{"id":19116,"date":"2025-10-30T09:17:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T13:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/?post_type=is-it-scam&#038;p=19116"},"modified":"2025-10-22T09:37:34","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T13:37:34","slug":"is-whos-who-in-america-a-scam","status":"publish","type":"is-it-scam","link":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/is-it-scam\/is-whos-who-in-america-a-scam\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Who\u2019s Who in America a Scam?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#what-is-whos-who-in-america\">What Is Who\u2019s Who in America?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#is-whos-who-in-america-a-scam\">Is Who\u2019s Who in America a Scam?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#so-should-you-engage-with-whos-who-in-america\">So, Should You Engage with Who\u2019s Who in America?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-to-engage-with-whos-who-in-america-safely-and-privately\">How to Engage with Who\u2019s Who in America Safely and Privately<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re thinking of engaging with Who\u2019s Who in America, you need to know if it&#8217;s safe. Is Who\u2019s Who in America a scam?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below, we explain whether Who\u2019s Who in America is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when engaging with this company.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-whos-who-in-america\">What Is Who\u2019s Who in America?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Who\u2019s Who in America, also known as Marquis Who\u2019s Who, is a reference book that lists notable people in the U.S.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"525\" src=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Whoswhoinamerica-1024x525.png\" alt=\"Who's Who in America\" class=\"wp-image-19119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Whoswhoinamerica-1024x525.png 1024w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Whoswhoinamerica-300x154.png 300w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Whoswhoinamerica-768x394.png 768w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Whoswhoinamerica.png 1088w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It was first published in 1899 by A.N. Marquis &amp; Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who\u2019s Who is essentially a directory of influential or accomplished individuals (past and present) across various fields, including politics, business, academia, the arts, science, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each entry typically includes details such as birth date and place, education, career history, achievements, awards, publications\/works, affiliations, and memberships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"is-whos-who-in-america-a-scam\">Is Who\u2019s Who in America a Scam?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No, Who\u2019s Who is not a scam, but being included in it is not the honor it once was.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Who\u2019s Who in America started more than a century ago, being included in it really did mean that the person had achieved national recognition in their field. The editors chose people based on merit, awards, or public impact, and you couldn\u2019t buy your way into being featured in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, the selection process became less exclusive, with the company sending invitations to apply for inclusion in the latest edition of Who\u2019s Who in America to hundreds of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"473\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericainvite-473x1024.png\" alt=\"Invite to apply for the inclusion in the 2024 edition of Who's Who in America\" class=\"wp-image-19120\" style=\"width:332px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericainvite-473x1024.png 473w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericainvite-139x300.png 139w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericainvite-709x1536.png 709w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericainvite.png 739w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Inclusion no longer means you\u2019re top of your field. It just means you responded to the invitation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/linkedin\/comments\/1eaf052\/whos_who\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">internet forums like Reddit<\/a>, many people claim to have been invited to apply for inclusion in Who\u2019s Who.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"667\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericareddit.png\" alt=\"Redditor saying they're constantly invited to apply for the inclusion in Who's Who in America \" class=\"wp-image-19121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericareddit.png 667w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericareddit-300x51.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 667px) 100vw, 667px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>One person said,<em> \u201cIt looks like they go through LinkedIn profiles.<\/em><strong><em> I get an invite every 6 months or so.<\/em><\/strong><em> I believe is you respond you will be asked to pay something.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/instructionaldesign\/comments\/1g3nfkw\/is_it_worth_paying_to_get_your_name_in_the_whos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Another said<\/a>: <em>\u201cThere\u2019s no criteria. There\u2019s no selection process.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People who claim to have worked for the company <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/Professors\/comments\/596rbb\/value_of_whos_who\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">are particularly critical<\/a> of Who\u2019s Who in America.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbb.org\/us\/ny\/uniondale\/profile\/publishers-directory\/marquis-whos-who-ventures-llc-0121-87160506\/customer-reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Better Business Bureau website<\/a>, Who\u2019s Who in America gets a 1.21 out of 5.0 stars rating (from 20 reviews).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One commentator described being contacted by a New Submissions Director for a supposed Who\u2019s Who biography, only to be pressured into buying expensive subscriptions and plaques despite claims that the listing was free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marquis Who\u2019s Who responded by saying that inclusion in its registry is free and based solely on merit, with optional paid commemorative products.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marquis Who\u2019s Who is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbb.org\/us\/ny\/uniondale\/profile\/publishers-directory\/marquis-whos-who-ventures-llc-0121-87160506\/complaints\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">not Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited<\/a>. (See our review of <a href=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/is-it-scam\/is-the-bbb-a-scam\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">whether the BBB is a scam<\/a>.) The company has received 13 complaints in the last 3 years, 5 of which have been closed in the past 12 months.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who\u2019s Who in America scams<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the term \u201cWho\u2019s Who\u201d is in the public domain, scammers frequently exploit its prestige by posing as Marquis Who\u2019s Who or inventing fake directories, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/money\/scams-fraud\/beware-the-whos-who-directory-scam\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">American Association of Retired Persons<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In one case, a Long Island woman pleaded guilty to a $1.5 million <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edny\/pr\/southampton-woman-pleads-guilty-elder-fraud-scheme\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fraud scheme<\/a> targeting older adults with non-existent biographical honors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericafraudscheme-1024x428.png\" alt=\"Headline: &quot;Long Island woman dodges jail time in $1.5 'Who's Who' fraud scheme&quot; \" class=\"wp-image-19122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericafraudscheme-1024x428.png 1024w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericafraudscheme-300x126.png 300w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericafraudscheme-768x321.png 768w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinamericafraudscheme.png 1030w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/whos-who-scam-email\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Snopes also warns<\/a> to watch out for fake Who\u2019s Who nominations coming from suspicious email addresses (e.g., info_iytDUQfx4l@loykffthgo.linenight.com) not associated with Marquis Who\u2019s Who.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who&#8217;s Who in America Privacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As per Marquis\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/marquiswhoswho.com\/terms-and-conditions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">terms and conditions<\/a>, by submitting your biography, you grant the company permission to publish, edit, distribute, and republish it in any format (e.g., print, online, or forms \u201cyet unknown\u201d) without compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, if they misprint or misstate something about you, their only obligation is to correct it in the next print edition or online update. They limit their total liability to the lesser of $100 or what you paid them, even if their actions cause significant harm to your reputation or finances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you upload any other content (photos, posts, etc.), you grant the company a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to sell it, modify it, create derivative works, and distribute it in any form without crediting or paying you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can also share your information with third parties for marketing (postal and email), which could lead to spam or unwanted solicitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"263\" src=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinfosharing-1024x263.png\" alt=\"Who's Who in America terms and conditions section on errors and sharing of your personal information with third parties \" class=\"wp-image-19123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinfosharing-1024x263.png 1024w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinfosharing-300x77.png 300w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinfosharing-768x197.png 768w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/whoswhoinfosharing.png 1132w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In its <a href=\"https:\/\/marquiswhoswho.com\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">privacy policy<\/a>, Marquis says that by providing your phone number, you give consent under the Amended Telemarketing Sales Rule (ATSR), even if you\u2019re on the national Do Not Call list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The company can call\/text you (or have partners do so) for marketing until you revoke consent, and they may share that permission with their advertisers. Opt-outs only stop future sharing; existing shared data stays out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a \u201clistee\u201d (profiled in their directory), the company can keep your information forever as part of your \u201ccomplete biographical history.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"so-should-you-engage-with-whos-who-in-america\">So, Should You Engage with Who\u2019s Who in America?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Depends on your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your goal is visibility or networking, it may (or may not) be worthwhile.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, being featured in Who\u2019s Who in America is no longer the prestigious or selective honor it used to be, and participating comes with significant privacy trade-offs and upselling.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-engage-with-whos-who-in-america-safely-and-privately\">How to Engage with Who\u2019s Who in America Safely and Privately<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use a separate email when responding to invitations. <\/strong>This will help you keep your primary inbox free of marketing emails.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Avoid giving your phone number (if possible). <\/strong>If you must, use a VOIP or Google Voice number you can silence or block.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Be wary of telephone consent. <\/strong>If you give Marquis your number, it counts as marketing consent under U.S. telemarketing law,&nbsp; even if you\u2019re on the Do Not Call list. If you get calls you don\u2019t want, explicitly revoke consent in writing and keep proof.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Provide minimal biographical details. <\/strong>Share only what you\u2019re comfortable being public forever. Remember, Marquis can keep listee information indefinitely.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Avoid surprise costs.<\/strong> Inclusion is supposed to be free, so decline upsells for plaques, books, \u201cfeature articles,\u201d or memberships unless you truly want them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ask for everything in writing. <\/strong>Especially whether any online profile will expire after a set time, what\u2019s included without payment, what\u2019s optional, and the exact cost. If you feel pressured on the call, politely say you need to review details by email first.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Control how Marquis shares your data. <\/strong>Opt out immediately of third-party marketing and keep a record of your opt-out request (email copy or call log). Opt-out stops future sharing only. Data already sent to others can still be used.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Verify you\u2019re dealing with the real Marquis. <\/strong>Watch for scam imitators using the \u201cWho\u2019s Who\u201d name &#8211; the term is public domain. Only respond to emails from Marquis addresses, not generic or strange domains. If in doubt, call Marquis\u2019 main listed number to confirm the invitation is genuine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Manage your public profile.<\/strong> Use their free listing as a supplement, not your main professional presence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our guide to whether Who&#8217;s Who in America is a scam.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":19119,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"class_list":["post-19116","is-it-scam","type-is-it-scam","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/is-it-scam\/19116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/is-it-scam"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/is-it-scam"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}