Is this a scam?

[Boxlicker101]

Personally, I think it is.

Earlier this year, I wrote an illustrated poem and it is posted now. Just for a lark, I entered it in a contest online, less the illustrations, and I was notified that the contest judges thought my poem was so wonderful that they wanted to print it in a book, on a page all its own. They also wanted me to buy some books but they did not ask me to pay any of the costs of publishing, like the Vanity Press would have. I didn't buy any books and I haven't seen any. I don't know that there have been any printed.

Recently I got a circular in the mail supposedly from a group called the International Society of Poets. It says I am one of 36 amateur poets who will be sharing $74,000 in prizes, including a grand prize of $20,000. I don't really believe this but the only payment they are asking me to make is $595 to register at a convention in Philadelphia in August where the awards will be presented.

I am a firm believer in the saying "If it sounds too good to be true, it ain't true." Even so, they are making promises about the convention including W. D. Snodgrass, Pulitzer prize winner and a professor at the U. of Delaware, David Wagoner, Dr. Herbert Woodward Martin, Florence Henderson and The Shirelles, an R. & B. group.

I don't actually expect to go because I think it is a scam but I can't help thinking thatit is a rather elaborate scam. If I actually win anything, they can mail me the check. Anyhow, I am wondering what others think of this.

 

[WickedEve]

Here's a link for you to check out that's in our Poetry Links thread at the top of this forum: http://www.writing.org/html/a_poetry_scams.htm

 

[Boxlicker101]

Here's a link for you to check out that's in our Poetry Links thread at the top of this forum: http://www.writing.org/html/a_poetry_scams.htm

Thanks. I checked the link and it sounds like they are describing a vanity press. The selling price of the book that supposedly includes my poem, if I had bought one, would have been the price mentioned. The International Society of Poets, the people who sent me the application, are listed as a sponsor of the site listed in the article. I haven't spent any money yet and I don't intend to unless I know for sure that it is worth my while.

 

[fawnie]

Thanks. I checked the link and it sounds like they are describing a vanity press. The selling price of the book that supposedly includes my poem, if I had bought one, would have been the price mentioned. The International Society of Poets, the people who sent me the application, are listed as a sponsor of the site listed in the article. I haven't spent any money yet and I don't intend to unless I know for sure that it is worth my while.

it's a scam ..don't waste your money! i checked them out..1000's of people got that email (including me) i deleted it..but you can do whatever makes you happy.. it's just my 2 cents worth

 

[thenry]

http://www.sykografix.com/articles/article3/

 

[Boxlicker101]

After I started the thread I did some checking on my own with these results:

Rip Off Report:International Society of Poets ripoff shame on them!!! Owings Mills Maryland
... Modified: 1/9/2003 1:41:35 PM. International Society of Poets ripoff shame on them ... Rip-off ReportsTM on International Society of Poets, please use the search box below ...
www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff40800.htm


Rip Off Report:International Society of Poets ripoff - victimized and victimizes many consumers Internet
... International Society of Poets ripoff - victimized and victimizes many consumers Internet. International Society of Poets. Address: www.poetry.com ...
www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff41133.htm


SPECIAL NEWS REPORT International Society of Poets Update(
... R E P O R T. International Society of Poets Update. ... Everything did not go smoothly for the officers of the International Society of Poets at their August convention ...
windpub.com/literary.scams/update.htm


Junk Mail Letters: International Society of Poets
One of the junk mail letters in Lincoln Trudeau: The Site. ... Elizabeth Barnesc/o International Society of PoetsP.O ... I recently received in the mail an invitation to The International Society of Poets Gala Poetry Symposium and Convention ...
www.lincolntrudeau.homestead.com/poemconv.html

Therre are probably more but I stopped at this point. Oh, well. I haven't invested anything except a little time.

 

[Angeline]

Personally, I think it is.

Earlier this year, I wrote an illustrated poem and it is posted now. Just for a lark, I entered it in a contest online, less the illustrations, and I was notified that the contest judges thought my poem was so wonderful that they wanted to print it in a book, on a page all its own. They also wanted me to buy some books but they did not ask me to pay any of the costs of publishing, like the Vanity Press would have. I didn't buy any books and I haven't seen any. I don't know that there have been any printed.

Recently I got a circular in the mail supposedly from a group called the International Society of Poets. It says I am one of 36 amateur poets who will be sharing $74,000 in prizes, including a grand prize of $20,000. I don't really believe this but the only payment they are asking me to make is $595 to register at a convention in Philadelphia in August where the awards will be presented.

I am a firm believer in the saying "If it sounds too good to be true, it ain't true." Even so, they are making promises about the convention including W. D. Snodgrass, Pulitzer prize winner and a professor at the U. of Delaware, David Wagoner, Dr. Herbert Woodward Martin, Florence Henderson and The Shirelles, an R. & B. group.

I don't actually expect to go because I think it is a scam but I can't help thinking thatit is a rather elaborate scam. If I actually win anything, they can mail me the check. Anyhow, I am wondering what others think of this.

Any poetry "contest" that asks you to pay more than a nominal reading fee (about 5-10 USD per poem submitted) is undoubtedly a scam. I agree that you are dealing with a vanity press--for not much more than that amount of money ($595), you could have a book of your own published and sell it yourself. We've all had these offers--sad but true.


Ange

 

[JCSTREET]

Re: Is this a scam? - essentially yeah

Personally, I think it is.

Earlier this year, I wrote an illustrated poem and it is posted now. Just for a lark, I entered it in a contest online, less the illustrations, and I was notified that the contest judges thought my poem was so wonderful that they wanted to print it in a book, on a page all its own. They also wanted me to buy some books but they did not ask me to pay any of the costs of publishing, like the Vanity Press would have. I didn't buy any books and I haven't seen any. I don't know that there have been any printed.

Recently I got a circular in the mail supposedly from a group called the International Society of Poets. It says I am one of 36 amateur poets who will be sharing $74,000 in prizes, including a grand prize of $20,000. I don't really believe this but the only payment they are asking me to make is $595 to register at a convention in Philadelphia in August where the awards will be presented.

I am a firm believer in the saying "If it sounds too good to be true, it ain't true." Even so, they are making promises about the convention including W. D. Snodgrass, Pulitzer prize winner and a professor at the U. of Delaware, David Wagoner, Dr. Herbert Woodward Martin, Florence Henderson and The Shirelles, an R. & B. group.

I don't actually expect to go because I think it is a scam but I can't help thinking thatit is a rather elaborate scam. If I actually win anything, they can mail me the check. Anyhow, I am wondering what others think of this.

by the way

are you any relation to cuntlapper??

 

[Cordelia]

stumbled across this article...

Why isn't there a lawsuit or something?




Cordelia

 

[Boxlicker101]

Re: stumbled across this article...

Why isn't there a lawsuit or something?




Cordelia

The vanity press is already well established. It isn't exactly a ripoff because all they really do is print books to order for people who want to see their stuff in print. I am, personally, not that interested in being published on that basis. As for reservations at conventions, I was not bilked there so I have no grounds for a complaint. Some other persons might but the amounts involved are rather small except for small claims court, and these courts have little or no teeth when it comes to the internet scams like the ones described.

There might actually be some kind of convention; I am certainly not going to go and find out.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Re: Re: Is this a scam? - essentially yeah

by the way

are you any relation to cuntlapper??

We are not related but I am related to Clitsucker.

 

[alyxen]

Re: Re: stumbled across this article...

The vanity press is already well established. It isn't exactly a ripoff because all they really do is print books to order for people who want to see their stuff in print. I am, personally, not that interested in being published on that basis. As for reservations at conventions, I was not bilked there so I have no grounds for a complaint. Some other persons might but the amounts involved are rather small except for small claims court, and these courts have little or no teeth when it comes to the internet scams like the ones described.

There might actually be some kind of convention; I am certainly not going to go and find out.

My grandmother had her book published through vanity press. It was basically an auto-biography, and was not, of course, of any interest to a major publisher. This allowed her to have it printed and thus preserved for her great-grandkids that may not remember her.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Re: Re: Re: stumbled across this article...

My grandmother had her book published through vanity press. It was basically an auto-biography, and was not, of course, of any interest to a major publisher. This allowed her to have it printed and thus preserved for her great-grandkids that may not remember her.

The vanity press does serve a certain function and this is an example of it. As long as their customers know what the deal is, nobody is hurt and nobody is gypped. It's when, as in this example, they lie to people and make promises they have no intention of keeping that it becomes a scam. In my case, and that of others, they wanted people to pay a lot of money to attend some phony convention, and the people would get nothing out of it. They promise prizes and probably never award them, except maybe to shills. That is scamming, and is probably illegal.