A Spanish firm that gives excellence awards to businesses in exchange for a hefty price tag is targeting the local population again ? mailing letters that announce successful anonymous nominations for the International Star Award for Quality in the Gold Category.

Fine print on the letters from ?The International Selection Committee of B.I.D. Business Initiative Directions? informs the ?winners? that they must satisfy the cost of three thousand four hundred euros for participating in the awards ceremony. The ?cost of participation? includes two invitations to a gala dinner, a trophy, a certificate of quality, a press release photos as well as two nights lodging and a ?welcome coffee?.

One local recipient received follow-up letters informing him that for a mere 300 euros more, the company would arrange for him to be interviewed by a journalist so that he could take it home and potentially have it aired the local media. An additional 300 euros would buy him a recording of the awards ceremony.

While there is nothing technically illegal about the way B.I.D. offers its ?awards?, those in the know equate the practice of offering a marketing programme disguised as an award as little more than Nigerian lottery scams.

Some members of the public have however been duped into believing that they have received recognition from their clients, but they cannot take any action since B.I.D. is breaking no laws.

The Fraud Unit said in a statement: ?The Bermuda Police Fraud Unit has been aware of the company; ?Business Initiative Directions? since 1995. For many years, the company has been contacting local businesses congratulating them on having been awarded their ?International Star Award for Quality?. On each occasion, the recipient of the award has no idea who nominated them or what they accomplished in order to win the award.

Further on each occasion, the recipient has been required to pay several thousand dollars in order to be eligible for the award.?

A representative from the Department of Consumer Affairs said that the letter issued by the company offers a number of red flags to alert recipients that the award has no basis in actual merit, nomination or other legitimate awards criteria

?In order for an award to be held at high esteem you should have proper nominations and you should know who nominated you and they should say why you have won and this does not seem to fall into that criteria,? the spokesperson.

Anybody winning an award should not incur any costs beyond perhaps paying for their hotel and transportation. In this case the 3400 euro ?cost of participation? is ambiguous.

Phone messages left over the past week for company president and CEO Jose E. Prieto have not been returned, but when asked to explain the purpose of the Gold Award a representative of the Spanish-based company said that they dealt with ?corporate image? and the award was a ?business proposal?. She would not answer further questions about the company?s practices, but promised to pass our queries about the nomination process forward. This newspaper understands that B.I.D. offers the award, alongside their marketing material such as press releases and photos, as a way to help companies gain publicity.