Getting Back at the International Speakers Network

See the comment below -- someone has asked what we can do to put the International Speakers Network and Book a Speaker. net out of business.

What I know is that there are dozens, if not hundreds of people who have paid money for services never rendered. Promises made, not kept. Frustration -- and David Wright and his son, Greg Wright, laughing up their sleeves at all of us who sent money and really expected they were going to help us out!

The point was made that "none of the people who worked there two years ago are there now." There is at least one -- Dona is still there as far as I know. I also know Brenda went out on her own to scam people all by herself. Turns out she just finished her 10 years of probation for stealing a quarter million dollars from her last employer! (Wow -- must make it tough to find a new job. No honor among thieves?)

If you have had problems with the International Speakers Network, here are some things that you can do to make sure others don't waste their money:

1. The more information written online about ISN and its bad business, the more chance someone searching for information about them will find it. What we know about rising in the ranks in search engines is that the more links that come IN to a site, the higher it ranks.
2. If everyone who has been scammed starts a blog like this, or is willing to link from an existing website, then all these posts will rise in the search engines. So you can start by writing a blog and linking to this blog: http://burnedbyisn.blogspot.com/
3. Once you have written a blog, let me know, and I will link back. We can start a whole group of blogs that are linking to each other -- and they will all rise in the search engine results.
4. The Rip Off Report already shows up on the first page of search results. Go to the Rip Off report and add to the information I have started there. You'll have to sign up, but you'll find it can be useful. I started the first post there many months ago, and since then, someone from ISN (pretending they weren't!) posted. Then just a few days ago, someone else posted about problems again. The more people who post, the better. Here's the link: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/291/RipOff0291778.htm
5. File with the Knoxville Better Business Bureau. There are a few, and because David Wright replies with so much bull-pooky, you won't get your money back. BUT -- file anyway. It takes only a few minutes and it causes ISN to have to do the paperwork. Even if you don't get your money back, you get the satisfaction of knowing that the BBB knows these guys are scam artists. Here's the link for the BBB: http://knoxville.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=57&bbb=0533&firm=11488 It does say ISN has an "unsatisfactory" record -- but that and a quarter....
6. Lawsuit -- I'm going to let someone else pick up the ball on that one. It's easy enough for me to get back in touch with all those I know have been scammed -- probably about two dozen people I know about who have reached out to me. We can always reach out to others on their list of speakers.

Please let me know if you do any of the above and I'll do updates to this blog.

Does This Email from International Speakers Network Sound Familiar? Don't Fall for This!

I was just contacted by someone who has received one of the ISN marketing emails. If you have been receiving these, please read carefully below! Here's the most recent -- as of 8/24/08:

We are currently working on five bookings for events being planned for 2008- 2009. We need speakers who can speak to these audiences.

The first event will be in August 2008 in Colorado. They are looking for one or two motivational speakers who can talk to members of Blacks in Government for their Annual National Training Conference. The budget is $5,000 per keynote speaker, plus expenses. (There are additional details on the call for presentation form)

The second event is in March 2009 in Texas. They need a keynote speaker for a 90 minute presentation. It will be for a human resource management association. The budget is $7,500, plus expenses. They are looking for someone to speak on human resources. (There are additional details on the call for presentation form)

The third event is in March 2009 in Colorado. They are seeking a keynote speaker for the opening session for a 60 minute presentation on teambuilding. The budget is $7,500, plus expenses. (There are additional details on the call for presentation form)

The fourth event is in May 2009 in North Carolina. They are seeking keynote speakers for the opening session for a 60 minute presentation to Professional Women on topics such as stress, life balance, mentoring, and motivation. The budget is $5,000-7,500, plus expenses. (There are additional details on the call for presentation form)

The fifth event will be in July 2009 in New York. They are looking for one or two speakers who can talk on health, nutrition, and pharmaceutical topics. The budget is $10,000 per keynote speaker, plus expenses. It is for the annual meeting and educational workshop. (There are additional details on the call for presentation form)

We have been expanding lately into various markets and are looking for speakers who are innovative and creative with topics for these markets.
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OK -- so let me let you in on one of the worst kept secrets there is.... this is a scam. These conferences do not really exist! No they do not!

I fell for these emails, too. It's the reason I lost my money to them. I thought they were real.

Want proof? For one thing -- the only listing that actually tells you much is the first one. It says, "The first event will be in August 2008 in Colorado. They are looking for one or two motivational speakers who can talk to members of Blacks in Government for their Annual National Training Conference. The budget is $5,000 per keynote speaker, plus expenses. (There are additional details on the call for presentation form) "

So I looked up the National Training Conference and sure enough -- it WAS held in August (past tense) -- and it was held in New Orleans! Not Colorado. Oh. Think it was a typo? Think they meant 2009? Guess again -- it will be held in Baltimore, MD in 2009. And in Kansas City, Boston and Detroit after that.

See that "additional details are on the presentation form" thing? That is the disclaimer. If somehow you get one of these emails and you already paid your money, and you call to say "hey, how about me? What am I? Chopped liver? -- because of course, we all fit those profiles -- you will find out that there is some magical exclusion on that presentation form that means you won't fit the profile. Uh-huh. So sorry. These emails are a good exercise in creative writing, no more. And they are good at it. An awful lot of us fall for them!

And let me warn you. Once you sign up and pay them the money they want, those opportunities are never offered again. I don't remember ever hearing about any conference that needed a speaker, keynote or otherwise, once I paid. Nope. Those opportunities seem to have dried right up.

So there you go. Today's lesson. SAVE YOUR MONEY.
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One commenter (below) asked about getting back at ISN -- see my follow up with ways to do that.
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And now Helen Weighs In... Another Speaker Burned by ISN

Received yesterday from Helen (no, not her real name)....

Hi-I have also been burned (and am still until I get my money back…well that probably won’t happen) by ISN.

I joined ISN early this year and since then nothing....of course the bogus monthly updates "we have booked all these fabulous events for our people" and "come to our events" - so I called them and asked who are you booking?

They gave me 4 names of people they book (all of whom are graduates of their "events") and we contacted all of them, no response. So I asked ISN "do we have to attend your events to get gigs?" response "it helps, but no."

It is always some excuse. I speak about 10 times a month and frankly it is not difficult to get me gigs. The promo they did for me was a mess, they claimed their computers went down and they lost all materials (I guess calling me to ask for them again was not an option).

I am frankly pissed, and at this point am deciding whether or not to have a lawyer write a letter to them asking for my money back and then also speaking to someone to have them investigated.

I didn't pay for the extra stuff, just the $500-ish initial amount since I thought it would be easy to book me. Thus far 100% of my bookings are word-of-mouth and I thought it couldn't hurt having someone else "help" me. 99% of the e-mails I get are to help us with videos, cards, brochures - things I (and any seasoned speaker) already have.

It is pretty genius, $500 - $1000 is not worth fighting for with lawyers, and most of us would write it off with "burned and move on" so they were thinking when they choose that amount. It was only a matter or time before they get "caught."

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Thanks for letting us know, Helen. I'm sorry you have been caught in this bogus International Speaker's Network scam, too.

ISN Strikes Again - Hope This Makes You Pause

I heard today from Sylvia (not her real name) that she, too, has thrown her money away. This is her note to me.... sad but true:

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... I found your blog about your bad experience with the International Speakers Network, but it just seemed like you had some beef against them. They were so nice on the phone. After I found your blog, I asked them and they said they knew you and that you had caused the problem not them.

So I sent them my money, and I went to one of their workshops. It was such a waste of time! All I did was listen to other people speak. There were a few sessions about marketing my own speaking, but that's what I thought they were going to do for me!

Now it's several months later. So far -- nothing. They keep sending me emails telling me they want to include me in a book, or in a mailing, or on postcards. They just want more and more of my money, but they have done nothing for me! And so far, including the cost to attend that worthless workshop, I have spent more than $2000 with nothing to show for it.

I just wanted you to know that now I understand exactly what you meant about the ISN taking all your money but not doing what they promise to do. I am sorry it happened to you. I am sorry it happened to me.

I hope other people are smart enough to pay attention to both of us.

Thanks for letting me vent. Yes, you can use this on your blog.
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I don't need to add to Sylvia's words. I just hope you find them and take them to heart.