Exhibitors and attendees of the 2011 SHOT Show should be especially cautious if they receive mail inviting them to update their company listings in certain international online or print trade directories.
We are aware of at least two directory publishers — Construct Data Verlag AG of Slovakia (formerly of Austria), which produces FAIRGuide, and Commercial Online Manuals of Mexico, which produces Expo-Guide — who are seeking to take advantage of unsuspecting businesses that may still be cleaning the dust off their shoes from the recent show.
The directory solicitations appear harmless asking companies simply to update their information (which supposedly already exists in the directories and has been published for free). However, upon closer examination of the fine print, listings in the directories are far from “FREE.” By signing and returning the solicitation form with or without updating business information, companies will actually be entering into a three-year, irrevocable agreement that automatically renews and will require them to pay a significant amount of money with no foreseeable benefits. As the owner and sponsor of the SHOT Show, the National Shooting Sports Foundation itself has been targeted by these deceptive and misleading trade show directory scams.
The SHOT Show has no relationship with the FAIRGuide, Expo-Guide or any of their other branded directories, and they are not authorized to use the “SHOT Show” name and registered trademarks on information they send to show exhibitors and attendees. There is reason to believe that the FAIRGuide and Expo-Guide and their other branded directories are part of a larger international syndicate composed of multiple trade show directory publishers all operated by the same conspirators.
We strongly warn exhibitors and attendees to exercise extreme caution if they receive solicitations from Construct Data Verlag AG, Commercial Online Manuals or any other suspicious third-party offers in order to avoid unwarranted and/or unnecessary legal and financial commitments.
Show exhibitors or attendees who may have fallen prey to any of these trade show directory scams are encouraged to contact NSSF’s legal department at 203-426-1320 or jyue@nssf.org.