Please tell me if this letter I got today is spam.

[TuffGirl]

I got this in the mail today:

• Dear <my name>,
  
  National Register's Who's Who Publications is a leader in biographical publishing and recognizing business achievers. Your name has been provided to us through the efforts of Dun & Bradstreet. You are being notified for your possible biographical entry in the 2004-2005 edition which is now in active preparation. Congratulations.
  
  ...
  
  Enclosed is your brief National Register's Who's Who Executive Invitation, which must be returned. You will be contacted shortly after we receive your invitation by telephone or by mail for completion and verification.
  
  Congratulations and Good luck on your acceptance in National Register's Who's Who in Executives and Professionals.
  
  Respectfully yours,
  John S. Milone
  President & CEO

It's especially unusual for me because I'm not much of a business "achiever" at all. It looks and seems like it's spam but I dunno and am now wondering why the hell I happened to get it. I'm not really worried or concerned, just mildly curious. Has anyone else ever gotten a mail like this? TIA.

 

[Zim Hosein]

SPAM!

 

[bootymac]

It's not spam! You won a million dollars! AIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

[Yossarian]

no, you are really a precious unique snowflake. please send in your $29.95 right away to confirm this.

 

[Spoooon]

Every high school student in America who gets halfway decent grades gets an invitation to purchase a copy of Who's Who Among High School Students. That letter smells the same.

 

[Monel Funkawitz]

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is spam.

 

[TuffGirl]

OK there's more to the letter after the signature. I just didn't feel like typing it, but it says:

• Due to our tight publishing timetables, please return your invitation expeditiously.
  
  P.S. There is no cost or oblogation on your part for your inclusion in National Register's Who's Who. I emphasize, do not confuse National Register's Who's Who with any other imitating publication that may charge fees to be included.

It was this part that made me suspicious why the heck I would confuse them with someone else and making it extra clear they don't charge fees.

 

[Spoooon]

Originally posted by: TuffGirl
OK there's more to the letter after the signature. I just didn't feel like typing it, but it says:

• Due to our tight publishing timetables, please return your invitation expeditiously.
  
  P.S. There is no cost or oblogation on your part for your inclusion in National Register's Who's Who. I emphasize, do not confuse National Register's Who's Who with any other imitating publication that may charge fees to be included.

It was this part that made me suspicious why the heck I would confuse them with someone else and making it extra clear they don't charge fees.

They don't charge you to be included. They will charge you for a copy of the lovely hardcover book with your name and a million others in it.

Assuming this ploy goes along similar lines as the high school one.

It's not a scam per se, but it is still a rip off.

 

[Wuffsunie]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is hilarious!!

The book Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco has a part where the workers in the publishing company the book centers around explain to the main character how they run almost this exact scam. Of course the difference there is that in their scam the book is actually published. Here, it's more a take-the-money-and-run.

Still, I found it an amusing post

-- Jack

Every great thinker is someone else's moron.
-- Umberto Eco

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

MAPS

 

[FoBoT]

doesn't matter if its spam, its still junk mail

 

[MustangSVT]

so when/where is da partay?

 

[her209]

I'm a trillionaire thanks to them.