Advertising [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

guidarufino

I've had one of these. Blatant scam and they've actually sent me an invoice this time. Obviously I'm not going to pay and was just wondering who to report them to since they've been silly enough to send me a proper invoice with their address and everything on?!

isitascam

guidarufino wrote: »

I've had one of these. Blatant scam and they've actually sent me an invoice this time. Obviously I'm not going to pay and was just wondering who to report them to since they've been silly enough to send me a proper invoice with their address and everything on?!

Is this from Vital Media Support Group?? What is the name of the person who you have been dealing with? Are they from Liverpool?

Ive reported them to Trading Standards, Police and now trying to trace there address.

isitascam

Nicky70 wrote: »

I too have fallen for this scam, last November I accepted the chance to appear in a Police magazine, as I had been recommended by the local council (apparantly!!) I thought I was paying for a 12mth advert to feature in 4 x quarterly publications. I received a copy of the magazine, with my ad, but I did wonder where this publication actually get's circulated, as no one had ever heard of it. It was supposedly supporting the local emergency services?? but friends in the police, fire brigade and ambulance service had never heard of it. (The chap had a scouse accent and always introduced himself as 'Mike from the police' when he rang, who chased the business)

A couple of weeks ago, I received another call, I was a passenger in a car, it was diffuclt to understand the chap on the phone, but after correcting him that I was Mrs and not Mr, he confirmed my order details (I assumed the rolling 12mth order I had already paid for), but no, I received another invoice, for Active Magazine, the previous was Safeguard magazine!! The original publisher was Abington House, the name has now been changed to Vital Support Media (both based in Liverpool, both with the same bloke on the phone) However Vital Support claim they have never heard of Abington House??? I told them I do not require their services, and they now want me to pay a £100 cancellation fee for something I have not ordered!! I today received a voice clip of ONE of my telecons, poor sound quality their end, but I appear to be saying YES in all the right places....some careful editing me thinks!!! Be very careful of these people

Have you had a solicitors letter from them yet???
I wasnt so lucky to receive the magazine which i paid for.

guidarufino

isitascam wrote: »

Is this from Vital Media Support Group?? What is the name of the person who you have been dealing with? Are they from Liverpool?

Ive reported them to Trading Standards, Police and now trying to trace there address.

It doesn't say that anywhere. The logo at the top of the invoice is "Quality Care" and it claims to be for an advert in a "Disabled Adventure Club Wallplanner". Apart from anything else, there's no way I would agree to such an expensive advert! £195 + vat for 63mm x 100mm :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I had a call yesterday from a girl asking me to confirm it then got called back by her manager. I was very vague in my responses, didn't agree to anything. They asked me for a password which I gave. They then sent me a pro forma invoice. They've obviously lifted my company details from our website.

[TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]


So what do I do? [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

trisontana

See my post #125 above re this company.

guidarufino

Thanks, my bad for not reading the whole thread properly! So I'll report them to trading standards now. Should I then write the company a letter telling them I'm onto them, have reported them and have no intention of paying them? Or ignore them? Am quite up for screwing with these guys a bit actually. [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

guidarufino

Blimey, just spoken to Trading Standards who say they will report it to the relevant authorities. BUT they're worried that I may have made some kind of positive response when I spoke to them the other day.

[TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

Anyway, he said that they could take ANY kind of positive response from me as agreement to the contract and that would be for a judge to decide. [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

He advised me to write them a letter denying that any contract exists, I will not be paying the invoice, I have reported them etc etc. There's a letter template on the Wirral site.

Interesting that this is a civil matter, it should be criminal as far as I'm concerned. :mad:

guidarufino

Ok, going to send this in a letter. Too much?!


I have today received an invoice from you purporting to be for an advert in a Disabled Adventure Club Wallplanner. This invoice arrived following two phone calls last week claiming that I had previously agreed to place an advert in said Wallplanner.

I am writing to advise you that I absolutely dispute that I have ever agreed to place such an advert and will not be paying this, or any other invoice. [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

Thank you for sending me the invoice however. This has enabled me to pass your details onto Wirral Trading Standards who were very interested to hear about it. I have also posted your details on several online forums.

[TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM] I wish to have no more correspondence from yourselves or any company or person affiliated to you. If any more correspondence is received, I will also report your company to my local police force. Additionally my telephone number is registered with the Telephone Preference Service and any further unsolicited calls from you will be reported them also.

This will serve as your legal notice to cease and desist all further actions described above. You are hereby instructed to comply with this letter immediately or face legal sanctions under applicable legislation.

I may utilise telephone recording devices to document any telephone conversations that we may have in the future if you fail to comply with this cease and desist letter.

I will keep a log of any contacts you make with me after you receive this letter.

Oopsadaisy

Gua......

You are pretty much wasting your time and energy. These people don't read anything that comes into their drop office address [unless it's a cheque].

blue_banana

guidarufino wrote: »

Ok, going to send this in a letter. Too much?!


I have today received an invoice from you purporting to be for an advert in a Disabled Adventure Club Wallplanner. This invoice arrived following two phone calls last week claiming that I had previously agreed to place an advert in said Wallplanner.

I am writing to advise you that I absolutely dispute that I have ever agreed to place such an advert and will not be paying this, or any other invoice. [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

Thank you for sending me the invoice however. This has enabled me to pass your details onto Wirral Trading Standards who were very interested to hear about it. I have also posted your details on several online forums.

[TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM] I wish to have no more correspondence from yourselves or any company or person affiliated to you. If any more correspondence is received, I will also report your company to my local police force. Additionally my telephone number is registered with the Telephone Preference Service and any further unsolicited calls from you will be reported them also.

This will serve as your legal notice to cease and desist all further actions described above. You are hereby instructed to comply with this letter immediately or face legal sanctions under applicable legislation.

I may utilise telephone recording devices to document any telephone conversations that we may have in the future if you fail to comply with this cease and desist letter.

I will keep a log of any contacts you make with me after you receive this letter.

It can't hurt, can it? I would keep a copy for your files as well. This is good advice from the Daily Mirror website on this type of operation:

Andrew Penman said:

In many years of covering the issue of 'good cause' booklet, diary and wallplanner scams I have never known one of them to successfully sue intended victims. They'll frequently threaten to sue, but it's all bluster - a day in open court, subject to cross-examination and with the Press present is the last thing they want.
Just to qualify that statement, I should say that once only have I known one of these revolting outfits to issue proceedings in the small claims court. They obviously later realised that this was a stupid idea because they never turned up, lost the case and had costs awarded against them.
Stand firm - if you haven't agreed to something and don't want it, don't pay for it.