WARNING!!! Must Read!!! Legal Danger

MSE_Martin · 1 February 2005 at 2:33PM

There has been a growth of Online Discount Vouchers or Codes being posted on the Grabbit Board. This is not the place for them.

Any online discount vouchers must be posted on the Online Discount Voucher board. They must also comply with the rules there - only this way are people protected from law suits and breaching terms and conditions.

I am sorry to be draconian, but having once had the might of Sainsbury legal department threaten this site because of these i need to protect the site. Having a specific board where the rules are prominently posted is how i do that.

If people continue to post online discount vouchers here, they will be removed and though i hate to do it, any persistent posters will have their access blocked from the site.

Pat__3 · 1 February 2005 at 2:43PM

Great, Thanks Martin, Hopefully now people will realise that posting in the wrong place, carries more than the normal issues, but the legal ones that threaten you and this site. It just means that if they take the time to think a bit more, there will be no more problems.:)

Sub_2 · 1 February 2005 at 3:09PM

MSE_Martin wrote:

I am sorry to be draconian, but having once had the might of Sainsbury legal department threaten this site because of these i need to protect the site. Having a specific board where the rules are prominently posted is how i do that.

If people continue to post online discount vouchers here, they will be removed and though i hate to do it, any persistent posters will have their access blocked from the site.

What? The might of Sainsbury legal department? Oh don't be such a tart Martin.

The "might" of Sainsburys legal department is largely over those who are willing to tremble and cower in fear of a couple of sternly worded but ultimately impotent letters. Get a grip man, or at least, get some good legal advice of your own so that you properly understand you can safely tell them to go take a running jump.

I would have hoped such a prominent "consumer champion" would display rather more gumption when some corporate behemoth wags it's finger at him. But apparently not.

There is nothing criminal taking place on this board, so, in the words of the immortal Michael Winner, "Calm down Dear...."

divadee · 1 February 2005 at 3:12PM

Sub, from what i can remember Martin had got legal advice of his own (correct me if i am wrong martin). And you will find on most vouchers they say not transferable and for use of the named person only. So in effect sharing the voucher is fraud as you are not that said person.

Sub_2 · 1 February 2005 at 3:21PM

divadee wrote:

Sub, from what i can remember Martin had got legal advice of his own (correct me if i am wrong martin). And you will find on most vouchers they say not transferable and for use of the named person only. So in effect sharing the voucher is fraud as you are not that said person.

Divadee, I don't believe you are qualified to offer even an accurate definition of the offence of fraud, let alone meaningfully discuss how that might or might not apply to the online discussion of discount vouchers.

I don't intend to play internet lawyers with you, so I'll simply restate my initial sentiment that people should show a bit of backbone and not go all weak at the knees because someone waves a solicitors letter at them.

JPS · 1 February 2005 at 3:23PM

Sub, Martin put this advice here as it was needed, not because he felt like it. A lot of vouchers float around on the MSE forums, and all Martin is saying is keep them on the vouchers board in order to protect MSE from any legal action, which companies have the right to do if they feel their vouchers are being misused, and could even be fraudulant as divadee said.

JPS · 1 February 2005 at 3:24PM

Sub wrote:

Divadee, I don't believe you are qualified to offer even an accurate definition of the offence of fraud, let alone meaningfully discuss how that might or might not apply to the online discussion of discount vouchers.

And may I ask who exactly you think you are, Sub?

m00nie · 1 February 2005 at 3:26PM

could you not lock this thread before it gets out of hand.

martin has stated his wishes, lets just comply.

MSE_Martin · 1 February 2005 at 3:48PM

Acutally Sub. You're quite right. Not only did i not cow-tail to Sainsbury, but 4 national newspapers followed the story of what Sainsbury tried to do and the inefficiency of the system.

The point about Sainsbury is a simple one - it was reading the site and using tracking. This is not anonymous.

MoneySaving is ABOUT legality. Play the system yes, but legally. Hence why there are rules about what discount vouchers are appropriate and which aren't. That's why there's an online discount voucher board to protect the site and the users so we can take on the might of the big boys.

This isn't about a lack of back bone - its about making sure you're wearing the right armament!

culpepper · 1 February 2005 at 4:46PM

Im suprised they are not just targetting the original posters rather than the whole site.
Course they could just not accept vouchers at all which would be much simpler but they wouldnt make such a splash that way.:)

calibrax · 1 February 2005 at 5:15PM

Sub wrote:

Divadee, I don't believe you are qualified to offer even an accurate definition of the offence of fraud, let alone meaningfully discuss how that might or might not apply to the online discussion of discount vouchers.

I don't intend to play internet lawyers with you, so I'll simply restate my initial sentiment that people should show a bit of backbone and not go all weak at the knees because someone waves a solicitors letter at them.

Sub, surely if Martin was going "weak at the knees", he would have just banned all discount vouchers from the site, rather than simply posting a cautionary note? The concept of "prudence" is a very useful thing in law, and in finance too.

Also, your tone comes across as confrontational and even insulting - for example, calling people unqualified when you don't really know the first thing about them. Please try and show a little respect for the people running this site... I believe that they have earned it many times over.

Steve

WARNING!!! Must Read!!! Legal Danger

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