Shawn Olson Creative Arts 142 18 http://www.shawnolson.net http://www.shawnolson.net/sitemedia/shawnolsoncreativearts.gif http://www.shawnolson.net/guest/1/?refType=article&refId=1336 Guestbook Posts http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 WOW!!! Thats all I can say! I was just googling a company because it was on facebook and this was on the top of the google list! Very informative! Tracy Heiba 2009-07-16T19:38:27-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 Are you kidding me? You let these people win. The practice that these people as well as others use are very questionable. You did not deserve to call yourself a journalist if after a little scare you are afriad to express your feelings about a company. john k 2009-05-02T13:37:23-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 Just for reference. Lawsuits are public information. Chances are there is a database online that we can view the case. These people contacted me too. They are what you say they are "matchstick men". Regardless way to stick it to the man. I was in a lawsuit for 4 years over absolute dick... Was finally thrown out and now I'm a happier man. The only discrepancy about posting the lawsuit would be the conditions of the "court settlement". Other then this you can list the case file and chances are people can laugh as they review. Sometimes companies have their foot in their ass regardless... But better to be safe then sorry. P.S. sorry about the court fees, they're a bitch. Ryan 2009-02-23T18:30:27-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 Talk about a scam! Your whole story about a lawsuit is a scam! Great reading though...in the style of Dan Brown (fiction threaded into some reality). I was totally sucked into it until I realized what you were doing... Keep it up! Great fiction. Sam Smith 2009-01-29T07:12:21-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 awwww Shawnnn I so want to know what happened! lol. i typed in cww info and have found numerous pages that accuse them of "scandelous" behavior. :) thanks for the info and the good read... *likes it when you say stick it to the man *runs off laughing *comes back to poke fun at cambridge A Thomas 2009-01-25T11:11:20-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 Legitimate who's who orgnizations use clearly defined professional criteria for their nominations. They never charge you to be listed in their biographical books. By contrast, the jokers from Cambridge shotgun roughly 15 million pieces of junk mail a year, knowing that a few suckers will always take the bait. Pathetic. In my view, the lawyer that threatened Shawn is an even LOWER slime-ball than Cambridge - representing two-bit losers simply to add to his law firm's profits. Shameful. Totally shameful. The actions of this "attorney" is one of the reasons America is going bankrupt - morally, financially, and otherwise. Shawn is personal hero for sticking up for what's right, honorable, and true. Scammy Preaumann 2008-08-27T20:37:58-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 I got the letter from Cambridge, I filled it out as Frank Rizzo, CEO of Starter Motor Rebuilding, LTD. My personal specialty is "benchwork", since I'm god with the calves the thighs, the whole 9 yards, plus I can rebuild those starter motors. 10 years in the business, I'm the best. they call me "rubberneck". I couldn't resist, I can't wait till they call me, hehe Now that I think about it, it would be just as easy to "poison" the list with a fake profile, since they purport to research your qualifications. Eric Mockler 2008-08-25T13:21:01-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 Thank you for standing up to those misguided and foolish "business" people. They are not just misleading but malicious too. Reading your article was like reliving my expereince. The girl talking to me tried to bait and switch me too... she kept talking about payment after assuring me that registration was free. Their methods are contemptuous in any industry, and even more in theirs where they are purporting to have integrity and are supposed to be recognizing accomplishment. I would have people do what I did, turn it around on them when they call and ask specifically why they picked you and why they think you are accomplished. I kept saying that I am very interested to know what they know about how accomplished I am. I said that if they really wanted to convince me that they are worth my BIG name to be in their little publication, then they will have to prove to me that they have done their due diligence to be selective in the inclusion of names. She just kept resorting to her script about trying out the service and how I wanted to pay. Silly. But not too funny. Big waste of time for people and dishonest gain for them! Scott Wilson 2008-04-30T03:32:27-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 Hi Shawn, good for you that you are not letting them bully you. This is a totally silly lawsuit! I also have had contact from the Cambridge Who's Who and I went through the prideful emotions that you did when they praised what I am doing. I also went through the disappointment and shock when they said there were charges, after the initial mailer had said it was a free recognition. You're right and it looks like there are MANY of us who totally agree with you! Hang in there and if you want letters written to support you, post on your site where to mail them to. I am sure that many of us would write about our own experiences if that will give you support. Sincerely, Sandy Widstrup President, Girls Choice, Inc. Sandy Widstrup 2008-02-08T16:32:05-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 Thanks a lot for posting this. I received their letter in the mail today and thought that it might be a scam. I did a web search and found your web sight and several others suggesting that it is, indeed, a scam. Here's another site: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/203/ripoff0203539.htm Again thanks a lot. I hope they drop this stupid law suit against you. They are blatantly disregarding your freedom of speech. People need to be told about scams such as this. Clinton Myers 2008-01-24T16:02:46-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 I got the Cambridge letter. I got one last year from "Metropolitan Who's Who." I'm not positive they are associated, but they have exactly the same logo, letterhead, intro. letter etc. I called last year and inquired. They wanted hundreds of dollars for a plaque and an extended bio in the book, etc, etc. I just filed the letter (which said I was already selected) put it in a file and wrote up my own press release and sent it out to my local papers. I got all the "honorable mentions" of being a Who's Who and didn't get robbed. I recommend to anyone who gets these letters, just add it to your personal spin machine for publicity. If you have the letter that says you're in there, the publisher is responsible for it. Sooner McKay 2008-01-17T16:38:36-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 Did this suit get dismissed or resolved if actually filed? I have checked the Federal Pacer system and cannot find any record of any suit involving you or Cambridge. I hope that it was dismissed in your favor. Michaela Noble 2007-10-30T10:46:49-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 I too have received a letter from "Cambridge Who's Who" and did my own research on them. THANK YOU! for saving me time and the harassment from companies like Cambridge Who's Who. Thanks to the internet and people like yourself posting the truth about these companies, it helps save time from scammers like this. Stick to your guns. Their lawsuit is a joke and they should be ashamed for even trying to file it. What a bunch of cowards. Al Baker 2007-10-27T11:33:40-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 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 Scam Fraud 2007-10-21T11:02:18-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 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 Zack Kery 2007-10-17T18:08:41-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 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! mina y 2007-10-15T12:32:00-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 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. Carlos Sandoval 2007-10-11T16:22:01-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 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. LANE PHILLI 2007-10-09T18:53:24-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 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. Heather LaBarre 2007-10-09T15:49:55-05:00 http://www.shawnolson.net/a/1336 I had the same experience with this Cambridge Who's Who, almost down the words in the phone conversation. After multiple times of telling the woman on the phone I do not agree to anything without seeing in writing and researching it first and her still telling me she was going to sign me up anyway I just hung up on her. Thank goodness I never provided any financial information to them. Thank you for your page and it's warning. And if they are suing you then they have alot more people to sue because there are alot of pages up where people are repeating their same experience with this company. Jennifer Crumpler 2007-10-08T11:37:21-05:00