The National Lubricating Grease Institute has initiated legal action against a scam group claiming theyve been hired to help members book hotel rooms for NLGIs annual meeting.
For the second consecutive year, Exhibitors Housing Services has preyed on NLGI members using email and telephone contact information from the organizations 2013 annual meeting attendee list, which was published on NLGIs website last year.
The scammers try to collect credit card information from potential attendees, but dont provide legitimate hotel reservations. They then charge a 25 percent cancellation fee to those who try to cancel a reservation.
Last year, NLGIs Executive Director Kimberly Bott contacted EHS, urging them to cease and desist, and they did, she said.
We pulled the attendee list from last years event [off of the NLGI website] and didnt include an attendee list for this years meeting online, Bott told Lube Report. But [EHS] is using the list they acquired last year to again try to scam members on this years event.
After being tipped off by a member whom the group had recently contacted, NLGI had its attorney report the agency to the Federal Trade Commission and file an official cease and desist demand. Bott said that NLGI has taken a number of actions to warn of the scam, and that members are generally aware that the only way to book a hotel room for the event is by communicating directly through NLGI or the hotel. She warns members to disregard any calls or emails from EHS or any other third party.
NLGI, based in Lees Summit, Mo., will hold its annual meeting this year at the PGA National Resort from June 14-17 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.