The Gourmet Robbery
Ophelia’s Magical Methods to Spot Business Scams
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Join Ophelia and Friends as they Expose the Boardsi Scam:
Boardsi Fraud Alert Memo
Ophelia and Friends Expose the Boardsi Scam
Hidden Curses: Ophelia’s Magical Methods to Spot Business Scams
In the warm, inviting student lounge of the Business Witch Academy, Ophelia sat on a comfy, oversized beanbag chair, surrounded by a flurry of enchanted papers and her two Doxie friends, Maddie and Char. The fireplace crackled merrily, casting a cozy glow over the room. Maddie, with her inquisitive eyes, and Char, their fiery tempered companion, lounged on the hearth near the fire, both attentively listening as Ophelia unfurled a bulletin she had picked up earlier.
“Cheryl’s got another important announcement,” Ophelia said, her eyes wide with curiosity. “It’s about a scam we need to watch out for.”
Maddie tilted her head, ears perking up. “A scam? Here at the Academy?”
Ophelia nodded, spreading the bulletin out on the coffee table. “Not here, but out there in the big, wide world of business. It’s about a company called Boardsi.”
Char yawned, stretching out. “What’s Boardsi?”
Ophelia adjusted her reading glasses and began to read aloud, her voice echoing the stern caution in Cheryl’s words.
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Boardsi Fraud Alert Memo
🚨 Attention fellow consultants and coaches! I want to share a cautionary tale about a recent experience that might affect many of us in this field.
🚩 Red Flag Alert: Boardsi presented themselves as a conduit for companies looking to build consulting profiles and assist in forming boards. Boardsi approached me, initially appearing as a recruiter for organizations in need of expertise in consulting and coaching and wanted to book a call to discuss the opportunity they had available. The first hint of a problem? They wanted to schedule the call for 6 weeks out! Now, this was just before Christmas, so maybe the delay made sense, but some investigation found that this timeframe is common for them.
💡 The Reality: Instead of acting as genuine recruiters, Boardsi operates on a model where they charge professionals like us a hefty $200 per month fee just to maintain a profile on their platform. This fee is supposedly for the chance that a company might be interested in our services.
🚩 Red Flag Alert: Obviously, they aren’t recruiters — so Red Flag #2 — misrepresenting themselves. They are a connection platform. That’s fine, they can be a connection platform. We all know the value of a connection platform, so why are you lying about it?
🔍 The Misconception: Genuine recruitment and board formation opportunities do not function this way. If they were actually representing a real firm with a real opportunity, they would be paying us for it, not the other way around. Paying to potentially be noticed is not how authentic consulting and coaching opportunities work. Paying a nominal fee to be a member of a connection platform? Maybe — but $200 a month? That’s excessive. The company looking to hire should be footing the bill, not the expert. Other professional connection platforms have been very successful with a model that charges the company upfront and the professional or service provider a commission on closed deals — Fiverr and other gig worker sites work like this. If Boardsi were legit with real opportunities for professionals to connect with businesses who need them, they’d be following this model.
👥 Sharing for Awareness: I’m sharing this experience with Boardsi to raise awareness within our professional community. It’s crucial to remain vigilant and discerning about such offers, ensuring that our valuable skills and time are respected.
Stay vigilant and let’s continue to support each other in finding legitimate and rewarding opportunities. 💼🛡️
Ophelia and Friends Expose the Boardsi Scam
Ophelia looked up, her eyes meeting Maddie’s and Char’s concerned gazes. “Can you believe it? Charging $200 a month just to keep a profile up? That’s gourmet robbery!”
Maddie nodded, her face thoughtful. “Good thing Cheryl warned us. But why would anyone fall for it?”
Char’s eyes sparked with indignation. “Because some people take advantage of those who are eager for opportunities or worse desperate to make a living. It’s not right!”
Ophelia sighed, folding the bulletin carefully. “Sometimes, when we’re eager or desperate or just uninformed, we miss the red flags. It’s like seeing a shiny treasure and not realizing it’s cursed. Cheryl’s right — we need to be vigilant.”
Maddie leaned closer, her usual cheerfulness dimmed by concern. “So, what should we do if we come across something like this?”
Ophelia smiled, . “We share the knowledge, just like Cheryl did. We support each other and stay informed. And always, always question offers that seem too good to be true.”
Char huffed, her fiery temper showing. “I’ve got an idea! Why don’t we publish it so more people hear about it?”
Ophelia’s eyes sparkled. “That’s a fantastic idea, Char! I know just where to do it!”
“Really?” Maddie asked. “You’re so resourceful Ophelia! You always know just what to do! So how do we publish an article?”
Ophelia grinned, her mischievous spark returning, “We’ll I just so happen to have gained access to all of Cheryl’s social media accounts, and also her Medium.com account. Did you know she publishes articles and stories about the Business Witch Academy there?”
“Oh, that’s right! I love reading those!” exclaimed Char, sparks escaping from her nostrils from her excitement.
And so, amidst the cozy comfort of the Business Witch Academy, a plan was hatched, a bit nefarious in its execution, but altruistic in its intent — ensuring that every entrepreneur, from the youngest apprentice to the seasoned professional, stayed protected and informed in their magical business journeys.
Hey there! I’m Ophelia. I borrowed Cheryl’s account to bring you this announcement. I’m a student at the Business Witch Academy.
I enjoy dancing with fireflies; playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock — did you know Spock once took out Wolverine with a Vulcan nerve pinch?
What were we talking about? Oh! Right! I love the Business Witch Academy, we have cookies! And Blue Jello! And lots of fun!
You know what? You should come join me and see for yourself! Oh! Goody! I can’t wait! We’ll have a party!
Live Long and Prosper!
Ophelia 🌈
P.S. Please cheer, comment, share and follow this story. I’m secretly hoping I’ll out-rank Cheryl’s stories! Toodles…
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