Shawn Olson Guestbook

Mike mike said: [ Regarding Canon 10D Err 99 ]

I am looking to buy a Canon Rebel XTi and I read a review about the Error 99 issue. I am wondering if everyone would still recomend me to purchase it with the real potential of having this same problem, or if i should look for another DSLR.

justine hayward said:

great/ so useful! thanx

C Reynolds said: [ Regarding Scams to make you feel cool ]

Hi,

Thanks for putting this out there. I got the ego booster too. One from Biltmore & I stupidly sent my info in. Then I got a man calling me at home leaving a message. Before I got the chance to call back tried me at my office to interview me. Then he started talking about membership fees & plane tickets. After listening to him for about 10 minutes I told him I don't want to be included that I rescind my application. He went on for another 5 minutes, then I just hung up.

Don't you know w/in 2 minutes he called me back at my office & I knew it would be him, so I let it got to voice mail. He then told me I was unprofessional & this is a networking organization...how dare I?! He then said I would still be included. Hopefully the harrasment stops here.

I had been in other Who's Who publications as a student, so I didn't really think anything of it when I filled out the app.

Lesson learned, if it sounds to good to be true it is!

[ See Responses ]

Gary Merde said:

nice site

Scam Fraud said: [ Regarding Cyber Trial Lawyer or Cyber Bully? ]

The annoyed librarian has this to say about Cambridge Who's Who:
http://annoyedlibrarian.blogspot.com/2006/08/ala-sells-me-out-to-scam-artists.html

Cambridge Who? said: [ Regarding Scams to make you feel cool ]

Cambridge Who's Who has even managed to annoy the Annoyed Librarian even more:
http://annoyedlibrarian.blogspot.com/2006/08/ala-sells-me-out-to-scam-artists.html

No One said: [ Regarding Scams to make you feel cool ]

Randy Narod, the owner of Cambridge Who's Who may have been in big trouble before:
http://www.finra.org/web/groups/enforcement/documents/monthly_disciplinary_actions/p007551.pdf

Randy Harris Narod (Registered Representative, Oceanside, New York) submitted an Offer of Settlement pursuant to which he was censured, fined $50,000, barred from association with any NASD member in any capacity, and required to disgorge all monies earned by him while associated or otherwise employed in the securities industry after September 11, 1995, in the amount of at least $1,000. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Narod consented to the described sanctions and to the entry of findings that he arranged to have an impostor take the Series 7 and 63 exams on his behalf. Narod also failed to respond to NASD requests to appear for an on-the record interview.

Gunga Den said: [ See Comment Stimulus ]

I received a card in the mail from Cambridge Who’s Who, and we interested in the opportunity to be entered into a world of writing professionals, and it was advertised as free. Cambridge Who's Who contacted me and persuaded me that joining them would be beneficial for my career as a writing, saying that I would be “published”. They seized on my desire as a writer to be published, and made promises that in retrospect I should have known better.

Well, it turns out it wasn’t so “free” after all. The Cambridge Who’s Who package I ordered was about $190.00 but I was also promised a $100.00 gift certificate for jewelry. I thought this wasn’t so bad, getting published in Cambridge Who’s Who and jewelry too. It turns out that the jewelry store would not honor the gift certificate, and, my attempts to complain to Cambridge Who Who went unanswered.

I looked up the work “scam” in the dictionary, and found that it meant “a confidence game or other fraudulent scheme, esp. for making a quick profit; swindle” and “to cheat or defraud with a scam”. I don’t know if Cambridge Who’s Who is a “scam”, but I do feel as though I was conned. I really feel that being in the Cambridge Who’s Who will help my career in anyway at all.

My attempts to get a refund were faced with unreturned phone calls, and customer service people that were very rude that told me “All sales are final”.

I felt very embarrassed and it took a lot to share this, but I feel that it is important for people to know about this before they give these people any money. Please, learn from what I went through.

Alex Newmark said: [ Regarding Scams to make you feel cool ]

I received an invitation in 2007, I was last employed in 1995.
I'd be happy to put this in an affidavit.

Zack Kery said: [ Regarding Cyber Trial Lawyer or Cyber Bully? ]

While doing reasech on Cambridge Who's Who, I found this information about the guy that owns the place. Randy Harris Narod (Registered
Representative, Oceanside, New
York) submitted an Offer of Settlement
pursuant to which he was censured,
fined $50,000, barred from
association with any NASD member
in any capacity, and required to disgorge
all monies earned by him while
associated or otherwise employed in
the securities industry after September
11, 1995, in the amount of at least
$1,000. Without admitting or denying
the allegations, Narod consented to
the described sanctions and to the
entry of findings that he arranged to
have an impostor take the Series 7
and 63 exams on his behalf. Narod
also failed to respond to NASD
requests to appear for an on-therecord
interview

Tio vanderez said:

Very nice site. Good work, thanks.

Art Pharlee said:

Hello. The examples look great. Do you have any contacts in Europe? I am doing some advance work for a Boston-based think tank regarding some enlightened aid programs for sub-Saharan Africa. I'll have funds to go to a European airport for consulting on website design, but not all the way to the States.

mina y said: [ Regarding Cyber Trial Lawyer or Cyber Bully? ]

Shawn...much mahalo for writing and posting about this "scam". I received this letter "Cambridge Who's who" yesterday and being a business owner I thought cool but at the same time I thought is this for real? This morning I did a little research and your site came up and I read about their lovely tactics to "scam" people into believing that this was a honor/achievement. Thank you thank you! Hope that the judge will dismiss this "BS" and realize that they are wasting precious time that could be spent on important cases!!!! aloha!

JW W said: [ Regarding Scams to make you feel cool ]

I will back you in ANY law suite, as I myself, just today, dealt with "Madison Who's Who" and the guy said EXACTLY the same things that lady said to you even down to the plane tickets and the non-profit price!!! WOW! When he asked if it was budgetary issues holding me back (even told me how much it came out to each month to market myself) I told him that actually I thought a REAL WHO'S WHO would not make people pay to get it the publication. So, the man, "Joe Phillips" got mad and totally bashed me on the phone befor ehe hung up on me. I run a for profit website that gives free veterinary advice and information to pet owners. The profit is made from advertisers, not the visitors. This guy had the balls to tell me (right after I told him I shouldn't have to pay to be in a Who's Who) that I was a horrible person who helped animals for money and that he doesn't want me in HIS book! Well I never got a chance to tell him that I make very little money, but that I do have to eat and so do my kids. Your friendly neighborhood veterinarian also makes money to provide for his family but he also helps animals. I laughed so hard when I laid the phone down - I mean, what better way to prove to me that you are trying to scam me then to do that!!!!

Shawn, good for you for posting this blog and don't let them push you to take it down! If you ever need testimoney from someone else who has been almost scammed, please let me know!!

[ See Responses ]

Carlos Sandoval said: [ Regarding Cyber Trial Lawyer or Cyber Bully? ]

I just received the same later described on your blog and I am glad I stopped to do some research before completing an application. Thanks for posting this so other people know what kind of company this is. What this company is doing sounds a lot like fraud and I imagine it would make a very interesting class action from the people who have paid the subscription and have not received anything.

emma hill said: [ Regarding Golden Retriever Photos ]

Dewey is gorgeous the picture are great, im a member of a great website www.golden-babies.com if you haven't already please come and visit and share these pics of Dewey on the forum,i have a goldie myself called mango they are just the best breed :)

Cambridge Who said: [ Regarding Scams to make you feel cool ]

Look at these sites
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/272887/cambridge_whos_who_who_is_going_to.html
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27053
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/272887/cambridge_whos_who_who_is_going_to.html

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2007/04/victoria-strauss-beware-whos-who.html

Joseph Heller said: [ Regarding Guestbook Updates ]

Thanks for such a great site!

LANE PHILLI said: [ Regarding Cyber Trial Lawyer or Cyber Bully? ]

Outstanding comments Shawn! I just got my letter today from Cambridge and it says quite clearly "There is no charge or obligation for qualified individuals to be listed in the online registry." So, when later you're dunned for the cost of "membership," and opposition to the cost ends in a hang up, that would equal deception, right? And they are suing you??? Maybe I'll just hang on to my response card which by the just has blanks for me to fill out. Clearly it could be filled by anyone like maybe by one of the secretaries or clerks to the Judge hearing your case. Let me know if it gets that far 'cause this could be fun. In the meantime, thank you for taking the time to try and help others avoid people and organizations like this one. We need more people like you and a lot less like them.

Heather LaBarre said: [ Regarding Cyber Trial Lawyer or Cyber Bully? ]

I too got a call with the same dialog. I suffer from a big ego too...but did not get scammed. When the woman stated that my husband should just support my decision to spend $899 and to just pay it, I thought this woman is insane.
As for the legal battle, if it is in fact a real suit, you can put the complaint on your website, it is a public document if it was filed with a court (unless filed under seal). Just a side note.