Detail from one of the scam letters.
The International Fairs Directory has again resurrected its ‘Expo-Guide’ scam in advance of the Paperworld 2019 trade show, which takes place in January.
The Directory’s scam letters have been seen by The Recycler and, as before, ask the exhibitor to update their data ‘in order to secure and maintain a problem-free communication with all visitors interested in your company.’
It goes on to say that ‘It is very important and within your own interest to verify the validity of your data and to undertake all possible and necessary modifications under www.inter-fairs.com. Your free listing shall be shown among our priority search results as soon as your modifications have been received.’ It also includes an enclosed form ‘if you wish to place an order for a payable insertion,’ and is signed by the unnamed “Managing Director”.
The various companies undertaking this scam – in this instance, a Costa Rican corporation called MULPOR – have been operating for many years and regularly target thousands of businesses worldwide. This latest bogus missive relates to January’s Paperworld show in Frankfurt, Germany, and follows a near-identical letter which was sent out around this time last year, ahead of Paperworld 2018. Earlier this year, another letter was sent out in the wake of Paperworld Middle East – once again, almost indistinguishable from this latest example.
The Recycler has previously reported on the similar Expo-Guide scam over the past few years, in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, twice in 2014 – once for the Dubai show and once for the Germany show – and in March 2015, before receiving another in July and September. The Recycler also received a new events scam letter in May 2016, while industry company CIT also received the letter in November 2016.
