The American Biographical Institute, Inc. announced that it selected me as the Institute’s Woman of the Year in Business for 2008. They decided on me after global efforts of research on accomplished individuals.
Amazing! What an honor to be singled out in the field of business out of the billions of women globally who could have been chosen.
I will receive an 8 x 10 plaque made of cherry wood and engraved with my name in gold lettering.
All this for only $295 United States dollars.
I can also nominate many people to purchase the ABI reference book that has my name in it. They enclosed a handy form on the back on my congratulatory letter to make it easy for me.
So how did I gain the attention of such a prestigious group? Well if truth be told I have already fallen prey to a different group who let me be in their Who’s Who book for free ($150).
Yes, I was gullible enough to get pulled into the money pit. First I just filled out a card I got in the mail.
Next came the phone call. Just for a bit of clarification. Did I want the book so I could see my entry and network with others? No.
But they had this deal that included two airline tickets. It was during a time I was stressed out with family crisis and flying a lot.
Hmm. Two airline tickets cost more than the $150 for the packet of stuff. Could I write this off as a business expense? No
Could I just upgrade and they will include several other incentives? No.
The badgering wore on and instead of hanging up I finally gave in and agreed to this worthless package of junk.
In the weeks that followed I would get these calls to tell me I had been selected for a chance to get a full page listing as one of the outstanding nominees. I told them they could give me as much space as they thought I deserved but they were getting no more money out of me.
The badgering resumed. This time I hung up. The airline tickets arrived but they are only to be used to fly to the secret resort areas that will be disclosed when I am ready to call and book a reservation.
The calls have slowed down lately. One woman yelled at me when I told her I found the information worthless. She asked if I had gotten on the Internet with my password they sent so I could network. I admitted I had not, and then added I never would, goodbye.
No one has reached out and networked with me either.
But since that time I have received many more postcards from the plethora of who’s who books out there nominating me for inclusion.
I learned my lesson for a mere $150. I guess that’s why I have now been nominated for the American Biographical Institute of International Research’s Women of the Year in Business.
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