UN-Branded Conference Scams: A Public Explainer and Cautionary Appeal

Civil society and international governance sectors thrive on trust, transparency, and verified collaboration. When global language or the symbolism of United Nations venues is used without clear institutional backing, the risk of confusion, exploitation, and reputational damage rises sharply.

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | January 2, 2026

In recent weeks, I encountered an increasingly common phenomenon that merits urgent attention from journalists, academics, policymakers, civil society professionals, and international collaborators: UN-branded conference scams. These are communications that appear to represent high-profile global events — often associated with the United Nations or major multilateral venues — but in reality lack transparent institutional backing and may lead to misleading obligations, financial solicitation, or reputational risk.

My own experience began in late November 2025 when I received a series of unsolicited invitations referring to the AI for Developing Countries Forum (AIFOD) Bangkok Summit 2026, purportedly scheduled at the United Nations Office in Bangkok, and positioned under the theme “AI for Economic Sovereignty.” The initial invitation came from a domain (aifod.org) that appears to be linked to AIFOD messaging, and the language implied association with the United Nations and global leadership. I was asked to complete online registration forms, apply as a speaker, and subsequently schedule a speaker interview via a Calendly link.

However, several concerning factors quickly emerged:

1. Lack of Public Verification:
   There was no announcement of such an event on the official United Nations websites (such as UNESCAP, UN Thailand or the main UN events calendar), despite the claim of a UN venue.

2. Unanswered Verification Request:
   I sent a formal email directly to AIFOD asking for confirmation of its claimed UN association, publicly accessible event documentation, and clarity on the absence of fees. This request received no substantive response.

3. Repeated Pressure for Participation:
   Instead of addressing verification, follow-up emails continued to urge immediate scheduling of speaker interviews and to consider membership — language often used in commercial or marketing funnels rather than bona-fide academic or policy convenings.

This pattern is eerily similar to another incident earlier in December 2025, when I was approached with purported invitations linked to the Communicators for Civic Action Asia Cohort, allegedly co-organized by CIVICUS and Asia Centre. That situation, too, did not appear on public event listings, and verification emails to both organisations went unanswered — in the end, the approach appeared to be a scam.

So What Are UN-Branded Conference Scams?

These are:

• Invitations or calls that invoke the United Nations brand, venues, or global governance language;

• Messages that imply endorsement by UN agencies or multilateral bodies without any publicly verifiable documentation;

• Communications that pressure recipients to take immediate action, such as scheduling interviews, joining membership tiers, or providing personal information;

• Events that lack clear agendas, published speaker lists, legitimate institutional partners, or transparent organizational details.

It is important to state what this is not: receiving a suspicious event invitation does not automatically mean malicious intent on the part of every sender. There is, however, a pattern of opacity, urgency, and unclear institutional linkage that can put professionals at risk — particularly independent journalists, researchers, civil society activists, and international collaborators who are often targeted because their profiles confer credibility.

Why This Matters

Professionals may be:

• Pressured into paying membership fees or participation costs later in the process;

• Encouraged to provide personal or passport information prematurely;

• Exposed to reputation risk if an event collapses or is revealed to be unverified;

• Misled into believing they are endorsed by major institutions like the United Nations.

In an era marked by digital scams, social-engineering attacks, and misinformation, clarity and verification must be the first line of defense for anyone receiving prestigious-sounding invitations.

An Appeal to the United Nations and Partner Institutions

Given the frequency with which such approaches now invoke UN venues, United Nations Conference Centres, or global multilateral language, I make this appeal in good conscience:

I respectfully urge the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and other relevant UN entities to consider issuing public guidelines or verification mechanisms that help:

• Establish a centralized registry of UN-co-organized events and confirmed partner convenings;

• Enable publicly accessible verification tools for professional invitations;

• Sensitize professionals to legitimate vs non-verified event communications;

• Provide channels for reporting ambiguous or misleading outreach linked to UN venue references.

Such guidelines would help protect the credibility of global governance processes and safeguard professionals who engage with international networks in good faith.

How to Protect Yourself

If you receive similar invitations:

• Check the event on official UN websites;

• Contact the alleged host institution’s public communications office directly (not just reply to the original sender);

• Search for agenda, speaker list, press releases, and partner logos on independent platforms;

• Avoid entering passport or financial information before independent confirmation;

• Do not comply with urgent deadlines without verification.

Conclusion

Civil society and international governance sectors thrive on trust, transparency, and verified collaboration. When global language or the symbolism of United Nations venues is used without clear institutional backing, the risk of confusion, exploitation, and reputational damage rises sharply.

As professionals and citizens of an interconnected world, we must demand clarity and accountability — and, when necessary, speak out when processes fall short. RMN News Service will continue to monitor and report on such issues, helping keep civic space safe and transparent for all.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.