*WARNING: northern counties roll-out, Survey UK/Matters Consulting *

Cheltenham-based Survey UK, trading name of Matters Consulting Ltd, is currently undertaking a Direct Mail roll-out across northern county postcodes of the UK.

If you happen to live in any of these areas, you will have received, or will shortly be receiving, a letter to Mr/Mrs (but no addressee name) sent Royal Mail 2nd Class.

Intention of the roll-out is the same as ever: to achieve, by deceit, the sale of gym club memberships. For detailed information, go here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=417376

Post #29 from MSE member yoyodyne is especially useful.

This latest campaign consists of a compliments slip and similarly-sized sheet of paper comprising an alphanumeric code of three letters and four digits.

The code ostensibly exists to indicate that it "has drawn one of the gifts donated by local business" but is more than likely a postcode fulfillment identifier.

The slip also asks the recipient to telephone 01242 695001, Monday to Friday, 9.30am - 6.30pm, and to write down "the Gift confirmation number which we will give you".

The text of this correspondence has been assiduously revised over time and especially in light of the ASA adjudication.

However, the key word CONGRATULATIONS remains so as to imply that you are about to be the beneficiary of an unexpected act of good fortune.

Although reference to "a prize" has now been dropped, you should note that the scammers are hoping you will assume from the phrase:

This number has drawn one of the gifts donated by local business

that the word "business" is being used as a generic rather than a specific.

Taken as a generic, the wording implies that a range of gifts is indeed available from a range of donors in a range of commercial activities in your local business sector.

Taken as a specific -- which is what this is -- the wording relates to only one supplier.

As such, deliberate omission of the qualifying "a" (so that the phrase would read: "one of the gifts donated by a local business") is consistent with Survey UK / Matters Consulting Ltd's intention to deceive.

As for the word "gift", implying as it does the bestowing of something which will not in any way cause the recipient to be materially disadvantaged, note that this, too, is wilfully misleading: this correspondence is a sales promotion marketing exercise, but too dishonest to say so.

If you are in the northern counties of England and have already received this mailing, or receive it over the course of the next two weeks, refer this to your local Trading Standards department (usually within the County Council or metropolitan authority.)

If you wish to complain to the ASA, please ensure that you RETAIN the envelope containing the mailing. Finally:

DO NOT TELEPHONE THE SURVEY UK / MATTERS CONSULTING LTD NUMBER.

DO NOT WRITE TO SURVEY UK / MATTERS CONSULTING LTD.

You have no assurance at all that your personal details will not be sold on for profit by this reprehensible outfit to a list broker and thus leave you open to being targeted by scammers.

In view of the content of a recent post elsewhere on this forum, it would also be best not take at face value any endorsements of this "gift" -- especially if such endorsement is made by a newly registered MSE member.