Scammers Sell Fake VIP Passes to U.S. Venue in Davos
Photo Credit: World Economic Forum
Skift Take
A high-profile U.S.-branded World Economic Forum venue in Davos has warned that scammers are selling counterfeit VIP access packages.
Scammers have been selling fraudulent passes to the USA House, billed as the official U.S. venue during the World Economic Forum in Davos, that allegedly included entry to exclusive programming and access to President Donald Trump and senior U.S. officials.
USA House posted a warning on its website stating it does not work with outside resellers and that anyone who purchased such packages would be denied entry.
The post states, “Caveat Billionaires, It has been brought to our attention that again this year, external parties are selling 'VIP access to USA House' and other Stromback Global venues in Davos. For the avoidance of doubt, USA House and Stromback Global do not work with any external resellers, and we will not give access to people who purchased such packages.
Volume of inbound queries this year suggests that these fake VIP passes may be the fastest selling fiction about Davos since Thomas Mann’s Magic Mountain. Our sympathies to those who fell victim to these scams.”
Access to a high-profile venue like the USA House is tightly controlled. California Gov. Gavin Newsom was reportedly denied entry for a scheduled speech on January 21.
His press office posted on X: “BREAKING: Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune — the official media partner — invited him to speak.”
USA House Outside Security Perimeter
USA House is organized by Stromback Global, a company led by Richard Stromback, a former professional hockey player turned venture capitalist. The event is held in Englische Kirche, a historic church near the Davos Congress Centre, on the main promenade, just outside the World Economic Forum’s high-security perimeter.
The USA House is not a unique concept, as other countries and corporations buy out shops, hotels, and other venues to host events and network.
Although the church is the hub of activity, with the main stage, there is also a USA House Delegate Lounge, used for dinners, receptions, and social events.
Programming at USA House includes keynotes, panels, interviews, and receptions with some of the main-stage programming livestreamed on themes including AI and emerging technologies, space and frontier exploration, economics, longevity and health, with a special focus on America’s 250th anniversary. Guest speakers include Secretary Scott Bessent, White House AI and crypto lead David Sacks, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Microsoft President Brad Smith, and other senior Trump administration officials.
USA House operates through private sponsorships that cover its costs. Corporate sponsors include Microsoft, McKinsey, Ripple, Qualcomm, Pfizer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and C3.ai, with top-tier partnership packages reaching up to $1 million, according to swissinfo.ch. Priority access and VIP event access are reserved for government dignitaries, event speakers, and sponsors.
The incident comes amid rising cyber-enabled fraud as a top concern for organizations. In its Global Cybersecurity Outlook released Jan. 12, the World Economic Forum said cyber-enabled fraud has overtaken ransomware as the leading cybersecurity concern among business leaders. The report found that 73% said someone in their network was affected by cyber-enabled fraud in the past year.
