A client recently forwarded over an email for an Awards show asking if it was legit. It was an invitation to apply for a prestigious UK business award in their category. Now I, like many who’ve been in business for a while, have seen some, let’s call them interesting ‘Awards’ programmes, but this one was more scammy than usual and just proves we have to be on our toes all the time as this client isn’t normally taken in by these things. So at times these emails can catch companies out who may feel flattered to even be approached.

What gave it away? 

1. Payment Up Front

They wanted a payment up front to enter and even be considered. 

2. AI Slop

The site was entirely populated by what I can only describe as insane AI generated images of people at the ‘Awards’. These were not even the better more modern AI model images, so we have spare arms, fingers, crooked eyes, and the teeth! The teeth! Wow. So not one genuine image taken at an awards evening, even though they advertise that the awards will be presented at nice evening events at good hotels. 

3. Young Business

Their URL was only 2 years old. This is one worth checking, it’s simple to do, just go to the Nominet site and use the lookup function, that will tell you when the URL was first registered. It’s not saying a site is hooky, but it’s part of the evidence you gather to make a decision.

4. No Reality in the Socials

Their social feeds (while showing a pretty good number of followers) had no actual images at awards shows, no presentations, nothing but post after post about who won what in the same tatty template design—lots being big names like Next and Boots to make you feel in good company, mixed with smaller local businesses. There was not a genuine looking post among them. Maybe those followers aren’t exactly… not, bought?

5. No Attention To Detail

On their UK Business directory page, they had a banner image of a New York street! Very UK… just another example of very poor attention to detail.

6. More, No Attention To Detail

All over the website was poor layout of text (bad indentations, spacing between paragraphs and lots more). Just sloppy work all around. No pride in the business visible on that site.

7. Mismatched Email Domain

The emailer’s email address (the domain element) didn’t match the ‘Awards’ site address, and the email domain didn’t match to a website at all.

So, very quickly it’s apparent that this is a waste of your time, unless you feel you need to be able to tell someone in business you are award winning. But if they ask what award, it won’t work well for you.

Someone is probably making some money out of it, that’s for sure… 

Have you come across similar? 

Jeff

Caffeine Creative are an experienced team based in the Cardiff area. We help with graphic design, web development, company values, social media, branding and more. To know more please contact us.