Check an award-plaque offer sent to your business
Before acting on an award letter, find out who issued it, how winners were chosen and what you would be asked to buy. Fill in the worksheet below from the letter itself, and check any claims against your own records before paying or replying.
Questions to answer from the letter
- Write down the organization named on the letter and look it up independently, not through contact details printed on the offer.
- Note what the letter says you won and any selection criteria it gives. If it lists none, record that.
- Find any price, order form or payment request, and note whether the honor depends on buying something.
- Check your records: did anyone at the business enter, apply or submit a nomination that could explain this letter?
- Decide whether to ignore it, ask the sender a direct question, or raise it with whoever approves business purchases.
Verify before you pay
The FTC lists fake invoices, unordered goods and directory listings among the risks for small businesses, and advises checking purchases and invoices against approved records before paying. An unexpected award with an order form calls for the same check. If nobody at the business ordered it, an official-looking page is no reason to pay.
Keep the worksheet private and keep the letter itself with your own records. Do not attach invoices, legal notices or client records to any reply.
Private award-offer worksheet
Example for your own use. Replace the bracketed details and review what you share.
Record the outcome
At the bottom of the worksheet, write one line stating what you decided and who approved it. If a payment demand tied to this letter arrives later, compare it with that note and your approved purchase records before anyone replies.
Official source
Keep personal records with the organization that handles them
Junk Mail Magic is for ordinary unwanted advertising. Use the official contact route in this guide for records, account changes or someone else’s correspondence.
Compare removal routes