Feb 21 2008
Princeton Premier
Back in October I received an email from Princeton Premier that read like this (and was prefaced with my full name):
It is my pleasure to inform you that you are being considered for inclusion into the 2007-2008 Princeton Premier Business Leaders and Professionals “Honors Edition” section of the Registry.
The 2007 / 2008 edition of the Registry will include biographies of our country’s most accomplished individuals. Recognition of this kind is an honor shared by thousands of executives and professionals throughout the world each year. Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of achievement.
Upon final confirmation, you will be listed among thousands of accomplished individuals in the Princeton Premier Registry.
For accuracy and publication deadlines, please complete your application form and return it to us within five business days. There is no cost to be included in the Registry.
[link to apply removed]
On behalf of the Managing Director, we wish you continued success.
Sincerely,
Jason Harris
Managing Director
Princeton Premier
Sounds like a lovely honour - doesn’t it? Fortunately I’m grounded enough to be suspicious 
(and maybe the reference to “our country”). So I did a little bit of digging, but couldn’t really come up with definitive proof that it wasn’t legitimate. I promptly forgot about it.
In January I received another - almost identical:
It is my pleasure to inform you that you are being considered for inclusion into the 2008-2009 Princeton Premier Business Leaders and Professionals “Honors Edition” section of the Registry.
The 2008 / 2009 edition of the Registry will include biographies of the world’s most accomplished individuals. Recognition of this kind is an honor shared by thousands of executives and professionals throughout the world each year. Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of achievement.
You may access our application form using the following link:
[link removed]
Upon final confirmation, you will be listed among other accomplished individuals in the Princeton Premier Registry.
For accuracy and publication deadlines, please complete your application form and return it to us within five business days. There is no cost to be included in the Registry.
On behalf of the Managing Director, we wish you continued success.
Sincerely,
Jason Harris
Managing Director
Princeton Premier
But what has rung alarm bells is that in the last week I have received another four invitations, all to various different names of people on the Obits website.
So I decided to do a bit more snooping.
Now, they do state that there is “no cost” for inclusion, and I believe that to be true. But apparently they try and stitch you up with a membership starting at $100 up to $789.
If you’ve received one of these emails - I urge you to visit this discussion about Princeton Premier before you do anything. Gauging from the comments, quite a few Australians have received these emails.
Looking at their press release page (at PR.com), it looks as though quite a few people have submitted their details. I just hope they didn’t part with good money.
Just think about this - how selective are Princeton Premier if they are contacting people listed on an obituary website?
Print This Post
Yep, I have a similar experience. Be careful here
tom
Thanks for the thread people. I also received my “special” invitation and being both a researcher and a sceptic dod some ferreting around.
I feel quite deflated to disciver that I am not that special anyway.
I really do not expect to do any business in princeton so after consideration for about 1.5 seconds, I have decided to pass on the initation
I will now go and enter my ctredit card details because I have won a lottery in Nigeria that I did not buy a ticket in.
i received this invitation too, but i am no business leader, i am an artist. as i receive at least every week an e-mail to notify me that i am the lucky winner of whatever lottery, i won’t reply to this one either.
Well, I think you’re all special in my little “Honours Directory”
I received this a few times, so decided to ‘google it’ and ended up here. Thanks all for the advice. A dead give-away for me was the closing comment:
“On behalf of the Managing Director, we wish you continued success.
Sincerely,
Jason Harris
Managing Director”
Who signs off on behalf of themself?
03/03/08 THEY ARE STILL SENDING IT OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Darryl
I’ve had another 24 invitations since I wrote this!
I too received an email from Princeton Premier and thought that it was a more than a little suspisious so did a little investigation and it appears after checking several websites including this that there is little doubt that it is a scam to obtain details- thanks for sharing your findings.
Thanks for the heads up. I am an academic and have received several invitations to publish articles in various “up and coming” journals, of late, so I presumed Princeton Premier must have discovered my address via academic channels. Ever suspicious, I googled Princeton Premier and came across this website!
Maybe we should all send emails back to Jason Harris saying bugger off!
Hi Chrissie
As tempting as that is, my concern is that somehow I’d end up on MORE lists! I do feel better having written this though
I received the same invitation. I investigated even did a membership to find out that there are nothing found. This is not like Angie’s List or Craigslist, this is a scam!
I too received this “exciting” invitation. I was sceptical and through research I discovered they do publish books on interesting people, but they make their money on membership fees. Being a realist, I do know that as a working mom I have done nothing truly noteworthy (to date anyways) that would have solicited this invitation. Does anyone know how they find you? I just started this new job 5 weeks ago and they used my new work email in this scam. I guess you can’t second-guess the ingenuity of a scammer…..
Why bother investigating this outfit? What sense does make for them to want to “honor” you, when they don’t even know who you are? Plus, any e-mail from someone you don’t know asking for your personal information is almost certainly bogus.
Dear all,
Whilst I am sure that I have done things of note (I have 3 young boys and a wife of 18 years standing) I doubt that I truly qualify to be included as a shining light in the business community - especially as that community is in the City of London, UK.
This has to be a scam.
Peter
Same here, even received a phone call from a bloke named Richard Wellington calling from New York. Good lead up work from Richard until he started talking prices and asking what Credit Card I would be selecting to make payment. HELLO!
Richard even supplied their bank details if I wanted to make payment by Bank Cheque and a phone number in NY.
The only call I made was to the AFP.
Unfortunately, I was one of their victims. Although I was a little suspicious I went ahead and did it. What a dummy, I admit it. Fortunately my credit card company believes me.
I too received a call from this guy who had promised that my material would be delivered to me by a certain date. When I never got it I contacted my card company and they have begun a fraud investigation. What’s really scary now is that after all of that, bio and partial payment (still skeptical), I got another email from them almost a month later inviting me to, well you know. I’m out only $59 bucks so far. I’m really surprised though at the breadth of this. It seems that they are trying this world wide. Where is Interpol? - lol
I agree that it probably does no good to investigate, soon as they are closed, there are probably 10 more to take their place.
Oh by the way I am in the U.S.
Although I am reporting the same as previous entries, I think there is more credibility that this is bogus when a LOT of people report the same experience. More importantly, you have saved me (and many others I assume!) valuble time researching what my gut feeling tells me to be true anyway - we may be sceptical but do not want to miss out on opportunities! Thanks to all for contributing to this blog so I can take advantage of your work!
Me too…I literally just received their invitation so I immediately Googled them and found you guys…too easy! Thanks for the heads up, I mean it has to be dodgy if they picked me as a high succesful, global business person. Cheers
Everyone, many thanks for all your feedback. My only intention was to stop others, like John, in parting with well-earned money for something that seemed of dubious benefit, at best.
John, thanks for telling us about your experience and I’m sure others will benefit because of it.
I agree with each of the comments above and the only thing I am going to do different, is I am going to send my invitation to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office .
I got this email in Australia and was suspicious. It came to my business email on my website so they may be screenscraping. Thanks for the posts.
Gee
I got one too - I am Sydney based and it came via my PA.
My immeidiate response was to check on line and guess what - here I am and this thread confirms my original thought - if it seems too good to be true - it is.
I am an Associate Fellow of the Aust Institute of Management and they suggest also that this is a scam site.
Be well and watch out for whales.
Geoff
I am so glad I googled this! Got the email invitation this morning and when I initially googled it I got to a site that talked about what a wonderful networking opportunity the membership is. It sounded so fake and was obviously written by Princeton people so I kept looking and came across all of these comments. Thank you for taking the time to write about your experiences. Is there any way we can warn others?
As with everyone else who has left comments, I too received the email in question.
I was curious and googled the name - thanks to all who have left replies and are helping to stop this scam. If it seems too good to be true - It usually is! I am in Australia and it looks like this one has gone around the world. Thanks again.
While not usually one to hide my light under a bushel, I was somewhat surprised to learn that I was one of the “world’s most accomplished individuals” when I checked my emails this morning.
Then, surprise surprise, 10 minutes later I was again invited to join this prestigious register. The honours just keep on coming…
I’m in Brisbane, Australia, and will be forwarding my lovely Princeton register invitations to the Office of Fair Trading’s Scamwatch division.
I have received 2 invitations today.
It is amazing that after a quick google search I can find all this information and I am most disappointed that they are contacting academics under the guise of a well respected University.
My Boss received one as well and asked me to check it out. Thanks to all who have written. He did feel special for 5 minutes!!
I got one today. I live in Atlanta, GA USA and work for a Dutch company. It came to my business e-mail address, too.
As I suspected, though I do occasionally do some noteworthy things. Oh well
That $159.00 saved is a $159.00 earned.
Best,
Brian
Hi All, I also got the invitation and was a bit confused…. cause I am not really the type exposing myself on websites/internet. Thanks a lot for you comments. At least it help others receiving these invitations.
Well it appears I am joining this list of distinguished business professionals as I just got the e-mail. Glad I found this site through Google! What can be done to stop these spammers?
Thanks all - I’m glad to say this blog was #1 hit on Google, saved me time confirming what I suspected.
Like other ‘distiguished’ invitees here they used my professional email address, but I’m puzzled about where they got it from as I’ve made it as obscure as possible and I always use an alternate one for subscriptions etc (e.g. my website has my email address in an image rather than plain text so as to defeat crawlers - when I did that three years ago my spam rate dropped to near zero after a couple of months!).
I just hope they aren’t sharing their list with other spammers…
Upon moving to Boston,MA, USA last year several “registry” type organisations have asked for membership. When Princeton premier called with such lovely dialogue, I agreed to the $100 scam. As I was giving him credit card information, slowly, I googled and found this sight. Thank you, everyone.
I told him that I had reconsidered. Because taxes are due, I have decided that this is not the right time and “please cancel”. He would not let me cancel.
I could hear someone in the background telling him to “just keep talking”. I told him to keep talking all he wanted but I was calling my credit card company which I did immediately. They cancelled my card.
Thanks Again everyone, this could have been more of a hassle than it was because of your willingness to realize that we are not alone in this.
Elissa - that was close! So glad this helped, and thanks to you (and everyone) for leaving a comment about your experience.
Wow, we’re all special. Imagine that…..I’m glad for this site. Needless to say, I’m not going to start emailing friends and family to go purchase this publication because I’ve paid good money to be included in it.
Thanks to all who responded. You have to admit, it doesn’t look like your typical spam scam, but it still quacks like a duck….
Great to have read this, I am based in Dublin, Ireland and just received the same mail today. Thanks to you all I will delete
Regards
Maria
Check out the source code, the email is a mass market mail out, probably generated through purchased email directories or web site scooping. Conducted by a company called Admail that specialises in this sort of massed email marketing campaign. Yes we are all special, we each have an email account, that is about the limit of it. There have been similar scams over the years (well before the internet) -such as selling space in business directories, fax directories and the mobile phone directories, that have never been published or were a pretty substandard effort.
Be careful - remember if it sounds too good to be true - it usually is.
Thanks everyone for the warnings. Seems you all are both distinguished and discerning. I am Australia based and received it yesterday on my work email address but thanks to google found this thread of warning. You guys distinguish yourselves by being community minded enough to contribute and warn others. Much appreciated. Shall delete accordingly.
Thanks for this great discussion - received the email myself just recently (on my university email address), and as I’m graduating next month, was wondering if it was legitimate, but decided to google it. Good thing I did!
Hey, I’m a government worker in northern Canada - and I made the list! What a joke. Thanks for sharing - I didn’t believe I’d made anyone’s list of anything, but I was hoping it would at least be an interesting magazine or something to read. We actually generally have really good firewalls at work, but the odd bit of crap gets through.
Like the idea of forwarding the e-mail to the attorney general, might have to look up our government lawyers’ addresses…
Yes! Received the email but didn’t delete it before I googled “Princeton Premier” and came up with this blog. Good one!
Hello everyone! Thanks for posting this information - I received this and wondered about it and when googling the company saw your blog. Thanks!
I always know when Princeton Premier do a new mailout because a number of you find your way here. I’m glad of that.
Thanks to Google, for ranking this post highly - and to you for having the sense to Google it in the first place and adding your feedback and comments.
I’m sure many do, and will, appreciate your input.
Ahh the wonders of Google. I got this invitation too -in Canada. Several invitations in a few days. Stunk from the first.
Received the invitation today, here in Cambridge UK. Complete crap - into the e-bin. It strikes me though, with so many people having been invited to sign up, that the really unique qualification as a human being is NOT to have been invited by these shysters. How can we track down these distinguished people? Should they all be listed in a directory of their own? But of course I won’t be in that one either. Too sad.
Nice one Meg! I just got one of these myself. I ROFLd at Donna’s comment about the MD signing off on behalf of himself!
I had the same experience and this was my response to “Mr Harris” :
Dear Mr. Harris,
About a month ago, I responded that I was interested. Then I received a phone call from a lady introducing herself as “my account manager” . I do not remember her name. She “explained” the benefits of belonging to the registry , asked some questions about my CV and offered me two alternative programs at different rates. When I told her that I needed a day or two to evaluate the alternatives offered, she said that she was offering me a “special”. Therefore, she needed an immediate answer, on the spot, and asked for my credit card number. When I said that I needed time, she said that she was not wasting her time an that there were many other distinguished people ” waiting” for an opening to get in. I got very suspicious about her “sales tactics” , so I said that I would pass. Her approach had all the features of am unsophisticated, hard charging, fraudulent behavior. I do not know how successful your “company” is in selling memberships, but my experience was very negative and put me off completely. Please erase my name from your list and do not solicit more business from me.
Regards,
Roberto Toso
——————————————————————————–
From: Princeton Premier [mailto:Reply@princetonpremierbios.com]
Sent: Fri 5/9/2008 9:28 AM
To: Roberto Toso
Subject: ’s Recent Nomination Into The Princeton Premier
It is my pleasure to inform you that you are being considered for inclusion into the 2008-2009 Princeton Premier Business Leaders and Professionals Honors Edition section of the registry.
The 2008 / 2009 edition of the registry will include biographies of the world’s most accomplished individuals. Recognition of this kind is an honor shared by thousands of executives and professionals throughout the world each year. Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of achievement.
You may access our application form using the following link:
[link removed]
Upon final confirmation, you will be listed among other accomplished individuals in the Princeton Premier Registry.
For accuracy and publication deadlines, please complete your application form and return it to us within five business days. There is no cost to be included in the registry.
On behalf of the Managing Director, we wish you continued success.
Sincerely,
Jason Harris
Managing Director
Princeton Premier
powered by unsubscribe update profile
This mailing system may only be used for sending permission based email.
If you did not give permission to receive emails from this sender, please notify us.
This email was sent to [email removed] by Reply@princetonpremierbios.com | Print / PDF version | Read our Privacy Policy.
Roboerto gave me an idea. On reviewing the email I noticed the email client is a company called emailbrain.com and they specifically request the reporting of spam. I have sent them the following email and I encourage others to do so as well. There is no point in complaining to princetonpremier… complain to their email provider and we might shut them down… alas, temporarily.
cheers,
“Emailbrain Managers,
The included email was sent without permission. The email address used was mined from my union’s
website where the email addresses of executive members (such as myself) are listed for the benefit of
our members. I urge you to stop your client’s mass spamming. I am also including a blog site which not
only confirms their spamming activities but strongly suggest they are engaged in fraudulent activity.
http://blogpond.com.au/2008/02/21/princeton-premier/
Thank you,”
Hmm, I got one today… What tiopped me off first was the subject line …
’s Recent Nomination into the Princeton Premier
hmmm… So, there should be a name before the ’s no? heh…
the clincher was their privacy policy which very clearly tells me…
“Why you received this email
You received this mail because you are subscribed to a newsletter / mailing list to which you opted in. If this is not the case then please unsubscribe from the list (using the link in the footer of the received email) and report the sender to us.”
So I shall be unsubscribing I think with a slighly smaller ego than at the start of the day
lauracallow’s last blog post..Join Laura at the Online Revealed Conference
Hi, I am in Canada at a University (in IT) and naturally sceptical. I have been solicitated over a dozen times with this. Today, I thought I would check it out. Thanks for the comments
i almost tought i was a star, but i think i know what i deserve best in life and so when i recieved this email today, i went like what on erath have i done for Princeton premier to recognise my capabilities ow do i stand out? im ust one Malawian and very simple girl, no leader but a researcher, so my resaerc o that particular email took me to this page. 2 or 3 times i wet back to the email, opened both URLS provided and almost filled that form bt daa, something said, you might be giving up your identity for nothing. so ya, i guess i was right.
i expect the people i work closely with to uphold and recognise my capabilities not just ayone anyhow
this is scam! and whoever does is really good at it coz heshe leaves no trace of doubt. Princetom primier website is perfect too!!! but oh sorry i dont such mails in my inbox. my work is really hectic and such mails pt me off sometimes
Monica Kumwenda
The scam has reached the Pacific Coast of California. Thanks for reinforcing my suspicions.
Sue’s last blog post..Three Loads, Sort Of
Upon first glance the word ‘Princeton’ jumps out. Flattery sometimes does get them somewhere, but I am not so ‘new’ as to think that I am anywhere on Princeton’s radar. It was great to see the link to this blog directly under the Google return. It was a nice change in scam-mail from interest in my private parts, winning the lottery or becoming a shark at on line poker.
Brian Levy
Of all the scams i have come across i must say i am impressed with this one. They play to our ego’s, make us feel fantastic and create the sense of pride that we don’t want to miss out on.
I am just glad that us Ausies are pretty skeptical by nature.
Every day my work email box has at least 50 junk letters to scan. This one has been in my box at least 20 times this year. So I figure I’m at least 20 times more important than I was before. Before the year is out I’ll be so important that I won’t be able to stand myself. Nice to find this blog.
thanks everyone for their comments
I was initially convinced and was about to send them an email - but thankfully I didnt
Folks, this may be stating the obvious, but you should NEVER, NEVER unsubscribe from something you did not directly, personally subscribe to in the first place.
(Laura, who posted earlier, suggested she was going to unsubscribe from the Princeton whateveritis)
Spammers often claim “You received this mail because you are subscribed to a newsletter / mailing list to which you opted in”. No you didn’t - they stole your email address by some kind of electronic trawling. Unsubscribing merely confirms that you have an active email address- information that instantly finds its way to purveyors of viagra and suspiciously cheap designer watches, and daughters of deposed African dictators looking for help in disposing millions of dollars.
Woo Hooo!! I have also been invited… Brisbane, Australia…
As if A Real Estate Agent would make that list… I think we are the most people in the world… well maybe after lawyers.
Well well well… i guess all skeptics end up here. So here I am too. thanks for the heads up guys. Its hit Perth - West Australia.
I’m so not buying into it.
cheers
V
Just received my second invite (28th May 2008) Melbourne, Australia. It is getting around the globe. Interesting reading all the stories about this hoax. I immediately deleted the first on, thought I would check out more about it when I got the second. Sites like these are good for the people who can be sucked in, they just need to be educated to look around first.
Cheers.
Have got 2 - always assumed it was the Nigerian mafia (with all due respect) - I’m certainly no business leader but got a bit soft in the head after the 2nd one and so googled it … good to know its BS ….
I am forever being invited to join the Princeton Premier and all the lotteries……how about all the bank email that we don’t even bank with?
If they really want to contact you…….let them phone and visit……..Watch out for Fraud as that is all it is….
Banks will only contact you via your online banking website and Princeton and Nigerian Lotteries are all a scam…..if it is online….it simply is not legit!
I also received the same email today and I am glad I googled it before accepting my submission. I am curious to find out how they got my workplace email address.
This blog stopped me to go any further. R
I had a lovely discussion with Jason Franklin, who assured me that I seemed the successful sort that they were looking to include. With my premier membership of $789, I would also get free airfare for 2 to anywhere in the US on any airline. The Gold membership gives me 5 years at $589 and the 1 year membership $99. I do belong to some networking groups, so assumed that this was akin to those (which are legit). The BBB is currently investigating according to the BBB web site. Results within 6 weeks.
“On behalf of the Executive Publisher”? It seems we all have concluded that this mob is not bona fide. Treat them with the contempt they deserve and unsubscribe.
Ron
I just got off the phone with my “Account Manager”. It was all sunshine and roses, talking about how amazing I am (!) and how it would a privilege for them to list me (SUPERSTAR Executive Housekeeper) in the Registry and then, Wham, by the way you owe us $789!
I was on the phone for over half an hour with this guy, on work time, while he tried to convince me this was the deal of the century and that I would be listed “forever” in this book. I stalled him for as long as I could and then told him I would submit payment on Friday….he will be calling me back on my day off.
Thank you for posting these comments. It has saved me from a scam attack.
Cheers from Canada,
W
Wow…. another SCAM! Glad that this blog came up as the first link on Google. These people are so cheesy that even their form page to submit your information is poorly formated. I think I’m going to send them an email and ask them for their credit card. Who knows, crooks are stupid… maybe they’ll give it to me
Mike
A little further investigation… WHOIS?
http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/results.jsp?domain=princetonpremierbios.com
I’m this blog link to their domain registration company… perhaps they’ll shut them down for a while…
I remember replying to an e-mail I received on May 8th. It looked legitimate, so I went ahead and filled out the online form. Nothing too personal. Just my company info and a contact number.
Well, today was the day I got a call back. The guy said his name was “Adam Jones” and I gave him the info he requested- but no money. I told him about myself, but there was little in there that’s not on the public record.
What I used to get out of paying: I said that I can’t issue payment until I see something in print. He went on and on about the integrity of the Princeton Premier. I didn’t argue with him. That would’ve just given him more ammunition to continue his pitch. I just said that anyone can say anything on a phone call and that I had to see a hard copy right in front of me before I could consider paying anything. He gave up after about 5 minutes.
You know, right off the bat I had the feeling that I was talking to one of those Nigerian scammers- minus the accent. Stupid me for wasting nearly a half hour on the phone with the guy. Ah well. You win some and you lose some. With the Princeton Premier, we all lost.
BTW, the number that showed up in my call display was 718-766-8626. This is a NYC area code. I know someone in the Bronx with a 718. Oh- and I’m located in Toronto, Canada.
Meg, thanks for maintaining this page. Without it, I wouldn’t have known for sure that the PP was full of crap.
Mental note: “don’t trust any offers over the phone that involve free plane tickets”.
I got my email today too- and was immediately offended as I’ve spent my life trying not to achieve.
Is it illegal to respond with lots of temp. emails from yahoo and elsewhere and bogus contact no’s (not someone else’s) and cause them to waste their time too.
You just saved me almost $800. Thank you.
When my “Account Rep” called a few minutes ago, I didn’t even remember I applied. Great telemarketer though. I have to give her credit. I was sinking into the quicksand but came to my senses and started doing searches on people on their site. The only place these press releases show up are on PR.com.
I may call her back just to play with her a bit to see how she overcomes objections. I could use a strong Telemarketer.
Thanks again everyone!!
You saved me from a great deal of nuisance!
I was very suspicious when they didn’t ask for a list of publications - just personal details. A quick search came up with your blog. I have been sent several of these by snail mail and by email. I must say each time my ego was flattered! How frail we really are are and as a result how vulnerable! I also have to admit that the main reason I did not reply to the other postal varieties is the time needed to fill in the form etc.
Thanks again everyone!
I write for the my local paper’s auto section. I got one invitiation last year; seeing this made all sorts of alarms go off in my head. so I replied asking if they could provide verifiable information as to who they are and what they did. Needless to say, they never responded. But they have still sent out the same phishing letter. I got another one this morning. Keep head screwed on, people. I live in Jamaica. These are desperate times we are living in!
Just got the same email. I was suspicious too, searched it on Snopes.com and found nothing (which is surprising) and ended up here thanks to a Google query.
Thanks to everyone for posting their experiences - I too have decided to use my hard earned money to try to salvage the remaining fortunes of my long lost relatives in Nigeria who died in a horrible car accident, but were kind enough to leave several million dollars in the bank. I’m counting my blessings that these honest and decent folks found me through the internet and want to give me all of that money
Brother Howie
thanks everyone - i will not be replyimg
Thanks to all who have continued to maintain this site for Google inquiries to this scam. I just recieved my email from Princeton7 at the following email address: reply@princetonpremierbios.com.
Like others who are above I was immediately suspecious as I almost fell victem to a similar scam a couple of years ago. I won’t waste my time with this one, but thought that I should take the time to post this as it is still an ongoing hoax.
They found me in Shanghai. Found you all through Google as well. Won’t be replying although I clearly belong on this illustrious list.
I just got my Princeton Premier e-mail at my work address in Vancouver, BC, Canada. I get a lot of this kind of junk but thought I would Google this one to see what I could find. That brought me to this blog, which confirmed what I suspected.
I’ve always wondered how these spammers make money but obviously they can make a living by catching only a few people off guard to give up their credit card numbers. If everyone would just delete this type of nonsense it would put these scammers out of business and spare everyone the nuisance of dealing with the spam. Too much to hope for, I guess.
I, too, am in Vancouver and received this. Being something of a neophyte in my current profession and having received, as recognition for my “lifetime achievement” of 25 years in broadcasting, the bum’s rush from my last radio station, I kinda figured they were stretching their definitions. Thanks for the confirmation!
Southampton UK here - thanks for the info - I had
“On behalf of the Executive Publisher, we wish you continued success.
Sincerely,
Jason Harris
Managing Director
Princeton Premier”
which set the alarm bells that were ringing at the beginning of the email - ringing harder.
Thanks for all the info - great site and you are dooing the world a service.
Brian
Personally, I think they’re an honest bunch:
“Recognition of this kind is an honor shared by thousands of executives and professionals throughout the world each year.”
Right… so not much of an honour then, is it? Still, from the number of comments left on this site, they’re not lying!
As Max Ehrmann’s “Desiderata” has it:
“Exercise caution in your business affairs,
For the world is full of trickery.”
I am based in Nigeria and received the Princeton Premier invitation. I knew immediately that it was a scam since I had received a similar invitation from Who’s Who a few years ago. When I called Who’s Who, I was hassled rather agressivley for credit card details despite a stipulation in their e-mail that there was no cost for participation. Fortunately, I did’nt provide any financial details. Nevertheless, I googled Princeton Premier and was glad to find out that I was right. Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences.
Thanks for this. I received the message today up in the Northwest Territories, Canada.
Todd
How do people get away with this stuff? I also just received the email. So many scam artists. I hope there were were not too many naive people joining.
Dayna
I just got an email as well. I’m in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada. Thanks for this website.
I too have received three invitations in the past week. Thanks for providing this information. I will delete the emails.
Shelley Lloyd
Received this e-mail too in the UK. I got a call from someone in the states today. Bla bla bla !.. I’m the best/highest achiever etc…. He offered 2 packages. When I asked him to send me something by e-mail he said he couldn’t do that. So I told him I don’t do business over the phone. I need something in writing. He put the phone down immediately. Definitely a scam !
I’m from London, Ontario, Canada, and felt honoured, until our marketing manager discovered this blog, and I was once again humbled, and brought down to Earth.
Thanks for starting this blog though. Its one thing to raise a red flag internally, but we need the next step, which is info like this!!
I have just recieved it whilst sitting with my chairman, i felt so important i asked for more money! Unfortunatley we googled it and ended up here. Thanks Princeton Premier, there goes my pay rise!
Thanks to all of you for sharing your experience. I live in Jamaica and became suspicious when the interview reached the billing stage. The ‘hard-sell’ approach was a dead giveaway for a scam, as well as the fact that I could enter for less and less money but still get the airplane tickets! :-). The ‘account manager’ - Linda- was very offended when I told her I needed to check them out before giving credit card details and assured me that all of their thousands of honoured members had paid this way and they would not tarnish their integrity by or mine by doing anything illegal with my details. She also kept assuring me that I would get billing details by e-mail instantly (of course) and that my package and certificate would arrive ten days later in the mail. Also they could not tell me why they had chosen me for this honour, or what was their affiliation with Princeton. I will inform our helpdesk to block this address at work.
This scam has spread around the world faster than SARS. I received a similar con job call here in Washington DC a few years ago when I was told I had been “accepted” for inclusion into an exclusive directory. The saleswoman then tried to sell me all manner of package deals–so many that I lost track; it seemed they offered me everything short of the use of their corporate jet. I asked why I should pay for their directory; they told me it was great for networking. I asked how it could be a good networking source if it was so “exclusive”; they cited “quality over quantity.” Then they tried the insult tack by implying that there was something wrong about me if I couldn’t afford “a dollar a day” ($365 per year). I ended my chances at having the privilege of being added to their “networking” list by telling them I wasn’t going to spend a dime on them–ever. They play to people’s egos to separate them from their hard-earned money.
Bravo to all of you on this blog for sharing your experiences and perspectives. I found your Web site when I googled Princeton Premier, and I’m sure there are many other people who have read these entries and thus have been spared the time and money they would have lost to Princeton Premier. Good work.
I have to admit, I’ve spent more time reading everyone’s experiences and comments than I spent on the Princeton Premier email itself! LOL! I’m very happy to have done so though. You’ve not only saved me the hastle of going through the expeience, but saved my co-workers of hearing me curse out someone on the phone once I realized it was yet another attempt at a scam.
I’m a First Nations person living in Toronto, Canada and I was sitting with some of my Aboriginal girlfriends at dinner one Friday night when I received the email on my BlackBerry. Well….. I was so impressed with myself that I had to impress them as well with this much deserved recognition of my extensive work in Aboriginal communities across Canada! Ha ha!!
I hadn’t even looked at it again, until today when I was just going to delete it, but thought I would Google it first. Very glad I did! I still believe I have worked hard to earn this type of recognition…. it’s just not going to be today, nor through these quacks. : )
Chi meegwetch (big thanks) to you all!
I just received the same email this morning. Being in real estate in Connecticut, I thought, maybe a great marketing tool. Warning bells went off since the letter wasn’t written very well. Googled and found this website. As said in a previous note, I spent more time on this than the original email. Thanks !
I’m yet another of the many who have received this email. since it only came on my Blackberry, I’m assuming Verizon is selling it’s members lists and numbers. My work email is linked to my Blackberry and it doesn’t come thru to my work email only my handheld, so that leads me to think Verizon is somehow responsible. I’d suggest people contact their Cell companies and tell them to not sell your info to 3rd parties, particularly your work information as they are contributing to illegal activity. That might be enough to scare them into listening or you can register your number on the do not call lists in the USA.
I’ve received the same email twice in two days. Having Googled I found all your comments so thanks. Working for a law firm I am going to get someone to look into this! Tracey
This sort of thing has been done before, although usually with at least an actual (albeit useless) directory being produced. The Who’s Who business has been milking egos for at least decades. But given that the link in the email didn’t even have a real domain name for the organization, I pegged it for a phishing scam. Thanks to all of you confirming that I will go from merely ignoring it to making sure my friends don’t get drawn into it.
Duluth, Minnesota, USA checking in. I received my special invitation this morning. I’ve forwarded it to my company’s spam abuse department and blocked the site from my email. It’ll be interesting to see if I receive more.
Thanks for the information. Saves a lot of time.
Dan
Those emails just keep coming- and this blog has all the answers! Thank you - I’ll now hit delete
I just received the email today (in Houston). It made me think of all of those ‘Who’s Who’ back when I was in high school. I promptly deleted the email and then googled to see what others had to say… of course it brought me here.
I really hope that people are smart enough to realize this scam before forking over $800ish.
Apprently I received the email back in May!!
I have just wasted 10 minutes on the phone about Princeton Premier’s exclusive listing….I apparently filled in an on-line set of question back in May about joining (it is now late August). Apparently the time delay was due to dealing with so many applications!
The person had an American accent and was apparently calling from the US (where the local time would have been 10pm)!! After a very professional and well rehearsed set of questions and lots of “excellent” and “outstanding” when what I do as an academic can hardly be described as “outstanding”! He then went on to congradulate me on acceptance in the Princeton Premier’s “hall of fame” listing and tell me all the benefits of membership, then went on to tell me the cost of membership…basic at only $7US and exclusive at $9US…before he went any further I told him I was very busy and needed to go, he then asked what was wrong: the cost, membership, him, etc? I did not get into an argument and thanked him for his time and hung up.
The phone has just rung again and I did not answer it and the person did not leave a message. I suspect it was him calling again!! Do not get caught in this massive scam. I then did some research and found this website…whew!
It is me again: they have just called back 5 times in the last 40 minutes…do NOT make the mistake I made by applying and giving them my phone number …yikes!!