Scam Awards Scheme

[InvisibleLlama]

What would you do if a respected business person fell for a scam awards scheme - basically a vanity award, where no-one has really nominated you at all? It's one of these things where they suck you in and then get you to pay quite a lot for trophies, then advertising etc etc. This person now seems to be publicising it. AIBU to a) think they are being foolish b) to tell them it's all a scam?

They will know its scam. But they will also know alot if people don't and it amkes there vusiness look better to people not in the know.

Huge companies buy these awards. It happens all the time.

I had a message via email to tell me that firstly, I had reached the shortlist and the afterwards I had won.
I have not traded for three years.
Whoops

Tricky. I think if it were earlier in the process I'd tell them but if they're publicising it then I'd keep quiet, as there's probably not much good to come from telling now.

They might well not know - there's an academic version of this (scam publishers) and very, very clever people sometimes fall for it.

It's really difficult as this person is an expert on business things and I think it's just making them look foolish.

Who is this person to you? Are you very close? I think if you do tell them about this it might really affect your relationship, at least temporarily, so I really would tread carefully.

Is it definitely a scam? Some real respected business awards get you to pay to display the award logo - they analyse and rate the companies properly though - for example there are defaqto and moneyfacts awards for financial businesses.