Warning to anybody who is contacted by Sapphire Studios!

SlingShot

Hi guys,

My girlfriend has just in the last few hours been caught by this scammer and paid the deposit. She was told she had won a competition..
I am so angry about this but reading the posts on here it sounds like we can get it back under the 7 day distance selling reg's. I have asked her to call them though and demand it is refunded and cancelled immediately. I am close to calling them myself and giving them a piece of my mind.

The killer thing here is the fact they said she had won a competition.. Totally wrong and a scam. Hopefully that can be used as leverage as someone else said that the manager said the sales people should not be doing that.

Any other advice on getting this back from other's who have done it?

letitia_drew

Hi Slingshot - which company was it that scammed your girlfriend? was it Sapphire again?

SlingShot

letitia_drew wrote: »

Hi Slingshot - which company was it that scammed your girlfriend? was it Sapphire again?

Hey there Letitia,

Yeah it's Saphire Studios. The usual, you have won a competition thing and then hard sell to get her to leave a deposit.

To be fair the email confirmation states that she can cancel in 7 days via post so we are going to do that. I think they are conforming to the distance selling rules so that is something..

letitia_drew

I went for a similar experience through Model Days - has anyone else had any dealings with them (website is ModelDays.co.uk)?
When the money for the deposit was taken out of my account it went to a company called Sapphire Studios, but the address of the studio was not the Farringdon one listed on Sapphire Studios' website, it was a warehouse down a back alley near Liverpool Street - the address was:
Shoreditch Studio
10B Blossom Street
London
E1 6PL

This must be connected to Sapphire Studios if they took the money for the deposit?

SlingShot

Right guys, just wanted to update you on what happened with my girlfriend.

After realising that this wasn't really what it was made out to be (a real competition win) she kept ringing and e-mailing Sapphire Studios. The next day she was called directly by 'Debbie' who was actually really helpful. Sounds like she had been dealing with *alot* of similar calls.

She made it very easy and said the deposit would be refunded within 5-10 days. We expected to have to send a letter under the 7 day distance selling reg's but she just sorted it out.

I just checked with my GF and the deposit was refunded as promised though I think it took slightly longer than 10 days.

Still, I am incredibly relieved that it did get refunded as I was starting to get concerned.

So for anyone in future who wants to cancel this, make sure you call up immediately and try to speak to Debbie - I believe she is the customer services manager or something. Or, just send a letter to cancel the appointment and demand the deposit back within 7 days (send it registered).

Looks like Sapphire have learnt from previous mistakes - maybe not in terms of dodgy sales techniques but in terms of honouring cancellation requests.

BrionyW

Hi, Yesterday I received a phone call saying I had won a photoshoot, stupidly decided to pay the £99.98 deposit as I did remember the competition and thought it was legit. After paying this and hanging up I went online to find thousands of complains about customer service, lack of communication and bullying tactics once in London. I decided, like many others, this did not sound like a fun day out at all I tried every number on the website, including the ones given to me over the phone and couldn't get through and suggest that people do as I do and email their appointment address, (so they think you are still interested), and ask them to contact you back asap. I had a phone call from an 0603 number (Philippines I believe?) from a woman who proceeded to forward request to a different department. Long story short, 'Debbie' (who was very helpful) called me back to say send your refund request, name and signature to the address given at the bottom of your email and send it recorded delivery WITHIN 7 DAYS! I will send the letter out this afternoon, unfortunately I'm rather pessimistic after reading all these reviews, but will let you know if I eventually get my full refund as promised. I managed to talk to the elusive staff at least! I suggest if you have been dragged in, don't even go to the shoot as you will be bullied as others have unfortunately experienced, and get your refund request out within the week!

DariusFS

Sapphire studio = con end of ...
Ive allerted my bank and am disputing my deposit..

MistaSooperAngry

It is tempting to email Sapphire to tip them off that an undercover news reporter is about to become a customer. That might make them clean up their act for a period. If had enough money, knowing who the holding company is (RF Marketing Ltd), I would get details of directors and accountants and turn up to ask for comments in relation complaints on here and CAG for the past 6 years. Quite often they have little clue as to how brutal the marketing boys are.

Just a thought.

I think anyone who gets a call from these should email their trading standards. Even if they don't take it up, sling enough mud and some will stick. Mobile phone firms are being brought to heel due to me and thousands like me making complaints over the years to TS, even though the answer was 'we don't have jurisdiction'. They still note the complaints and that data gets passed up the civil service tree, one day.

What is vitally important is to make sure you lodge a complaint with someone such as TS even if they say there is nothing they can do. Staying silent is just why these issue spans over 6 years!

Fatal63

I wish I had read all these messages before I handed my card details over , I had a lady on the phone for ages .. Surname I'd green, she convinced me that it would be a lovely pampered day blah blah , I thought it would be a lovely day for my mum, sisters and I who had a horrible jan 2011 because our Dad/husband passed away. When I got off the phone I decided to look them up and came across all these forums , I have rung my bank who are trying to get my deposit back and I have emailed them twice ( no reply) also surprise surprise no answer when I try calling them , has anyone got their address please ? I need to send them a letter within 7 days by the looks of it ! I really don't want to go ahead with this as I don't want to stress my mum and sisters out anyone I'd rather book a spa day instead where there's no pushy, expensive sales people thanks :(

Lenny_bun

Wow - I've had a narrow sqeak! Just had Carlos from Sapphire on the phone with all of the above but I wouldn't hand over my card expiry date or any financial information and refused to budge (did give my address and DoB, doh!). I said I wasn't handing over any sensitive information like that over the phone and if I'd won it, why was I paying £49? Apparently to ensure I'd turn up. Well, when I said I wasn't paying and made my point polite but clear he said that 'I sounded like I was coming off a treatment or something' which I said was very rude and hung up. These people are unprofessional scammers.

I'm just sorry they have my name and address but at least they have nothing more and at least I didn't fall for it completely.