Who keeps calling from 0845 2411525?

Zanderman

My elderly neighbour fell for stopthesecalls last week. They talked her into what they said was £1.50 a month, via debit card, for three years. She didn't even know who they were - she didn't think to ask (she's 85)

When her son found out we looked them up (she only had their phone number) and worked out who they were. When we told her she had been conned she rang them (without either of us present) to cancel (they had told her she had 14 days grace).

But they talked her out of it saying she should wait for the paperwork before cancelling - which she thought was good (!) as she could 'reply in writing'. I bet that paperwork might take up to 14 days to arrive...

Anyway her son made her ring them back again - but whilst he listened this time - and they gave her the hard sell again, saying they were legit and did more than TPS (which is well nigh impossible unless you have all the numbers that ring and can persuade them to stop - two very unlikely scenarios).

Her son spoke to the woman and found that they expected her (his mum) to tell them who called her (!!!) so they could stop them. As most are number withheld and anyway she doesn't have caller display that would be absolutely impossible.

Plus he found that it was not the £1.50 a month for three years - they had already taken a lump sum of £65! Which was for three years.

We scratched our heads over that figure last night - as £1.50 x 36 months is not £65! But then we realised that £1.50 a month X 36 months does make £65 if it was quoted ex-VAT!!

What sort of 'legit' company rings vulnerable old ladies and quotes them ex-VAT rates?? How many 85 year old widows are VAT registered?

So, they sell a product that almost certainly can't be made to work, rely on you telling them the relevant numbers (in other words you do the work) which they say they will action (how?) and they deliberately misquote their prices by stating them ex VAT and implying it's a sub not a lump sum.

I cannot give my opinion of them politely...

[Deleted User]

Zanderman, in your position I would give my opinion of them impolitely and to hell with them!
They are crooks - as are almost all cold callers and if you answer the phone, as I do, which is to expect a crook on the other end then these calls are much easier to deal with.