Unauthorized Vendors and Scam Solicitations
APS is aware of an ongoing pattern of fraudulent solicitations targeting our members, conference attendees, and other contacts. This page summarizes what we know and what you should do if you receive one of these messages.
What Is Happening
APS has received multiple reports from members who have been contacted by unauthorized third parties claiming to sell lists of APS Annual Convention attendees or APS member contact information. These solicitations frequently:
- Claim to represent APS or use APS’s name, logo, or branding without authorization
- Falsely assert that attendees have consented to be contacted via email or phone
- Offer to sell “registered attendee lists” for the APS Annual Convention in Barcelona or for APS membership generally
- Use generic or unprofessional language and unverified email domains
These solicitations are not authorized by APS and do not originate from APS or any of its official vendors.
What APS Actually Does
To be clear about our actual data practices:
- APS does not sell attendee lists. We do not provide any third party with a list of conference attendees’ email addresses or phone numbers for sale or distribution.
- Mailing addresses only, with opt-in consent. APS registered attendees may choose whether to share their mailing address with APS exhibitors and sponsors. Email addresses are never shared in this way.
- Our legitimate vendors — such as our exhibit management partners — do not contact attendees directly on APS’s behalf, and they do not have access to full attendee email lists.
If a solicitation claims otherwise, it is false.
Reported Unauthorized Vendors
The following individuals and organizations have been reported to APS for sending fraudulent solicitations to our members or contacts. APS has not authorized any of these parties to represent us or to sell our data.
| Name / Alias | Email / Domain | Type of Scam | Date Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jessica Richard | [email protected] | Offered APS 2026 attendee list; falsely identified as “APS Events Manager”; used APS logo | March–April 2026 |
| “Lindy Louise” | Unknown | Offered APS Barcelona Conference attendee list to members | March 2026 |
| Frank Wilson / “Alesha Dixon” – Optel Technology | [email protected] | Offered an incorrect number of APS 2026 Convention contacts. optelglobe.com is not a registered domain; Phone: 346-552-7141 | April 2026 |
Reported “Housing Pirates”
Companies that phone, fax, or email attendees and exhibitors claiming to offer good deals on hotel rooms are commonly referred to as “housing pirates” or “housing bandits.” They may falsely claim to be affiliated with APS. Please do not share your credit card information with any of these companies. APS will not call you regarding hotel reservations and has not asked any hotels or other companies to do so.
| Company Name | Contact / Email | Phone | Date Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Travel Team / Global Travel Experts | [email protected] | UK: +44 208 0808439 / Canada: +1 833 833 2107 | April 2026 |
| Elite Housing Services | [email protected] (contact: Linda Gray) | 800-372-5149 | Prior to 2026 |
| Travel Housing Team | [email protected] | Not provided | April 2026 |
If you have received a solicitation from an organization not listed here, please report it to us using the link below.
What to Do If You Receive One of These Emails
- Do not engage. Do not reply, click any links, or purchase anything from the sender.
- Do not provide payment information or any personal or institutional data.
- Report it to APS. Forward the email (with full headers if possible) to [email protected] so we can track and respond to new vendors.
- You may also report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or to your national consumer protection authority.
APS’s Response
APS takes these solicitations seriously. When we become aware of unauthorized vendors:
- We send cease and desist letters directly to the senders
- We alert our IT security providers
- We report instances to relevant authorities where appropriate
- We notify our legitimate vendor partners so they are aware
We continue to monitor for new solicitations and will update this page as additional vendors are identified.
