Beware of SCAMS
Fake Show and Exhibition Directory Advertising Scams
We would like to warn about an advertising scam that targets exhibitors and sponsors at numerous shows around the world. One of these scams claiming to relate to the FEICA Conference and EXPO has kindly been drawn to our attention by a previous exhibitor. It came from an organisation calling itself the International Fairs Directory, based in France. There are various companies operating this scam using a range of names. To be clear, this company and others ARE NOT IN ANY WAY affiliated to FEICA.
It works like this:
- You receive a letter or email with your company details on from an organisation indicating that this is your free entry in a “show guide” for the exhibition in question. You are asked to check the details, and send it back to the company.
- In the “small print”, which people often do not read, you will find that you are actually also entering into a contract for an advertisement, usually for €1,000+, in a show guide every year.
Please do not fall for this scam. Information about the FEICA Conference and EXPO will come from FEICA only.
Hotel Booking Scams
It has been brought to our attention that a service provider by the name of Exhibition Housing Services (EHS), Exhibition Housing Management (EHM) or TradeShow Housing, has contacted exhibitors, citing the FEICA Conference, to offer hotel reservation services.
To be clear, this company and others ARE NOT IN ANY WAY affiliated to FEICA, and are NOT authorised to use our name or the name of the hotel.
How do they operate?
This company is aggressively cold-calling and spamming companies, usually exhibitors, with a so-called large discount on the hotel room rate.
Once you’ve indicated to be interested, they will send you a contract or ask for your credit card details. Do not sign any document or provide your credit card details.
- No one should contact you directly to book your hotel room or offer you a “special discounted conference rate” or “can save you $30.00 off your room rate”. If you receive one of these calls or emails, it is a scam. They are not affiliated with FEICA.
- If you receive a phone call from someone wanting to speak to the “tradeshow coordinator or the person who is handling the FEICA Conference that your company is attending in September”, it is a scam and they are not affiliated with FEICA.
- If you receive a phone call or email from someone mentioning that “there is a problem with your hotel reservation at the conference hotel”, it is a scam and they are not affiliated with FEICA. The only genuine contact regarding your hotel booking is Ms Gabriele Hanke (registration@feica-conferences.com) of the FEICA Conference Secretariat.
This type of scam used to target events mainly based in the United States. Unfortunately these companies now seem to have redirected their attention to European conferences and exhibitions. Please be aware of this, you may come across these deceptive practices at any event, not only ours.
Thank you to the exhibitors who have alerted us to this matter and sent in the information we needed to take action and help prevent other attendees from getting scammed.
How to book your room in a safe way?
Hotel reservations are only possible via the online registration for the conference.
Please be alert if you receive offers for hotel bookings, advertising space, exhibitor support, or any other kind of service. Should you receive any suspicious offers, please send them to us at info@feica.eu. We will investigate and take steps to warn others should it turn out to be a scam.
Who’s who at FEICA?
The FEICA Event team that may contact you:
FEICA Conference Secretariat
(registrations, invoicing & hotel bookings)
Ms Gabriele Hanke, TCA
registration@feica-conferences.com
+49 2102 66 936
+49 2102 96 48 29
FEICA Conference Event Coordinator
(sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, logistics)
Ms Marion Krämer, COMEET
marion.kraemer@feica-conferences.com
+49 172 266 1283
FEICA Secretariat
+32 (0)2 896 96 00
Ms Ina Suffeleers
FEICA Communications
+32 2 896 96 06