Social media posts about PublicSquare have gone viral as Trump critics use it to find companies not to support – the opposite of what the site was set up for.
Sounds more like a scam to bilk their base out of even more money, which is on-point.
Reminds me of an old scam where you got a letter saying you were one of the smartest people in the country, and they wanted to include you in their book of smartest people. Except you had to pay and buy a copy of the book to be included.
(Something like that, anyway. If anyone recalls the details more clearly, please share).
This was the one we would get in the mail once every couple of years. They come and go under different ownership, but it will never die for human vanity is a renewable resource.
I know, right? I’d be really good at it, too, except for not being able to actually allow myself to do it.
Edit: How’s this?
We mail letters to every registered R in the country. The letter tells them they’re one of the top Patriots in the US. We would love to include their name in the big Book of Patriots so everyone will know how much of a patriot they are. There is a processing fee of $60. But, we will waive that fee if they buy a copy of the book for $75. And why wouldn’t they want to buy a copy of a book they’re in? They’re also excellent gifts.
In the old scam, I believe you world indeed get a book with the names of everyone who paid to get a book with the names of everyone who paid to get the book.
This happened with my sister and I think it was for poetry. At least, the version of it my parents fell for was for poetry writing. They might have run this scam for any number of things for all I know
The whole vanity publishing industry works like that. Yes, there is such an industry. There’s a highly accurate, slightly satiric and utterly confusing book about it, named “Il pendolo de Foucault” by Umberto Eco. (Probably something like “Foucault’s Pendulum” in English). If it weren’t that excessively long and the plot less complex I’d highly recommend it.
Hahahahaha. That’s hilarious and a good idea. Since it seems you have to pay to be put on this site, you know they’re genuine entries.
Sounds more like a scam to bilk their base out of even more money, which is on-point.
Reminds me of an old scam where you got a letter saying you were one of the smartest people in the country, and they wanted to include you in their book of smartest people. Except you had to pay and buy a copy of the book to be included.
(Something like that, anyway. If anyone recalls the details more clearly, please share).
Who’ who
This was the one we would get in the mail once every couple of years. They come and go under different ownership, but it will never die for human vanity is a renewable resource.
So many times I’ve thought fuck it, why don’t I get in on the grifting? Damn conscience getting in the way of potential riches.
I know, right? I’d be really good at it, too, except for not being able to actually allow myself to do it.
Edit: How’s this?
We mail letters to every registered R in the country. The letter tells them they’re one of the top Patriots in the US. We would love to include their name in the big Book of Patriots so everyone will know how much of a patriot they are. There is a processing fee of $60. But, we will waive that fee if they buy a copy of the book for $75. And why wouldn’t they want to buy a copy of a book they’re in? They’re also excellent gifts.
$150 to include a photo!
That’s not even fraud. There’s nothing unethical about it.
I mean, it is if I have no intention of mailing them a book lol.
Best they’ll get is a Word doc posted to Sharepoint or something.
In the old scam, I believe you world indeed get a book with the names of everyone who paid to get a book with the names of everyone who paid to get the book.
It’s the “who’s who” grift.
Amateurs.
I used to get letters from Who’s Who among American High School Students. Wikipedia has a write-up about that category of questionable practice.
I’ve used similarly-titled books from the late 1800s/early 1900s for research, but nowadays we have the Internet.
This happened with my sister and I think it was for poetry. At least, the version of it my parents fell for was for poetry writing. They might have run this scam for any number of things for all I know
The whole vanity publishing industry works like that. Yes, there is such an industry. There’s a highly accurate, slightly satiric and utterly confusing book about it, named “Il pendolo de Foucault” by Umberto Eco. (Probably something like “Foucault’s Pendulum” in English). If it weren’t that excessively long and the plot less complex I’d highly recommend it.
I have actually read that entire book. I second that recommendation.