Telephone Sales

jmcr123

Hi can anyone tell me who I should report an advertising company too? My husband received a cold call from a firm selling advertising in some health and safety brochure, he was at work at the time (self employed) and as he has been caught out before with advertising he told them to post out information for him to have a look at and he would let them know. The information arrived with their suggested ad with room to make any changes etc but surprise surprise with it came an invoice. He did tell me about it but I didn't look at the actual paperwork so I was not aware of the invoice. I told him not to place the ad so he put it in a drawer and forgot about it until they telephoned him again and he told them he was not going to go ahead with the ad. They informed him he was to late to cancel the ad and he told them to do what they liked but he was not paying for an ad he had not given them permission to place. A letter has since arrived explaining that he cannot cancel but he only actually told them to post him out information. How can he resolve this he is adamant he is not paying for something he did not order and said they can put him in jail (he's very dramatic), do advertisers have an ombudman I can report this company too. I have emailed the editor of the organisation concerned telling them to remove info they hold on Hubby's business, not to pass info on to 3rd party and to cancel this non existant ad order, I also asked for written confirmation that they had done so, I got a read receipt for my emails but no written confirmation.

Sorry its so long but he's dramatic and I never shut up, any advice would be appreciated.

bogwart

This type of selling is invariably a con. My advice would be that the best thing to do with their invoices is to chuck them in the bin. They have no written proof, and they have no intention of going to Court anyway. They rely on people paying up. So far as pursuing them, you're probably wasting your time. Again, these people are con merchants and if push comes to shove they'll just pack their tents and disappear into the horizon.

Meepster

Just ignore them. One invoices are completely unenforcable. If you have any more threatening demands for money, go to the police...

bingo_bango

This is an offence under The Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008. It should be reported to your local Trading Standards (through Consumer Direct or Consumerline in NI) as they are the body responsible for enforcing the regs.

trevormax

your husband can send them an invoice saying he has done some work for them (without their permission) and expectes them to pay. Tell them it is too late for them to back out and if they do not pay, he will take them to court lol

DVardysShadow

jmcr123 wrote: »

Hi can anyone tell me who I should report an advertising company too? My husband received a cold call from a firm selling advertising in some health and safety brochure, he was at work at the time (self employed) and as he has been caught out before with advertising he told them to post out information for him to have a look at and he would let them know. The information arrived with their suggested ad with room to make any changes etc but surprise surprise with it came an invoice. He did tell me about it but I didn't look at the actual paperwork so I was not aware of the invoice. I told him not to place the ad so he put it in a drawer and forgot about it until they telephoned him again and he told them he was not going to go ahead with the ad. They informed him he was to late to cancel the ad and he told them to do what they liked but he was not paying for an ad he had not given them permission to place. A letter has since arrived explaining that he cannot cancel but he only actually told them to post him out information. How can he resolve this he is adamant he is not paying for something he did not order and said they can put him in jail (he's very dramatic), do advertisers have an ombudman I can report this company too. I have emailed the editor of the organisation concerned telling them to remove info they hold on Hubby's business, not to pass info on to 3rd party and to cancel this non existant ad order, I also asked for written confirmation that they had done so, I got a read receipt for my emails but no written confirmation.

Sorry its so long but he's dramatic and I never shut up, any advice would be appreciated.

So a chancer can ring you, you can ask them to send out info about what they are offering and they make out you have a contract. You ask who you can report them to.

Have more confidence in yourself. You don't need to report them to anyone. You just need to tell them to get stuffed, ignore them and defend yourself if they come after you.

As an aside, I was sorting out a purchase at a small business today, when my conversation was interrupted by a phone call to the proprietor from one of these chancer companies offering advertising. He apologised and I suggested that he tell them he was too busy dealing with customers to need their services.

jmcr123

DVardysShadow wrote: »

So a chancer can ring you, you can ask them to send out info about what they are offering and they make out you have a contract. You ask who you can report them to.

Have more confidence in yourself. You don't need to report them to anyone. You just need to tell them to get stuffed, ignore them and defend yourself if they come after you.

As an aside, I was sorting out a purchase at a small business today, when my conversation was interrupted by a phone call to the proprietor from one of these chancer companies offering advertising. He apologised and I suggested that he tell them he was too busy dealing with customers to need their services.

Thanks for the confidence boost DVardysShadow. I have contacted them myself + got a read receipt for the email I sent them but no reply.

I hate chancers :mad: and wanted to officially report them to relevant authorities in the hopes of preventing them from doing this to someone else who may not have enough confidence to tackle them themselves, as I am sure some poor critter has just paid up.

Thanks Bingo Bango:jwill follow your advice.

jmcr123

Hi All,
Just wanted to give you a quick update.
Company have cancelled ad and are supposedly sending through written confirmation of all my requests although I will believe it when I see it. Also got a telephone call today from my local Trading Standards, they are getting in touch with T.S. in area of said business to investigate them.
Thank you all for your help with this matter, I will let you know the outcome but it may take a while.
Thanks Again
xx

bingo_bango

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Have more confidence in yourself. You don't need to report them to anyone. You just need to tell them to get stuffed, ignore them and defend yourself if they come after you.

And if they follow that advice this shower will continue to take money from unsuspecting small businesses.

Utterly, utterly awful advice.

DVardysShadow

bingo_bango wrote: »

And if they follow that advice this shower will continue to take money from unsuspecting small businesses.

Utterly, utterly awful advice.

They will only take from businesses which don't stand up for themselves. Let us face it, there is no one to report this kind of thing to, a business only loses more by spending time on this.

If it is 'utterly utterly awful advice' to tell people to have confidence in themselves and their position, then I am in favour of utterly awful advice.