HMRA cries foul after vendors list used by agency

At least one service outside of the Ocean City Spring Trade Expo presented by the Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association has been farming vendor information from the website and is using it to solicit reservations within the resort.

The association sent out an email with the subject “Scam alert with our OCHMRA Trade Expo info” to members last week to advise partner organizations of the situation. But the company that sent out the reservation information, Convention Housing Authority, denies any wrongdoing.

“I’m assuming, since we’re having this conversation, the e-mail in question is from an unaffiliated mailing,” Dan Holloway, one of the principals at the Convention Housing Authority, said.

Holloway said his e-mail solicitations are clearly marked at the bottom to allow users to determine if they are being contacted by the vendor as an affiliate of an event or if their bid was unsolicited.

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