third party mailers. Forbes.com LLC does not endorse the products,
services or companies mentioned in these emails. If you do not wish to be
contacted with these offers any longer via email click here
http://tx3.statcamp.com/optoff.aspx?2326862.3286486.66320166.5657.0.0
Or you may write to:
Privacy Administrator
Forbes.com LLC
90 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
I too just got the email
so googlein ,
as the moment I saw the context of mail ,
i was sure its a scam ,
n it turned out to be after reading all the experiences..
thanks everyone for posting the comments,
this way we cud save many before being duped,
but some thing shud be done agist ppl who r doing this also
I just got the same email today & found this blog after googling "Who's Who any good" The email is identical except it's the 2009 edition and the email is from Terrence Leifheit Chairman and CEO
I don't know how they got me email address.
Hey All,
Also got the email today, 2009 march 10. Seems the good old friends are still in business.
Yeap, I have received just the same from some Ms Terrence. Though I'm actually a legal consultant and my boss has been nominated by real Who's Who for years, I doubt it cause this title was granted to true professionals only, and I just have 2 years practicing in legal field. So I google, and catch this from your blog. Thank you :)!
Dieu Lien - Vietnam.
I have received just the same from some Terrence Leifheit. Thanks Nicole!
Thank you . Something really must be done about these people . Just completed my interview and terminated the call once she asked me for my visa card number. I almost fell for it but thanks to mobile google decided to look up 'whos who scam and here we are.
Dr joe , nairobi. Kenya.
so many fraudsters and scammers are there these days. Never ever fall for any mail or call.
No one will ever pay you any amount like this.
Internet lottery , surprise gifts, all these are frauds, trying to cash in the sentiments of ppl and in end only losing money ..
Hi,
On 24th of March 09 I just got the same letter as all others (for 2009 Edition and from Wayne Uehara Chairman and CEO). As I was sure that this is another trick to rip you off, I googled as "international who's who of professionals + fraud" and found your website. Not a big surprise but it really makes you think "what if it is correct". So thanks to you to post this website.
Cenk
South Africa
Amazing,
I already knew it is fraud and searhed on google as fraud and found your website. Then, to get rid off them forever, I tried to unsubscribe my e-mail address. Guess what, just below message appeared!
"There was an error processing your request. Please try to process the page again. If the error persists, you may contact us at webSupport@whoswho.com.
We apologize for any inconvenience."
Tried again and again, no difference! They are real crooks!
Still sending as I got an email from kroll@haymarket.com on Tues 24 March about International WHO'S WHO of Professionals
Terrence Leifheit
Chairman and CEO
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
I got the same email....These people just wanna play with emotions and earn cheap money..Never fall for it
Hello Everyone,
I am living in France and got this application from the International Who's Who Historical Society for three years running, I finally decided to respond. Got a call from an "assistant" to schedule the final "interview" for qualifying for this honor. All was running smooth until I asked to change the slot by thirty minutes and the assistant responded that her "manager" (interviewer) was in a board meeting at that time.
The "interviewer" made the mistake of calling me at the thirty minutes changed time (apparently the board meeting was not THAT important, and totally fictitious). The interview was super smooth, and well stroke the ego, but her responses to my technical comments made me wonder if she was a professional in my field. Then when she asked me for credit card details for the $1800 membership, bells rang all over in my head. I desisted claiming I did not have my credit card details, and asked for a call back.
No idea if the call back will happen, but thanks to all of you for posting your comments, I will now know how to deal with this going forward.
Thanks for saving me a whole bunch of money! What an incredible scam!
Frenchie
They called me yesterday and asked me if I have the time to talk to one of their directors. Luckily, I didn't have the time and she, the representative, rescheduled the talk with the director today.
Again, being lucky, I saw this post. Now I know how am I going to react when they call this afternoon.
This is a huge scam (after I read this blog)! I'm from the Philippines and they actually spend doing this international calls.
I'm really thankful to have read this blog. I might have fall to this new bag of tricks!
This is what I call "Professional Phishing!" hehehe.
Really, thanks for the warning guys!
Have a nice day!
What do you know, I got the same for inclusion in the 2009 edition.
See below
Dear Norma Major,
On behalf of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals, I am pleased to inform you that you have been nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the 2009 Edition. We congratulate you! Nomination into WHO'S WHO is an honor in itself.
International WHO'S WHO has over 20,000 members in 154 countries worldwide. It is the most elite professional network in the world. Our members assist each other daily with business and career opportunities.
It is in times like these that such a network is most valuable and we are seeing members help other members expand their businesses, find new positions, even relocate to another country.
If selected into WHO'S WHO, you will also be listed in the 2009 Edition of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. This is the definitive work on the world's leaders in commerce, economics, policy, and trade.
We do require additional information to complete the selection process and we ask that you provide your biographical data by accessing the form on our website at: http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2123C.aspx
Our editorial deadline is quickly approaching. I urge you to act today. If you delay, I cannot guarantee the committee will have ample time to review your submission.
Sincerely,
Terrence Leifheit
Chairman and CEO
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
P.S. There is no cost or obligation to be listed in the International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. To ensure your biographical data is received in time, please complete this online form http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2123C.aspx by May 31, 2009. Upon review, our Membership Selection Committee will be in touch with you.
Members of our Board of Advisors include: Wallid Abdo, CEO, Eurobrokers-Greece; Michael Gondive, CEO, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank-Kenya; Fehmi Sami, Senior VP, Citibank, N.A.-Great Britain; Yusuf Alami, COO, Abdu Dhabi Investment Company-UAE; Mikhail Zaitsev, Finance Director, Volvo Car-Russia; DR. Jung Kook Paeng, CIO, Hyundai Motor Company, Korea; John Sai Chi Mak, Managing Director, Bulova Watch International, Ltd.-Hong Kong; and Aldo Castelli, President, Shell Brasil, Ltda.-Brazil
Note: If you wish to unsubscribe from International WHO’S WHO of Professionals please click on the link below:
http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/unsubscribe.aspx
Got the same e-mail and realised it was a scam, it just did not feel right. Humility will make you think but egolistic people will rush in. Jesus is love.
Hi to all. I received a similar call a few minutes ago scheduling for an interview with her director tomorrow. Good thing, i depend so much on google. Right after the call, i decided to google their organisation. thanks guys for posting these... i wonder though how they got all our contact details. i have never registered myself into their site. they got my email, my mobile number and even my work phone. that's really freaky.
That deadline for entering WHO's WHO just keeps on getting pushed out. I just received the email today and it is 2 years after this blog was first written. You'd think they would learn.
Hi Nicole,
Thank you for posting this. I'm from Puerto Rico and I also received an email with the invitation to this organization. Someone from "international who's who" called me today for an interview. She never asked me personal information such as home address, etc. She just asked me questions regarding my profession. She was actually very nice and professional. Once the interview was over she told me that I had to pay a fee, one was around the $950 and the other around $1,200. She was very insistent regarding the payment and that right there was a red flag for me. She was very pushy.I started then analyzing the email they sent me and different things where all wrong, on of them being:the sender's email; whoswho.sdguvfpsleyyfq@wyvern.msgfocus.com
Here is the email they sent me;
Dear Mr XYZ:
On behalf of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals, I am pleased to inform you that you have been nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the 2009 Edition. We congratulate you! Nomination into WHO'S WHO is an honor in itself.
International WHO'S WHO has over 20,000 members in 154 countries worldwide. It is the most elite professional network in the world. Our members assist each other daily with business and career opportunities.
It is in times like these that such a network is most valuable and we are seeing members help other members expand their businesses, find new positions, even relocate to another country.
If selected into WHO'S WHO, you will also be listed in the 2009 Edition of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. This is the definitive work on the world's leaders in commerce, economics, policy, and trade.
We do require additional information to complete the selection process and we ask that you provide your biographical data by accessing the form on our website at: http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2108C.aspx
Our editorial deadline is quickly approaching. I urge you to act today. If you delay, I cannot guarantee the committee will have ample time to review your submission.
Sincerely,
Terrence Leifheit
Chairman and CEO
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
P.S. There is no cost or obligation to be listed in the International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. To ensure your biographical data is received in time, please complete this online form http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2108C.aspx by April 15, 2009. Upon review, our Membership Selection Committee will be in touch with you.
Members of our Board of Advisors include: Wallid Abdo, CEO, Eurobrokers-Greece; Michael Gondive, CEO, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank-Kenya; Fehmi Sami, Senior VP, Citibank, N.A.-Great Britain; Yusuf Alami, COO, Abdu Dhabi Investment Company-UAE; Mikhail Zaitsev, Finance Director, Volvo Car-Russia; DR. Jung Kook Paeng, CIO, Hyundai Motor Company, Korea; John Sai Chi Mak, Managing Director, Bulova Watch International, Ltd.-Hong Kong; and Aldo Castelli, President, Shell Brasil, Ltda.-Brazil
Note: If you wish to unsubscribe from International WHO'S WHO of Professionals please click on the link below:
http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/unsubscribe.aspx
Thanks to everybody for sharing this crucial information. Nobody can afford losing $950 nor $1200.
Take care.
I just wish I had seen this post before I was "egolisticly" (according to Bazzo) seduced by these people. The username and password that they gave me never worked on their website, the "welcome package" never made it to my mail box, but they charged me $970 right away. After a couple weeks of very irritating discussions, they agreed to refund me $776 in 30 business days...we'll see...
Thank you very much for the info Helen. For a split second there I believed I was getting the fruit of the labor *sniffle*. However reality checked in quickly, and I googled the company, and ended up on your blog.
Oldest trick in the book, seek out the weakest and prey on them.
Take care, and keep your money in your pocket!
Regards from Holland
Just got the email today, same text etc. I had a good laugh when I read it, thinking, yeah, right, who am I kidding... I googled their details and found your site!
I must say they almost got me thinking of the slight possibility, as the parting comment was ' you received this mail because you are registered to receive mail from Informa'. This is actually true. How on earth could this happen or is it just one in a million coincidence?
Anyway, keep up the good work.
I am happy to have found this website. Received a similar email and googled the company and found this website and all the comments posted. Great work Nicole - is tehre no way these folks can be stopped rather than having mails sent to all in sundry...???
From Bangkok Thailand:
I got this exact email a while back (perhaps 2 years ago) -- thought to myself -- "Oh! Wow! Int'l Who's Who. This surely is a scam." and discarded the mail right away and never thought about it until yesterday.
A good friend of mine called me to warn me about this. He just had an interview session for final selection into the "honorary member list". Fortunately, he had enough sense to turn them down before giving out his credit card number.
I'll spread out the warning. Thanks Nicole.
From France,
Hi Everyone,
Had the same email and went through the "interview"... But I was so unlucky not to have my credit card with me :-). What a shame... I must admit that the whole process is finely tuned but the cost point is so expected at the end that it is to obvious to fall for it... I will pass that mail onto my colleagues in the organisation and to friends to prevent them from being tempted to loose €700 or more if you take the Premium membership...
I wish you all a good day.
Same thing here in Hong Kong. Similar story, but luckily I googled and found your site before the scheduled interview. Just send them an email to cancel it - don't want to waste my time.
Anyway, many thanks to your warning!
-JC
Thank you so much, i am about to receive a phone call within the next hour for their "final interview",
It will be so fun as i prepared them a little surprise!!
can't wait!
Thank you GOOGLE !!! I really wonder why these guys can't be stopped, i mean, they have a website, email adresses... where is the police!
Anyway thanks again for your posts!
Hello dears,
I have got the almost same e-mails from "Terrence Leifheite", just with whortcut to other domain "http://directnetmx4.net/c/HtH9gf3FXmbNLAJCaNTdBw.html?1", but an offer is identical.
So I think it is the same Scam company or IWWHS plishing website.
Best regards.
Andrius, Lithuania
Thanks Nicole for creating awareness about this scam.
I not only received an email but also an 'interview call' last evening post which I was formally 'congratulated' to have made it to the who's and who list of professionals. The alarm bells rang when I was asked to pay a membership fee (various tiers -from USF 700 upwards) for my profile listing.
I was also told to make an immediate decision as the membership could be extended only during the interview process.
I refused to make an impulse decision and now thank my stars for the same.
Thanks again!
AV
Sydney-Australia
Thanks, Nicole.
Just to let you and others now the scam is going everywhere.
I just received it in Northeast Brazil.
Only the name of the "so called" director is changing over time, but the contents are the same. Checked on the web and was glad to find your comments and those of others.
What a shame.
S
Dear all,
I also received the same mail and the signed name and contact was :
Wayne Uehara
Chairman and CEO
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.,PMB #504; Washington, D.C. 20006
They called me requesting an interview with the director the day after TO FINALISE THE SELECTION PROCESS. What I accepted.
Before the day of interview, I made investigation on this name and realized that this person is WANTED, he is a gangster. His picture is available on the website.
Go on www.google.com and you will see on site http://www.usmarshals.gov/.
Many other sites talk about the subject.
When, the day after the supposed director (a lady which supposed named is JERRY DOFGES) called me, I explained her the results of my investigation. Imagine what she responded : THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD HAVING THIS NAME WAYNE UEHARA !!!
She tryed to convinced me that their organisation is credible, legal.
To be more attractive, she gave a contact to join her :
Tel :0012025447136
Email : aray@ericson.publising.com
BE CAREFUL, INTERNATIONAL WHO'S WHO IS A SCAM !!!!!
WENETHER YOU RECEIVED A MAIL FROM A PERSON OR ORGANISATION TO WHICH TO DID'NT COMMUNICATE YOUR ADRESS AND NAME BEFORE, BE VERY CAREFUL, IT'S PROBABELY A SCAM.
hi there,
just to let you know these people are active in the German community as well. got the e-mail today, googled the name and found this blog. thank you for posting.
cheers m.
From Monaco
Luckily internet and search engines exist to share experiences such as this - I have not even responded but just searched the internet on the basis to see how much of a scam it was based on the fact that WHO'S WHO is a red book in which many of my family members have been in and therefore it just did not look right!
Here is the proof that what I thought was correct - random emailing on hotmail etc accounts is simple and those who are gullible get caught - may this be a warning to those who are taken by their egos!
Received identical mail! Be warned!
Hi,
Thanks for the information. This scam is still doing the rounds in late 2009. On the business of pandering to ego; I admit I have one but it does fit within the surrounding postal district and so I was sceptical from the off!
Thanks again. Justin.
Yes I received the same email, thanks for the earlier postings as it confirmed my suspicion it was a scam (did I really think I belonged in the Who's Who Book)
So they will not be getting my money.....but if anyone reading this can help I have an Uncle in Nigeria who has died and once I sort out the tax payment of a few hundred dollars I will receive a few million, if you can help please send bank account details to gullible@hotmail.com
One thing I thought was very interesting was having got this email myself, I checked out their site and the big giveaway is them asking for your spouse's name and children's birthdays on the application form - typical password fodder. I wondered if they'd get you to download something so they could then take over your computer and off they'd go....
Received the same email today, but due to my information literacy training I googled the link and found out that this is a scam. I am so sorry for the suckers who do not have this training and fall for scams like these. I Google all suspicious mails and put 'hoax' or 'scam' and I get information to assist me in making a decision. Sometimes the Google thread already has it as a scam.
I am in Jamaica and just received the same e-mail. Googled and realized it is indeed fradulent. Thanks for this site. All crooks go down sooner or later.
I am an Executive Director with International Who's Who of Professionals. If you notice most of the post say this is probably a scam. Why are they still in business? Well we are in business because it's a great organization benefiting thousands of professionals world-wide. The reason we sound like professional interviewers and seem to have knowledge in many technical areas, is because... We are professional interviewers with technical knowledge in an areas of business and industry. I have been interviewing executives since 1997. This is not a scam,and just because you received an email from our organization, doesn't mean you will qualify. Hence the interview! If you chose not to be involved or feel as if your career doesn't merit recognition, or the ability to network, then don't do the interview. For someone who didn't take part in the organization to say it is a scam is absurd. I only wish the people who have benefited from our organization had enough time to blog about it.
Very interesting... I discovered this site when I was ON THE PHONE with this woman for the interview.
I had no idea until reading this while talking with her, that there'd be a fee. Funnily enough I have no money right now, what with the recession and just having completed an international adoption, so I wouldn't be able to cough it up if I wanted to.
I didn't see anything NONlegit but like I say, they only asked me questions that were professional... no info like credit card or anything. I don't think I gave any info that wasn't available online already or on my website...
It is a bit funny that she told me to look it up, and as a result I found one of google's prompts when you start typing was "International who's who of professionals scam".
On the other hand, I couldn't see how any directory that was printed could have bios of 20,000 international members, and if it did how that could be valuable to me in any way. Kind of like being in the phone book: not exactly "elite" as in "people who would be valuable business contacts for you"... 20,000 people of zillions of professions... pointless for me from a business point of view. Better to have a direct mail of 100 real potential clients.
thanks for the info.
BTW, I'm a children's illustrator in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
This does predate the web - I remember my father (an engineer) 35 years ago being excited when contacted by the same or similar group - by phone or mail. Hence my immediate scepticism. Not sure if he ever got a book, just sure he got ripped off. Happy 2010 - this arrived today:
As you know, you have been considered for inclusion in the upcoming 2010 Edition of Who's Who for Executives and Professionals, which is scheduled for publication in late 2010. Despite our efforts to contact you, we have still not received your contact information. Who's Who, publisher of over 350,000 biographies, continues to uphold its reputation as the world's foremost source for biographical reference, with an unmatched dedication to accurate biographical reporting.
The publication's editors are now assembling the biographical profiles of today's leaders from a wide range of professional fields into one comprehensive collection. Thousands of researchers at medical, academic, public and corporate libraries, as well as journalists and media professionals, rely upon Who's Who as a daily reference tool for obtaining information about the world's most experienced men and women. Inclusion in the Who's Who directory is considered by many as a signal mark of achievement.
To be considered for inclusion in this prestigious registry, you need only provide the requested information by completing our online biographical data form. Please Click Here to access your form.
You have already been selected based on your current professional standing. The information you provide will be evaluated according to the selection criteria the Who's Who has developed over many years as the world's premier biographical publisher. If your data passes our initial screening, we will prepare your biography.
I congratulate you on the achievements that have brought your name to the attention of our editorial committee. We look forward to hearing from you.
Please remember: Inclusion of your biography in Who's Who of course carries neither cost nor commitment to you of any sort. Our goal with each new edition is to prepare a biographies spanning the spectrum of noteworthy and accomplished men and women across all areas of the professional world.
Sincerely,
Brandon Morgan
Editor-in-Chief
Thanks to everyone who shared their stories. It was very useful to me as I just had the same experience today. i had to stop my credit card and thankfully before they withdraw the amount. great lesson. Regards, MT
March 1, 2010 ... This scam is still alive and well. Against my own better judgment I responded to the email last month, ducked several calls from a very unctuous very Noo Yawky lady, and finally was caught by her on the phone today. She re-asked me about data I had already provided and asked me about civic organizations I am connected with. When she got to the hard sell on "the five year program" for $800 and the professional looking plaque, thank God I googled this, was validated in feeling it was a scam, and hung up on her mid-sentence. I am in the communications industry near Providence RI and can tell you this is a real scam really still operating.
I got the same email a few months ago and I immediately Googled it and decided it was a scam. So when they called wanting to interview me I told my secretary to keep them on hold....and on hold... I just got another phone call today from a female operator again wanting to make an(other) appointment for their 'director' to interview me tomorrow. Well, he will be on hold...and hold... Just for some variation this time, I may pick up the phone and give them a phony credit card number ordering the most expensive version of the book that is fastly approaching the deadline.
I also got a similar situation.
Below is the email I received:
From: Angie Pietrykowski
> Sent you Thursday, March 18, 2010
> Subject: Appointment Reminder
>
>
> This is a reminder of your appointment with the director, Ms. Kyla Pickett,
> who will be contacting you Friday, March 19, 2010 at 11:30 p.m. (your local
> time) for your 20 to 25 minute teleconference.
>
> This appointment is the final step in our membership selection process and
> will determine your eligibility for inclusion into this year's edition of
> the International Who's Who of Professionals.
>
> If for any reason you will not be available at your scheduled appointment
> time, please contact me as soon as possible at +001 202 544 7136 x 2088 or
> via email any necessary changes to my Director's Calendar.
>
> For more information regarding the Society, you can visit our website at
> www.internationalwhoswho.com.
>
> We look forward to speaking with you.
>
>
>
> Angie Pietrykowski
> Executive Assistant
> International Who's Who Headquarters
> 001 202 544 7136x2088
Then the next day, the "director" call me to have the interview......
after all, she said the membership fee is $600 for regular membership and $700 for premium membership. And she asks for my credit card #. Of course, I do not give the card info to her. Then, she finally gives up.
Please really be careful about this!!
March 23rd, 2010 - Austria
I've just got the same e-mail from "International Who's Who of Professionals" after googling I found your comments... Thanks to all of you; you've saved me a punch of many and a lot of trouble.
Still going strong. Got the email today 24 March 2010. Looked interseting then I thought who would recommend me and what would I have achieved that would warrant an entry in this type of publication...nothing that I could think of. So figured it was a scam. Googled it and hey presto this blog gave me all the answers!No money for thess naughty people. But I do have a spare $1500000 for a friend in Nigeria!
May 12, 2010. i faced the scam 2day. almost fell for it but thank god i didn't go for the credit card system. i asked for a wired transfer and received a mail today. in the meanwhile, i checked through google and found this page. thanks to all of u for ur helpful comments. they frauds are still operating strongly nd i ask for immediate law & order actions against them.
Hi, I have just received the same email today the 26th May 2010. I received the same email 3yrs ago. I deleted it then and I will delete it again now. I felt suspecious the first time as I was just starting up my clinical practise here out in a small country township in the south island of New Zealand. Just prior to that I had been a student and a single mum........so I was definately not a high rolling excecutive.
I have met Terrance Liefhiet and can tell you this. There isnt much with him thats not a scam...
I've been duped into the IWW of profesionals as well some years ago. i paid like 500 bucks for a tiny bio that nobody reads, except me. Imagine the tons of money they make when you see the thick books with thousands of tiny bios in there
thnks for urs warning, at moment too laugh embrassed my chick
Just got off the phone with them after going through my interview. I had concerns it was a scam from the start but they were quite persistent on calling and getting a phone interview. They wanted 1250US to join for the basic package which now includes they indicated 90,000 members. I would get a oak plaque with my name and title engraved I told them I live in Northern Canada so if I needed an oak plague I could get one very easy. After 28 moments they conceded and hung up. I kept questioning why I sure pay 1250US for what I can do on linked in for free. They were talking about the verification process they go through and then I asked them like you are doing with me at the moment she said yes and then I had her. I asked her how do you know anything about me other than what I am saying to you over the phone and if it is factual. She said they do a verification on all data collected so I said verify it than call me back but no way I am giving my CC over the phone to a stranger. When I mentioned to her all the comments I was reading online as she was talking she was very adamant that these were probably people that could not afford the membership or had been expelled for fraud on their application and thus were forming a group to discredit the Who’s Who. Wow she was good but I did not cave been down this road before
Today is 10th August 2010 and
I also just received the email from these guys....they are still very much in operation, everyone beware!!!
Caught by this as well, in January 2010. resigned within 10 days by registered letter,but apparently this, repeat registered letters requiring signing, and faxed letters do not get through. I wonder how Sandy Garcia and her boss, Terrence Liefheit avoid accepting registered mail and can't read faxes?
I have registered a complaint with the BBB today, and hope for some results.
Dr. from Canada
Good morning, it's August 23, 2010 and I just got the most delightful e-mail from Mr. Leifheit. My spidey-sense went up because ... well ... I'm just not that important!
Thanks for the most. Hitting delete on that e-mail right now.
They seem still active, they send me mail and I filled their form. They called me today for an interview tommorow. I now know the kind answers to give. see the link they send to me
http://inf.sttlinks.org/002/002fr/sm1/2zai/001/ex4xl/index.htm
Today is the 3rd of Sept 2010.
i have just had to cancel my debit order going off for ZAR 5541 (USD700) for this "honourable reward"....
They are very alive.... My question however is this - it seems as though they exist, but can someone with hard facts tell me that this is a scam?
sorry - i know - im a bit sad that i am not this "who's who" in the industry like i would have liked to be :(
So here is the thing (that most of you know already) but they took all my details and then they took my credit card nr and expiry date.
PLEASE NOTE: i know in future in wont give my credit card nr BUT they never requested my CVV nr. Please also take note that in South Africa I was advised that NO ONE can take money from your accoutn without your CVV nr (these are the last digits at the back of your card). WELL - the banks have got something to learn then cause THEY CAN!!! they took the R5k from my account WITHOUT those 3 little nrs.....
Anyway - card cancellation / authorisation cancelled later - i am still in panic that the bank is not going to look out after my interest and actually put it through if these guys try again...
from my side - i label this a hoax from the stuff that i have read. Sorry - but i think sometimes it it wise to learn from other people's battle scars than having to suffer them yourself...
So THANK YOU to all of you who actually told people about experiences gone wrong!
Keep it up! Maybe we should start: WE KNOW YOU campaign and network through that.
Take care everybody
Wow, They did so many trials.
And I'm not the last one to fall in !
I was too much trustfull and paied the 800 $, giving my credit card number, sure I was, it couldn't be false!
I created a new society some months ago and was sure this would help me contacting people. What a desillusion ! I should have been more carfeull with that. I just found the warning after I undertook some researches.
I was told I would receive a e-mail confirmation in the next few hours. As I didn't see anything after 5 hours, I blocked my credit card. It was too late as the debit has been done. But I can contest the amount and I sure will do it. But I'm not sure it will work as they are very clever acting ...
Also I found the recipient is not the Who's Who that is in Washington DC. The employee was named Dish Shroff which is not employed by Who's Who US. I found that a Dish Shroff lives in Jacksonville, well 650 miles away from Washington DC (more than 1'000 km)!
The lesson I will remember is to NEVER GIVE YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER by phone, even if ther is a friend on the other side!
Some tips to be suspicious when you get such messages and calls: There is surely a Who's Who manager or accreditated person in your country. So why should they call you from US ?
In some mails they tell you there are no costs and finaly they ask you to be member for 800$ ! And you may have your picture in colour for 100$ more. 100$ for a colour picture, that's a lot. They tell you that if you cancell membership before ending, you may refund you money (well only 40% after 8 days and only 20% after 30 days)!
They need only a pair of seconds to considerate your acceptation as a member (to be eligible as they say). In a normal way, the decision takes some days to study your candidature ...
After you accept to pay, they ask you for you card number by phone and they do not have secured payment on the web. That should make you suspicious !
I hope there are not too much in the same trap as I fall in ...
Thanks for warning ... And continue to make as much warning as you can to stop these activities.
Remy Pilliard
Switzerland
October 22nd, 2010
I have also received an email with the line “you have been nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the 2010 Edition”, blah, blah….
This immediately sounded an alarm within myself … and here’s why …
There are two opposite and equally wrong attitudes in life: false pride and false modesty.
Most people bounce back and forth between arrogance and self-debasement, with all the variations in between, or stay put at one of these extremes.
Have you ever tried to figure out how to be humble without losing your self respect, and how to be proud without losing your sense of humility ?
Well….Saint Theresa d’ Ávila affirms with authority that: “humbleness is the truth”. Those who are really humble do not pretend to be smaller or bigger than they really are: they live according to their real skills and to the measure of God’s calling.
Thérèse viewed humility principally as concerned with the truth about oneself and one's relationships.
False humility is not based on the truth and it can’t be humility, because humility is the truth, basically. And the same goes for false pride.
And what about true pride and true humility ? Just a very simple idea: true pride and true humility are exactly the same thing.
This will keep you away from many evils including scams, vanity, flattery, and many others…
Jorge, from Montevideo, Uruguay
They're still at it. Got an email from them today and googled straight away - I'm a rather suspicious person...
About 5th or 6th on the googled list was this blog, which confirmed my suspicions. Many thanks to all for participating here and helping to stop at least SOME people falling into this trap.
It's blogs and forums like this that make the internet such a wonderful thing.
K
Thanks For making me realise this is a fraud.
Just recieved their mail.
Dear Ogheneworo Akara:
On behalf of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals, I am pleased to inform you that you have been nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the 2011 Edition. We congratulate you! Nomination into WHO'S WHO is an honor in itself.
International WHO'S WHO has over 20,000 members in 154 countries worldwide and has been publishing biographies since 1928. It is the most elite professional network in the world. Our members assist each other daily with business and career opportunities.
It is in times like these that such a network is most valuable and we are seeing members help other members expand their businesses, find new positions, even relocate to another country.
If selected into WHO'S WHO, you will also be listed in the 2011 Edition of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. This is the definitive work on the world's leaders in commerce, economics, policy, and trade.
We do require additional information to complete the selection process and we ask that you provide your biographical data by accessing the form on our website at:
http://send.sttlinks.net/002/002ml/vdw/3a2v/001/fske6/index.htm
Our editorial deadline is quickly approaching. I urge you to act today. If you delay, I cannot guarantee the committee will have ample time to review your submission.
Sincerely,
Terrence Leifheit
Chairman and CEO
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
P.S. There is no cost or obligation to be listed in the International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. To ensure your biographical data is received in time, please complete this online form by February 15, 2011:
http://send.sttlinks.net/002/002ml/vdw/3a2v/001/fske6/index.htm
Upon review, our Membership Selection Committee will be in touch with you.
Members of our Board of Advisors include: Wallid Abdo, CEO, Eurobrokers-Greece; Michael Gondive, CEO, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank-Kenya; Fehmi Sami, Senior VP, Citibank, N.A.-Great Britain; Yusuf Alami, COO, Abdu Dhabi Investment Company-UAE; Mikhail Zaitsev, Finance Director, Volvo Car-Russia; DR. Jung Kook Paeng, CIO, Hyundai Motor Company, Korea; John Sai Chi Mak, Managing Director, Bulova Watch International, Ltd.-Hong Kong; and Aldo Castelli, President, Shell Brasil, Ltda.-Brazil
Scammers still active. I've got the same mail today.
Thank You for warning.
Greetings,
JO
This scam is still alive in 2011, meaning that they are very well organized and protected.
//////////////
You have received this message because you are registered to receive messages from Informa, One Research Drive, PO Box 5195, Westborough, MA, 01581.
If you would prefer not to receive further messages from this sender, please click on the following email link and send a message with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
Click here to opt out of emails from InformaData Sources
Dear Mr. XXXXXXXXX:
On behalf of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals, ...........
..............
Wayne Uehara
Chairman and CEO
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
///////////////
Unfortunately, they are also posting comments on this blog, to show how much they are dangerous and bold ....
Thansk to all your alerts, that will really help ...
Stockholm, Sweden
Got their e-mail today (22 Februry 2011) and had a direct stomach feeling something was strange. Googled it - and my feelings were correct! Thanks!
I got one sometimes last year; and now they are at it again. In the beginning it was: "wow! am I that important?" Now it is: "here it goes again; when this is going to stop. Don't they know that their plan is already known."
KH (Singapore)
May 3 2011, same letter from Terrence Leifheit received in Ecuador... thanks nicole for the warning...
It is 2011 and this exact same scam is still going on. I always check such things and found out that it is a scam.
I have been receiving multiple emails from all kinds of various "Who's Who" groups. The most persistent is from an Eric Johnson.
He never mentions me or our organization by name in the body of the email. I have responded by saying, "Who in our organization have you spotlighted for this honor?" He never writes back, except a generic, we're waiting for your response.
ARGH!
Obviously, it's a scam.
Thanks for the warning everyone!
Yeps, I just got this email in June 2011. Wow. you'd think they'd at least try and change the content of the email.
I'm afraid I am an example of someone who was too trusting and paid them for membership less than three months ago. My father was a member of a who's who and there is very little recognition in my industry (executive search) so they managed to charm me into paying for membership. After a few discussions with contacts I soon realised I had made a mistake and cancelled my membership within the 21 days policy. I am still chasing for the refund and after speaking to Sandy Garcia today I feel I am unlikely to receive it. Her excuses were pathetic and she even suggested the accounts department does not have a phone so I couldnt speak to them directly! I have informed her that if I do not receive the payment within 7 days I will report them to the official authorities. I feel such an idiot! If I do receive a refund I will let you all know. In the meantime I have learnt rather an expensive life lesson :-(
It's still going strong in July 2011. I received the same email with the exact same text a week or so ago.The website looks quite convincing, but rest assured, it is a SCAM.
Sorry to hear about those of you who've been taken in by this.
Hi! I got the same email today. My alarm bell started to rang when I checked the members of the board:
"Members of our Board of Advisors include: Wallid Abdo, CEO, Eurobrokers-Greece (Come on! Eurorokers-GREECE!?!? Doesn't sound too confidential at these times in Greece...); Michael Gondive, CEO, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank-Kenya; Fehmi Sami, Senior VP, Citibank, N.A.-Great Britain; Yusuf Alami, COO, Abdu Dhabi Investment Company-UAE; Mikhail Zaitsev, Finance Director, Volvo Car-Russia; DR. Jung Kook Paeng, CIO, Hyundai Motor Company, Korea; John Sai Chi Mak, Managing Director, Bulova Watch International, Ltd.-Hong Kong; and Aldo Castelli, President, Shell Brasil, Ltda.-Brazil (And all rest of these names and occupations sounds like a very non-skilfull persons to make a choise wether I'm really worth the nomination... But it's nice that these is a guy from Kenya and not from Nigeria. That brings a lot of confidence...NOT!!!)"
I'm sure that if I would google these names I would just find articles about hoax.
http://www.filmradar.com/member/83701/
I have tried downloads, on a variety of computers, which run everything from Windows 95, right up through XP. On every computer that I have ever tried, I have tried to stay on "safe" sites, such as Download.com, to download operations programs, screensavers, and so on (Download.com is just an example, of dozens of so-called web-sites I have tried). Wouldn't you know it, though. At evewry single site, that I can mention, I have brought back viruses, worms, and "tons" of spy-ware. And this is from the "clean", "safe", web-sites. I know that the best hackers can penetrate any connection, including D.S.L., dial-up, and any other connection, to inject bad codes into home computers. How can internet users "safely" use the internet, without having to worry about hackers, and corporations, "injecting" garbage into our computers? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
They're still at it in the tail end of September 2011. I first got one of these things several years ago, and if memory serves hardly a word has changed between then and now.
Why should it? Just judging by the stories on this blog, there is a steady trickle of gullible people that feeds their little business quite nicely thank you. And we can be sure that 99% of the suckers who've fallen for the scam over the years have not discovered this blog. They are making a mint.
If you're onto a winning formula, don't change a thing!
What intrigues me, however, is how they found my name and my email address. Most scammers are of the "dear friend" variety, and don't address you by name. Have all of you, like me, provided your name and email address somewhere on the web?
I just got the same email. Pl. see below.. The scam is still going on.. why nobody take these people to courts.. or most powerful US justice system take them up. The email shows a valid US address , and when I check it in Google maps, it is "The George Washington University, " address.
++++++
Funny this post was made in 2007 and I received the same scam in same details in 2011! WOW!
I am from Nigeria. My boss had been discussing with some representatives of this body - International Who's Who Historical Society and apparently they have been able to convince him to participate in the 2011 edition.
After reading the nomination letter and going through their website, my inquisitive mind directed me to do a search on this organization and fortunately I found your post. It's amazing to learn that this organization is a fraud. Thank you for the exposition.
Today is 25th June 2012. I'm in Dublin Ireland and got that email this morning. Guessed it was a scam and found this webpage when I did a search on it. Delete the email and don't respond.
Definately a scam and still going, the year 2012. Watch out guys don't give your credit card details to people you don't know over the phone.
The whoswho scammers are still active in 2012. Received similar email and a call. I googled and lo and behold; I came upon this blog.
Michael Gondive, CEO, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank-Kenya. Im in Kenya and gues what; no such bank exists in Kenya.
It's 2012, and they're still active.
I just did a google search while I conducted my "interview". They got my name and information from a posted link on LinkedIn, claiming to be a women's networking group. Of course, when they call, it was a hire pressure sales call from a woman with a New York accent.
She started of with an offer of Lifetime Membership for 700.00 with free airfare to more than 40 destinations. (with a 199.00 induction fee). Then she offered a 5-year membership for 589.00 with the 199.00 induction fee.
I said that my husband and I agree on any financial commitments of 100.00 or more (outside of our budgeted expenses) and I could not commit immediately.
She then offered a 3 year for 399 with the 199 induction fee. I said I still had to speak with my husband as this was not in our budget. She let me put her on 'hold' While on hold, I looked up the organization. Found nothing legitimate about it, except for their own company posted bios.
When back on the phone, I said that I might be interested but that my husband was headed to a meeting and I still had to talk about it with him before committing.
She then offered a 1yr, 199.00 membership, said she would waive the induction fee and still throw in the free airfare.
They sure make it sound good. But it is simply an ego thing to think that membership in a directory is more beneficial than your own networking, LinkedIn profile, etc.
High pressure sales, where they insist you commit immediately, it has to be a scam.
Please don't fall for this 'opportunity'!!
Aaaaaaaand , it's still doing the rounds. Like the rest of you it struck me as a bit of an attempt to extort information through ego-massage. Hit google to check the address, found this. Now off to give hoax-slayer a heads-up. Cheers!
2012 and this is still going on.
I also received this email, exact same wording as previous versions posted here.
"On behalf of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals , I am pleased to inform you that you have been nominated by one of your peers as a candidate for inclusion in the 2013 Anniversary Edition commemorating 85 Years of Publishing Excellence! We congratulate you! Nomination into WHO'S WHO is an honor in itself.
International WHO'S WHO has over 20,000 members in 200 countries worldwide and has been publishing biographies since 1928. It is the most elite professional network in the world. Our members assist each other daily with business and career opportunities.
It is in times like these that such a network is most valuable and we are seeing members help other members expand their businesses, find new positions, even relocate to another country.
If selected into WHO'S WHO, you will be listed in the 2013 Edition of International WHO'S WHO of Professionals . This is the definitive work on the world's leaders in commerce, economics, policy, and trade.
We do require additional information to complete the selection process and we ask that you provide your biographical data by accessing the form on our website at:http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2393C.aspx
Our editorial deadline is quickly approaching. I urge you to act today. If you delay, I cannot guarantee the committee will have ample time to review your submission.
Best Regards,
Terrence J. Leifheit
Chairman of Board
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.,
PMB #504
Washington, D.C. 20006
P.S. There is no cost or obligation to be listed in the International WHO'S WHO of Professionals. To ensure your biographical data is received in time, please complete this online form http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/Nominations/FE2393C.aspx by December 21, 2012. Upon review, our Membership Selection Committee will be in touch with you.
"
I was initially flattered and at the same time asking myself who the hell are these guys? Seemed quite suspicious to me.
So I checked and found this blog.
I smelled this would be some kind of publishing scam with lavish books to be published at no cost for you other than the costs of being a fool ...
Be vigilant
Post a Comment