06/15/2016

Hotel Scam Alert!

We wish to warn all potential NY17 sponsors and exhibitors that calls and emails from a company called Global Housing Corp are a scam. DO NOT BOOK A HOTEL WITH THIS FIRM.

We wish to warn all potential sponsors and exhibitors that calls and emails from a company called Global Housing Corp are a scam. DO NOT BOOK A HOTEL WITH THIS FIRM. 

We wanted to give you a heads up that at least one past exhibitor has reported getting a call today from Global Housing Corp regarding sleeping room reservations for NY17 at the New York Marriott Marquis.  DO NOT BOOK A HOTEL WITH THIS FIRM. 

They are calling and emailing past exhibitors and sponsors and suggesting that they represent the event. The company is not affiliated with NYSPMA, The Foundation for Podiatric Medicine, NY16 or NY17. 

Our room block at the official conference hotel, New York Marriott Marquis, has not opened. When the block is available we will send out detailed instructions for booking directly with the hotel. If you do receive a call from this company, or any other company claiming to represent the conference, DO NOT BOOK A HOTEL ROOM WITH THEM. 

Room poaching is a practice carried out by third-party companies that act as travel agencies, wholesalers or destination management companies to solicit registrants and exhibitors for room reservations for society or other organizations meetings. The practice of room poaching makes it more difficult for us to meet our room block commitments and exposes NYSPMA to penalties and increased room rates for our conferences.

When NYSPMA secures sleeping rooms at the Marriott for our conference (commonly referred to as room blocks), we make certain that our attendees and exhibitors are adequately accommodated. Our room block is established to ensure that rooms meet our standards and are offered at a discounted price. NYSPMA is working directly with the New York Marriott Marquis for NY17.

Often room poachers may misrepresent themselves as the NYSPMA official housing provider and registrants and exhibitors may be contacted by fax, email or phone with offers for cut rate housing. The poacher might inform registrants and exhibitors that the hotel room block is "sold out," and that if you do not book with them immediately, you may not get a room. Additional deceptive tactics may include:

• Forms or promotional materials that appear to be issued by NY17
• Not delivering on promises to customers. When customers arrive, reservations are sometimes non-existent or the hotels are not conveniently located.
• Representing themselves as being affiliated with NY17 by illegally using our name or logo.

Don't be misled! If you are contacted by anyone asking if you need a room for NY17 who is not a representative of NYSPMA or the New York Marriott Marquis, please get as much information as you can and pass it along to us. Please do NOT book a room with them or give them any contact or credit card information.

Please contact Sarah Hansen at sarah@nyspma.org for more information.