ALSO warns of fraudsters

Victorian GLBTI advocacy group the ALSO Foundation has warned the community to beware of businesses pretending to be linked with the not-for-profit organisation for selfish purposes.

ALSO Foundation marketing and development manager Alex Schoeffel said ALSO was recently alerted to a bayside publishing business — believed to be owned by a straight married couple — falsely claiming affiliation with the ALSO Foundation to attract gay businesses.

“It is a very sad state of affairs to learn that competitors may be pretending to be a community group in order to fool people into advertising with them,” Schoeffel said.

“Fortunately, most people within the community are aware of what ALSO does.

“Businesses outside of the immediate community need to be aware of the allegations that another [business] is attempting to capitalise on their goodwill, and diminish the support that ALSO enjoys from them for the benefit of our community.”

A number of gay community businesses who advertise in the ALSO guide have been approached by the bayside business, falsely claiming a commercial relationship with ALSO.

According to ALSO, in some cases the business claimed it did produce the directory to attract advertisers.
ALSO has begun legal action to force the business to stop claiming affiliation.

Schoeffel said the organisation was concerned ALSO Directory advertisers may mistakenly place their business elsewhere and money raised would not end up back in the community.

ALSO has requested the name of the bayside business remain anonymous.

The ALSO Directory is compiled annually as a resource for the community, and contains a detailed list of GLBTI-friendly services, support groups and businesses in Victoria.

The ALSO Foundation this year celebrated 30 years supporting the Victorian GLBTI community.

ALSO has called for anyone who encounters other businesses suspected to be engaged in similar behaviour to contact them on 9660 3900.

info: Visit www.also.org.au