The quoted news says Ram Prasad Khanal was American Biographical Institute?s (ABI) Man of the Year, 2004.
Wait a minute, Nepal?s National News Agency (Raa.Sa.Sa) says ABI?s Man of the Year 2004 is Man Bahadur Biswokarma, MP and Dalit Human Rights etc. group (http://www.rss.com.np/)
An American institute declaring two Man of the Year for 2004 and both from Nepal? Are we proud of our people in Nepal now? Hold your judgement until you read the following. Both of them were taken for an expensive ride ?
Just Google and you will see many more Man of the Year 2004.
There are all kinds of scams. Just watch out. Now, read the following:
1. From the Himal magazine:
The other swindle, one which Mediafile has dealt with before, is the recognition handed out by the American Biographical Institute and other organisations who send letters at random to gullible people (many of them actually so-called leaders of business) promising them inclusion in some tome or the other and a plaque for USD 250 as an achiever in society who deserves the highest recognition. In every English newspaper of South Asia, you will find self-congratulatory adverts being printed by the recipients of such fake awards ? recipients so mediocre that they do not even understand the word ?gyp?. But they get away with it because no one laughs at them. Which is why Chhetria Patrakar was happy to note that a hotel in Chandigarh nominated its cook to one such award, for services rendered to humanity, and lo and behold the plaque and citation arrived, congratulating the gentleman in question for having been a leading light of South Asian society!
(http://www.himalmag.com/2002/may/mediafile.htm read the 3rd section)
2.
Scam of the year a snip at $195
By Richard Baker
State Political Reporter
August 27, 2004
Consumer Affairs Minister John Lenders has been asked to investigate a scam being run by a group called the American Biographical Institute after it told a Labor MP he would get a decree confirming his nomination as 2004 "man of the year" if he paid $US195 ($A276).
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Mr Lenders said that while he did not doubt Mr Robinson's potential to be man of the year, it was important Victorians ignored such scams.
"It is very difficult to retrieve money from scams like this that are run overseas," he said. "This is a scam that is well known to Consumer Affairs Victoria."
(The Age:
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/26/1093456749832.html?from=storylhs&oneclick=true) 3.
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A few years ago, I remember getting a letter from the American Biographical Institute, telling me that I had been chosen "Man of the Year", as I was a recognized leader in my field. My name would be included in their new volume. All I had to do was send about 200$ to get a plaque and a copy of the book. I would have fallen it but for the fact that the letter was addressed to me as "Mrs....". What they had done was to get a mailing list from somewhere and post form letters. I realized however some months later how people do get conned by these awards when my association newsletter carried an item about one of my senior colleagues having received the ABI's "Man of the Year" award.
Giving awards seems to be a great way of making money. Create an organization with an official sounding name. Minimum staff. Organize a conference. Give awards. Charge for expenses. Walk away with the booty.
There probably are enough people out there willing to pay for grand-sounding awards.
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(http://www.manfrommatunga.com/awards.htm)
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