Don't invest in Strangest Books (SCAM)

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Roughly one month ago I paid two thousand five hundred pounds as a refundable deposit for 600 books and assorted promotional material to a conman called Mike Jones (sole proprietor),which were to be distributed to retail outlets or wholesalers designated by him.
These mythical creatures never materialised!
I was to receive a basic salary of 30k, profits being split 50/50,no selling involved.

This is a very convincing man who can show many years' history of trading.

I have today learned of three other people/couples who have been stung for much more money than me over the last few years.

Mr Jones has disappeared from his home leaving substanial rent arrears, and his office has closed down.I hadn't worked for a year and I took the cash(!) off a credit card.I'm deep in it.

If anyone spots this man in and around Stourbridge quite a few people would be interested in his whereabouts!

Don't be a mug like me!!

hollydays

How did you get involved with him.
Can't you provide more information.
I don't get the business model,somebody would have to sell,not just designate.
£30,000 plus profits for doing what?
The company was called what?

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I got involved by answering an advert on Gumtree for "Light Delivery Driver".

I could provide many more details, but my main concern is to flag this up so that nobody else gets caught.

By the way, the books aren't half bad, but I wouldn't buy one from the official website if his recent activities are anything to go by.

hollydays

That presumably was self employed delivery driver?
You haven't provided enough details jones being a very common name,and he might have an alias..
How did you find out about the others?

marleyboy

OUCH!!!! That sounds like a massive sting for an assortment of books, what company was he trading under???

Optimist

Did you not think it curious that somebody who was going to pay you a salary of £30k wanted money from you prior to him doing so ?

hollydays

I remember when my son needed another job once,trying to weed through the fake job ads in the paper and at the jobcentre (agencies).Someone should start a thread about what the words in job ads really mean.eg..marketing assistant (self employed rep),light delivery driver (self employed rep),telesales executive (we want you cold calling on , or self employed you will never see any commission)etc

look at this one -volunteer marketing assistant

http://www.gumtree.com/london/92/65373092.html

and
http://www.gumtree.com/london/95/65433195.html

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The company is called Strangest Books (hence the thread title), and the position was self employed delivery driver, albeit under the title of distributor.
The money was a (refundable) deposit for the 600 books I walked out of his office with which retail (in theory) at eight pounds each.After the validity of the company had been well and truly established it seemed quite reasonable that he should want some form of security, as I could have been more of a lying toerag than he is and given false details in order to run off with the stock.
After 12 months out of work due to redundancy and subsequent ill health I let my heart rule my head.I was very suspicious beforehand, but could not find any solid evidence to deter me.Hopefully if he tries it again people will pick up on this thread.

lincroft1710

You have bought the books for just over £4 each, so you may be able to sell them on at a profit. What are the books about?

geordieracer

img wrote: »

The company is called Strangest Books (hence the thread title), and the position was self employed delivery driver, albeit under the title of distributor.
The money was a (refundable) deposit for the 600 books I walked out of his office with which retail (in theory) at eight pounds each.After the validity of the company had been well and truly established it seemed quite reasonable that he should want some form of security, as I could have been more of a lying toerag than he is and given false details in order to run off with the stock.
After 12 months out of work due to redundancy and subsequent ill health I let my heart rule my head.I was very suspicious beforehand, but could not find any solid evidence to deter me.Hopefully if he tries it again people will pick up on this thread.

so you were to sell these books then? Or just take them somewhere?

marleyboy

I would be highly suspicious of applying for any sort of job that involved an upfront fee, legit companies would not need to buy you into a job with them.