Warning! - UK Shutters Direct.com/Shuttershop.org

suzyq2909

Hi
I ordered window shutters from Lee Wilberforce, owner of the above companies. He took £900 from me in December 2015 stating he had placed the order with the manufacturer. To date I have not received my shutters & I'm still trying to get my money back. Lee Wilberforce does not return my calls, emails or texts, the only time I get through to him is calling him from telephone numbers which he doesn't recognise. Since I placed my order he has changed his website & is trading under a new company name. He is still taking orders - and presumably money! - from customers.

Avoid this company! And if anyone can advise if there's another website where I can expose this fraudster I would like to save other innocent customers from falling for the same scam

wealdroam

suzyq2909 wrote: »

Hi
I ordered window shutters from Lee Wilberforce, owner of the above companies. He took £900 from me in December 2015 stating he had placed the order with the manufacturer. To date I have not received my shutters & I'm still trying to get my money back. Lee Wilberforce does not return my calls, emails or texts, the only time I get through to him is calling him from telephone numbers which he doesn't recognise. Since I placed my order he has changed his website & is trading under a new company name. He is still taking orders - and presumably money! - from customers.

Avoid this company! And if anyone can advise if there's another website where I can expose this fraudster I would like to save other innocent customers from falling for the same scam

It sounds like you have given up on seeing your money again.
How did you pay? By credit card I hope?

suzyq2909

Hi Wealdroam


I did indeed pay by credit card & am trying to recoup my money via this route as well. However, its not just about the money, this man should not get away with such dishonesty and I think people should know.

Sam457

Hi there, I have just come across this company on ebay. They offered me a £100 discount if I settled outside of ebay which made me suspicious. Fortunately I came across your warning so thanks so much for that! Also did a quick search of companies house and found the company has applied for liquidation. I have reported them to ebay and the contact email I have for them is sales at uk shutters direct. c0m.

I wish you all the best with getting your money back and your fight against the scammers x

Makemoney

I too have fallen for this scammer Suzy, I too paid £900 in Feb 16, he told me that the order was delayed in China. He did send me an email in July saying he sent me the shutter via TNT and they have been returned he's a liar. Please contact me if you would like to apply for a combined claim against him.
Please make contact to share any information you have on him

suzyq2909

Oh gosh I'm so sorry! I managed to get my money back from the bank because luckily I paid by credit card. I didn't pursue my case as he called & was so apologetic & humble that I actually believed him. Clearly he is a serial scammer. If there's anything I can do let me know. I'll happily write a statement or something if it helps.

For info, I posted my story on various community websites as well as here warning everyone, then I sent him a text telling to check my posts. After that he called me & gave me a sob story about someone ripping him off blah blah, which I fell for! Suggest you do the same & see if he bites. I also initiated a fraud claim against him which I foolishly dropped after I got my money back

hollydays

There is also a site called rip off report where you can leave a review.
I see his website is saying " can deliver before Christmas"

Mimi360

My mother of 79 years old ordered shutters through Lee Wilberforce company ukshutters direct and she paid £1,300 January 2016. He came to her home measured up and even said that he would do the installation at a further £300. I have received several correspondance from him via email. The last one stating that he had trouble with his last supplier and he was in the process of getting another manufacturer and my mother was not the only person in that position and he was depressed and anxious and felt awful and now getting panick attacks. He is on my whatsapp with his profile picture looking very smug and happy with himself which he recently updated within the past week. He will not answe my phone calls, whatsapp messages, text messages or emails. I am looking to take him to small claims court as I will not allow him to pray on my 79 year old mother.
He is a lowlife and I hope this message is seen by anyone else that may fall pray to this con artist.

suzyq2909

Oh Mimi I'm so sorry for your mother. Her story is identical to what panned out with mine. I really wish I'd pursued my fraud claim against him but I was also conned into believing he was anxious, depressed & having panic attacks so I dropped it

I would like to start some kind of combined effort to stop this man - anyone reading this who has been conned by him or just wants to prevent others from getting ripped off by this serial scammer p,ease get in touch with idea/suggestions.

I started by revealing his despicable story on Streetlife in various areas, mainly where I live but also his local area in Bucks. Then I text him the link & suggested he read it - he immediately contacted me

Then I started a fraud claim - you can do it online at Actionfraud

Other options - watchdog, Which?, Companies House, FCA, Trading Standards. Maybe if a group of us pooled our stories & efforts we can stop him once & for all

Sue

hollydays

Good luck here. When you said you started a fraud claim, what exactly are you doing? Do you mean a county court claim?
His actions don't amount to a criminal offence, but a civil offence I'm afraid.

suzyq2909

I believe he intentionally took money knowing he wasn't going to supply goods. Besides the threat was enough to make him refund some of the money owed.