vitamail p.o box 1075 bedford mk41 9xp

BFG_2

dzug1 wrote: »

The problem is it WON'T cost them for delivery. They can refuse to pay and Royal Mail will dump it. (I assume it's not a replypaid envelope?)

You're absolutely right, however you should still return the cr4p in the envelope without a stamp and here's why.......

1. They MAY pay ...thinking there is an order/cheque inside it
and

2. Even if they don't, it costs Royal MAil money to handle it. This is good because RM are actually facilitating a lot of the scams [and know it because the scammers deliver the envelopes en masse to the posting office, and RM give them favourable postage rates].....as such the more pain they feel associated with the scammers, the more likely they are to take action to help combat it.

3. knowing 1 & 2 above, it gives you a nice feeling to do so...lol

So in summary, keep sending the envelopes back with no stamp.....

dragonfly61

Having finally tracked down this forum on sweepstake scams I have to admit I was caught out a few weeks ago when vitamail confirmed that I was 'definitely the winner' of £21,000.00 - surprise, surprise, still waiting for the cheque to arrive!!

I have been on the 'no unwanted scam post list' for years, and now intend to take full advantage of the suggestions to return post without paying postage - it is time that these profiteers (including the post office) learn about the credit crunch.

custardy

BFG wrote: »

You're absolutely right, however you should still return the cr4p in the envelope without a stamp and here's why.......

1. They MAY pay ...thinking there is an order/cheque inside it
and

2. Even if they don't, it costs Royal MAil money to handle it. This is good because RM are actually facilitating a lot of the scams [and know it because the scammers deliver the envelopes en masse to the posting office, and RM give them favourable postage rates].....as such the more pain they feel associated with the scammers, the more likely they are to take action to help combat it.

3. knowing 1 & 2 above, it gives you a nice feeling to do so...lol

So in summary, keep sending the envelopes back with no stamp.....

RM are legally obliged to deliver the mail.how exactly would you like them to change this?
who do vitamail use? RM or a competitor? if its a competitor them RM can definatly do nothing under the competition ruling
so whats your solution given you are laying the blame at RM's door?

lynx10

This, from the Times, a couple of months ago:

"I received a vitamin supplement brochure from Vitamail and ordered goods on two occasions, enclosing cheques for £13 and £19. The company has cashed the cheques but I have not received any goods. I have not received any replies after sending requests to the given addresses. Despite this, Vitamail sends more brochures and order forms. It does not give a telephone number. Am I the victim of a scam? Mr B. GRAY, Cramlington, Northumberland

Troubleshooter is 99 per cent certain that you are. Health company scams appear to be relatively common, perhaps because people think that no one selling something as virtuous as vitamins could be a fraudster. A quick Google search shows that Vitamail has been vilified by hundreds of contributors to a forum on Moneysavingexpert.com.

Some say that Vitamail promises the chance to win money if they buy products, but the prizes are never forthcoming. Others claim to have paid for goods and not received them. Tellingly, the address given on the literature you have been sent is 9 Trident Way, Southall. This address, for a company called Spring Global Mail, a junk mail distributor part-owned by the Royal Mail, is commonly associated with scams.

The Office of Fair Trading has not taken action against Vitamail, which is surprising, as the first remarks began appearing online in early 2005. Putting a stop to this one requires some people power. Vitamail victims should report their experiences on the “report a scam” section of the Consumer Direct website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk."

The Times, September 18, 2008
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article4781887.ece

NB I was informed earlier in the year, via my MEP/the European Commission, that the OfT were investigating Vitamail - it is not known whether the OfT investigation has been concluded.

custardy

lynx10 wrote: »

This, from the Times, a couple of months ago:

"I received a vitamin supplement brochure from Vitamail and ordered goods on two occasions, enclosing cheques for £13 and £19. The company has cashed the cheques but I have not received any goods. I have not received any replies after sending requests to the given addresses. Despite this, Vitamail sends more brochures and order forms. It does not give a telephone number. Am I the victim of a scam? Mr B. GRAY, Cramlington, Northumberland

Troubleshooter is 99 per cent certain that you are. Health company scams appear to be relatively common, perhaps because people think that no one selling something as virtuous as vitamins could be a fraudster. A quick Google search shows that Vitamail has been vilified by hundreds of contributors to a forum on Moneysavingexpert.com.

Some say that Vitamail promises the chance to win money if they buy products, but the prizes are never forthcoming. Others claim to have paid for goods and not received them. Tellingly, the address given on the literature you have been sent is 9 Trident Way, Southall. This address, for a company called Spring Global Mail, a junk mail distributor part-owned by the Royal Mail, is commonly associated with scams.

The Office of Fair Trading has not taken action against Vitamail, which is surprising, as the first remarks began appearing online in early 2005. Putting a stop to this one requires some people power. Vitamail victims should report their experiences on the “report a scam” section of the Consumer Direct website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk."

The Times, September 18, 2008
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article4781887.ece

NB I was informed earlier in the year, via my MEP/the European Commission, that the OfT were investigating Vitamail - it is not known whether the OfT investigation has been concluded.

spring global is a mailing service.

lynx10

"We are a joint venture company, formed in 2001 by three of the world’s most dynamic and respected postal organisations: TNT of the Netherlands, Royal Mail of the United Kingdom and Singapore Post."

Spring Global Mail - About Us
http://www.springglobalmail.com/uk/en/About_Us/

lynx10

This probably warrants a new thread, but my mother recently received details of what looks like another deceptive prize draw, with the 'regulations' citing these organisations:

International Fund for Cash Gains
Department of Consumer and Employment Protection - ScamNet (Government of Western Australia)
http://www.docep.wa.gov.au/ConsumerProtection/ScamNet/Scams/International_Fund_f.html

[ISS] Promo Direct Ltd
Department of Consumer and Employment Protection - ScamNet (Government of Western Australia)
http://www.docep.wa.gov.au/ConsumerProtection/ScamNet/Scams/ISS_Promo_Direct_Ltd.html

[1] Sample text
"IMPORTANT
Personal message:
This OFFICIAL DOCUMENT confirms the TRANSFER of the unique cash sum of 42,200.00 Pounds
It represents the final administrative step and requires a REPLY from you to prevent the final closing of your Beneficiary Account to the benefit of another person!
UPON RECEIPT of your signed Money Transfer Authorisation, the sum of £42,200.00 EXACTLY will be sent to you in its entirety, within 48 hours."

The 'Money Transfer Authorisation' requests a payment of £20 by either cheque or credit card (to be supplied, along with security code).

[2] Reply envelope address:
B & N
Uitbreidingstraat 84
3th floor
2600 Berchem (Antwerp)
Belgium

[3] The envelope containing the documentation displays this pre-printed text:
m ROYAL MAIL
POSTAGE PAID GB
HQ 30952

lynx10

Interesting EASA Cross-Border Complaints reports (EASA = The European Advertising Standards Alliance):

Unsolicited Mailing
1920, 1927 Vitamail
Complaints from two UK consumers to the UK SRO, ASA, about a direct mailing from France. The consumers had subscribed to mailing preference services in order not to receive such mailings. The ASA transferred the complaints to the French SRO, ARPP, under the cross border procedure. The ARPP informed the advertiser of the complaints and asked him not to contact the complainants again. Complaint upheld, Case closed.
Quarterly Report No. 41 (May to September 2008)
http://www.easa-alliance.org/binarydata.aspx?type=doc/CBC_Quarterly_Report_No41_-_may-september_2008.pdf

Unsolicited Mailing
1943 Vitamail
Complaint from a British consumer to the British SRO, ASA, about a direct mailing from France. The consumer had subscribed to mailing preference services in order not to receive such mailings. The ASA transferred the complaint to the French SRO, ARPP, under the cross-border procedure. The ARPP informed the advertiser of the complaint and asked him not to contact the complainant again. Complaint upheld, case closed.
Quarterly Report No. 42 (October - December 2008)
http://www.easa-alliance.org/binarydata.aspx?type=doc/CBC_Report_No_42_october-december_2008.pdf

MindTripper

This is interesting & I've not seen it mentioned elsewhere. This webpage enables companies to purchase lists of "buyers" from Vitamail. From the description it is clear that the "buyers" Vitamail are selling are those people who have responded to their misleading mail offering £10000. If you've bought something from Vitamail you are probably on this list!

//lists.nextmark.com/market;jsessionid=0200DDCA9BBE1F01B1B524238F6756DF?page=order/online/datacard&id=187700

Notice that this page describes their "buyers" as being predominantly 55+ years old. This tallies with what I've read on this and other forums, that the recipients of the unsolicited Vitamail mail tend to be in the higher age bracket. These are the people Vitamail seem to be targetting for whatever reason.

BFG_2

MindTripper wrote: »

Notice that this page describes their "buyers" as being predominantly 55+ years old. This tallies with what I've read on this and other forums, that the recipients of the unsolicited Vitamail mail tend to be in the higher age bracket. These are the people Vitamail seem to be targetting for whatever reason.

Reason being.....possibly with this age group the scammers are more likely to find someone who is

susceptible to these misleading scams
worried about their health
concerned about money
able to be bullied
unaware of such scams [lower internet access %]
be slightly 'forgetful'

And please, before all you silver surfers rush to castigate me, I'm not saying ALL 55+ are susceptible, just more than the 'average'.

OF course most of the real 'I've lost all my money to scammers/bullies' do tend to be the very old and alone groups [vulnerable].