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Raw Bytes Computer News KPBX FM 91.1 Radio National Public Radio Network Frank Delaney Producer Broadcast on Wednesday Morning 7:35 AM During Morning Edition Support Public Radio ! The Theater Of the Mind |
In computer news this week 12/09/2009 All is vanity, said the
prophet..... A new internet scam that appeals to a company’s
vanity Twice
this year I’ve received an email stating that my company has won an
award “Best of Spokane 2009 Computer Software Development” and it
shows a very nice official looking Glass plaque I have supposedly won. Their
email (actual email below) states in essence that my company has won an award
for computer software development – chosen by their organization - which is the US Commerce Association, and that
they believe I deserve this award, and they even provide an official press
release I could use in notifying people that I’ve won this award. Their
email even had a link to a very complimentary special Press Release I could
use to publicize my company’s winning this award. And I
guess if I was a very vain and very dumb person I would have gone along with
all this, but not being very vain and hopefully not that dumb - my ears
immediately flattened down and I suspected still another internet scam. They had
my company name actually wrong; I haven’t done any real software new
development for several years, and this is a classic example of an internet
“too-good-to-be-true” email that you shouldn’t fall for. I googled
their company name and came up with many pages of hits decrying this as a
scam and detailing a lot of information about the company: Scams http://scamswehavegotten.blogspot.com/2009/07/best-of-scam-2009.html Scamdotcom http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?p=806477 Responsible
Marketing http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/2008/07/22/awards-for-sale-not-a-rewarding-experience How
winning an award can cost you $ 199.99
http://current.com/items/91372833_how-winning-an-award-can-cost-you-199-99.htm This
company has somehow found my company name, and they are actually trying to
get me to buy this very nice award for $ 200.00, while at the same time getting
me to make a complete fool of myself by sending their press release to
everyone I know. And sadly, some companies have actually fallen for this
ruse. The many web
comments about this scam point out that I could buy a similar trophy for about
1/3rd of the cost and just put it up in my office on display if I
wanted to give myself an award, which is what responding to this US Commerce Association email would
actually be doing –
buying an award sold by some company that knows nothing about my business or
the local business environment – at an inflated price, and then
publicizing that I had fallen for a scam. And
sadly, the web comments give examples of a few companies
that have fallen hook line and sinker, paid their money for a false award,
and embarrassed themselves further by publicizing their vanity and stupidity
by sending the press release to their local media and clients. So if
some unknown company tells you that you’ve won an award for something
you’re not even aware of, and if you have to buy that award – then
it’s not really an award – it it ? Buyer beware as always on the internet, and remember – all that
glitters or is shiny – is usually fool’s gold. ( actual email ) “Earlier
this year, I sent a notification email to you recognizing that MTA Micro Technology
Association had been selected for the 2009 Best of Spokane Award in the
Computer Software Development category. |
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For Raw Bytes This is Frank Delaney (C) 2009 MTA Micro
Technology Associates http://www.mtamicro.com/kpbx.html PO Box 31522 Spokane, Wa 99223-1522 (509)624-7230 |
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