Scam operating as www.mymanuals.net operated by Squirrel Web Ltd registered in Dublin 8 September 2021 at 12:21PM in Praise, vent & warnings 10 replies 2.4K views

westlondon1001

Please read all the reviews on trust pilot about "mymanual.net" .I was looking for a manual for my TV. "mymanuals.net" came up first when I seached on Google .I did a search on the site and they said they had the manual to download .It was £1.49 or I could get monthly access to  it for for £4.95.I tried to pay but it would not accept my credit card only, my Visa debit card .I paid .I looked on site and there were no manuals for any TV sets.They then sent me a manual for a fan oven .I then phoned up and was told to wait  and then they will send me the right manual .I said I want my money back and  I was told the £1.49 was for a trial period of 3 days and then I will be charged automatically £24.95 per month.THey said it was in the term and conditions. THey must have done this to thousands of people running into millions of euros.When I asked for a refund of my money they laughed at me.THe company is registered as Web Squirrell LTD in Dublin.

[Deleted User]

westlondon1001 said:

THey must have done this to thousands of people running into millions of euros.

I very much doubt it. Most people will get the manuals from one of the many free sources. It's a modest income, but low effort, operation. 

Cancel your subscription. Then check the terms you agreed to to see you have any case for a refund. However, it's unlikely.

It's certainly not a scam website, just poor value.

Pollycat

westlondon1001 said:

Please read all the reviews on trust pilot about "mymanual.net" .I was looking for a manual for my TV. "mymanuals.net" came up first when I seached on Google .I did a search on the site and they said they had the manual to download .It was £1.49 or I could get monthly access to  it for for £4.95.I tried to pay but it would not accept my credit card only, my Visa debit card .I paid .I looked on site and there were no manuals for any TV sets.They then sent me a manual for a fan oven .I then phoned up and was told to wait  and then they will send me the right manual .I said I want my money back and  I was told the £1.49 was for a trial period of 3 days and then I will be charged automatically £24.95 per month.THey said it was in the term and conditions. THey must have done this to thousands of people running into millions of euros.When I asked for a refund of my money they laughed at me.THe company is registered as Web Squirrell LTD in Dublin.

It is:

For only £1.49 for 3 days followed by an automatic renewal of £24.90 per month for a duration of three years, which can be cancelled at any time!

Source:
Download your User Manual and Register - MyManuals

MalMonroe

A few months ago I also fell for this kind of thing but it was run by a UK company. Not sure it's a scam though - more of a very lazy and easy way to make money by using people (they call customers) who are not particularly tech savvy. It really should be stopped because most manuals are online and you can normally download them yourself, free of charge. I wanted the manual of a no longer produced vacuum cleaner so I could give it to a friend complete with instructions - but it wasn't online because the vacuum was old although in good condition.  

I think I only paid 99p for the manual though. I thought they would be able to locate the manual for the old vacuum but when it came via email, it was for the new and modern updated version so I contacted them, told them that they'd not sent me the exact manual I wanted and asked for my money back. I did get a refund. Then printed out the free updated version myself.

This is an Irish company though, so I'm not sure if they will be covered by the same distance selling laws as in the UK.

I agree with zx81 - cancel the subscription, you can do so any time. Fortunately, even if you can't get a refund, you've not lost a lot. 

ThumbRemote

Deleted_User said:

westlondon1001 said:

THey must have done this to thousands of people running into millions of euros.

It's certainly not a scam website, just poor value.

If they claim to have a particular manual, take your money, and don't have that manual, then it does appear to be a scam. 

rabbitlover

I 'fell' for this.  They are disreputable, to say the least.  They rely on people being anxious to order their manual and not realising they are signing up for £24.99 monthly subscription  Yes, 'buyer beware' but this company is couching its advert & website in such a way that so many people are being enrolled in this subscription scam (scam in that who actually wants a subscription to a company supposedly supplying manuals and who would have signed if they had realised).  I was, to begin with, offered the incorrect manual and had to contact them again for the correct manual - and even then it was incomplete.  I truly believe they had sent me the wrong manual in a deliberate attempt to encourage me to contact them again and end up signing up for a subscription because I was in a hurry.  I did get my money back but was informed that it was not my business to try to help others get their money back.  I have posted on a well-known Review site but unfortunately people are still falling for this 'trickery'.  

sheramber

quite clear on the registration page

https://www.mymanuals.net/registration

and of you scroll down on the first page

https://www.mymanuals.net/?gclid=CjwKCAiAvriMBhAuEiwA8Cs5lUwy73KZR0he9phBgg5hFOoSQ-Si7IYuACIAyZ8OpaUK10I3kWNhFBoC_dUQAvD_BwE

jonesey1985

rabbitlover said:

I 'fell' for this.  They are disreputable, to say the least.  They rely on people being anxious to order their manual and not realising they are signing up for £24.99 monthly subscription  Yes, 'buyer beware' but this company is couching its advert & website in such a way that so many people are being enrolled in this subscription scam (scam in that who actually wants a subscription to a company supposedly supplying manuals and who would have signed if they had realised).  I was, to begin with, offered the incorrect manual and had to contact them again for the correct manual - and even then it was incomplete.  I truly believe they had sent me the wrong manual in a deliberate attempt to encourage me to contact them again and end up signing up for a subscription because I was in a hurry.  I did get my money back but was informed that it was not my business to try to help others get their money back.  I have posted on a well-known Review site but unfortunately people are still falling for this 'trickery'.  

And as long as people don't bother to read what they're signing up for, it'll continue to happen.  You can lead a horse to water and all that.

It was covered quite nicely years ago in the South Park episode "HUMANCENTiPAD"

cx6

Seems pretty clear to me...

Jb59

Unfortunately my husband searching for an obscure manual paid his £1.49. He didnt get the manual and unbelievably has put his email address in wrong so I cant cancel as his email isnt recognised. I noticed the subscription terms so have cancelled his card and requested a new one. They can have the £1.49 but am making sure they dont get any more money. Who would pay that for 3 years when they  didnt have the manual he wanted anyway. It is a scam but not illegal. Have I done enough by changing our debit card? 

[Deleted User]

No - you need to cancel the contract.

The payment will carry over to your new card as you've already authorised it.