MSE News: MoneySavingExpert.com wins battle over trademark

dunstonh

Funny, how MSE seems to think it's some sort of brand - I didn't realise a journalist could be trademarked in such a way - when it's the users that provide the info - take away the millions of users and would we have seen the same outcome? Hardly...

If you read past threads you would realise that the company were making out that they were linked to MSE.

John_Pierpoint

I think it is called "passing off" in the jargon, and it is a concept that goes back in common law (ie it is a sub set of lies and fraud)?

Obviously paying the fees and legal costs to register a trade mark, makes the situation more clear cut; though it can make a nonsense like the case in New Zealand where Mc D sued some bod who opened a cafe and called it Mc Donalds - his family name going back 100's of years. I've a nasty feeling that Mc D won that one; even though the cafe was more "Neighbours" than burgers.

Perhaps the MSE community has a lawyer who can give us a little thumb nail sketch of the law?

vaughan100

I hav had a sucessful claim with these people resulting with being paid back £1500, i am however awaiting a further refund of £352, guess i will never see that now??? Or is there a way i can get it back seeing that the company is no longer active for what i see??

fairytown

I dealt with the imposters last year. At the time I was in debt with mental health issues post divorce etc and genuinely thought I was dealing with the moneysavingexpert team. Instead I was harassed and felt under more pressure when they kept calling me trying to get me to sign up to their debt management scheme. Good court result might stop people going through what I did.

feonten

I have been submitting letters for a 74 year old illiterate man who has been blatantly robbed by this company. The Police won't act against them. The Ministry of Justice appear to be in cahoots with these people. There is something seriously wrong here. I sent many references to the Regulation department showing complaints by victims of this company posted on the internet. The Ministry say 'they could be telling lies'! We sent certified bank statements and copies of cheques supplied by Lloyds TSB showing that Lifestyle had claimed a cheque had bounced, taken money from a credit card account and then cleared the cheque. It is blatant robbery. They owe at least £1300 but the Regulation department say this is too small a sum to prompt Police action. To a 74 year old guy it's a fortune. I can provide all copies of mail to and from the Ministry of Justice. The old guy thinks it's because he is black. No wonder we can't break that particular wall down. He can't even read the arguments to show that this is not the case. It isn't the case, is it?