Wanted to pass out a warning to all speakers, sales trainers and coaches. Seems as if this scam is being proposed to women only right now but who knows guys…you maybe next. Trouble with this one is it really does seem legit. The websites are pretty good and the organization and Pastor will take your calls. To be fair, I don;t really think he is a Pastor, just pretending to be one. The email, you will receive is as follows:
*****************************
Dear Colleen Francis,
My Name is Pastor William Smith from the London Youth Community Here in London UK. We want you to be our guest speaker at this Year LONDON YOUTH CONFERENCE which will take place here in UK.We are writing to invite and confirm your booking to be our Speaker at these year LONDON YOUTH CONFERENCE.
The Venue as follows:
VENUE: Holy Apostles Church Hall,
47 Cumberland Street,
Pimlico London, SW1V 4LY
Website.www.londonyc.org
Email: info@londonyc.org or w.smith@londonyc.org Expected audience: 2500 people Duration of speech per speaker: 1 Hour Name of Church/Organization: LONDON YOUTH COMMUNITY Tel Phone: + 44 7077-087-949
Topic: LOVE AND RELATIONSHIP
Date:19th of August 2009-23rd of August 2009 Website:www.londonyc.org
We came across your profile on
http:canadianspeakers.org and we say it’s up to standard and we will be very glad to have such an outstanding personality in our mist for these overwhelming gathering. With your multi talented speech more lives will come close to GOD, Sorry about our late invitation it is due to the fact that our Speaker had back out because of her sudden illness.
Arrangements to welcome you here will be discussed as soon as you honor our invitation. If you have any more publicity material, please do not hesitate to contact me. A formal Letter of invitation 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 Speaker fees.
Stay Blessed
Williams Smith
w.smith@londonyc.org
LONDON YOUTH CONFERENCE
**************************************
Just delete it. If you do call they will ask for your credit card number to secure a UK visa (which if you are Canadian you don’t need for this type of work) and travel arrangements. They will send you a contract if you ask for one. It is signed, but its not on any letter head. At least 10 speakers I know in Canada have all received this and we have done a bunch of research and work sussing it out…so you don’t have to. Best to trust me, delete it an move on.
Time to put my energy to good use now….(but sad I don’t get to go to the UK)
Colleen
Just got this one today…Thanks for the post..They said in the invitation that they were inviting me to their annual Sidcup Divine Conference 2010. So I decided to google their 2009 Sidcup Divine Conference and sure enough, there wasn’t one. However I was sent to your site. No offence intended, but are you creating these emails so that we can sign up to your distribution lists and increase your sites traffic?
Here’s the email:
CHRIST CHURCH SIDCUP
Main Road, Sidcup,
Sidcup,UK
WEBSITE:www.christchurchsidcup.org.uk
TELEPHONE:+44 702 402 4745
REQUEST FOR MUSICAL PERFORMANCE ENGAGEMENT
Beloved Robert Chambers,
I am Pastor Edward Smith from the above mentioned organisation, we
write you to seek your engagement in our upcoming annual
conference tagged SIDCUP DIVINE CONFERENCE 2010″ coming up 19th -23rd
February 2010.The purpose of these conference is to re brand the
heart,mind,body and soul of Christians who have gone astray and are
diverting their whole attention into mundane affairs instead of
seeking eternal life.
With all these at hand,we deemed it necessary to invite you to be our
guest artiste in this years conference after browsing through your
lovely profile on http://www.robertchambers.ca, we are impressed with your
services,experience,your kind of entertaining heart. We want to have
your talent involved in these year event. We are optimistic you will
indeed be a center of attraction for the audience to look up
to as a role model through your inspirational and emotional line of music.
Confirm to us via e-mail or direct mobile on this letter head if you
would be available for these engagement or further questions about
event so we can forward to you necessary binding documents.your
hotel accommodation, feeding, and airline ticket will be taken care of
by the E.O.C(Event Organizing Committee).
More Info
AUDIENCE:1500
AGE:18-55
REFERENCE:CONFERENCE BROCHURE
SIGNING AUTOGRAPH:ALLOWED
SELLING OF CD’S:ALLOWED.
DURATION OF SCHEDULE: 2 DAYS
Hey Robert,
Thanks for your post. The scam is far reaching and has a number of different email associated with it and having an updated one is helpful.
On to your accusation of me….
Yes Robert you have caught me! As a former National President of the Canadian Association of Professional Speaker, a board member for the Global Speakers Association, the author of Honesty Sells, and a well known sales trainer and author I have decided to risk it all and start sending fraudulent emails to other speakers and professionals around the world and then expose myself on my own website! All in an attempt at getting one more name on my newsletter list!
Eegads…..
Colleen
PS. You have to know that whenever you start a sentence with “No offence intended, but….” You WILL immediately go on to create some offence. Which you did. Congratulations. The posting was created to serve the membership of the Global Speakers Association as we were being targeted by this scam artist in the fall and winter of 2009. I have no need nor desire to profit from it. Just serving my community.
Colleen
I’m male and live in the States. I guess the SIDCUP DIVINE CONFERENCE 2010 scam is for the fellas, too.
I thank you Colleen for your research and the fact that you shared this with us all. My letter came today and is shown below. After speaking with my Pastor and praying fro revelation, I found you and this site. Again Thanks.
CHRIST CHURCH SIDCUP
Main Road, Sidcup,
Sidcup,UK
WEBSITE:www.christchurchsidcup.org.uk
TELEPHONE:+44 702 402 4745
REQUEST FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
Beloved Dawn Martin,
I am Pastor Edward Smith from the above mentioned organisation,
wewrite you to seek your engagement in our upcoming annual conference
tagged SIDCUP DIVINE CONFERENCE 2010″ coming up 27th -28th February
2010.The purpose of these conference is to re brand the
heart,mind,body and soul of Christians who have gone astray and are
diverting their whole attention into mundane affairs instead of
seeking eternal life.
With all these at hand,we deemed it necessary to invite you to come
and minister in this years conference after browsing through your
lovely profile on http://www.blackexperts.com, we are optimistic you will
indeed be a center of attraction for the audience to look up to as a
role model through your inspirational and emotional speech.
Confirm to us via e-mail or direct mobile on this letter head if you
would be available for these engagement or further questions about
event so we can forward to you necessary binding documents.your hotel
accommodation, feeding, and airline ticket will be taken care of by
the E.O.C(Event Organizing Committee).
More Info
AUDIENCE:1500
AGE:18-55
REFERENCE:EVENT BROCHURE
SIGNING AUTOGRAPH:ALLOWED
SELLING OF CD’S:ALLOWED.
SPEAKING TOPIC:HONESTY AND SELF DISCIPLINE
Thanks for saving me alot of time- new version of the letter that I got here today:Respected Barry,
My Name is Professor Colin Jones from the LONDON YOUTH CONFERENCE Community Here in London UK. We want you to be our guest Speak at this Year YOUTH EVENT 2010 which will take place here in UK.We are writing to invite and confirm your booking to be our guest speaker at these year.We want all LONDON YOUTH to come close to GOD and realize the future is in their hands. That is why we intend to use these conference to turn them away from the illicit behavior.
LONDON YOUTH EVENT.
The Venue as follows:
VENUE: Skeel Lecture Theater,
Queen Mary, University of London,People’s Palace Mile End Road, London E1 4NS Expected audience: 3500 people Duration of speech per speaker: 1 Hour
Organization: LONDON YOUTH CONFERENCE,
Website:(currently updating)
Topic:LIFE AND FUTURE
Date:10 March 2010.
Time:6.30pm
We came across your profile on
http://bureau.espeakers.com/5str/results.php
and we say it’s up
to standard and we will be very glad to have such an outstanding personality in our mist for these overwhelming gathering. With your multi talented speech more lives will come close to GOD, Sorry about our late invitation it is due to the fact that our Speaker had back out because of her sudden illness.
Arrangements to welcome you here will be discussed as soon as you honor our invitation. If you have any more publicity material, please do not hesitate to contact me. 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 Speaking fee.
Stay Blessed
Professor Colin Jones
LONDON YOUTH CONFERENCE
Oh my, so I guess I am not going to the UK afterall. I received a letter on the 14th as well. The three communications are as follows:
CHRIST CHURCH SIDCUP
Main Road, Sidcup,
Sidcup,UK
WEBSITE:www.christchurchsidcup.org.uk
TELEPHONE:+ 44 7024069826
Dear Tammy Taylor,
We are Rev Mathew Smith and Sarah Smith from the above mentioned organisation, we
write you to seek your engagement in our upcoming annual
conference tagged SIDCUP DIVINE CONFERENCE 2010″ coming up 2nd –
4th April 2010.The purpose of these conference is to re brand the
heart,mind,body and soul of Christians who have gone astray and are
diverting their whole attention into mundane affairs instead of
seeking eternal life.
With all these at hand,we deemed it necessary to invite you to come
and minister in this years conference after browsing through your
lovely profile on herspaceconferences.ning.com, we are optimistic
you will indeed be a center of attraction for the audience to look up
to as a role model through your inspirational and emotional speech.
Confirm to us via e-mail or direct mobile on this letter head if you
would be available for these engagement or further questions about
event so we can forward to you necessary binding documents.Your Speaking fee,
hotel accommodation, feeding, and airline ticket will be taken care of
by the E.O.C(Event Organizing Committee).
More Info
AUDIENCE:1500
AGE:18-55
REFERENCE:EVENT BROCHURE
SIGNING AUTOGRAPH:ALLOWED
SELLING OF CD’S:ALLOWED.
SPEAKING TOPIC:BUILDING AN ETERNAL HOME IN HEAVEN
Second email
Beloved Tammy Taylor,
We very much appreciate you for confirming to be our guest speaker for these wonderful event without any further delay.The event Organizing committee have decided to accelerate preparations on how to summon your arrival here as swift as possible. Preparations are stated below.
1) Find attached is a LETTER OF INVITATION AND CONTRACT AGREEMENT
which you are to sign and forward back to us via E-MAIL at your
convenience for proper documentation.
2) Your speaking fee is amounted to $8,500.00 us dollars to be paid on
installment first part payment of $5,000.00 us dollars and second
payment of $3,500.00 us dollars that will be issued to you as soon as
you procure your work permit.
3) With reference to figure (2) of this letter concerning work permit
The E.O.C (Event Organizing Committee) wants to notify you that due to
new British rules and regulations UK work permit is necessary if you want to be a bonafide for this speaking engagement and has decided to connect you with the BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION OFFICIAL with the address below.
Name: DR DAVID TAYLOR
ADDRESS: davidbritishhighoffice@gmail.com
4) Confirm to us the closest airport to your residence for airline
ticket bookings, and as stated in our previous mail, Hotel
accommodation, feeding including tangible unforeseen expenses will be taken care of by the E.O.C (Event Organizing Committee) .
5) You need not to worry about speaking equipments like
microphone,megaphone,transfix board,cables and projectors as all these
items will be provided by the E.O.C (Event Organizing Committee).And
you can take back copies and tapes of your recorded activities as
well.You have the opportunity to sell your products,
6) The theme of these year’s conference is tagged “SHOW THE LIGHT AND
THE PEOPLE WILL FIND THE WAY” While the topic you are to give a
speech upon is tagged “BUILDING AN ETERNAL HOME IN HEAVEN”.
We hope you should be able to enlighten the audience more about being honest and to be
very well discipline so they can inherit the eternal kingdom.
7) You shall receive your event brochure as soon as you get to the
event venue on the day of your arrival. A cab is to pick you up from
the airport and drive you straight to your hotel rook thereafter a
welcome dinner party would be held.
NOTE: You are to arrive a day before the event commencement.
We urge you to go through the contract agreement and event
preparation very carefully to the best of your knowledge for any
further inquiries you can contact us via – EMAIL or Direct Mobile.
PEACE BE UNTO YOU.
Rev Mathew Smith and Sarah Smith
CHRIST CHURCH, SIDCUP
+ 44 7024069826
Third email
ATTENTION CLIENT,
I acknowledged the receipt of your mail. I understood all the content. Without any waste of time and due to short time you have left to proceed with the issuance of these important documents. I will assist you to obtain a second tier UK WORK PERMIT.
This class of work permit is for employee who falls under the category of entertainment and people who intends to impact knowledge and technical experience to the citizens of Great Britain. Pertaining to the urgency and speedy alacrity of these projects at hand, I will proceed to the UK BORDER AGENCY tomorrow to get you all necessary documents .
You are advised to immediately provide me with the listed requirements.
1. Full Names of Applicants.
2. Office Address
3. Date of Birth (D.O.B)
4.Letter of Invitation.
5.UK Work Permit fees 290GBP ($470).
I await the listed information to proceed to get you the documents as soon as possible. Note without you providing these requirements I cannot proceed to get you these documents. If I receive all information today I will proceed to the UK Border Agency to get your documents. Note you can send all documents through email attachment.
You can send Permit fees directly to the UK Border Agency staff Mrs. KATTY THOMAS through Western Union to this address 30 Leicester Square. City LONDON UNITED KINGDOM POSTCODE WC2H 7LA . Make sure you attach the payment slip for record purpose and receipt.
In your service
Dr. David Taylor
British High Commission official
A new letter was sent to me this morning. They got my name from a speakers list. The conference this time is in April with a focus on Christians seeking the eternal. Thanks for pointing out this scam. I don’t have time to waste.
well these guys DO NOT give up – the scam has reached South Africa…
the guy is now calling himself Pastor Mike Gabriel… when I googled him there was NOTHING… so then I googled the LONDON YOUTH CONFERENCE and saw your blog
Thank you Colleen
aaronmcilroy.co.za
Amazing that this scam has been out for so long. They’re definitely on to the men now. I have to give them credit for the effort though they make so many mistakes I can’t imagine anyone actually buys into what they’re selling.
My favourite part is the E-Mail address I have to contact: drwarrenbritishembassy@london.com. What high class embassy puts british embassy in their name? london.com appears to be a tourism web-site by the way. Are they in on it if their domain is being used?
Runner-up for favourite mistake in the E-Mail? I’m being asked to speak at a youth convention but in the contract agreement it says my age range will be 20-40! I’m 28 and would love to be considered a youth at 40, but, I don’t think that’s going to be an option!
Thanks for sharing in the laughs,
Your Royal British High Commissioner,
David Major
http://www.motivateyourself.net
Thank you Colleen,
I tried to send the Work Permit Fee (260 GBP, $464.37 USD) through Western Union online.
For some unexplained reason the transaction did not complete.
I was on my way to a local CheckMate, to initiate the money transfer in person,
when a little twinge of intuition told me to check out this very obliging Border Authority agent’s name.
The money was to be paid to his address, not an official government address.
Your posting came up at the top of my search results.
I will notify National Speakers Association and SpeakerNet immediately.
Too Good To BE True…
No questions asked about content or verification of my credentials,
no selling at all was required, my online profile was more than enough.
Their date was only two weeks away, so we had to more quickly.
They were paying my full fee and all expenses.
They had an in at the Border Authority, an agent ready to expedite everything.
There was only one requirement still un-met, the fee for a work permit,
which had to be paid by the speaker. I asked and was assured that that fee
would be a fully reimbursable expense.
That fee was payable to the agent, at an address that was not the Home Office.
That little detail required further checking and fortunately your warning was found.
Thank you for spreading the word, exposing this scam and saving me $464.37!
[…] https://www.engageselling.com/?p=1137 Warning: Speak Scam on the loose! […]
Thank you so much for this information. I received an email this week asking me to speak at the SIDCUP DIVINE CONFERENCE 2010. I have not followed up with them but thanks to you I will not do so now. Thank you for your time and effort in sharing this information !! It is very helpful. Dale Smith Thomas / United States
Thank you very much for this info!!! I am so glad I “googled” this because it seemed like a fraud to me. The typo’s and the email address for the British High Office!!! Following are the two letters I received from them. Additionally, I questioned the missing second page referred to on the contract.
I guess I am the newest target who found this alert! Thanks again…..London here I come …very soon!
Dear Gabriele Gilpin,
We are Rev. Andrew Smith and Pastor Helen Smith of the King’s Cross Baptist Church, London, England UK. We are writing to invite you to be our guest speaker at these year KING OF KINGS CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE 2010
.After reading through your profile on http://soaringeagleinc.org
we say it’s up to standard and we will be very glad to have such an outstanding personality in our mist for these overwhelming gathering.
Venue.
Vernon Square, King’s Cross Road,
London WC1X 9EW
Website:www.kingofkingsChristianconference.org(updating)
Expected audience: 2500
Date 28th of May to 30th of May 2010
Host..Rev. Andrew Smith
Tel Phone: + 44 7024069826
Topic: Building and Projecting a Powerful Image
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 Accommodations expenses including your Speaking fee.Our website
is currently under construction .feel free to email or call for more
update.
Be Blessed
Rev. Andrew Smith
KING OF KINGS CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE 2010
Tel Phone: + 44 7024069826
http://kingscrossbapt.angelfire.c
Dear Rev. Gabriele Gilpin,
Thanks for indicating your interest to be our Guest Speaker at
this year KING OF KINGS CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE 2010. We are very excited
and happy to have such a wonderful personality in our mist. The event
organizing committee had a meeting earlier today to deliberate on
getting you available here in the United Kingdom. We believe we serve
the lord of Possibilities. Arrangements are stated below.
We have agreed to buy your flight ticket and to pay
your Hotel accommodation expenses. Also your Speaking fee is amounted
to 8,500Dollars.$6,000 (SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS) deposit is to be paid as
soon as you procure all relevant travel documents so as to avoid any
disappointment. You are informed to get across your Work Permit to us
so your deposit can be approved according to our mandated rules and
regulation.
You are advised by the Event Organizing committee to immediately
contact the BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION to procure your UK Work Permit as
soon as possible.
This will enable us to proceed with all arrangements to welcome you
here in London due to the new British Rules. Contact the British High
Commission officer information below for immediate assistance.
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION
Name: Dr David Taylor
Email: davidbritishhighoffice@gmail.com
Please confirm to us the closest Airport to your location so we can
start making arrangements to buy your flight tickets .Understand that
you need to expedite action because of the short notice. Feel free to
ask any question
We have attached a formal Letter of Invitation and contract
agreement. Please reconfirm to us your Mailing Address for our perusal
and further action. Note you are meant to arrive a day before the
commencement of the event.
Please return a signed copy of the contract agreement for proper
documentation.
We await your earliest response
Be Blessed
Rev. Andrew Smith and Pastor Helen Smith
Tel Phone: + 44 7024069826O
I guess these nuts are still up to their same tricks. Here is my email:
——————————————————————————————————-
Name: Pastor Edward Smith
Email: christchurchsidcup@gmail.com
Comments: CHRIST CHURCH SIDCUP
Main Road, Sidcup,
Sidcup,UK
WEBSITE: http://www.christchurchsidcup.org.uk
TELEPHONE: +44 702 402 4745
REQUEST FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
Beloved Dina Harbour,
I am Pastor Edward Smith from the aforementioned organisation, we
write you to seek your engagement in our upcoming
conference tagged SIDCUP DIVINE CONFERENCE 2010″ coming up 3rd –
6th June 2010.The purpose of these conference is to re-brand the
heart,mind,body and soul of Christians who have gone astray and are
diverting their whole attention into mundane affairs instead of
seeking eternal life.
With all these at hand,we deemed it necessary to invite you to come
and minister in this year’s conference after browsing through your
lovely profile on http://www.womenobtainingwealth.com, we are optimistic you will indeed be a center of
attraction for the audience to look up to as a role model through your
inspirational and emotional speech.
Confirm to us via e-mail or direct mobile on this letter head if you
would be available for these engagement or further questions about
event so we can forward to you necessary binding documents. Your
Hotel Accommodation, Feeding, and Airfare Ticket will be taken care of
by the E.O.C (Event Organizing Committee).
More Info
AUDIENCE:1500
AGE:18-55
REFERENCE:EVENT BROCHURE
SIGNING AUTOGRAPH: ALLOWED
SELLING OF CD’S: ALLOWED.
SPEAKING TOPIC: HONESTY AND SELF DISCIPLINE
I’m glad I checked this out, I put up a red flag when they needed work permit fees ASAP and it was to be payed to an individual. Be careful entertainers! Letter I received April 15,2010 is below.Dear Comedian,
My Name is Pastor Mike Gabriel from the LONDON YOUTH Community
Here in London UK. We want you to be our guest Comedian at this
Year YOUTH EVENT 2010 which will take place here in
UK.We are writing to invite and confirm your booking to be our guest speaker at
these year.
YOUTH INSPIRATION EVENT 2010.
The Venue as follows:
VENUE: Skeel Lecture Theater,
Queen Mary, University of London,People’s Palace Mile End Road, London E1 4NS
Expected audience: 3500 people
Duration of speech per speaker: 1 Hour
Organization: LONDON YOUTH CONFERENCE,
Topic:INSPIRATION
Date:12 May 2010.
Time:6.30pm
We came across your profile on
http://www.hypshow.com/ontariohypnotists.html and we say it’s
up to standard and we
will be very glad to have such an outstanding personality in our mist
for these overwhelming gathering. With your nmulti talented speech
more lives will so much have fun, Sorry about our late invitation it
is due to the fact that our comedian had back out because of her sudden
illness.
Arrangements to welcome you here will be discussed as soon as you
honor our invitation. If you have any more publicity material, please
do not hesitate to contact
me. 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 Speaking
fee.
Stay Blessed
Pastor Mike Gabriel
YOUTH INSPIRATION EVENT 2010
Hi,
I received this recently in my email and responded simply saying I’d be interested, but pretty much knew it was a scam. I’m glad to come upon this page to verify that though.
It makes me wish there was some way to turn the tables on schmucks like these.
Thanks,
Jeff
Scam – in the name of the Lord. Satan will never win. Thank God for your posting. I too got this email and knew in my heart something was wrong. I hope these guys go to jail.
This is fun! Thanks to the warnings in your website, I knew it was a scam, but I replied anyway, with the following message:
Dear Mike,
Thank you for your invitation. I’d really love to be a part of your wonderful conference, and I am available at that time next month.
The only possible glitch is that when I perform or lecture, it is always in Yiddish. Would that present a problem? If not, then please send me further details so we can get moving!
With best wishes,
Bob
Ummmm…. I haven’t heard back. What a surprise.
This one is still going on, now targeting Christian authors, it seems. Now they are using a different name and a different church website. I emailed the church to let them know a scammer was using them. I’m sure they must just pick radom websits and glean the info from them. I’m surprised this scam hasn’t made it to Snopes yet. I sent it to them. A few others might want to send their variations, too, so Snopes knows it’s a widespread problem.
I saw a lot of red flags when I got the invite, but couldn’t figure out where the scam was since they weren’t asking me for any personal info, even after I responded. Thanks for clearing it up! If I had gone so far as to try to get a work permit, I would have gone directly through the UK’s government, not through an email address they gave me–always good to safegaurd.
Barry asked how to go about getting money back. Since the money went to the scammers and not actually to the UK, it may not be possible to get it back. However, if you are in the U.S. you can file a complaint with the FBI here: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
Another of our members over at Faithwriters is in China, and will be leaving soon, so decided to send them the phone number that would soon be inactive. The scammers called, and a track-back on the number shows that the scammers are actually based in Nigeria. My guess is these are the same groups trying a new scam, since so many people are now aware of the old Nigerian money scam.