My ‘Recent Nomination to Presidential Who’s Who’ leaves me feeling like a VIP!
I received the following email in my inbox this morning..
David Baldaro,
It is my pleasure to inform you that on February 17, 2009 your information was reviewed and accepted for inclusion in the 2009 edition of our Registry.Presidential Who’s Who, each year, recognizes and selects key executives, professionals and organizations in all disciplines and industries for outstanding business and professional achievements.
This recognition is shared by those who have reached a distinguished level of success in their chosen profession.
Please take a moment to complete the invitation by clicking on the link below. We ask that you complete it carefully, as it will be reviewed by our editorial department.
http://www.2009presidentialwhoswho.net/index.php
As a reminder, Presidential Who’s Who is pleased to inform you that there are no fees or dues to be included in the publication.
On behalf of the CEO and our esteemed staff, we wish you continued success.
Sincerely,
MarkAnthony McGuiness
Chief Operations OfficerPresidential Who’s Who
134 Rockaway Avenue FL2
Valley Stream, NY 11580
Please complete the online link by March 31st
Nice – what an honour; an invitation to join an exclusive listing which will know doubt cost me something in the future and which will more than likely result in a torrent of further junk emails coming through to my in-box.
What’s really stupid about this email? Well 2 things. Firstly as great and as talented as I might be; I am not a US citizen so why would would I be even alittle interestedin this? And secondly, I need to complete the link by the 31st of March – which would’ve been like yesterday then. So I am that good that I can bend time in order to complete the online survey which asks for stacks of personal information? I doubt it!
Please marketers; don’t do the job unless you have at least two active brain cells!
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Dave is a 30-something year old technologist and professional working and living in the UK. Ever since he first sat down at a computer keyboard back in the early ‘80s he has been hooked on technology – good and proper! Now-a-days he works within the software business with a fast paced organisation evangelising how technology can help save us all time, and make us money! Dave’s wife and 2 kids tend not to share this enthusiasm and believes that he is just playing!
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of his employer.
Thank you for this post. I just got the same email and said to myself. “What?” Then “For What!”. I see that within its address is ‘princetonbiography2009′. I know for a fact I do not run with the Princeton crew and that they would never acknowledge me for my work.
You mentioned two things. Let me add one more:
is another stop sign. If they are so interested in my then why not use my name?!
Curiosity brought me to your site when doing a search to find out about these yahoos. thanks for the good reads.
Ah – so considering that yours was not even personalised; whereas mine was at least address to me leaves me feeling a bit more of a V.I.P!
I love my dad so when he called me and told me over the phone THAT HE WAS NOW ON THE PRESIDENTIAL LIST, “I said wtf? what list, da what, I need to go check this out. and as I sispected “anthor Phishing scam” scam since the actual website is a create your own website page.. try for yourself. this is the link they sent while phishing for your personal info…
http://www.2009presidentialwhoswho.net/index.php
so… this should be the website children
http://www.2009presidentialwhoswho.net
go there… and you must see it is not a real website.
good luck to all those who didn’t catch the Phish, and I imagine that if you are here reading this you are not that gulibul.
I found this email in my “junk” and was immediately interested in the header information:
Microsoft Mail Internet Headers Version 2.0
Received: from a.eb02.ebhost9.com ([216.240.181.4]) by
From: “Presidential Who’s Who”
Return-Path: returns@a.eb02.ebhost9.com
Look at the return path. HaHa! I have not achieved jack in my career worth mentioning! What a loser. I was not about to click on any links in this fraud. But I wanted to see where it was coming from. You can filter out their IP address or get on the blacklist for spamming.
http://www.trustedsource.org/query/ebhost9.com
216.240.181.0/29
216.240.181.19/29
65.23.153.36
66.100.171.162
66.100.171.163
These are the blocks of IP they own. The nerve of these people in a time when we can barely stay afloat. I hope they do not make a cent.
Glad I found this, as I also got such a “Dear Professional” letter & wondered why I would be selected. I am Canadian in Mexico. Margie.
A few weeks ago I rec’d via fax an application from the Presidential Who’s Who saying that I was selected blah blah blah. I filled it out just for fun thinking that I would not hear back, but I did. Today I rec’d a call wanting to do a 10 minute interview where my story would be published in the Who’s Who book. No obligation to me for buying one thing. Sounded good to me, so I give the interview and then at the end, the interviewer says, so which membership would you like to join, the one for $769 or the one for $559 – you’ve got to be kidding me I thought. Whatever happened the the “free lunch” theory — oops there is none!
Finally – I was waiting for someone that would reply! You’re right; there’s never such a thing as a “free lunch” certainly when it is prefixed by the words “there’s no obligation”. Unfortunately for you they now know that you like talking to them – a bit like replying back to The Readers Digest; you will never escape them now. “Kim Billings for President!”
Thanks Kim for sharing your experience. I have just received once again this E-Mail asking for personal data that I will scrap immediatly.
Kind thoughts from Paris!
Have a nice day.
J-Marc.
Kim,
Thanks so much for stepping in the traps for the rest of us. I appreciate the effort and difficulty you went through.
Shame on you Kim for expecting a free lunch!
THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH! PERIOD. I received the same thing. I stopped replying to those “deals” a long time ago!
I’m glad to find this info as I received the same email and was scheduled for the interview tomorrow. I’m canceling asap – just knew there had to be a catch! Thank you for posting this info for those of us searching about them.
I just received this through my corporate fax number and proceeded to do an internet search for Presidential Who’s Who, where I found your website. My letter started with “Dear Company Owner…”, last time I checked I don’t own any companies. Too funny.
thanks to all off you. i just received the same fax, i also filled it out and was going to send it…ah, not any more. i did the same as sean and saw this site.
I also just got this by fax at my corporate office. Addressed to “Business Owner”. Thanks for the service of collecting all this experience with these yahoos.
Greetings and Salutations,
Many thanks for this site. i have just received a fax from these people, starting Dear Company owner. So I did a search, like you normally do when you don’t know who it is. And low and behold I found you.
Looks like this can be filed under recycle.
David,
I am a solicitor on High Street and I have received numerous business contacts and clients. Most of the members come from the UK, CANADA and the US. I believe the book is registerd in The British National Library, and House Of Parliament. Hope this helps. Definetly a very good networking tool. I also needed a doctor in my area and found one, who didn’t charge me.
Cheers Ian
Ok – So you are saying that the book is valid, and that you signed up and have received valid business contacts from it?
David,
Yes it is real. I know there are some people out there that claim to be a Whos Who. I did received my book with profile. I also received a beautiful plaque ( see web) and press releases. Here is their website, although you need a username and password. I believe Sir Richard Branson is a VIP member. Here is there website http://www.Presidentialwhoswho.org.
Cheers Ian
I still cannot help but be sceptical. The marketing is poor, there’s obviously a paid element to the programme and if it were a valid and respected programme then why be so covert with your tactics and why be so poor in your marketing?
I received the email too, and just checked back to the email – the link in the email I received was to presidentialwhoswho.NET, not .ORG – so while the book itself might be legit, I highly doubt the “invitation” received by most people on here was.
Also, there’s the fact that the logo on the link from the email is very bad quality, almost like it’s been copied and pasted and enlarged a bit, plus there is no quantifying information on the linked page – it’s simply a form for personal information with no way to tell whether it’s connected to anything else.
“I am not a US citizen so why would would I be even a little interested in this?”
Easy, because the U.S. President is a rock star. You’d be a fool to not want to be on his Who’s Who List!!
Just to join in, albeit a bit late – I got one of these, and this blog helped me confirm my suspicion of it – thank you.
The poster ‘Ian Cummings’ merits a little checking out I believe. There is no ‘British National Library’ (there is a _British_ Library, which I was in just the other day, and no-one familiar with it calls it by the name used here) and there is no ‘House of Parliament’ – there are two _Houses_ of parliament, and no-one talks about either House in the way used here.
And, finding a doctor who doesn’t charge is not a big deal in the UK – we have a thing called the NHS . . .
I doubt that Ian Cummings is who he claims to be.
Thanks Ian. Your thought process is not that far away from mine
Well, I must be the most important from you all! Because I received 4 Who’s Who emails with a personal invitation using my name, in just a few days time and all from different Who’s Who companies….
The Presidential Who’s Who
The Strathmore’s Who’s Who
The Global Directory of Whos Who
The Heritage Who’s Who
…and I just live in a small island of Greece but my fame travels to the States!!!
The thing is that all the Who’s Who websites I have seen look so very professional and include personal details of the supposed nominees or members or achievers or whatever they are…and if they exist…
Can our friend Ian Cummings explain us this???
I think I have you all beat… I received this email today addressed to “Dear 9999″. The actual website address (not the one displayed in the body of the message)is:
http://empsonb2bregistryofexecutives.net/c/c/10206/2582/211442/
I’m from Missouri, the Show Me state, and I also doubt that Ian is who he purports to be.
Thanks for your blog. It made my afternoon amusing!
Jim
My friend got one today, we died laughing at it as well. Loved everyone’s comments. As for these Who’s Who people…I think the canned meat “Spam” should be highly offended. Its people like them that give it a bad name. Thanks!!
I just received this same offer today as well. This is just a change up on the old ‘Who’s Who’ book scam that’s been running around for years.
They cram the book full of people like Sir Richard Branson and Oprah to make it look legit but actually it’s nothing more than a glorified people reference guide which is paid for and only seen by the people who buy memberships. I doubt the actual celebrities know they’re even in it. It’s just a silly vanity item with no value whatsoever other than being able to meet other suckers who bought it. An empty prize…
They’ve been running this social networking scam for so long, I remember when they did it by mail before the Internet. Use Facebook or MySpace instead, for sure…
I’m the webmaster for a major website and received this email today (July 8). Naturally I didn’t buy it, but because our website has a very high rating (top 1% in the world), I vaguely wondered if the site had generated the interest (rather than me). Our festival website actually is award-winning (last year at our industry awards), and in the United States. Then research brought me here. Thanks for sharing your experience. I knew without question this was a scam, but it’s still interesting to see what others think! We received something similar that supposedly awarded our festival months ago — another scam. But I saw the award proudly displayed at other websites! Scary.
Well, I also got an email, thanks to all that posted.
All I can think of: A quote from the movie “Jerk”
Page 73 – Johnson, Navin R.! I’m somebody now! Millions of people look at this book everyday! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity – your name in print – that makes people. I’m in print! Things are going to start happening to me now.
It is more expensive now – the lifetime membership in Presidentialwhoiswho is $849, for 5 years – $649. And I received an extra offer – only $149 for 1 year, because I didn’t want to pay any costs to be listed in this “great book”. On the phone after the interview I was told “You have to decide about the membership now, today, in this moment”. Of course I rejected. I was also surprised to be so famous – I’m a journalist and live in Bulgaria.
Thank you all for posting – I got one of these and I wasn’t thinking of responding, but I’m interested to hear what happens if you do!
They also have a groovy website that says “Presidential Who’s Who members commonly enjoy the empyrean results that come from tapping into high-end resources.”
BTW like “Ian Cummings” I am fortunate enough to have found a doctor who doesn’t charge me, but via the NHS rather than a directory.
I received the invitation this morning. It was addressed to my previous name which changed 3 years ago. I can only assume the information has come from old Google stories which still have the old information. Certainly I won’t be signing up.
Today I received four of these invitations-all addressed to my real name and none of my numerous pseudonyms. Curious, as I have never had even a semblance of a “career, ” let alone any notable achievements, I was led to this site-where I now add my two cents.
Ian Cummings is a troll. Shame on him.
Yup, all of the who’s who are scams and run by scammers.
Good piece on one person’s research into them, and how they do no checking and just want $$$$
http://www.csoonline.com/article/498903/What_s_What_with_the_Who_s_Who_
I received the select (wink) invitation today and seeing that I am an Aussie feel very important. We don’t have presidents in Australia so what a surprise.
I did a web search out of interest and found this site so it’s not a complete waste of time. I get to communicate with a lot of people I would never have otherwise come in contact with.
Thanks very much PWW.
Take care folks.
David
I also got the invitation and actually did the interview this morning, considering the initial e-mail said there would be no fees to be included. At the end, same as they told Kim, my cost for all the glorious stuff (plaque, embossed book, etc) was $869. Imagine that…freeness is really expensive, isn’t it. I immediately hung up and did this search and came across your communication!! Thanks for a Friday laugh!
Take care
Judith
I received an invitation today but it was addressed to the chair of the charity I work for. They must do some research other wise they would not have been able to get this information. However I didn’t really expect them to be interested in a small local charity supporting carers of people with mental health problems!
I am delighted to receive the mail that I am now inculded in the Presidential Who’s who. Many thanks.
I am looking forward to the excellent networking opportunities.
As for Kim’s comments above. my response follows:
I did not have to pay a cent to be included in the above.
Shan Ruprai
President
APQO
Shan … and how did you mange that exactly?
Id imagine that they offer free subscriptions to people who are actually presidents of organizations and such, if they are willing to put their name in the book. (Assuming Shan really is Shan, and really is the president of the Asia Pacific Quality Organization, and that the APQO is a real organization)
Anyway, what really gets me is how anyone in this day and age even goes so far as to reply to these things or get on the phone with someone for an ‘interview’.
At least this whole process provided a few minutes of mild entertainment.
Well, that’s certainly makes one of you, Shan !
The rest of us apparently recognize a scam when we see it.
I got this nomination and I was feeling great!..Just Super!!! Afterall throughout my life I have gained and well, lost millions of dollars..encouraged co-workers and do-workers, built mansions and empires and then watched them be forgotten! Oh what prestige! But then again..I felt that this was right for me (maybe, or somehow)..but its not, since accomplishment is continual, and one in our society cannot rest on laurels or have contempt on our side. (Oh what hard knocks!) I figured on “just a little” acknowledgement! Well I thought and thought, and figured that we are just workers anyway..to build what we do. To have hopeful dreams..primarily in our own imagination! We must continually work without prestige..and harder still for the Kingdom to Come, or I may just see myself being fired for having such claim to anything outside company existence..its in my contract! My gosh Im tempted as though some hored creature were right on my shoulder to have some acknowlegement for what I have done! Now Im going to church to pray, because that is what must be done without prestige!
I got this email today and smelled the proverbial rat right away. Thanks, David for starting this most entertaining thread.
I had to burst out laughing at our British solicitor and Who’s Who member “Ian Cummings”, who can’t even spell the word “definitely” correctly. Some solicitor! Ditto Mr. Shan Ruprai. What a hoot.
I remember similar emails from Princeton something or the other. It’s all a huge scam as everyone else has pointed out.
Darn, I got the same letter too and I thought Obama was really interested in my work rescuing homeless ducks! Now its all a scam LOL.
I got the same letter yesterday. GRR I got a who’s who in high school and a teacher nominated me and I didn’t go through with it cuz u gotta buy a book etc. Then about 12 years later I get one for being a professional and being a teacher I thought wow I wonder… GRR I feel like a sucka thinking wow, I am recognized. Seems they feed into people who want that. What Punks!
Tee Hee.
I keep on getting these to an invalid mail address. That’s because our postal address is “Sir William Lyons Road” and these numpties send an invite to William Road.
I received the same mass-faxing letter this morning.
Mine was adressed to “Dear Company Owner.” Interesting salutation, since I’m head of a municipal government agency, not a company.
Guess these Who’s Who scammers just don’t know what’s what ! !
Hi All!!! I think I have you all beat! They actually addressed my letter to ME…full hyphenated Name….
uh…oh….what else do they know about me?
I new what the catch was…because my mother proudly displayed the book of “Who’s Who of American High School Students” on our coffee table in the ’80’s ..celebrating my brother. The cost back then was about $50…
….he ALWAYS got more than me…:{
I believe that I am the most important of all. As a practicing physician in orthopedic surgery, I am nominated to be “Orthopedic Surgeon of the Year”, from Steven Peters, of Presidential Whos Who. Since I am obviously at least middle class, I was asked to pay a mere $1200.00 US dollars for this distinct honor. Sorry Steven Peters, you’ll have to prey on a different ego, however, not containing a brain.
Hi All,
I just got one of the emails. They used my full name, but now can’t even be bothered to fake a web address to click on instead just giving http://www.admail.net/url/648428/6ee2141/ for me to complete my invitation!
It is still signed by MarkAnthony McGuiness though. I wonder if anyone does go through the motions and then actually pays for a membership. It must be a pretty thin registry, either that or just a copy of a phone book from somewhere!
Hi,
It’s Nov. 6, 2009, and these bunko artists are still at their little game – I got my invitation this morning.
Because I googled them before exploring the scam further, I didn’t get past the personal info form. I’m glad others were more intrepid than I, and got through the entire process; it satisfies some lingering curiosity.
Unfortunately, mass email being virtually free, even having Google as a scam detector will never deter this nonsense, but as David the Aussie points out, what a splendid vehicle to “meet” others and share stories.
Take Care,
Ned
I just received the email informing me that my info was reviewed and accepted for inclusion in the 2009/2010 edition of the Presidential Who’s Who. Email came from MarkAnthony McGuiness at info@industrialsolarservices.com. Hmmm, what does that have to do with a Presidential who’s who book?
Well some people are taking this seriously…
http://www.titusville.com/News.asp?NewsID=176
Oh dear, oh dear ….
That was the funniest thing I’ve seen in months. Thanks for the link.
I poked around on their site and found a wonderful bio of someone with about six doctorates. Wish I could do that. Maybe if I signed up with these guys things would start to go my way.
Smiling in Tacoma
Just received my invitation. My first reaction was “what?”, could be in in response to the “oh so gentle and complimentary letter” that I just sent to President Obama, for which I recieved a form letter? Why would HE want me in this? So many questions, so little time given to reply. BUT WAIT! I will google this group and lo and behold I found this one! Thanks for stopping this sought after executive (small business owner-emphasis on “small”) from going for it.
I must be especially important since after getting the fax to “Company owner” my “information” was already “reviewed and accepted for inclusion in the 2010 edition”. I’m thinking, what information?! from where?!
You’d think that they’d clean up their scam to at least look professional.
I’m groaning after seeing the titusville police woman actually buying the scam. Meanwhile I’m really glad that I’m not relying upon that police dept for safety!
Thank you all for your comments and for this blog
Stay safe out there!!
I got mine this am, addressed to me by my middle name only. That is surprising since I use my first name, middle initial and last name for all official matters, reserving my middle name for co-workers, friends and family. Thanks to all for these postings, which I found by Googling. Not that I was going to bite anyway, but the stories are really amusing, if a bit sad.
Ever on the look out for getting “the green weenie” as it were – I was happy to find your site and the comments therein.
I looked up the addrerss on google. The place the CEO works out of (or at least gets mail from) is a D U M P – right above the thrift store.
134 Rockaway Avenue , Valley Stream, NY
Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=134+Rockaway+Avenue+,+Valley+Stream,+NY&sll=40.662101,-73.698856&sspn=0.001976,0.00515&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=134+Rockaway+Ave,+Valley+Stream,+Nassau,+New+York+11580&ll=40.662548,-73.699018&spn=0.000444,0.002064&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=40.662586,-73.699046&panoid=YsEi7cP7TuLjXpUaZoJUEA&cbp=11,290.63,,0,-10.32
What a joke …
I received the fax just this morning. I wondered just what aspect of my work was worth Presidential scrutiny. Was it the scorched racoon that I knocked out of the high lines yesterday, or the spent condoms I pulled out of the sewage pump last night. I know, the whole world is appreciative.
See the URL below for for a grin …
http://www.titusville.com/News.asp?NewsID=176
Someone shoulda looked …
I have to add my experience, I received a call at my desk adressing me by my name and job title, which was correct. The caller than asked for my fax number which I provided. The caller than hung up without offering why my fax number was needed. I few minutes later the Presidential Who’s Who invitation arrived addressed to “Dear Company Owner, apparently they couldn’t be bothered to personalize the fax despite having my name and title.
Not a good marketing tactic in my book.
Thanks for these postings, Wow I had thought I had really made it big time until I read all the comments. I will now place my App into the garbage with all the other BS.
Got my email today – they got my first name correct, but that’s about it. Apparently my information has already been reviewed and is ready for inclusion in 2010…I thought maybe my boss was playing a prank on me!! Thanks for the amusing posts, and finding the story about Patty Morgan and the poor deluded people of titusville….
Well I got mine as well today….. how ‘priviledged’ do I feel that they got my name right!!!!
Hey,
I have received four emails over the past two months!
Does that mean I am really, really a VIP!
Fantastic
I can wear my crown with honour
Teresa
I received a phonecall from an American man telling me wonderful I am and finally asking for my credit card number. I couldn’t hear very well so suggested he amil me the information so i could think about it. he then went on and on and I just had to hang up. I am glad to realise others know what it is like.
gosh,
i am now absolutely devastated after reading all the blogs. here i thought that after receiving the whos who email that i was finally being recognised for years of hard labourous work establishing myself as a neurotic hermit recluse with feral tendencies.
oh my, just read the Titusville news….
I received the same upon returning to the office this morning. My congrats to all! lol
Got a fax today, same deal as yours. Need to respond by Feb. 5.
What’s strange is that they reviewed my information and I was accepted for inclusion, yet I need to give them all the information they allegedly reviewed in their vetting process. Uh huh.