Fraudulent Science Fiction Conventions

Discussion over at the LTSNBN* has turned to first – the charges being brought against Shane Senter of JumpCon – and then related punnish sillines.

Back when Fedcon was cancelling events I took a look at Jumpcon (looked like maybe an opportunity to volunteer/work) and I immediately twigged to the fact that it was all a load of horse puckey.

Clues were numerous (hotels with no holding deposit, BN Hollywood stars who’s agents could not get a response from the organizers, a VERY closely held communications (lack of) network and below ground level grumblings and questions.

I’ll also say that my radar went blip because it was sensitized to such things from my long and rocky experience with similar goings on within the paintball community.

Less than four months before the Jumpcon fiasco there was a new (paintball) event that offered unbelievable rates, unbelievable prizes, unbelievable media coverage and unrelenting, unbelievable hype.

Guess what?? It ALL turned out to be unbelievable!

I know how much it costs to run one of those things, how tough it is to get the fans (players) to even look at something new, let alone send in a deposit, how reluctant sponsors are support a new thing – and with uber investigative skills developed over years of working with the internet, I’ve learned how to tell when the supposed huge and widely dispersed fan base all originates from a single keyboard.

I won’t bore you all with the numerous other examples of hoax/fraudulent events I’ve outed over the years – but suffice to say that I’ve called foul – publicly – on a number of occassions and have yet to be wrong.? I seem to have a nose for such things, and it apparently works for both paintball tournaments and fan conventions.

Now, some are trying to be nice and suggest that Senter/Jumpcon may have been the victims themselves of being overly ambitious and incompetent, to which I will respond with a resounding – No.? The plan, I am sure, was always to run away with the money.? Senter spent as little as he could to keep things moving forward.

It may be that he was after a bigger take and this his real failure was in not perpetuating the fraud to its ultimate conclusion (the huge con he was building towards with lots of sign-ups and a large, 5 or 6 figure bank account) , but I don’t believe his intentions were anything other than ripping a bunch of people off.? He found a loophole that let him claim he had a hotel and headliner guests, and used that as a draw.? He HAD to know that if the booking fees weren’t paid, the guests would not actually show, and therefore there really never was a con. vention.? Because there was a CON.

Such a thing happening can first be laid on the doorstep of the concept of ‘for profit’ conventions.? If there is no profit motive, there is no interest on the part of folks who engage in such activities.? When everyone is volunteering out of pocket, there is EVERY incentive for participants to out those who are not playing fair.

Doesn’t mean that there can’t be poorly run volunteer cons.? Happens all the time.? That is not a fraud, just a group of people who need a little more experience, maybe a little more help.

I have no truck with for profit cons.? The experience, for me, is shallow and empty.? If I wanted autographs, I’d want them from the writers, artists and editors, not the actors.? If I wanted to hang out with a bunch of disconnected, clueless individuals for a weekend, all I have to do is visit Times Square in NYC – and except for the hot dogs, it wouldn’t cost me anything.

Ultimately what I think this little happening has shown me is that REAL conventions neecd to find a way to publicize the fact that there is a difference (we can downplay the negatives) a real difference, between a true convention and a convention that is put on for profit.? Some kind of fannish seal of approval:? A ribbon that says “All Volunteer, All The Time” or some such.? One that lets you know that you won’t have to wait on line and pay fifty bucks for an autograph – a con where you might actually end up sitting on a couch and talking for hours – for free – with your favorite author.? One where the only social divide is between ‘pros’ and ‘fans’ and crossing the line is entirely up to your own efforts.

Maybe instead we ought to put the seal on the for-profit cons.? Label it as Shallow and Subject to Fraud…

*List That Can Not Be Named