[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

If so:

Which Ones?

Are they Free?

If they are not free, how much do they cost?

Are they worth the cost?

What do they do for you?

Here's one that came across my inbox yesterday. I don't belong to it because it wasn't clear if there was a charge to belong to it or if it was a free listing.

http://expect2getfit.com/

[Christina]

Hey Dave,

Are you in NSCA's free directory? I do not belong to any. Heck, I haven't even filled out the free one for ACSM!

This is a good topic!
Christina

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

Hi Christina,

Yes I'm in NSCA and ACE's directories. I'm also on personaltrainer.cc.

Most people who contact me, use my contact form on my website and there is no space for "Where did you hear about me" (Which I may start to add, so I can see which on of these directories is really worth belonging too).

I encourage everyone who is ceritified to atleast regester with their certifying agency's listing service. (This should be free).

Have a good one,

Dave

[loumoore]

When people send you an inquiry based upon a listing in a personal trainer directory, be very careful of potential frauds.

These individuals will act as if they are a potential client interested in personal training services and state they will be visiting your city for a brief period of time while on travel. They ask how much are your services and then agree to send you a cashier's check for the full amount in advance for your services.

When the cashier's check arrives in your mailbox, it looks very real. Some people will immediately deposit it. Then, at the last minute before your first scheduled meeting, the fraud will cancel their trip and your services and ask for a refund. The people who fall for this will withdraw the money from their own bank account and then send it to the fraud not knowing that the original cashier's check was fake. It usually takes banks 3 or 4 weeks to determine if a check is fake.

2 ways to protect yourself:

When you receive a cashier's check for a considerable amount, always call the issueing bank to confirm.

Verify the person's identity by doing an internet search for a name and address verification from an independent source (superpages.com). And, if they say they work for a company, call the company's HR section to verify (but you research the number yourself).

Remember, the fraud will never give his/her true identity. Also, most of the time they are located in Europe.

I've already caught a couple of these frauds and have noticed them lately targeting personal trainers and other service providers.

If you want to see a sample email from a fraud requesting personal training services, just send me your email address and I will forward one to you I received today.

Louis Moore

[Christina]

Lou, thanks for the heads up!!!

Christina

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

Yes Lou Thanks!

Isn't it amazing how this Scam has branched off into different industries/groups?

I know it started with the elderly, now just about everyone is sending a false check.

I'll keep my eyes out.

Thanks,

Dave