23.11.2008

Here we go again

Many of you will recall the scams carried out for several years by Construct Data of Austria and its Fair Guide. The company sent out forms asking exhibitors at trade fairs to update their free entry in an online guide telling people that you had exhibited at the show.

At the bottom of the form was a large place to sign which looked as if it was a simple signature confirming the data update. In reality it attempted to commit the company to over €3,000.

The Expo guide is sending out almost identical forms, so similar in fact that you cannot but feel that the same people are behind it. The Expo Guide uses an almost identical online data base but comes from Mexico rather than Austria, although the postage paid envelopes are addressed to Germany.
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If you receive a form like this do not sign it, best to scrap it

We would recommend that you toss the form in the bin, fill the envelope with scrap paper and post it back.

If you have already accidentally signed one of these forms, you have apparently committed the company to three annual payments of €1,181, with the possibility that it will run to a fourth year if you do not follow precise cancellation details. For this you get nothing of any value.
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The letter that comes with the form

So far this new guide has not tested its scam in court, if it does it should end up going the same way as the Fair Guide which was found to be a misleading contract by several jurisdictions. When the Fair Guide scam was at its height we sought legal advice that said it was best not to pay and to simply write back saying that you were misled by the form and that it was signed in error.

Exhibition organisers can also help by warning their exhibitors that this is a scam and not at all connected with them.
Click here to see the Fair Guide Scam
Click here to see Stop ECG, a web site with advice should you have signed such a form