For a mere $57.95 you can be the Best of Business.
Yesterday I received notification that I had received an award for being an outstanding business. Needless to say I was just a bit surprise, and very skeptical.
I mean I know that I offer value added service to my clients. But I had no idea that the Small Business Commerce Association (the awarder) even knew about me or my company. How could I be so wrong, they are ready to give me a Best of Business award, because they believed “I had achieved exceptional success in my community,” wow how did they know?
Well I checked into to this award, I supposedly won. After checking all the boxes that asked me if the name was spelled correctly, they had the mailing address correct etc. I got to the page that counted. There were a bevy of people who were also recipients of this 2009 Best of Business award. It looked like I would be in some good company. Only one problem, it would cost me $57.95 to get the plaque. They even had a combination offer of a plaque and faceted award for a mere $157.95, such a deal. Oh yes, there was a press release ready on their website “that herby grants T.A.Wilson & Associates a non-exclusive, revocable, license to use, copy, publish, stream, publicly display, reformat, excerpt, and distribute this press release.” Amazing, a plaque or faceted award or both and a ready to go press release how kind of them.
I called my friend “the sage” to let him know about my recent achievement. He listened to me and when I laughingly told him that I would have to pay to get this award, he said, “You pay for all awards, but the ones that count are from your deeds and accomplishments.” This is why I call him “the sage.”
Getting this notification, got me to thinking about how easy it is to have people think you’re more than you really are. Or that you’ve accomplishment more than you really have. I’m not being a prude here, but I feel that if one is given an award it should be – as my friend “the sage” – says through deeds and accomplishments not by the mere fact you can pay for it by giving some company your credit card number.
I know that we live in the age of instant gratification. But if I’m going to get any awards, I want to do it the E.F. Hutton way, I want to earn it. Besides buying it takes away all the fun.
November 11, 2009
Posted in: Tim's Random Thoughts
3 Responses
Thank you for posting this article. Our Real Estate business also received this “award”. I had a feeling it was a scam. I searched the internet and found other companies had received a similar award and had the article on their website. I was not convinced. I found this article, and my suspicions are confirmed. I knew they must have wanted money in some shape or form. I agree that we should be recognized for providing a superior product or service (which we do), and not for having a business license.
Thank you again for posting this article.
My brother’s company received one of these “awards” as well. The website itself bothered me enough to feel it was a ripoff so I did a little sleuthing. The Whois info which shows that the website itself was only just registered in July of this year. The main site wasn’t registered until November 2009!!! Also, there are apparently no 2008 recipients, though Google turns up a slew of 2009 award winners. Seems like a clever enough money making scheme, getting people to pay for an award that has no legitimacy.
Domain ID:D156573999-LROR
Domain Name:SBCAAWARDS.ORG
Created On:03-Jul-2009 19:29:41 UTC
Last Updated On:10-Nov-2009 17:51:31 UTC
Expiration Date:03-Jul-2011 19:29:41 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:GoDaddy.com, Inc. (R91-LROR)
Status:OK
Registrant ID:CR5861438
Registrant Name:David Barker
Registrant Organization:Small Business Commerce Associaiton
Registrant Street1:548 Market St # 35785
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:San Francisco
Registrant State/Province:California
Registrant Postal Code:94104
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.8004942816
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:support@sbcaawards.org
Admin ID:CR5861444
Admin Name:David Barker
Admin Organization:Small Business Commerce Associaiton
Admin Street1:548 Market St # 35785
Admin Street2:
Admin Street3:
Admin City:San Francisco
Admin State/Province:California
Admin Postal Code:94104
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:+1.8004942816
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:support@sbcaawards.org
Tech ID:CR5861440
Tech Name:David Barker
Tech Organization:Small Business Commerce Associaiton
Tech Street1:548 Market St # 35785
Tech Street2:
Tech Street3:
Tech City:San Francisco
Tech State/Province:California
Tech Postal Code:94104
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:+1.8004942816
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:support@sbcaawards.org
Name Server:NS2.DISCOUNTASP.NET
Name Server:NS1.DISCOUNTASP.NET
Name Server:NS3.DISCOUNTASP.NET
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
DNSSEC:Unsigned
Registrant:
Make this info private
SBCA Awards, Inc.
548 Market St # 35785
San Francisco, CA 94104
US
Domain Name: SMALLBUSINESSCOMMERCEASSOCIATION.ORG
Administrative Contact , Technical Contact :
SBCA Awards, Inc.
sales@sbcaawards.org
548 Market St # 35785
San Francisco, CA 94104
US
Phone: (800) 494-2816
Record expires on 03-Jul-2014
Record created on 19-Nov-2009
Database last updated on 19-Nov-2009
Domain servers in listed order:
Manage DNS
NS79.WORLDNIC.COM
205.178.190.40
NS80.WORLDNIC.COM
205.178.144.40
I’m glad you checked it out. It’s nice to receive acknowledgement, and be rewarded because you earned it. Paying for it takes away the fun.
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