Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A Castle Of Books Receives 2009 Best of Stanton Award
U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement
WASHINGTON D.C., June 8, 2009 -- A Castle Of Books has been selected for the 2009 Best of Stanton Award in the Books, Periodicals & Newspapers category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).
Of course there’s only one bookstore in Stanton, so…
The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
They found our ad on Craigslist.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.
They found our ad on Craigslist that had an email and business name connected to it.
About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)
U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.
Funded by businesses who have fallen for the scam and paid $180 for the plaque.
The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.
Anyone they can scam into purchasing one or more of their fake awards.
SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association
CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@us-ca.org
URL: http://www.us-ca.org
As scams go, this isn't the worst, at least you actually get the plaque.
I agree that this is a scam. We just received the same "award" via email and it's in an obscure category for our small town in Ohio. The category is "Recycling Machinery & Equipment". I'm not sure where they plucked this category from but it no doubt is from something we've displayed or advertised in the past as we sell in the recycling business but we're hardly award-worthy in a category such as this. Plus, we would represent the only business in that category for 100 miles, let alone our small town. I should expect to be the winner then, year after year after year. It reads exactly as yours does with the names/dates/categories changed, of course.
ReplyDeleteTheir website is as generic as a website can be and they even provide generic business links down the left side to make it look like it has more content. At no point do they show past "winners", or the categories they honor, or the process in which they choose a "winner". The sad thing is, in researching this, I see several small businesses that are proudly displaying this "award" on their website...which only helps these scammers to sell more.
We just got one too, but now I see they've upgraded from a plaque to an upright "award" award.
ReplyDeleteI was also scammed today, but did not purchase the award. Let's all just pat ourselves on our backs.
ReplyDeletethanks for this website. I googled USCA scam as soon as i was notified about the ward...
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post. I received a "second notice" from these folks. I googled "USCA scam" as well and found your page. Of course they require you to put in your contact information before you can get to the price of the "awards". They offered a plaque (with "full color sublimation, whatever that is) for $79.99, a crystal award for $179.99, or both for $199.99. Then they have the nerve to charge you $19.99 shipping for the plaque. Who ever heard of making an award recipient pay for their own award? Trophy Depot sells a similar plaque for $52.00 and the exact same crystal trophy for $58.00 with free shipping on orders over $100. If you're going to buy a fake award, make up a better one and save some money!
ReplyDeleteCount me in too. My client wrote me wanting their award placed on their website, so I showed them my award... for a category, business name and place I've never lived nor done business in.
ReplyDeleteA creative way to sell product (awards) I must say....
Reminds me of being told I made it into a "Who's Who" directory - if I buy the book....
:)
Gosh,
ReplyDeleteI "won" two awards. Exactly like the "Who's Who". I remember someone who was so proud he was in it.
:/}
Here's my award. I'm soooo proud!
ReplyDeletewww.spamdiary.com/2009/10/us-commerce-association-loves-ugly-tacky-awards/
Yes, my business "won" a USCA award as well. First thing I noticed? The email telling me we won was sent at 1:18 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Guess those hard-working USCA people never sleep.
ReplyDeleteThese people think very much in the past. They should try and come up with something smarter. Times have changed old time scamers.
ReplyDeleteWe just got an award too for 2009...classic scam!
ReplyDeleteI think I will go to my local trophy shop and make my own award! Oh, I will be so PROUD to show it off - NOT!!
ReplyDeleteMy company has been effectively out of business for 8 years, maintain a website for repairs and warranty. But 2nd year in a row we've gotten this prestigious award!
ReplyDeleteWow, our company just got this award for Seattle! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's SOOOOOOO cheesy, I can't believe anyone would actually FALL for it!!
They keep spamming all of our public email addresses!
ReplyDeleteWe should email them claiming they won the award for " Best scam of 2010 " and make them buy it/pay shipping and handling lol
ReplyDelete@ SolarActive:NICE ONE! Yea the owner of Innovation Technologies Said he received a bootleg email for one of those awards for having the best San Diego TV Installation and home theater installation service. he said it might have been true but he took one look at their fake website and laughed lol
ReplyDeleteI just received the email about winning an award. I am thinking about using this info on my website saying ("AWARD WINNING COMPANY") might get more clients, and technically its not a lie....i guess?
ReplyDeleteWe were selected as the 2011 Kansas City Award winner in the Marriage, Family, Child & Individual Counselors category by the US Commerce Association. The email went to "junk" where it belongs.
ReplyDeleteYea, the way i see it is this, anyone can hand out an award. And it does not make the award a lie. Its only a real scam if #1 they arent who they say they are, #2 they dont send the award you paid for. If they meet both of those, then its the same as saying "Best Coffee In Town" or Having a poll taken and using those results to say what "level" your business is held. Its just an opinion of people, who use whatever criteria they choose, beit popularity, google search or whatever. Just smile and say "At least im able to be found" and run with it
ReplyDeleteCongratulate me, everybody—my voice teaching practice just got "selected" as "Best of Manhattan 2013"! This is kinda like getting a Nobel Prize, right? Or a Rhodes Scholarship....?
ReplyDeleteWe too just got the similar email from local-best.com / http://freques.org/
ReplyDeleteThis one is called - Seattle Award Program