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"Best of..." Scam alert

Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
68
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Location
Los Angeles, CA
Website
www.cswwoodworks.com
Hey folks,

Just wanted to make sure everyone was aware of a sham of a production that has finally found the eager world of woodturners. Now I know that everyone gets all excited when they are "chosen" to show, publish, etc. But trust me, all this company does is take your money and then throw together a book of everyone that submits. There is no real jury process, everyone who pays gets in, so there is no real benefit to getting in this book. The only people who buy them are those that are in the book. I got caught up with this when I was seriously writing poetry years back before a real company published my work. I was all excited, paid my money and then found out it's just a collection of fools (including myself) who can afford $30 entry and $25 for the book. Here's the email they are sending to anyone with a woodturning related website:

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Dear (your name here),

Kennedy Promotions recently just closed its premiere juried art book competition, Best of America: Woodturning Artists and Artisans 2006, which combines mailed in entries with online jurying. The Best of aims to highlight professional and emerging artists.
I am thrilled with the response thus far and excited to see the phenomenal talent that exists. The company’s ultimate goal is to live up to the title Best of and as part of our online jurying I visited your site and was greatly impressed with your body of work. I believe your work represents the Best of America and I would like to personally invite you to enter our juried competition. One of your pieces will be guaranteed a spot in the book. The submission fee is $30.00 for 3 images, which every entrant has paid. If you like you may submit additional images for $5.00 per image.
The Best of series already includes state books from Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania and North Carolina with Florida, Michigan and California due out this summer. Kennedy Promotions is currently holding 10 national competitions for its Best of America series.
The winning artwork is beautifully showcased in a high quality, full color, and large format soft cover book. Winners receive other promotional benefits including press releases to newspaper in winner’s area, small cash awards and we are actively pursuing galleries to view the book and museums to carry the book.
Since the mail in competition has closed, we need to move forward with the book so if you were interested you would need to confirm by May 3, 2006.
Once you’ve confirmed you will be emailed an entry form. Please then mail the entry form and submission fee and either email the selected images and your contact information to be included in the book or include in your mailing a CD of your images saved in a paint or photo program with the image size 4x6 up to 8x10 300DPI tiff or png file.

There are no other costs or obligations to you. Winners will be able to purchase 1 copy of the book at cost, approximately $25 plus shipping.

Please visit our website www.bestofartists.com and contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Renee Kennedy, President
Kennedy Promotions LLC
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Long story short, don't bother. If you have already, sorry I was too late in posting this.

Chris
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
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Location
Austin, TX
Website
www.woodturner.org
Thanks for posting this Chris. I know at least one person on this forum received the exact same solicitation. At the time it was not clear whether it was bonafide or hogwash.
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
68
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2
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Website
www.cswwoodworks.com
So far 4 people on WR have chimed in to have gotten the same email...sadly, some won't be reached in time and eagerly pay their fees as I did long ago. Too bad too, if someone were to put together a real version with a real jury process it would be a book I'd definitely buy.
 
Joined
Jun 9, 2004
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Location
Haslett, Michigan
But there is a sucker born every minute

About 25 years ago, I was asked to submit my application to Who's Who in America (can't remember if it was more specific). My husband got the same invite. Within the application you could request the book ($35?). At that time my husband had just finished his and DVM and Phd. I had been out 6 years longer and had many more publications, and awards and veterinary experience and "fluff" to put in the CV. I did not ask to purchase the book, He did. He got in it. I didn't. I learned quick, Gretch
 
Joined
Nov 5, 2005
Messages
80
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1
Location
Onley, VA
Website
www.carolevalentine.com
Yep. Only difference was they named a specific turning I had done and said that even though the deadline had passed they would like me to submit that piece (along with the entry fee, of course) and guaranteed at least a half page in the "Book". Scam antennae immediately went on full alert!!!! This is what I refer to as an "Ego Scam." The bigger your ego, the more likely they are to suck you in. :rolleyes:
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
44
Likes
1
Location
Weber City Va
I also got the e-mail
Mine went into a little more detail with a few things about my web site and my work but pretty close to the one you posted!
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2005
Messages
5
Likes
0
possible scam

Speaking of scams, I have a lathe posted for sale in the want adds. I received an e-mail from " Steve Sandler" stating that he very much wanted to buy my lathe, very excited , buying on the web for the first time etc. He offered me $100.00 more than the asking price if I would hold for a few days since he was in England at the time and would need time to make pickup arrangements etc. I agreed. He then e-mails that he would be paying with a money order $2000.00 more than the agreed upon price and that I should cash the money order, take my share and send the balance to the shipping co. that he would provide me adress for etc. I refused stating that I would accept only the agreed upon price and that he would have to make any payments and arangements to the shipping co. He didn't contact me for several days, then I started receiving the same last e-mail two more times worded the same way. I'm not sure exactly what is going on but I think everyone should be aware of the possibility of being scamed. What do you think?

Mark Robbins
Muncy Pa.
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
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Location
Austin, TX
Website
www.woodturner.org
I think it is a total scam. Why would someone pay more than something is worth.

With all "successful" scams, the person getting scammed/conned is made to believe they will get more money for doing something or selling something. That is the lure - more money, and greed is the target of the con. I would avoid transactions with this fellow.
 
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