SEMA is alerting its members that a one-page form they may receive offering a "free" business directory listing is not free when you sign the form. Examples of these business directories include “World Business Guide,” “World Business Directory,” “Expo-Guide” and “The Fair Guide.” The guides are generally operated from Austria, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain and other countries. SEMA recommends that you not complete these types of listing forms.

Here is how a “free listing” scam works: A group collects your company's name and mailing address from the yellow pages or other publication, and then sends you a form asking you to provide supplemental information (phone, fax, e-mail, etc.) for your "FREE" listing in their guide. However, the fine print at the bottom of the page states that by signing and returning the form, you have agreed to pay for the listing. The amount you pay can be substantial. The group then sends you a collection letter several weeks later. If you don't pay, they continue to send dunning notices and threaten litigation.

While SEMA cannot provide advice on how to respond to collection tactics, we note that many companies have disputed the validity of the contracts and no subsequent legal actions were carried out against the non-payers. We also note that the Austrian Advertising Council found The Fair Guide to be a breach of the Austrian Advertising Code and its operator. Construct Data signed an agreement to cease mailing the misleading contracts from Austria and to cancel their demands for disputed monies. Here are links for more information on the four example guides:

• www.stopecg.org/world_business_guide.htm
• www.stopecg.org/world_business_directory.htm
• www.stopecg.org/expo-guide.htm
• www.stopecg.org/construct_data_fairguide.htm

Here is a link to a sample letter that may be sent to Construct Data when disputing a dunning notice: www.stopecg.org/cdcancellation.doc. It may provide guidance when disputing notices from other companies.

To file a complaint in the United States, you may wish to contact:

Federal Trade Commission
Office of Business Fraud
600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580
www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
Tel: 202/326-2800
Fax: 202/326-2034
E-mail: OIG@ftc.gov

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein.

SEMA is alerting its members that a one-page form they may receive offering a "free" business directory listing is not free when you sign the form. Examples of these business directories include “World Business Guide,” “World Business Directory,” “Expo-Guide” and “The Fair Guide.” The guides are generally operated from Austria, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain and other countries. SEMA recommends that you not complete these types of listing forms.

Here is how a “free listing” scam works: A group collects your company's name and mailing address from the yellow pages or other publication, and then sends you a form asking you to provide supplemental information (phone, fax, e-mail, etc.) for your "FREE" listing in their guide. However, the fine print at the bottom of the page states that by signing and returning the form, you have agreed to pay for the listing. The amount you pay can be substantial. The group then sends you a collection letter several weeks later. If you don't pay, they continue to send dunning notices and threaten litigation.

While SEMA cannot provide advice on how to respond to collection tactics, we note that many companies have disputed the validity of the contracts and no subsequent legal actions were carried out against the non-payers. We also note that the Austrian Advertising Council found The Fair Guide to be a breach of the Austrian Advertising Code and its operator. Construct Data signed an agreement to cease mailing the misleading contracts from Austria and to cancel their demands for disputed monies. Here are links for more information on the four example guides:

• www.stopecg.org/world_business_guide.htm
• www.stopecg.org/world_business_directory.htm
• www.stopecg.org/expo-guide.htm
• www.stopecg.org/construct_data_fairguide.htm

Here is a link to a sample letter that may be sent to Construct Data when disputing a dunning notice: www.stopecg.org/cdcancellation.doc. It may provide guidance when disputing notices from other companies.

To file a complaint in the United States, you may wish to contact:

Federal Trade Commission
Office of Business Fraud
600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580
www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
Tel: 202/326-2800
Fax: 202/326-2034
E-mail: OIG@ftc.gov

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein.

SEMA is alerting its members that a one-page form they may receive offering a "free" business directory listing is not free when you sign the form. Examples of these business directories include “World Business Guide,” “World Business Directory,” “Expo-Guide” and “The Fair Guide.” The guides are generally operated from Austria, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain and other countries. SEMA recommends that you not complete these types of listing forms.

Here is how a “free listing” scam works: A group collects your company's name and mailing address from the yellow pages or other publication, and then sends you a form asking you to provide supplemental information (phone, fax, e-mail, etc.) for your "FREE" listing in their guide. However, the fine print at the bottom of the page states that by signing and returning the form, you have agreed to pay for the listing. The amount you pay can be substantial. The group then sends you a collection letter several weeks later. If you don't pay, they continue to send dunning notices and threaten litigation.

While SEMA cannot provide advice on how to respond to collection tactics, we note that many companies have disputed the validity of the contracts and no subsequent legal actions were carried out against the non-payers. We also note that the Austrian Advertising Council found The Fair Guide to be a breach of the Austrian Advertising Code and its operator. Construct Data signed an agreement to cease mailing the misleading contracts from Austria and to cancel their demands for disputed monies. Here are links for more information on the four example guides:

• www.stopecg.org/world_business_guide.htm
• www.stopecg.org/world_business_directory.htm
• www.stopecg.org/expo-guide.htm
• www.stopecg.org/construct_data_fairguide.htm

Here is a link to a sample letter that may be sent to Construct Data when disputing a dunning notice: www.stopecg.org/cdcancellation.doc. It may provide guidance when disputing notices from other companies.

To file a complaint in the United States, you may wish to contact:

Federal Trade Commission
Office of Business Fraud
600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580
www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
Tel: 202/326-2800
Fax: 202/326-2034
E-mail: OIG@ftc.gov

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein.

Following are dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows and activities. Click on an item for more details.

Business publications reported in the past few days that online shopping grew as much as 5% from 2008 to $27.1 billion in revenue during this holiday season. Love it or hate it, the Internet has become a prolific sales stream and every forward-looking company must address online sales as part of its marketing strategy.

"The Essentials of Online Marketing," an exclusive new SEMA webinar provides participants with must-know information about how to capture market share and increase sales.

As part of the management team at Power Computing, presenter Bill Leake built the first company to sell $1 million worth of product over the Internet. As CEO and founder of Apogee Search, he has guided the company from inception to its current position as the largest search-engine marketing firm in the Southwest, one of the 20 largest in North America, and one of the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 500 list.

On Thursday, January 14, at 10:00 a.m. (PST), Leake will share details of successful Internet promotion, such as:

• The four basic types of online marketing
• What you need to do before you spend money on online marketing
• What you can do this month to move the ball forward
• Common online marketing mistakes and pitfalls to avoid

Simply visit www.sema.org/events/webinars to register and take advantage of this profit-making opportunity. It's free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Business publications reported in the past few days that online shopping grew as much as 5% from 2008 to $27.1 billion in revenue during this holiday season. Love it or hate it, the Internet has become a prolific sales stream and every forward-looking company must address online sales as part of its marketing strategy.

"The Essentials of Online Marketing," an exclusive new SEMA webinar provides participants with must-know information about how to capture market share and increase sales.

As part of the management team at Power Computing, presenter Bill Leake built the first company to sell $1 million worth of product over the Internet. As CEO and founder of Apogee Search, he has guided the company from inception to its current position as the largest search-engine marketing firm in the Southwest, one of the 20 largest in North America, and one of the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 500 list.

On Thursday, January 14, at 10:00 a.m. (PST), Leake will share details of successful Internet promotion, such as:

• The four basic types of online marketing
• What you need to do before you spend money on online marketing
• What you can do this month to move the ball forward
• Common online marketing mistakes and pitfalls to avoid

Simply visit www.sema.org/events/webinars to register and take advantage of this profit-making opportunity. It's free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Business publications reported in the past few days that online shopping grew as much as 5% from 2008 to $27.1 billion in revenue during this holiday season. Love it or hate it, the Internet has become a prolific sales stream and every forward-looking company must address online sales as part of its marketing strategy.

"The Essentials of Online Marketing," an exclusive new SEMA webinar provides participants with must-know information about how to capture market share and increase sales.

As part of the management team at Power Computing, presenter Bill Leake built the first company to sell $1 million worth of product over the Internet. As CEO and founder of Apogee Search, he has guided the company from inception to its current position as the largest search-engine marketing firm in the Southwest, one of the 20 largest in North America, and one of the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 500 list.

On Thursday, January 14, at 10:00 a.m. (PST), Leake will share details of successful Internet promotion, such as:

• The four basic types of online marketing
• What you need to do before you spend money on online marketing
• What you can do this month to move the ball forward
• Common online marketing mistakes and pitfalls to avoid

Simply visit www.sema.org/events/webinars to register and take advantage of this profit-making opportunity. It's free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Business publications reported in the past few days that online shopping grew as much as 5% from 2008 to $27.1 billion in revenue during this holiday season. Love it or hate it, the Internet has become a prolific sales stream and every forward-looking company must address online sales as part of its marketing strategy.

"The Essentials of Online Marketing," an exclusive new SEMA webinar provides participants with must-know information about how to capture market share and increase sales.

As part of the management team at Power Computing, presenter Bill Leake built the first company to sell $1 million worth of product over the Internet. As CEO and founder of Apogee Search, he has guided the company from inception to its current position as the largest search-engine marketing firm in the Southwest, one of the 20 largest in North America, and one of the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 500 list.

On Thursday, January 14, at 10:00 a.m. (PST), Leake will share details of successful Internet promotion, such as:

• The four basic types of online marketing
• What you need to do before you spend money on online marketing
• What you can do this month to move the ball forward
• Common online marketing mistakes and pitfalls to avoid

Simply visit www.sema.org/events/webinars to register and take advantage of this profit-making opportunity. It's free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Business publications reported in the past few days that online shopping grew as much as 5% from 2008 to $27.1 billion in revenue during this holiday season. Love it or hate it, the Internet has become a prolific sales stream and every forward-looking company must address online sales as part of its marketing strategy.

"The Essentials of Online Marketing," an exclusive new SEMA webinar provides participants with must-know information about how to capture market share and increase sales.

As part of the management team at Power Computing, presenter Bill Leake built the first company to sell $1 million worth of product over the Internet. As CEO and founder of Apogee Search, he has guided the company from inception to its current position as the largest search-engine marketing firm in the Southwest, one of the 20 largest in North America, and one of the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 500 list.

On Thursday, January 14, at 10:00 a.m. (PST), Leake will share details of successful Internet promotion, such as:

• The four basic types of online marketing
• What you need to do before you spend money on online marketing
• What you can do this month to move the ball forward
• Common online marketing mistakes and pitfalls to avoid

Simply visit www.sema.org/events/webinars to register and take advantage of this profit-making opportunity. It's free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Business publications reported in the past few days that online shopping grew as much as 5% from 2008 to $27.1 billion in revenue during this holiday season. Love it or hate it, the Internet has become a prolific sales stream and every forward-looking company must address online sales as part of its marketing strategy.

"The Essentials of Online Marketing," an exclusive new SEMA webinar provides participants with must-know information about how to capture market share and increase sales.

As part of the management team at Power Computing, presenter Bill Leake built the first company to sell $1 million worth of product over the Internet. As CEO and founder of Apogee Search, he has guided the company from inception to its current position as the largest search-engine marketing firm in the Southwest, one of the 20 largest in North America, and one of the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 500 list.

On Thursday, January 14, at 10:00 a.m. (PST), Leake will share details of successful Internet promotion, such as:

• The four basic types of online marketing
• What you need to do before you spend money on online marketing
• What you can do this month to move the ball forward
• Common online marketing mistakes and pitfalls to avoid

Simply visit www.sema.org/events/webinars to register and take advantage of this profit-making opportunity. It's free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.