Sold advertising on phone - want to cancel, can I?

dimelord

I found this thread through a search for a specific company but see no reference to that company.
I can only assume that all reference has been removed because of the company's habit of monitoring criticism and taking action. They also proudly boast on their website that they have taken 2 people to court last year, in their name and shame section. I have found a newspaper retraction and a forum retraction on another site.
I have posted about another similar company called ESM Multimedia and the un-named company in this thread is one of those I refer to in that post.
We are currently dealing with 9 invoices from 6 different companies as a result of 2 cold calls.
I can name those companies because I have documentary evidence in the form of the invoices.
They are (in random order):
ESM Multimedia
Millenium Media
Weinstein Williams Associates
New Look Media Ltd
Imperial Media
Range Publishing

All I can say is, tell all staff that you do not advertise as a result of cold calling - EVER.

Wish me luck as I do battle with these people

ukbill69

O dear you fell for that old crap. Dont pay and let them take you to court, bet they dont!

cavework

with UKbill69 on this one. They aproached my company, woman on phone actually claimed to be employed by the police??. Phoned the police and asked if they knew anything about this publication?
Answer was NO..but please give us the details and the ring back number you have as anyone falsly claiming to be connected with the police can be prosecuted.
Same applies to people ringing saying they are acting on behalf of a local authority..check them out
some people will try anything for a quick buck

innyminy

Hi Dimelord,

Can I assume your first paragraph references Weinstein Williams? - their 'name and shame' webpage?!

We are currently dealing with these people also - I am on the verge of seeing if I can take action for harassment.

My OH was cold-called by someone pretending to be a local fireman. Following this one call, 3 different companies all from Liverpool began the chase....

2 Companies gave up fairly quickly, however Weinstein would not, and have now passed the debt to a newly created (it seems) debt collection company Commercial Credit Solutions.

Both companies are completely ignoring all correspondance that this debt is 100% disputed. They don't seem to care we are in contact with Trading Standards. Weinstein never produced the alleged 'voice recording of the order'. Infact, the man on the phone started to say I had an attitude problem when I wanted him to play it to me, then said he'd email it, then when he kept getting the email address wrong and I kept correcting him, said he'd post it and that they wouldn't talk to me anymore!! The advert that Weinstein claim was ordered bears no relation to what the 'Fireman' was selling in the cold call, no wonder they dont' want us to hear it.

To Nomnomnom - it is a pity you gave in. That is how these company's make their money - harass people long enough and they give in. And threatening forums like MSE if they don't remove negative threads!

Our fight has been going on since November. Now I am just ignoring them. Good luck anyone else that has to fight them, and don't give in!!

Innyminy

cracker99

I've had plenty of calls from those companies mentioned on this forum, plus a load of others. I foolishly agreed, under pressure, to take out the initial advert for the emergency services news (a Weinstein Williams favourite I believe), then found myself with more invoices than I can to count.

Now this is where I feel really stupid - I paid the invoice, and then next one and the next one. The calls keep coming and now that I'm asking the caller questions ie) name, company name, etc I've had the phone put down on me, and these are the companies who already have my money - about £2000 at the moment. An expensive lesson.

I've been down the trading standards route, but other than reporting it, I doubt they actually do much. Contacted the Advertising Protection Agency, but waiting for them to call back. Called the bank to change my debit card and they informed me that although cancelling the card doen't actually help, by notifying the bank, if any more payments go out to these companies, the bank steps in and gets the money back.

I doubt that I'll see the money again, although I will be pursuing the legal, small claims route for false advertising, deception, fraud etc etc (not worked out all of the details yet) and see what happens. Good luck to anyone doing anything to stop these pirates.

Oncebittentwiceshy

One more name to add to the pile safe4kids. This time its sponsorship for a safety awareness campaign. Doubtless one or two things do get distributed to keep the whole thing marginally legal but essentially the scam remains the same.
Safe4kids Ltd appeared as a name change from kids-safe who are under investigation by the Advertising Protection Agency (TAPA).

ukbill69

cracker99 wrote: »

I've had plenty of calls from those companies mentioned on this forum, plus a load of others. I foolishly agreed, under pressure, to take out the initial advert for the emergency services news (a Weinstein Williams favourite I believe), then found myself with more invoices than I can to count.

Now this is where I feel really stupid - I paid the invoice, and then next one and the next one. The calls keep coming and now that I'm asking the caller questions ie) name, company name, etc I've had the phone put down on me, and these are the companies who already have my money - about £2000 at the moment. An expensive lesson.

I've been down the trading standards route, but other than reporting it, I doubt they actually do much. Contacted the Advertising Protection Agency, but waiting for them to call back. Called the bank to change my debit card and they informed me that although cancelling the card doen't actually help, by notifying the bank, if any more payments go out to these companies, the bank steps in and gets the money back.

I doubt that I'll see the money again, although I will be pursuing the legal, small claims route for false advertising, deception, fraud etc etc (not worked out all of the details yet) and see what happens. Good luck to anyone doing anything to stop these pirates.

O dear, I need some more cash can you give me £2000 please for nothing?, Dont ever give your real name and ever say your the boss. Then tell them where to go and hang up, no pressure. The company cannot get a contract out of you over the phone. You need to see paperwork and sign that paperwork for it to be a legal contract.

Horace

I never buy anything over the phone and certainly not for these crime prevention mags or whatever they want to call them today. I have had a lot of hassle with a newspaper calling itself the Birmingham Telegraph (supposedly a free paper), funny I live in birmingham and frequent the places that it is supposed to be given out and yet I have never seen a copy nor will they send me a copy which is also suspicious. Their staff are incredibly rude especially when you ask them probing questions..I even rang back once and spoke to the guy that had phoned me initially and he denied all knowledge of calling yet his voice was instantly recognisable..the amount of f words used by him and he even used the appalling 4 letter c word that ends with t..needless to say I won't be advertising with them..I emailed them to ask them to stop harassing me with unwanted calls and when they called me again, I made a note of the call and then contacted the information commissioner - funnily enough I havent heard from them since.

negg

and then you have distance of selling act that gives you 7 days to cancel.

Wrong.

That is consumer law (i.e. private sales) and does not apply to businesses purchasing items.

ukbill69

negg wrote: »

Wrong.

That is consumer law (i.e. private sales) and does not apply to businesses purchasing items.

My bad, modified my post. Never know when im offering business or personal advise lol.