How to Spot a ‘Who’s Who’ Scam

Biographical directory scams

Who’s who guides have been around since the mid-19th century, and Marquis’ Who’s Who in America has been published continuously since 1899. But the words “who’s who” are in the public domain, which means anyone can use them, including less trustworthy operators that try to profit from the cachet the phrase carries or claim a connection to legitimate publishers.

“Unfortunately, the egregious and unscrupulous practice of claiming to be Marquis or affiliated with our organization is an ongoing issue,” says Erica Lee, CEO of Marquis Who’s Who. 

Other scammers invent their own directories. In June, a Long Island woman pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges for stealing more than $1.5 million in a scam that preyed on older adults, promising to enshrine them in biographical references such as “The Remington Registry of Outstanding Professionals.”

Prosecutors said that from 2013 to 2018, Mara Ficarra, 57, of Southampton, New York, and a co-conspirator sent out mailings soliciting $14 checks from supposed honorees for delivery of “your 2 books and your plaque,” then used the routing and bank account information to produce fraudulent checks for larger amounts. Ficarra faces up to five years in prison.

Vanity award scams

You could be the owner of a small industrial shop in Michigan, the sensei of a karate school in California or a physician in Texas. People in all sorts of places and professions get targeted by emails congratulating them on winning a “best of” award in their community or field (as did all of the above, who filed reports with the BBB Scam Tracker).

There are plenty of genuine local business and professional awards, and they generally don’t cost anything. “Most organizations or people would be happy to receive something like that,” Breyault says. But if “you’re being asked to pay for the honor, that’s a red flag.”

Shady operators solicit payment for a plaque or other keepsake of the prize, typically a couple hundred dollars but sometimes ranging over $1,000, according to BBB data. They pitch it as good advertising for your business, but Breyault says that even if you do get something to hang on your wall, your money might be better spent on more far-reaching marketing, like online ads.

“Let’s face it, the companies that are offering these things are for-profit businesses,” he says. “Many of them simply want to give out as many commemorative plaques and awards as possible.”

Even if the “award” notification doesn’t ask for money, be wary if it requires you to click a link to claim the prize — it could be a phishing ploy to infect your device with malware that gives scammers access to personal information.

Business directory scams

Also called “Yellow Pages scams” because they sometimes involve impersonating the familiar directory brand, these frauds target small businesses with offers of a “free” listing or claims that it’s time to renew an existing one. Whether or not you agree, you’ll soon receive an invoice from the supposed publisher demanding payment, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

In one classic version of the ruse, con artists call a business and try to take advantage of secretaries or receptionists who pick up the phone, says Steve Baker, a former FTC official who now publishes the Baker Fraud Report, an online newsletter on consumer scams. 

“They say, ‘We’re coming out with a new edition, so we just want to confirm your contact information and address,’ ” he says. The scammers then bill the company, saying the employee who answered the call authorized it — and counting on businesses getting so many small bills that they may not scrutinize them all before paying.

Recalcitrant targets can face intimidation, Baker adds. “Somebody says, ‘Hey, I did not authorize $1,000 for a listing in this directory,’ and they call the company.” The crooks are “primed for that — it’s their business model. They make threats that they’re going to sue you or that they’re going to ruin your business’s credit if you don’t pay.”

Patrick J. Kiger is a contributing writer for AARP. He has written for a wide variety of publications, including the Los Angeles Times Magazine, Q, Mother Jones and the websites of the Discovery Channel and National Geographic.