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ESPRESS CONNED!
i’ve had an influx of calls offering advertising in numerous magazines, diaries, etc.
Had a call the other day about a magazine known as EMERGENCY SERVICES BULLETIN
as I am located about 5min walk away from Greater Manchester Polices HQ, I was semi interested.They quoted me their prices and I had no intention of looking any further into it, they rang me back and I played hard ball, and I was offered a price that was very attractive… I mean really good.
I receive my e-mail and low and behold it states at the bottom it is not subjected to the distant selling regs, and I cannot cancel. No problem I thought.
Today the post man delivers me a copy of ESB – Summer 2011. It’s clear to see it’s been printed on a digital printer… quality is shit, there’s a white edge around the whole magazine… alarm bells instantly ring!
How the bloody hell can they print and distribute 40,000 of these and run them on digital printer… it would cost the earth!
I then did some digging and it appears this is a con… no magazine, and no advert.
After a heated argument they refused to issue a refund.
Trading standards were helpful, as distant selling regs do not apply to B2B sales… so I have sent a nice invoice off to them, a copy of my terms and conditions, and a copy of Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.
So please people be careful and I will keep you posted, I am also open to suggestions other than breaking the tosser’s legs.
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11 Replies
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one answer go to the media that will screw em
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i feel your pain mate, i hate this sort of thing. so much of it going around now…
theres various sites created to list these types of busineses. you just submit as much details as you can and post it. then its found when others are looking into same via google etc.
ide try it on all those types of sites i could find. post what you have posted here and more.
with any luck, it will deter many and help close them down! -
I will post more details when I’m not on the blackberry.
At present I am trying to reverse the charge on mt debit card…. Whilst the bank were helpful visa aren’t so, and don’t seem bothered the’re supporting criminals!
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I always blag a free insertion to test the response… if they refuse so do I!!…
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yeah, debit cards are not supported by the card companies. that’s a definite.
i was advised by my bank manager due to the nature of my business being on-line, i would be better with a business debit/credit card. as it is covered for anything fraudulent. -
After a helpful conversation with Trading Standards their advice was the following.
The distance selling reg’s do not apply to business to business sales. Therefore their ‘no cancellation’ is not enforceable. Also I can cancel under the supply of goods and services act, as it was clearly not produced with due care and did not meet the appropriate finish and quality.
I have since sent an e-mail explaining this, and another phone call confirms that they received my e-mail and apparently now the sale was agreed between myself ‘personally’ and them, so the regs do apply… except it’s not in their terms and conditions, it wasn’t mentioned on their ‘recorded’ telephone call… I have requested a copy of this, but I haven’t yet received it.
The bank were very helpful but there’s not much they can do, so it is now over to visa debit disputes, who are dragging their heels, and demanded a letter and copy of the invoice for what I have paid for.
I did a little more digging, and found numerous web sites for this company, a few who-is queries brought up the name ‘Peter Daly’ and an address in the Wirral… that’s not London where the invoice was sent.
Another call of a withheld number, I asked to speak to Mr Daly, after a short pause ‘err there’s nobody by that name here’ I then asked if he could provide me an address to submit an invoice, he continued to give me the address on the invoice… upon asking ‘I’ve got this address’ and giving him the address in the Wirral, there was a big pause, and he continued to ask where I got that address from. I said off their website, he was obviously searching his website to see if it was mentioned, and couldn’t find it. I then highlighted I had done a who-is on their domains and this address was the one supplied.
esbulletin.co.uk
espressltd.co.ukWhilst I am annoyed, I think been a stubborn tw@t saved my from loosing more money. Their prices were ‘ok’ but I wasn’t really up for it so held off… got the usual persistent follow up calls, I got the usually there’s been a cancellation, therefore I can offer you discount from £175.00 + Vat to £150.00 incl VAT… and obviously a discount if I paid over the phone… I didn’t but the next call I did, as it went to £135.00 incl VAT.
I paused for a second and thought about paying on my credit card – it’s easier to get cash back from them – but something stopped me… (hot)
I hope to see Visa refund me, if not I may issue try and get my cash back through the small claims court.
I think these sales calls will be getting a very frosty reception from now on.. as in Feck off!
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David, this is a very common scam here. I get 2 or 3 calls a month.
They only print one for you, no one else. Our laws here a different by the sounds.
I always ask them to send me a sample of the magazine from a previous print run, if they say they have none left, I know it is a con.
If they say they have prepared the ad, and its ready to go and they need payment now, I say I’ll pay it when I get the mag. Some have gone ahead, but they rarely do. One that went ahead, I sent to our Consumer Protection department, and they were sued, and de-listed as a company.
Now, if they ring, and I can’t find them on the internet, they don’t get a look in.
I support a lot of community groups, especially the Police Legacy, and Emergency services community programs. I put an advert in each mag every year. These are the books the use as sales lists, as they know pretty well you are happy to support community groups. That’s is why they always sell them selves as pseudo community aid.
Not sure about your laws over there, but take it to the media, as they usually like to report stuff like this, ironically, as a community service.
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Things over here seem a little different…
Because I gave them my card number it’s my fault.
I’ve re-educated Greater Manchester Police, and they finally stopped telling me to call trading standards, and they will report it for me! I demanded they took my information on the grounds of fraud and obtaining money by deception.
They’ve got my 2 addresses, name, and everything to follow up on… I doubt they will though.
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quote David Hammond:I’ve re-educated Greater Manchester Police, and they finally stopped telling me to call trading standards, and they will report it for me! I demanded they took my information on the grounds of fraud and obtaining money by deception.They’ve got my 2 addresses, name, and everything to follow up on… I doubt they will though.
Well done. Trading standards are toothless and useless. I hope the police do their job and investigate this. As you say, It is fraud after all. :appl:
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Phil… hold on to your seat.
I have a police officer visiting me tomorrow at 9am!
I still have the packaging that my magazine came in, funnily enough with a post mark from the same postal area as my address I have in Liverpool!
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Don’t know why you find that strange David, maybe the guy lives in Liverpool and commutes to London for work, posted your proof on the way home from work :lol1: :lol1: :lol1:
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