All people with an email address should be cautious of emails from any organizations claiming to be a ‘business leaders’ association, or that you have been ‘nominated for an award’ as they are probably not legitimate. There are some businesses that do this sort of work but since the industry is rampant with spammers its very hard to tell who is and who is not legitimate. They come in many many forms, the latest of which looks like this;
“We are please to inform you that your candidacy was formally approved March 8th, 2010.
The Business Leaders Worldwide Publishing Committee selected you as a potential candidate based not only upon your current employment, but focusing as well on criteria from executive and professional directories, associations, and trade journals. Given your professional background, the Editorial Department believes your profile makes a fitting addition to our publication.
There is no fee nor obligation to be listed. As we are working off of secondary sources, we must receive verification from you that your profile is accurate. After receiving verification, we will validate your registry listing within 7 business days.”
Generally known as vanity spam, they are a definite scam to be avoided at all costs. More information here.
Vanity Spam Watch 
Hello and thank you for this scam report. I received this very exact email on my University of Montana email and am pretty sure the other 40 thousand students had also. The email didn’t make sense to me so I binged it on line to find this blog. Thank you again.
They go by lots of different names, usually the name contains “who’s who” or some variation of ‘Registry of Business Leaders’.
I have hundreds of filters on my mail server to stop these emails but they are very persistent, constantly changing their name and email addresses, however their approach is always the same so it makes them fairly easy to spot.
I listened to their pitch. The free started out at $789.00 + $199.00 down to $589.00 + $199.00 down to $199.00+ $199.00 down to $99.00 including free airline tickets. What a quick drop in value within 15 min. I like to listen to a good script since I’m in sales. Script’s focus was in dropping price and nothing to do with what I was going to get for my money. Run, don’t walk if they contact you.
I received the exact same pitch, very good at what they do. $789 down to $99 was quite the sales pitch. Everybody has a scam it seems like. Glad we both caught this!
Thanks for the information. This e-mail scam landed in my junk mail folder at work. I immediately suspected it was a scam, and hope others do, too. Spread the word . . .
Thank you for this post. I also received this email yesterday.
I also got it. And this is definitely a scam. Simply put…i’m not a business leader what so ever. And i have no idea where they cropped my mail address from.
Good you mentioned it – they are a SCAM and A SPAM!
Yep, I received this morning. what crap.
I have received a similar e mail which sent me a “final notice” that my information has not been received. Guess I won’t be in any books. Considering I am not employed in the “business world” and am retired from the phone company for 12 years, this is simply spam. I have sent each e mail to the government spam depts as well as my own ISP fraud departments.
It is always funny to me when I receive items like this sent to me–a Second Life avatar! Although I do own and operate a small retail shop in the virtual world Second Life, I hardly think a business with a gross monthly revenue in the range of US$10 qualifies for any Business Who’s Who–in the real world, anyway. (Do people actually respond to this stuff? I have more brains in my virtual skull…)
Thank you for this information. They have been sending this mail to a lot of senior level managers in India as well. The email did not make any sense and when I checked online, I found this blog…thank you for making us aware…
Thanks for the information. I just recieved a similar email today. It’s actually hillarious considering that I have been unemployed for the past 2 1/2 years. I wish we could get these spammers off the internet.
Although I have an wordpress account I see I must use twitter here you use wordpress.com and i use .org. Any way I just wanted to say thank you for this blog. Is there any thing else we need to be looking for? They have written my company 3 time and today is very late Wednesday. Again thank you very much.
Can you tell me anything about this one? Would appreciate some feedback! Thank you! Sally DeLong EMAIL: sally_j07@yahoo.com
Dear Sally,
You were recently chosen as a potential candidate to represent your professional community in the 2011/2012 Business Who’s Who Registry among Executives, Professionals & Entrepreneurs.
We are pleased to inform you that your candidacy was approved. Your prompt response is needed to ensure your correct professional information. For accuracy purposes, please be sure to visit your personal website to verify your biographical information.
Remember, there is no cost to be included.
On behalf of the Managing Director, we look forward to your appearance in this year’s edition.
Best wishes for continued success.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Walker
Profile Coordinator
Hurry! This Point Offer Expires March 30, 2012.
Points for this offer can only be earned once.
Once you get to Business Who’s Who, register. Receive 15 Points.
Get Your Points!
Now that you’ve read the BonusMail, visit Business Who’s Who.
Once you get to Business Who’s Who, register. Receive 15 Points.
Get Points
If you wish to opt out of receiving future emails directly from Business Who’s Who, please click here. This will not unsubscribe you from MyPoints.
450 Ocean Ave. Suite B, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
This is a definite scam, stay far away from these people as they will start phoning you at home and harassing you. Since they are stationed out of the US (Caymen islands as far as I can tell), they can basically do and say anything as they are not bound by any laws in the continental US.
I would love to hear from someone who actually “registered”. I almost did purely out of morbid curiosity. Has anyone registered? I really curious exact what the scam is. I’d guess they are purely trying to build a huge database to eventually sell.
Any ideas?
I just got one from my fax, is it the same thing. Not to say that I am not worthy of such a fine award but I doubt it. There’s not a lot of awards giving to AU miners.
Unfortunately I saw their ad on Linkedin and had been called by them also every day if not every second day,,,,, I thought a well ligit company until the interview part and I kept asking for more info, the gal was pushy and then wanting my credit card. The fact that they asked if my name appeared as such on my driver’s license ran some alarm bells. Of course then I did my research and discovered that it was a scam! Not to say that I am naive as I am very cautious about where my info goes, but wow……it seems as though this problem has been ongoing for many years now according to some logged compliants, why aren’t the FBI on them by now?
They are VERY aggressive too trying to protect the legitimacy of this scam. They actually stalked me to the point where they knew who I was, where I lived and worked. They called me here and threatened to sue me if I did not take down all this information about them. I lol’d at them quite hard, I am still lol’ing at them. They’ll basically have to kill me to shut me up.
They are also phoning people. They go through a whole interview process with you. Asking where you went to school and what degrees you obtained. They play up how fantastic you would be and how interested theit other clients would be in your business.
Then they ask you to send them $789.00 now and $199 later for a platinum membership. If you don’t bite they start dropping it to a gold membership at $589 now and $199 later. If you still don’t bite they go down to 389 then 199 and then down to 99 for a one year.
LOL I let them talk all the way through and then told her to email me her credentials. MMM see if that happens
I didn’t get an e-mal I got a phone call instead. She was spouting numbers at me $900 for a life time, $300 for three years, $99 dallors but I refused to back down.
Getting reconized and getting an award should cost you or anyone else money.
yup, I’m unemployed and got an email from “Business Who’s Who” funny
As of this date they are still going strong. Have received multiple offers from this socalled organization, all consigned to my spam folder, and have trashed them all. I am not now, nor have I ever been, in a position to be considered a “leader in the business world.”
I’m on a chat right now trying to see if they’d be worth it. Just wanted to show those who read in the future:
Lindsey:
I work direct sales for Athena’s…. is this for direct sales as well??
Welcome Lindsey! Your request has been directed to the Customer Service department. Please wait for our operator to answer your call.
Call accepted by operator Who’s Who Specialist. Currently in room: Lindsey, Who’s Who Specialist.
Who’s Who Specialist:
No its a business network
Lindsey:
i figured
Lindsey:
thanks
Lindsey:
wanna take me off ur list for emails?>
Lindsey:
———-@yahoo.com
Lindsey:
Not sure how u guys got my email…. you know what it would have come off of?
Who’s Who Specialist:
You were nominated
Lindsey:
by…
Who’s Who Specialist:
for a professional or personal accomplishmetn
Lindsey:
well that’s a great phrase
Who’s Who Specialist:
For your privacy, I do not have access to that information…but someone submitted your name and information to be a part of our business network
Lindsey:
oh.. REally?
Lindsey:
but you guys dont offer anything that I’d be able to take advantage of correct?
Who’s Who Specialist:
The standard directory entry is free.
Lindsey:
and then…?
Who’s Who Specialist:
you can network with other individuals in your industry
Lindsey:
for how much?
Lindsey:
are there others in sex education and relationship health/repair?
Lindsey:
or would this not apply to me
Who’s Who Specialist:
The standard directory listing is FREE. This gives you access to other business professionals in your field. We have a wide range of members from teachers to lawyers.
Who’s Who Specialist has left the conversation. Currently in room: Lindsey.
***** So. It was nice to hope I was nominated for something!!!*****
They make money off selling data, so getting data (of any kind) is of paramount importance to them. I abandoned this blog about a year ago and just came back to check something and found 40 new messages from other people like you who these morons have tried to scam. I am back and making it a mission to spread the word about these criminals and their activities.
This company made a call to my home trying to sell me a 3 year prescription for their website. I was not interested. They the woman proceeded to try and tell me about a one year offer that included 2 free airline tickets to fly anywhere and anytime I wanted. This got my attention since I fly a lot. So I told the sales rep that if this was in fact a deal then I would be interested only for the free airline tickets.
First of all I never got my tickets as promised in some kind of packet that was supped to be mailed out to me. No packet what so ever. A month goes by so I emailed them to cancel the subscriptions. they said they can’t due to the nature of the service. So I filed with my credit card company. I lost to this poor situation because I had no proof of my complaint of the airline tickets!
So I email them about the tickets once again and asked when I would be expecting them.
So I get in the mail a brochure and a form to fill out to get the tickets.
Well, I have to buy a vacation package with them on selected dates and selected airline!!!!
This was all a major scam to sell me a vacation package that is all! This company has NO INTEGRITY what so ever. They have lied the whole time about this call and have won the system to scam hundreds if not thousands of people!
I highly recommend to NEVER get into the worldwide who’s who scam. You will regret it and will NOT get what you had been promised!!
I was pretty sure when they said how qualified I was that they were bunko. Ive been out of work over a year ,looking every day to no avail.Im not really that qualified as far as Im concerned. What a pity.
Guess what…that called me! Their number on caller ID was 631! They want lots of money to “register’ your business…like almost $1000!!! they wanted money immediately! when they wanted my debit card…I hung up! They didn’t like the word NO very much!
Ya thats all part of the scam, once they get their hooks into you they will never leave you alone. And if you don’t sign up year after year they will continue to harass you by phone, mail or email until you do re-up and update your data. They only get paid if their data is reasonably up to date which is why they are so determined to harass people.
Yes I got that 631 last year all a huge scam. Stay clear of them. Don’t fall for any of it!
Sent from Joyce’s iPhone
They’re still at it. They’ve sent me their idiotic email every day this week (I’m in Australia). And now they want to know why I’m not responding. Really?
Thanks for the information, I am a filipino national working in Dubai,UAE as IT support engineer, last night 24/12/2012 8:39pm GMT +4,i received a call from this number +15169972525 he is calling from US he said and asking me about my profession its like a job interview. Anyway whatever it is thanks for the info. Kindly forward if you receive a call from this guys, my email address is nathaniel@alphadxb.com.
Hello i received this email today, please let me know if its legible…see below
Hello,
You were recently chosen to represent your professional community, deeming you eligible for the inclusion in the new 2013 Edition of Worldwide Registry for Business Professionals.
We are pleased to inform you that your candidacy was formally approved on October 1st, 2012. Congratulations!
Click here to verify your profile and accept the candidacy
The Publishing Committee selected you as a professional based not only upon your current standing, but focusing as well on criteria from executive and professional directories, associations, and trade journals. Given your background, the Director believes your profile makes a fitting addition to our publication.
There is no fee nor obligation to be listed. As we are working off of secondary sources, we must receive verification from you that your profile is accurate. After receiving verification, we will validate your registry listing within seven business days.
Once finalized, your listing will share prominent registry space with thousands of fellow accomplished individuals across the globe, each representing accomplishment within their own geographical area.
To verify your profile and accept the candidacy, please click here .
Please kindly note that our registration deadline for next year’s publication is January 31st, 2013. To ensure you are included, we must receive your verification on or before this date.
On behalf of our Committee I salute your achievement and welcome you to our association.
Sincerely yours,
Ronald L. Combs
Vice-President, Publication Division
Worldwide Registry for Business Professionals
4255 Watson Street
Merchantville, NJ 08109
609-792-1225
If you would like to update your communication preferences,
please click here .
Don’t do it this is a horrible scam. Phone calls will show up cell as 631…just say NO firmly! Rip off
hello i received a similar email today, please let me know if its legible..see below
Hello,
You were recently chosen to represent your professional community, deeming you eligible for the inclusion in the new 2013 Edition of Worldwide Registry for Business Professionals.
We are pleased to inform you that your candidacy was formally approved on October 1st, 2012. Congratulations!
Click here to verify your profile and accept the candidacy
The Publishing Committee selected you as a professional based not only upon your current standing, but focusing as well on criteria from executive and professional directories, associations, and trade journals. Given your background, the Director believes your profile makes a fitting addition to our publication.
There is no fee nor obligation to be listed. As we are working off of secondary sources, we must receive verification from you that your profile is accurate. After receiving verification, we will validate your registry listing within seven business days.
Once finalized, your listing will share prominent registry space with thousands of fellow accomplished individuals across the globe, each representing accomplishment within their own geographical area.
To verify your profile and accept the candidacy, please click here .
Please kindly note that our registration deadline for next year’s publication is January 31st, 2013. To ensure you are included, we must receive your verification on or before this date.
On behalf of our Committee I salute your achievement and welcome you to our association.
Sincerely yours,
Ronald L. Combs
Vice-President, Publication Division
Worldwide Registry for Business Professionals
4255 Watson Street
Merchantville, NJ 08109
609-792-1225
If you would like to update your communication preferences,
please click here .
If you do update your ‘communication preferences’, give them a fake email address like 123@456.me or something. Hopefully that will get you off their list for a while.
Yeah! I just checked by google as soon as I suspected the strange email from “Worldwide Registry for Business….” which seemed too complementing email. I never clicked on any link or replied so that was a good thing. My email was sent from: kevin.myers@namexpose.com
Thanks for alerting me right off. I chose wordpress.com reply from among links via google search on the above name.
Thanks again.
No problem, these people have pissed me off to no end and have made a permanent enemy of me. I will never let them go now that I have them in my teeth.
The email is back in full force and hit my office yesterday. I hope others take the time to research before they click and send. Thanks everyone for the information.
I volunteer for a company who could qualify for a business of the year award. Luckily, my intuition kicked in and instead of responding or filling anything out, I searched this company. I am so glad I did.
Been trying to start a business for a while, so I thought this was something that could help, I replied to them and all not knowing it was a Scam, should I worry?
they haven’t called and have no CC or SS numbers, just a name and that’s it.
You know I think there are a few of these that are legitimate, but there are so many scammers out there doing it now that its impossible to tell the good guys from the bad ones.
Best to stick to local business associations in your own city, and promote yourself using facebook or other social media.
Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Anyways, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!
POX ON THESE PEOPLE. May the fleas of a 1000 camels infest their …….
I got mine via Fax by Anonymous. lol
i receive this email yesterday in my spam folder at aineyakennedy@yahoo.com: that i have been selected by this site “business who’s who’
I just received an email today! This time they called themselves 2013/2014 Business Who’s Who Registry among Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs. Thanks to reading your information above, it is in my Spam folder.