International Biographical Centre facts for kids
| Status | Dissolved - See External Links Below |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | England |
| Headquarters location | St Thomas' Place, Ely, Cambridgeshire |
| Owner(s) | Melrose Press Ltd. |
The International Biographical Centre was a company that published special books about people's lives. These books, like the Dictionary of International Biography, aimed to list important individuals. The Centre was located in Ely, Cambridgeshire, in the United Kingdom.
However, some people, including government groups, said that the Centre's offers were not always what they seemed. They called them "scams" or "tacky." For example, a big company called Oracle Corporation warned that using awards from the Centre to prove someone's "extraordinary ability" for a special US visa was like buying "fake achievements." They said this could be a serious problem.
In 2007, a consumer expert named Jan Margosian also told people to be careful about companies like the International Biographical Centre. She said these companies might just want you to buy their books, not truly recognize your achievements.
What the International Biographical Centre Did
When it was still in business, the International Biographical Centre created "awards" and offered them to many people. These awards often came with a cost. In 2004, an award was said to cost about US$495 or £295. By 2010, a special medal could cost US$395, and a laminated certificate could be US$440.
The Department of Commerce in Western Australia said that the Centre's offers were a scam. They explained that the information promoting the International Biographical Centre made the organization seem more important than it was. It also wrongly suggested that the person receiving the letter had been chosen through a special research process based on their work. Some people online even described the Centre's publications as a "Who’s Who of gullible people."
See Also
- Who's Who scam
