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friend me MyBlogLog del.icio.us Flickr Last.fm Twitter Digg LinkedIn Technorati YouTube Facebook StumbleUpon I’ve been intrigued by the legs Awards for sale: Not a rewarding experience has had since I posted it on July 22nd, just under a month ago. The Ballard Agency received an award from the U.S. Local Business Association that was clearly a deceptive marketing tactic similar to the http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/?tag=uslba[7/6/2009 2:43:45 PM] FriendFeed
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USLBA | The Responsible Marketing Blog phony domain name and Yellow Pages bills that are sent in hopes your A/P department will pay them in error. To date, there have been 22 comments from people that received an email notification of the award, thought something was fishy, then pulled up the blog post after doing a Google search. Tim Brosnan from the Centre Stage summed up what it was like to receive the award well: A quick visit to the USLBA Web site dispelled any excitement I might have felt about our professional theater in Greenville, SC winning a national award. Who else in Greenville had won awards? No answer. What’s the history of the USLBA? No answer. Who runs it? No answer. Is there a phone number to call? No. Now what do we do? Buy a plaque. What’s the plaque cost? Enter all your contact information to find out. Now I have a new term to toss around at cocktail parties: “vanity scam.” “Vanity scam” is my favorite phrase of the week. A few takeaways: Social media powers word of mouth and illuminates questionable marketing and business practices. The #1 response when Googling “US Local Business Association” is the USLBA, but #2 is my blog post. It takes seconds to reveal the truth. Just because a business doesn’t participate in social media, doesn’t mean people aren’t talking about it. The USLBA hasn’t weighed in to defend their actions yet. The conversation is happening without them. Together, we can make a difference. Please share any vanity scams or other questionable marketing practices you come across. Whenever possible, I’ll post them, and we’ll do some good—together. Where have you seen questionable marketing practices such as false advertising, bait and switch, vanity scams and such? Comment below to share your story.
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http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/?tag=uslba[7/6/2009 2:43:45 PM]
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The Ballard Agency has won plenty of awards in their 45 year history, but this isn’t one they were interested in:
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Chris Ballard, President of the the Bellevue-based insurance brokerage was surprised his company was selected. He’d never even heard of the U.S. Local Business Association. Here’s the email he received, with hyperlinks removed: I am pleased to announce that Ballard Agency has been selected for the 2008 Best of Bellevue Award in the Insurance category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA). In recognition of your achievement, a 2008 Best of Bellevue Award plaque has been designed for display at your place of business. You may arrange to have your award sent directly to Ballard Agency by following the simple steps on the 2008 Best of Bellevue Award order form. The USLBA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/?tag=uslba[7/6/2009 2:43:45 PM]
USLBA | The Responsible Marketing Blog Also, a copy of the press release publicizing the selection of Ballard Agency is posted on the USLBA website. USLBA hereby grants Ballard Agency a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, distribute, and display this press release in any media formats and through any media channels. In order to provide you with the best possible service, you have been assigned an award code that can be used on our website for quick access to your award information and press release. If you have any questions or comments, please include this code with your correspondence. Sincerely, Ashley Carter Selection Committee Chair U.S. Local Business Association After doing a little sleuthing, the folks at the Ballard Agency realized it was a marketing scheme to sell overpriced plaques. Chris didn’t appreciate having his time wasted, but took the time to share it with me, and now you. Here’s a marketing tactic I hate: Winning fake awards or being “nominated for a “who’s Who” list, and all you have to do is pay for $100 award! Clearly, this is a deceptive marketing tactic in the same category as the phony domain name and Yellow Pages bills that are sent in hopes your A/P department will pay them in error. “The only way they’d ever get our business is on accident,” says Ballard. And that, my Responsible Marketing friends, is no way to grow a business. So, have you or ever been targeted for one of these “faux-wards?” Comment below to share your experience. UPDATE: Let’s fight vanity scams together is a follow-up to this post.
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U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) Sending Random Award Notices to Businesses
5/14/2008
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Have you received the following email at your place of business’ INBOX?
----- Original Message ----From: Selection Committee
To: XXXXXX (Your Company Name) Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 12:11 AM Subject: (Your Company Name) Receives 2008 Best of Fort Benton Award (IMAGE OF AWARD PLAQUE WITH YOUR COMPANY NAME ON THE PLAQUE HERE)
I am pleased to announce that (YOUR COMPANY NAME) has been selected for the 2008 Best of Fort Benton Award in the Hotels category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA). In recognition of your achievement, a 2008 Best of Fort Benton Award plaque has been designed for display at your place of business. You may arrange to have your award sent directly to (YOUR COMPANY NAME) by following the simple steps on the 2008 Best of Fort Benton Award order form. The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, USLBA members are asked to identify companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success and overall customer satisfaction in their local market and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service
http://www.bbb.org/us/WWWRoot/SitePage.aspx?site=70&id=f8f28945-b02b-46f1-a1cb-7d8810908369&art=5195[7/6/2009 2:59:49 PM]
News Center - Montana - Northern Idaho - Eastern Washington BBB to their customers and community. Also, a copy of the press release publicizing the selection of (YOUR COMPANY NAME) is posted on the USLBA website. USLBA hereby grants (YOUR COMPANY NAME) a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, distribute, and display this press release in any media formats and through any media channels. Sincerely, Ashley Carter Selection Committee Chairman U.S. Local Business Association
p.s. The intended recipient of this notification is the Marketing Director for (YOUR COMPANY NAME). If you have received this email in error please forward it to the intended recipient. If the links are not working in this email please copy and paste the following urls into your browser: Award Order Form:XXXX Press Release: XXXXXX A Montana hotel recently brought this email to our attention asking about the legitimacy of this award. USLBA states on its web site: U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising. The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community. The BBB of DC and Eastern PA report states that companies report receiving an e-mail notice of an award as a local business. They are asked to link to the group's web site to obtain a plaque commemorating the award. There is a cost for the plaque, but that fact is not part of the the e-mail notice. Once the firm links to the web site, it can be routed to the information about costs. It is unclear if a company can opt out of the award cost, once it gets that far. The only means of contacting USLBA is via e-mail. The Pennsylvania Avenue address of the firm is a known mail receiving/forwarding address. The BBB is attempting to determine if the entitiy has a real presence locally. We have no current phone listing for the USLBA, which indicates on its web site at www.uslba.net, that it is a business membership association. No contact information is obtainable from the web site except via email. Those approached with e-mail notification of such awards are advised to be cautious, as with any contacts from unknown groups. The red flags that the BBB sees with this organization’s pitch are: *There is no way to contact this company other than via email. *Web site domain registration information is privately registered via Go Daddy. We consider this to be a red flag. *Organization states that you have been awarded, and then presents you with the option of purchasing your own plaque. In order to receive your award you are first required to confirm your
http://www.bbb.org/us/WWWRoot/SitePage.aspx?site=70&id=f8f28945-b02b-46f1-a1cb-7d8810908369&art=5195[7/6/2009 2:59:49 PM]
News Center - Montana - Northern Idaho - Eastern Washington BBB company’s information. The web site states:
Receiving Your Award
In recognition of your achievement, a 2008 Best of Ft. Benton Award plaque has been designed for display at your place of business. Simply confirm your business contact information in the form below to receive your award. *The BBB is unable to find anywhere on this organization’s web site prior to confirming your business profile info how much the plaque will actually cost. *Before ever agreeing to the award, this organization already has a “News Release” posted to its site stating that you are a recipient of this award.
BBB TIPS ON VANITY AWARD/DIRECTORY OFFERS Vanity offers differ from conventional offers in that they generally offer to award you at your expense, and/or they solicit entries in awards, directories or lists patterned after "Who's Who" Directories, which bear prestigious sounding titles. Businesses nationwide should question direct email or mail solicitations that offer to include the recipient in an award process or directory. In most cases, no returned solicitation, nominee or entry is turned down. The solicitation may be accompanied by a request for a membership fee (in this case payment for a plaque) or for an order of one or more copies of a directory. Businesses that deal with vanity offers should recognize that their award may have little or no significance in the marketplace and should realistically expect no more than the selfsatisfaction derived from seeing your plaque on the wall, but don’t be surprised when or if someone asks you to substantiate the award and its merits. The Better Business Bureau routinely encourages caution. Thoroughly evaluate any solicitations as those described and determine if they are truly based on merit or are geared primarily to appeal to your vanity.
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http://www.bbb.org/us/WWWRoot/SitePage.aspx?site=70&id=f8f28945-b02b-46f1-a1cb-7d8810908369&art=5195[7/6/2009 2:59:49 PM]
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Vanity Spam Watch: Princeton Premier
Tuesday, December 9th, 2008
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Back in July, I blogged about the USLBA, one of the many award scams out there targeting businesses. This type of scam, also know as vanity spam, attempts to appeal to the pride many businesses deserve. Our post about the USLBA has received a tremendous amount of traffic from business owners and marketers savvy enough to tap a search engine when something seems too good to be true. Bravo! Given the traffic, it wasn’t a surprise to receive a voicemail this morning from the Better Business Bureau – before the Web, the BBB was one of the few sources that could readily help you investigate a scam — regarding our vanity spam experience. No more than two minutes after hanging up did I receive my (fifth) invitation to join the Princeton Premier Honors Edition Registry. With my chest puffed up by our success helping guide business out of the pits of vanity spam, I thought, “Finally, someone out there is going to induct me into the honor society of an elite university — even though I never attended!” And then I had my first cup of coffee and woke up. Yes, the Princeton Premier is yet another example of vanity spam. Watch out for it. And a host of others. Any other award or honor society scams you all recommend looking out for? ShareThis Tags: Better Business Bureau, Princeton Premier, scam, uslba, vanity spam Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
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Deep Tech Dive | Technology Marketing, PR, Advertising, Lead Generation and Nurturing » uslba We’re pleased to announce that McBru has won the 2008 Best of Portland Award in the advertising agencies category from the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA). Word of our best-ness must’ve made it all the way to Washington, DC, where the USLBA is registered. There’s even a USLBA news release that we can use however we want! I’m hoping there’s an awards dinner, because I have just the tux.
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Okay, all jokes aside. These “best of” awards are an example of “vanity spam,” according to Alan Bligh, president and CEO of the Coastal Bend Better Business Bureau. You can watch Bligh discuss vanity spam and other scams over at KiiiTV. Remember, if a PR opportunity seems too good to be true — be it an award or a media interview — it just might be, particularly if they ask for a fee. Take advantage of the Web and do your research before getting too excited. Has anyone else been targeted with these “best of” awards? ShareThis Tags: awards, scam, uslba, vanity spam Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments »
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Indiana Chamber of Commerce Blog › Scam Alert: USLBA Wants YOUR Money
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Scam Alert: USLBA Wants YOUR Money
Business News, Chamber News Tom Schuman December 15th. 2008, 8:27am
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Investments in chambers of commerce and other legitimate business organizations are beneficial at all times. We at the Indiana Chamber, and many of our colleagues, are passionate about what we do. That’s why we take it somewhat personally when others try to use the “association” name to illicitly extract your hard-earned money. Here’s the latest: A letter from the U.S. Local Business Association informing your company that you have won a Best of (insert local community) award. It instructs you to simply fill out the order form to receive your plaque. At the end, you learn that this plaque will cost anywhere from $100 to $700, according to various reports. The problems, cited by various Better Business Bureau chapters and others: There is no way to contact the company other than e-mail Web site domain registration for the organization has been completed privately You must provide and submit information about your company before finding out the cost of the award plaque Before you agree to accept the award, the organization already has a press release on its web site stating that you are a recipient The “vanity scam” label comes from the fact that you might (I repeat might) actually get an overpriced plaque you can hang on the wall and look at. It means absolutely nothing, however, and, in fact, will probably be a detriment as customers or clients will at some point realize that you have been a victim, not a victor. At least one Indiana company reports receiving this solicitation (example here). To all, be forewarned.
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NYS SBDC Research Network: USLBA: Congrats! Buy Your Plaque Now!
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The Research Network aims the content of this blog primarily at the New York State Small Business Development Center (NYS SBDC) community on the kinds of things we encounter every day. Views expressed are those of the Research Network staff, and not necessarily those of the New York SBDC or its partners. Comments to an individual post are encouraged. Such comments will be monitored, so please, keep them clean and professional.
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USLBA: Congrats! Buy Your Plaque Now!
On a listserv I monitor, I saw a post about someone receiving notice that he or she had been given an award by the US Local Business Association. the question was, "Is this a VALID organization? or a 'scam' to get companies to buy their award plaque?" Frankly, I didn't want to spend an inordinate amount of time on the question, since it wouldn't count in my monthly statistics,. But I did venture to the Better Business Bureau website, went to the national page, and found this about USLBA: The BBB does not have a current report on this company, which means it has not had frequent enough inquiries or a reason to open a file. The red flags that the BBB sees with this organization's pitch are: *There is no way to contact this company other than via email. *Web site domain registration information is privately registered via Go Daddy. We consider this to be a red flag. *Organization states that you have been awarded, and then presents you with the option of purchasing your own plaque. In order to receive your award you are first required to confirm your company's information. The web site states: Receiving Your Award In recognition of your achievement, a 2008 Best of Ft. Benton Award plaque has been designed for display at your place of business. Simply confirm your business contact information in the form below to receive your award. *The BBB is unable to find anywhere on this organization's web site prior to confirming your business profile info how much the plaque will actually cost. *Before ever agreeing to the award, this organization already has a "News Release" posted to its site stating that you are a recipient of
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http://sbdcrn.blogspot.com/2008/10/uslba-congrats-buy-your-plaque-now.html[7/6/2009 3:12:22 PM]
NYS SBDC Research Network: USLBA: Congrats! Buy Your Plaque Now!
this award. BBB TIPS ON VANITY AWARD/DIRECTORY OFFERS Vanity offers differ from conventional offers in that they generally offer to award you at your expense, and/or they solicit entries in awards, directories or lists patterned after "Who's Who" Directories, which bear prestigious sounding titles. Businesses nationwide should question direct email or mail solicitations that offer to include the recipient in an award process or directory. In most cases, no returned solicitation, nominee or entry is turned down. The solicitation may be accompanied by a request for a membership fee (in this case payment for a plaque) or for an order of one or more copies of a directory. Businesses that deal with vanity offers should recognize that their award may have little or no significance in the marketplace and should realistically expect no more than the self-satisfaction derived from seeing your plaque on the wall, but don't be surprised when or if someone asks you to substantiate the award and its merits. The Better Business Bureau routinely encourages caution. Thoroughly evaluate any solicitations as those described and determine if they are truly based on merit or are geared primarily to appeal to your vanity. That seemed to be sufficiently blunt for me to send along. While not an indictment of USLBA, it was hardly a ringing endorsement. Posted by Roger Owen Green at 10/28/2008 09:37:00 PM Labels: Better Business Bureau, USLBA
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6 comments:
Anonymous said... This was helpful. I was trying to find info on this and you saved me a lot of work! 12/03/2008 8:07 PM Anonymous said... I, too, found this information very useful. Our business just received the same (swap out city name) unsolicited email. Thank you. 12/11/2008 2:39 PM TeenyGozer said... They just targeted our store -- same people using the same pitch with just the town & store name changed. I wonder how much they make on this scam? Surely someone has to fall for this at least once
http://sbdcrn.blogspot.com/2008/10/uslba-congrats-buy-your-plaque-now.html[7/6/2009 3:12:22 PM]
NYS SBDC Research Network: USLBA: Congrats! Buy Your Plaque Now!
in a while, or they'd stop doing it. 12/11/2008 10:32 PM Anonymous said... Thanks for doing the research for me 12/15/2008 9:09 AM Brent Wong said... Thanks for the post. I just got the email from them and figured it was a fake. Found a few posts like this that helped me confirm it was. 12/15/2008 1:14 PM Anonymous said... I appreciate your research. Vanity award indeed. I laugh gently at myself because I admit to being a little disapointed ... ! Vanity aside, I am certainly glad to avoid this scam. Thanks. 12/22/2008 8:15 AM Post a Comment Blog Archive ▼ 2009 (122) ▼ July (4) How to Tweet Effectively Google vs. Bing The Profitability Report Paper or plastic? Your reading preferences Home Older Post ► June (22) ► May (17) ► April (20) ► March (21) ► February (18) ► January (20) ► 2008 (229) ► 2007 (190) ► 2006 (192) ► 2005 (119) External Links Bridges Library delicious Site Business Owner's TOOLKIT Coin Laundry Association Day Spa Association Demo Memo: Demographic Trends with Attitude Docuticker Franchise Circulars-California IBM Globalization Locale Database
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NYS SBDC Research Network: USLBA: Congrats! Buy Your Plaque Now!
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NYS SBDC Research Network: USLBA: Congrats! Buy Your Plaque Now!
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USLBA » Cam-Bel Media Blog
Cam-Bel Media, Inc. Receives 2009 Best of Bonita Springs Award
Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cam-Bel Media, Inc. Receives 2009 Best of Bonita Springs Award U.S. Local Business Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement WASHINGTON D.C., March 20, 2009 — For the second consecutive year, Cam-Bel Media, Inc. has been selected for the 2009 Best of Bonita Springs Award in the Advertising category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA). The USLBA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community. Nationwide, only 1 in 70 (1.4%) 2008 Award recipients qualified as 2009 Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties. About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising. The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America. SOURCE: U.S. Local Business Association CONTACT: U.S. Local Business Association Email: PublicRelations@USLocalBusinessAssociation.com URL: http://www.USLocalBusinessAssociation.com ### Leave a Comment June 5, 2009 · Filed under Awards, Cam-Bel News
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U.S. Local Business Association - a vanity award scam
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Mon. July 6, 2009
U.S. Local Business Association - a vanity award scam
Tom Barlow
Oct 30th 2008 at 3:00PM Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams
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prestigious-sounding U.S. Local Business Association's "Best of" award. This so-called organization makes its living sending out letters of congratulations to naïve business owners, congratulating them on receiving a best-of award and inviting them to claim their plaque (for a handsome charge). The Better Business Bureau notes that the USLBA lists no phone number, not even in press releases (!!) and the web site is privately registered via Go Daddy, which it finds suspicious. I spoke with a business owner who had been given an award, and he told me that the award was free; the money comes from the purchase of a plaque. The field of vanity award scams is almost as old a publishing; who hasn't received a pitch for inclusion in some form of a Who's Who, with the chance to buy copies of the finished product for friends and family? In the age of the internet, putting together such scams is even easier and less expensive. How do you protect yourself from such scams? First, be brutally honest with yourself. Does your work really warrant a Nobell Prize? Are you truly worthy of The U.S. Spurious Association's Man of the Year Award? Do you really think that Stephen Hawking would nominate you to join the ranks of the Time Lords? Get real, people. If you lust for an award plaque, any trophy shop will make one for you, and you can have it read anything you want. If in doubt, look to the BBB. This reminds me of nothing so much as the episode of the Simpson's in which Homer wins the Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence.
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Jul 6th 2009 1:00PM Filed under: Entrepreneurship, Fraud
1
11-21-2008 @ 12:36PM
Tom Lee said... Agreed on this scam. I get a email stating that I was being awarded best web development company in Wallingford CT. No phone number no address on the website and we are not even a Web development company. Once I said this they adjusted to my business, however we have never even had a client in the town our office is in. What a scam.
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The teddy bears may have looked cuddly and sweet, but what cops found stuffed inside was a bitter pill to swallow. Drug Enforcement Administration officials busted a crew of drug dealers who were ... Read More | Comments (8)
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2
11-24-2008 @ 12:15PM
KCM said... I just rec'vd an email congratulating me and our architectural firm for being selected as the best... blah blah and I was thrilled inititally. Then I was like wait........ Typed in the USLBA online and found your site. Thanks for blowing the whistle. I knew it sounded fishy.
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12-09-2008 @ 10:32AM
fred said... While not a new scam, thanks to these people and others like them, I get the displeasure of having to tell my unsuspecting clients that they have been duped. Throwing away $100 and a bruised ego makes for a very bad day. Business advertising and marketing is tough enough - I do not need this! Thank you for posting this.
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12-16-2008 @ 12:38PM
Paula said... Thank you for checking this out. I received this award and was pleased
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U.S. Local Business Association - a vanity award scam
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until I noticed the email address they sent it to was not my exact address and got suspicious. Thanks for sites like this one to save us money and embarrassment.
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12-19-2008 @ 10:54AM
K said... I received an email today and when I read it I couldn't stop laughing. I am such a small business with a very select number of clients so I knew it had to be a scam. I feel sorry for the people who actually fall for it. And I have seen a few of these plaques around town so I know more than a few people must either not realize it or not care.
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12-22-2008 @ 1:05PM
Mark said... I just got an e-mail from USBLA as well. I immediately Googled them to see who they were, suspecting some kind of scam/ripoff. Sure enough, up comes the Responsible Marketing Blog and the truth. Not that I would have ordered a plaque in the first place, but I have been hit with enough of these "Free" or "Just pay for shipping" invitations to be suspicious. I always check out if they have easy ways to contact them, as it reveals a lot. Another scam is the "Grant University/Grant Professor". read the fine print and realize how impossible they make it to cancel their "Service". They also start debiting your account for monthly payments for a couple of "Buyer's Clubs" and something called "Wealth Builder" in addition to the $70.00 per month charge they hide in the fine print of the agreement. Never mention any of that on the main part of their web site. I was able to cancel and get my account credited by e-mailing, registed mail and telephoning while keeping very clear records all of it. Fool me once...maybe if enough of us report and comment on these people, we can make a difference.
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1-09-2009 @ 6:55PM
Douglas Canning said... yeah, my company won an award too.the funny thing is my business moved to a different town three years ago. These people at USLBA are complete crooks and they need to be stopped and put in jail. www.dirtbag.com
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