Gold Coast Publishing Targets Realtors For Directories, Country Clubs Say It’s a Scam

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Gold Coast Publishing claims that your advertisement will be featured in the "exclusive business and services directory" in these magazines, which are distributed to local country clubs. The only problem is that the country clubs don't have an agreement with Gold Coast.

Gold Coast Publishing claims that your advertisement will be featured in the “exclusive business and services directory” in these magazines.

Have you received an email or telephone solicitation from Gold Coast Publishing in the last few months asking you to advertise in one of the company’s service directories? The company alleges that, for a fee, you can have your business heralded in their annual business directory that is distributed directly to members and guests at four “exclusive” Fort Worth country clubs.

The only problem is that those four country clubs say they have never heard of Gold Coast Publishing, a Boca Raton, Fla.- based company with some telling Yelp reviews.

“We do not have an agreement with Gold Coast Publishing,” said Colonial Country Club member services director Alexis Groesch. “Because we are a private, member-owned club we do not do any outside advertising.”

When I pressed, Groesch said that Colonial had never been contacted by Gold Coast Publishing before, and if Realtors see the club’s name on any advertisements, it’s most certainly a scam.

“Unfortunately, they are using our name without permission,” said Ellen McEwen, Diamond Oaks Country Club director of marketing and membership sales. “We’ve had other companies ask if we were affiliated.”

We received similar responses from representatives with Ridgelea Country Club and Woodhaven Country Club. Either they have no idea who Gold Coast Publishing is, or they’ve already asked Gold Coast to stop

I called a number for Matt Smith at Gold Coast Publishing that was in an email solicitation. When I asked about the advertisement opportunity offered by his company, he said “those went out quite a while ago,” and that they weren’t accepting any new advertisers for that directory. I then told him that I contacted one of the clubs that Gold Coast claimed to have a distribution agreement with, only to find out that there was no such agreement in place. Could he tell me why they would say that?

“I can’t answer that for you,” he replied. “We appreciate your call.”

And then he hung up.

I called a second number on the Gold Coast Publishing website and asked to talk with management, distribution, or customer relations. I was again promptly hung up on.

The kicker of the whole debacle is that this scam is not unique. There are several other directory publishers who claim that their niche publication is distributed to country clubs and high-end developments all over the U.S. with names such as New Age Marketing Group, Premier Publishing, CC Publishing, Elite Publishing, Vista Publishing, and Leisure Life Publishing. There’s even a Facebook group for victims of these companies who are taking legal action against them.

Have you been contacted by these companies?

Joanna England is the Executive Editor at CandysDirt.com and covers the North Texas housing market.

9 Comments

  1. C on May 14, 2015 at 2:58 pm

    I received a similar call today at work claiming they were calling on behalf of Glen Eagles Country Club about advertising in their member magazine.

  2. Kristine Baugh on May 14, 2015 at 3:56 pm

    Yes, they’re quite aggressive. Reported to FCC, but doubt they will do anything.

  3. Barbara Gilbert on May 15, 2015 at 11:43 am

    Candy, thanks for the heads up! I would like to add that this is happening in Dallas as well, they are targeting Interior Designers. CC publishing contacted me and was very persistant and kept dropping the price. I checked with one of the country clubs and was told they are not affiliated with CC Publishing and if they do drop offs one books, they immediately go into the trash as the quality is extremely poor.

    • Joanna England on May 15, 2015 at 1:31 pm

      Thanks for adding that information, Barbara. We are really perplexed about how these companies are doing all of this work and flying under the radar with most professionals. Please make sure to share this story with your colleagues!

  4. Karen Eubank on May 18, 2015 at 7:48 pm

    They target stagers as well : )
    Cannot tell you how many times I’ve said ” Thanks, but yeah..no thanks”.

  5. Brittney on June 9, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    Yes I was contacted by them back in March and unfortunately fell for the scam-the salesman Richard Steven Kahn was very convincing even offered me a “free one page article” for doing the 1/2 page ad and even dropped the price on the ad and to think it would be going out to all these local high end golf clubs, when it sounds too good to be true it usually is. I will be reporting them but sounds like nothing has been done thus far. Hopefully karma will catch up with these scum bags targeting small businesses, what pigs!

  6. mikki broughton on September 29, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    got a call today…..didn’t seem quite right. i thot it was a local mag….i’m i calif…they are in fla…which i found out after is spent the $300 for a 1/2 page ad…..i got suspicious about the non-answers to some of my questions. …like i did i get chosen to be one of only 2 therapists they would list….so, called to say i wanted to cancel. haven’t heard back. headed now to my credit card company for a dispute.

  7. Chris Robinson on October 12, 2016 at 12:10 am

    The owner of the company Gold Coast Publishing is my infamous Step Brother. I am also a Real Estate Agent. At one Christmas dinner I asked him about my father and myself advertising in his company he changed the so quick my head was spinning! He is a convicted felon and not to be trusted! His name is Joseph Brent Gaston He lives in Boca Flordia

  8. Jeff on March 5, 2020 at 10:32 am

    Beware as they are still calling people. They targeted me as a contractor and claimed to be in four of the clubs where my clients all belong. It sounded great… a very professional and slick salesman, but I never buy without doing some homework. So glad I saw this here.

    Many thanks for posting this page Candy, as it confirms my suspicions.

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