I have regularly warned my blog readers about a long-running scam that preys on the hopes of public speakers, inviting them to speak (at a hefty fee) at a conference in the UK or somewhere else in the world. In the last year or so, the scam has taken a nasty turn, targeting ministers, pastors, and preachers to invite them to a bogus religious conference and again offering them a hefty fee.
Now, the scam has taken a new direction, aimed at women and parents, or at least speakers on these subjects. Please beware if you get a letter like this. The idea is to get your personal details under the pretext of sending you some money, or getting you to send some money to take care of administrative fees or governmental controls, with a promise of a big check to come.
But this is a scam. You will never get the promised big check. The conference is not real.
So the answer is simply to ignore the email. Don’t be tempted!
Below is the text of the latest version of the scam. Again, do not respond!
I am Rachel Tonkin from The Parent Practise, UK. The Parenting UK and Parent Practise here by use this medium to request for your attendance to speak as the Guest Speaker in our forth coming seminar for Parents. THEME: WOMEN AND BUSINESS IN THE 22ST CENTURY Venue: 68 Thurleigh Road London SW12 8UD United Kingdom Nearest underground station: Clapham South (about a 10 minute walk) Nearest mainline stations: Clapham Junction (25min walk), Wandsworth Common (15 min walk) Expected audience: 700 people Duration of speech per speaker: 2 Hours per day Theme: WOMEN AND BUSINESS IN THE 22ST CENTURY Date: JULY 1-3, 2012 Arrangements to welcome you here will be discussed as soon as you honour our invitation. If you have any more publicity material, please do not hesitate to contact us. A formal Letter of invitation and Contract agreement would be sent to you as soon as you honor our Invitation. We are taking care of your traveling and Hotel Accommodation expenses including your Booking Fee. If you will be available for our event, include your booking fees in your email so it can be included in your Contract Agreement. Rachel Tonkin Head of Communications and Information
I wonder if there is some regulation that requires these scammers to have spelling and grammatical errors?
Thank goodness they do, Piet! If the crooks weren’t dumber than the cops, life would be a whole lot worse.
Piet,
I guess their target market isn’t English teachers. :)
Thanks for sharing! I agree with your comments above.
Man, I should have gone… I’m a woman of the 22st century for sure ;)
Nick, I have been contacted several times with a scam like this.
Some other red flags are 1) use of a kinda real sounding gmail address. Something like (and I am making this up) 21centuryWomensconference@gmail 2) The conference is at short notice – typically only a few weeks out (to put an urgency factor in).
David