Scam - Vehicle World Services

geo555

rowenab wrote: »

I too nearly fell for it but luckily checked on google and up came this forum. Their charge has now gone up to £129 for finding you a buyer (or not as the case maybe)

No doubt they will be running a "promotion" giving you the £129.99 package for £99.99, amazingly just under the magic £100 for credit card protection.

clarencia

There are several companies operating this same scam. For example, cardata, motorshopuk, motorexpertuk, they're all the same, but will cough up money back if you point out that they are breaking the law.

wozza77

I've just got off the phone with James Harley of VWS - pleasant enough scammer, I must say! Anyway, told him I was a sceptical git, and wanted to check them out and do some research on the net, as I'd heard a lot about companies like them on Watchdog. Asked him to call me back in half an hour - I guess that'll be a short call now!


Thanks everyone - I NEARLY got caught.

I think what I might do is say 'Oh hang on two ticks, someone at the door' then go and make myself a cup of coffee - see how long he waits for!!!!

AlanKirby

I have just been phoned by someone calling themselves Alex Webster. He said he worked for Vehicle World Services. He claimed that he could sell my car for £400 more than I had advertised it. I listened for a few minutes just in case he knew how to sell my car. He then said that they required £129 up front by credit card and promised that they would get someone round to see the car more or less immediately. I said that I would not pay any commission up front but I would be prepared to enter into a contract where the commission would be paid if and when they sold the car. This person who may or may not of been Alex Webster became very persistant so I had no option but to put the phone down. He then had the audacity to phone me back and tell me how rude I was for not believing his attempt at extorting money out of me.

wozza77

wozza77 wrote: »

I've just got off the phone with James Harley of VWS - pleasant enough scammer, I must say! Anyway, told him I was a sceptical git, and wanted to check them out and do some research on the net, as I'd heard a lot about companies like them on Watchdog. Asked him to call me back in half an hour - I guess that'll be a short call now!


Thanks everyone - I NEARLY got caught.

I think what I might do is say 'Oh hang on two ticks, someone at the door' then go and make myself a cup of coffee - see how long he waits for!!!!

Just to update you - I've just had ANOTHER one call me, called Motor Shop UK, claimed to have links with M&S and Barclays. Did a quick Google search and found they're being taken to court by a woman who wanted her £70 back!:mad:

zebedee70

I too just got a phone call from 'Alex Webster' - more or less the same scam details as all the above, and I totally fell for it. Additional info - 'We only call you when we have 3 buyers interested - we have 5', 'are you in today to take viewings?'. He left it quite late in the call to mention the fee...but kept saying that he was interested in selling the car within 7 days, or he wouldn't get his money. I mentioned that 'well, you'll ge the fee from me', to which he replied - 'we don't see a penny of that money, it's solely to provide a warranty for the vehicle'. I wasn't thinking, and got suckered in.

I immediately checked on Google, and found this forum. First thing I did was check my credit card details via online banking. The payment wasn't visible against my card, so I called the bank and cancelled the card as 'lost', therefore putting a stop on it. Whether or not the payment has actually gone through, I don't know - but hopefully it'll get bounced back if VWS don't process during the initial phone call...

I'm going to follow this up with Watchdog - it needs to be brought to the attention of the public at large...

frustrated_banker_2

I almost fell for the Vehicle World 'scam', but decided to just check them out first, and as an avid MSE devotee, I realised pretty quickly that it was dodgey!! I was also contacted by another similar company last week who were phoning me at least 3 times a day, so I threatened to report them to trading standards.
I'm expecting a call back this morning from Vehicle World, and am now looking forward to telling them in no uncertain terms that I will be reporting them to trading standards too!!
I actually called autotrader too (having already reported LOTS of scam e-mails) and they also backed up my suspicions - I was told that VWS are affiliated to autotrader and churchill insurance, but of course they aren't.
The chap at autotrader reckons that the reason that they haven't been shut down is because they will eventually refund the money if you are prepared to jump through enough hoops, but they rely on 50% of people putting it down to bad luck and not bothering to get the refund. SO, if you have been scammed by them, don't give up on the refund!!!
If anyone has any bright ideas for selling my car cheaply though, I'd be VERY grateful, as it is costing me a fortune to advertise it in autotrader/ebay :-(

JAMES00HEART

This is a 150 % scam do not part with you cash!!!!!!!!!!!


Take my advice avoid avoid avoid !!!!!

clarencia

Zebedee, did you have any hassle from these people after you cancelled the payment?

zebedee70

Well - my plan nearly worked - I managed to cancel my credit card before VWS requested the payment. However, my bank then contacted me to advise of a 'fraudulent' claim against my cancelled card - which I was required to contact them to discuss.
Now you can call me a sucker, but I was asked whether or not VWS had authorisation to charge my card £129 - to which I had to admit, since I had agreed in the original telesales call to pay for the 'service' they were selling.
As such, HSBC have processed the payment against my new (replacement) credit card account.
However, I did explain that I had found out, subsequent to VWS's call, that their service was a scam, and that I had been mis-sold. HSBC have since sent me a number of forms to fill out in order to reclaim the monies paid, on the basis of mis-selling their service.
I've not actually discussed any of this directly with VWS as yet. I'll simply write to them requesting a refund, on the basis that they've mis-sold their service, and are in contravention of distance selling regulations by not clarifying a cancellation period etc. As stated in other posts, I'll tag on a cc. line to the OFT, and HSBC Credit Card Disputes/Chargeback Manager.

They have 30 days to refund me...let's see if I get a cheque in the post.