Unfortunately, exhibitors and attendees to major exhibitions and conferences are sometimes targeted by fraudsters to obtain money. We work very closely with Association of Exhibition Organisers (AEO) to identify these scams and we always communicate these to our customers. Below are details of known scams. Please be aware of these and be vigilant if you are contacted by any organisation not listed in your Exhibitor Manual or official Clarion Events documentation in relation to any of our events.
Always read the small print details before signing any documents. Please contact us if you require any clarification.
Show Guides:
In recent years, third parties such as Expo Guides, Fairguide, Construct Data Verlag, International Fairs Directory, Event Specialist and others have targeted exhibitors at major exhibitions for paid entries into show guides. These companies are NOT in any way affiliated with Race Retro and they are NOT working on our behalf.
These companies use a misleading form, often with the show logo, which resembles an organiser’s free catalogue entry form. Exhibitors who sign and return the form for an entry in an online directory are contracted into a three-year, "non-retractable" agreement. Non-payment is then followed by aggressive debt collecting by recovery agents, including threats of legal action.
We are no longer creating show guides for Race Retro, so all the more reason to ignore and report emails like this! Once again, please email us if you need any clarity.
Attendee Lists:
There are a number of email scams claiming to sell attendee lists, sent from a variety of email addresses. These companies are NOT in any way affiliated with Clarion Events Ltd. Race Retro does NOT sell attendee lists and it is not available to buy through any third parties. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of the team.
Advice
The current advice from the AEO is as follows:
Our advice is to IGNORE THEM COMPLETELY, and do not communicate with them in any way. Writing letters and responding to emails simply confirms that you exist and are available at the address/email address/number they have for you, and therefore payment can be pursued.
- ALERT the organiser of your event
- Report it to your local trading standards
- DO NOT PAY ANYTHING
- DO NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE SCAMMERS even when they threaten legal action
- Optional: Complain to the receiving bank that their client Expo Guide (or equivalent), is obtaining money by deception.
These organisations have also been known to use debt recovery agencies, the same advice stands for these agencies. Do not engage with them.
