Safebuy - Be careful if you've cancelled

TKPeters

We signed upto Safebuy in 2007 with their free service & cancelled a year later, as nothing was required from us to prove who we are or that we're even UK Based.

I couldn't see a valid reason for paying them for something anyone with a website could obtain & the SSL greenbar is worth more in customer security than paying £160pa for a logo.

I removed the logo & link to their site in 2008, except one of our website pages that is not updated that often & still had the logo although no link to them.

Several weeks ago, we got an invoice from Safebuy for £400 + VAT for use of their shaking hands logo on the website for the last 3 years even though no services are being provided & this is the first contact from them in 3 years.

Personally I would have issued a 14 day warning to remove the logo, rather than £480 bill for no services being provided by them.


We've had several abusive phone calls from them [01908 363466] where they've threatened to pass it over to their debt collectors, even though I explained it was a mistake.

My stance is there is not any outstanding debt, as the account was cancelled in 2008 & they cannot charge full membership just for us forgetting to remove a single logo.


Last week I received a letter from Goldman Vicenti [Manchester] Debt Collectors whom are adding 10% interest & £100 per letter to the debt.


My guess is that the company is struggling & they're chasing anything to claw in a few £000's

Upon Googling them, I see this is their current tactic & are billing people even for using their supplied T&C's - http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=1927744

Joan496

My Husband also received the same letter from safebuy and he has been speaking his solicitors about it, who have claimed it is illegal for safebuy and the debt collectors to send these letters over copyright.

The law states that if the user was unaware of the breach of copyright, then it is up to safebuy to prove that the customer was aware of this.

It is also illegal to send threatening letters over suspected copyright demanding and threatening compensation. The copyright act is 1988, so my solicitors have advise my husband to ignore these letters, and they are not acting within the law.

Other forums are also stating that safebuy are losing money as a company so are risking these strategies to try and get them back in the black.

Many people are receiving these threatening letters, another is here:

makemoneyforum.com/topic/1104-safebuyorguk-scam-debt-letter-email-received-goldman-vicenti-debt-collectors/

Best of luck with it,

Joan

dazren

We were contacted recently by SafeBuy as our terms page referenced us as a SafeBuy member. Obviously we did not know about this and all the main logos etc. were removed when we cancelled. We removed the text almost instantly but they still want nearly £400!

Thankfully my solicitor has advised that they do not have a case; but with a busy business to run I can do without having to deal with companies like this.

steve1980

Someone's concerned.....