Exhibitors are being targeted by companies claiming to be, or work with, EFTTA/EFTTEX. They use existing event branding and may appear genuine. In the past this has included directories and hotel bookings but companies are now also claiming they can sell visitor data from events. This is not the case.
Be vigilant, read the small print, inform your exhibition, marketing and finance teams about the risk of scams and check with the EFTTA/EFTTEX Team if you receive anything you are not expecting or are unsure of.
Organisations such as Event Fair, FairGuide.com/Construct Data Verlag, Expo Guide (Mexico) and International Fairs Directory (Portugal) are targeting exhibitors with their misleading directory services. Unsuspecting exhibitors who sign and return the form are then contracted into a three-year, non-retractable agreement, which could cost the exhibitor a significant amount of money.
If you fall victim to this scam:
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.
1) Report it to your local trading standards
2) DO NOT PAY ANYTHING
3) DO NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE SCAMMERS even when they threaten legal action
4) 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.
IF IN DOUBT PLEASE CONTACT YOUR COMPANY LAWYER
The letters/emails sometimes includes the names of EFTTEX and EFTTA, but as the company does not state it is working on behalf of EFTTA, there is nothing EFTTA can do to stop them from being sent out.
Please disregard these letters/emails and be advised that EFTTA does not cooperate with such companies. Any information sent out by EFTTA will be on EFTTA or EFTTEX headed paper. If you receive any such letters and are in any doubt, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the EFTTA office (info@eftta.com).