The Chamber of Commerce last night issued a warning about business membership organisations trying to recruit people on the Island by claiming they had been nominated by the Chamber.

The warning was issued after organisations including the “International Association of Business Leaders”, which receives mail at a Post Office box in North Carolina, has been touting for members in Bermuda.

Among those targeted has been Chamber President Charles Gosling, who is due to be interviewed by the organisation this morning.

Chamber Vice President Diane Gordon said yesterday: “The Chamber of Commerce would like to inform its members and the community as a whole of attempts made by certain overseas membership organisations to enrol new members.

“These organisations claim to represent international business leaders or to be business associations and in many cases will appeal to the nominee's vanity during the initial approach.

“In several cases when questioned to see how the individual had been nominated, the response has been 'through the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce'.

“We would like it known that the Chamber has played no part in the process and advise great caution in making any membership application without full and proper diligence.”

Last night, Ellen Engel, who said she is the executive vice-president of the International Association of Business Leaders, said it had been a “misunderstanding” and no one from her group would claim nominations had come through the Chamber of Commerce.

She said her organisation - whose stated purpose is to enable business leaders to “network” and was set up three years ago - had 10,000 members around the world and 22 employees.

She said she had 36 members in Bermuda. She would not reveal their names, but said they were drawn from Waterfront Properties, Horizons Ltd., Bermuda Glass Company, Conyers, Dill and Pearman, KPMG, Bermuda Digital Communications, Bermuda Public Services (Union), the Bermuda government, Yankee Garments, and the Bermuda Union of Teachers.

Membership was free if an individual qualified, but fees ranged from $300 to several thousands dollars if members wanted to make use of services, including CD ROMs.

Ms Engel told The Royal Gazette: “I imagine what has happened is a misunderstanding because we may have got information from someone who is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, not the Chamber of Commerce itself.

“We get information from two sources: members of our organisation who will nominate someone and our researchers that look at various associations and trade magazines and newspapers, and they will nominate a name.

“Someone may have seen an article in the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and sent it to us or our researchers. The Chamber of Commerce would not give us a nomination and we don't go to the chambers.”

When asked if she was worried about the warning from the Chamber of Commerce, she said: “No, because we are not doing anything we shouldn't be doing.

“If the Chamber have a problem they should give us a call and we would be glad to speak to them.”

She added that her organisation was considering bringing its conference to Bermuda next year, but had decided instead to go to Jamaica.

Mr. Gosling said yesterday: “A friend of mine was contacted a couple of weeks ago, and it seems the Chamber has been contacted by others in the community contacted by this group, who have said it was through the Chamber.

“They are saying 'your name has been given to us by a peer group as someone recognised as a business leader'.

“When I was contacted by telephone, they were aware of my e-mail address and fax number. The person said he wanted to confirm the time of a telephone interview.

“The gentleman who called said he was acting as a secretary for the people making the call. He was unable to say how he got my name. I decided to accept the interview to have my questions answered.

“What they say they are offering is an opportunity for networking. I heard from one person who was asked for $300, but they refused to put that in writing.”