Exhibitor Warning
IMPORTANT ADVICE FROM THE BRITISH & INTERNATIONAL GOLF GREENKEEPERS ASSOCIATION (BIGGA) & THE ASSOCIATION OF EXHIBITION ORGANISERS (AEO)
The AEO strongly condemns the actions of the Austrian based
Fairguide.com/Construct Data Verlag with their misleading services to
exhibitors.
Fairguide.com/Construct Data Verlag is an Austrian-based
organisation registered in Switzerland that regularly publicises its
services to exhibitors at events, primarily in Europe. The company uses
a misleading form, which resembles an organiser's Free Catalogue
Listing Service, inviting exhibitors to sign and return the form for an
entry in an on-line directory. Doing so contracts the purchaser into
the three-year, non-retractable agreement. Non-payment is then followed
by aggressive debt collecting by Premium Recovery.
We have received a steadily increasing number of complaints
regarding the activities of this company. We are strongly advising our
members and all exhibitors to be vigilant against organisations such as
this, who do not represent the good name developed within the
exhibitions industry.
Fairguide.com/Construct Data Verlag have no connection with exhibition organisers or any of their events.
It is important that all companies who are exhibiting are made
aware of this. Fairguide.com/Construct Data Verlag target companies
through using legitimate exhibition guides targeting exhibitors who are
about to exhibit. Their current activities are covering companies
throughout Europe.
Breaking News ***Important New Development***
CD have agreed not only to cease the mailing of misleading
contracts to the EU, Switzerland and EWR (affiliate States of the EU
like Liechtenstein) but also to cancel their demands for money against
companies in those countries who dispute the contracts.
On 13 February 2007 Construct Data Verlag signed an out of court
settlement with the Schutzverband gegen unlauteren Wettbewerb
(representing Austrian commercial interests in relation to unfair
competition). The initial defence from Construct Data (who are behind
the 'Fair Guide') was that the Schutzverband represents Austrian
commerce and could therefore not act on behalf of companies outside the
country. The Schutzverband for their part argued that CDs activities
were so damaging to Austria's reputation as to constitute a cause for
concern to all Austrian businesses. They won this important argument
and at this point CD settled out of court, essentially acceding to all
the Schutzverband's main demands.
AEO therefore recommend that ALL companies in dispute with
Construct Data who feel deceived should refuse to pay. It is now
important that any organization that feels it was mislead by Fairguide
into signing a contract notifies them immediately, stating that they
would not have entered a contractual agreement knowingly. If you sent a
letter to this effect prior to the agreement, send again.
Please click here
for further details on this latest development and the next steps if
you have been misled by Construct Data/Fairguide
Unfortunately due to the number of companies affected by Fairguide
we are unable to talk to all individually. If you require further
guidance please contact StopECG on cd@stopecg.org or the Austrian Embassy on london@wko.at or 020 7584 4411.
Hotel booking agent
Please be aware that there is a bogus company who are ringing exhibitors to book hotel accommodation. Their first point of contact is usually by phone and they claim to be able to give you a better price that anyone else for accommodation.
The names to watch out for are;
CHS Convention Housing Services
Convention Expo travel
They falsely claim to be the official booking agency for the show, take credit card details and bookings, without making bookings with the Hotels concerned.
If you are contacted by any one of the above companies you should not under any circumstances make a booking with them.
