[FA Worldmusic] A WARNING for WOMEX Registrants

[Gerald Seligman]

Yes, Mark is right.  We at WOMEX have been warning against this company for
years and caution you.  Here is what we have gathered and have been
advising.

WARNING: THE 'FAIR GUIDE' IS SENDING LETTERS TO WOMEX DELEGATES

Many of you have been receiving letters from the
ambiguously named "Fair Guide," which is using our name on its
solicitation to try to get WOMEX delegates to make an address
correction and sign a document that commits them to paying 971 euros
for each of three years. (The terms are written at the bottom of the
form). This contract cannot be canceled after an initial period of
ten days. People who have signed soon receive letters demanding
payment. Most have decided not to pay, after having communicated to
us that they felt they were responding to WOMEX, not the Fair Guide,
and therefore felt they were intentionally misled. However, in a new
tactic, some delegates have now been contacted by an independent
collection agency that threatens legal action.

A scan of the actual FAIR GUIDE letter can be found here:

http://www.womex.com/realwomex/pdf/FairGuide.jpg

(When it comes up, it will not be very clear. Save it to your desktop,
then open it again to find a more legible version.)

As you can see, it is only the very small print that makes it clear
that the Fair Guide is in no way affiliated with WOMEX. We have
written them before, insisting that they do not use our name in their
correspondence, but, so far, they have neither listened nor replied.
DO NOT SIGN this 'correction' unless you want to pay over 2900 euros
to be listed for three years in a guide that is in no way connected
to WOMEX.

Some websites have sprung up concerning the FAIR GUIDE. We cannot en-
dorse them or confirm their accuracy, but we include a link below so
that you can assess on your own whether their recommendations and
information are worth considering.

http://www.stopecg.org/construct_data_fairguide.htm

For more information on the FAIR GUIDE itself, visit their own
website at www.fairguide.com. Their email is info at fairguide.com

According to one of our delegates, inter-European agencies have been
coordinating a response and now the Construct Data case has been referred to
Austrian authorities. You can help. They're asking for letters of
complaint that document what took place. If you feel you were mislead,
if you feel you have been harassed for payment, please write to:**

* Bundesministerium f|r Wirtschaft und Arbeit
Bundeswettbewerbsbehvrde
A-1010 Wien Stubenring 1
Austria

Regards,
Gerald
WOMEX General Director


On 9/19/07, Mark D. Moss / Sing Out! <mark at singout.org> wrote:
>
> Friends -
>
> I believe that Gerald Seligman may have posted about this in the
> recent past (and I know that it's been discussed in previous years),
> but a bunch of crooks from Austria calling themselves "FAIRGuide"
> (actual name is "Construct Data Verlag AG") have returned again this
> year with yet another solicitation (arriving in today's mail)
> intentionally masquerading as having something to do with WOMEX
> compiling information for a directory of Exhibitors. If you read the
> "fine print" (admittedly a little larger than in previous years)
> submitting the form is committing to a $1,531 (USD) annual fee for
> the completely useless listing, and invoices follow automatically
> (every year for 3 years) once you sign the form. I know of several
> folks who got snared by this in previous years -- Folk Alliance
> actually paid the bill a few times. If anyone returned the form
> thinking it was WOMEX, you have 10 days to cancel *in writing* or
> they *will* harass you for collection of the full $4500 dollar! (If
> memory serves, WOMEX has tried to stop these folks from sending this,
> but couldn't.)
>
> To be clear, this has nothing to do with WOMEX (as Gerald or someone
> else from WOMEX can confirm, I'm sure), nor is this note meant as a
> reflection on them. I just wish someone would figure out how they're
> getting the registration list and stop these guys.
> _____________________________________
> Mark D. Moss / Sing Out!
> P.O. Box 5460 (for UPS: 512 E. 4th St.)
> Bethlehem, PA 18015
> Ph: 610-865-5366 x203 (cell: 610-533-4506)
> Fx: 610-865-5129 (efax: 215-895-3052)
> Toll Free (orders only!): 888-SING-OUT
> E-mail: mark at singout.org
> Web: http://www.singout.org
> _______________________________________________
> FA-Worldmusic mailing list
> FA-Worldmusic at folk.org
> http://www.folkserv.net/mailman/listinfo/fa-worldmusic