International Biographical Centre
The International Biographical Centre is a publisher owned by Melrose Press Ltd that specializes in producing biographical publications, such as the Dictionary of International Biography and other awards. It is based in Ely, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom. Government consumer advocates have described it as a 'scam' or as 'pretty tacky'.
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Activity
The International Biographical Centre creates "awards" and offers them widely. In 2004, an award was said to cost the recipient US$495 or £295,[1][non-primary source needed] but in 2010 the cost could be as high as $395 for a Commemorative Medal or US$440 for a laminated certificate.[citation needed]
The IBC states that "entry into our books is based on merit alone and we never charge for inclusion."[2] It is also possible to nominate a person, an organization, or oneself on their website for later inclusion.[3][4]
In 2007, referring to the International Biographical Centre, the American Biographical Institute and Marquis Who's Who, Jan Margosian, consumer information coordinator for the Oregon Department of Justice, warned consumers to be wary and called the companies "pretty tacky".[5]
The Department of Commerce of the Government of Western Australia classified the Centre's offers as a scam and said:
- "The material promoting the International Biographical Centre creates a false impression about the credentials of the organisation. It also wrongly implies that the receiver of the letter has been picked through a special research process considering their work and qualifications."[6]
It quoted blog users who describe the publications as a "Who’s Who of gullible people".[6]
Government leaders who state IBC affiliation
- Jona Senilagakali, interim Fijian Prime Minister.[7]
- Yahya Jammeh, President of Gambia [8]
- Corneliu Vadim Tudor, leader of the Greater Romania Party (Partidul România Mare)[citation needed]
- Adrian Severin, Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament [9]
- Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi, Iranian minister.[10]
- Hamid Behbahani, Iranian minister.[11]
- Branko Radulović, Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro.[12]
See also
Notes
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- International Biographical Centre website
- Photos of some of the IBC medals
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- ↑ Fiji Times Article
- ↑ His official CV showing the awards
- ↑ Official European Parliament profile
- ↑ Roozonline
- ↑ Mehr news agency
- ↑ [1]
