Scam Alert - European City Guide

[hippy-chick]

Today I got a very official letter from European City Guide with my details printed onto a carbon copy sheet.
It said in the letter that it was producing a CD rom and wanted me to check my information to see if it was correct.

At the bottom of the page it said Order form and that it was euro 997 for inclusion.
It then stated an address for complaints in Valencia.

Now firstly, I wouldn't want my information on a cd rom for European City Guide, and secondly it just reeked of scam.

On the page of the carbon paper it had a long list of Terms and conditions in very faint writing, but the address for the Client Defence Service was in bold.

I personally feel sick of being targetted by a scam.
As soon as I could get home I logged on and googled it, yes its a huge scam. If you sign the form and return it you will liable not just for euro 997 but that times 3 as they then state that it was for a 3 year period.

How do they catch people? It seems to be an invite to take part in the cd rom and asks you to add any extra information like telephone number, then asking for any corrections.

Be warned. Has anyone else come across this?

 

[Ruth Mills]

Mat (Fozzyo) flagged up a similar scam with the "World Business Directory" a few weeks ago... I just Googled it and found a useful link...

World Business Directory: scam or not? You decide (we’ll help you) | 'mu:kaumedia

Basically these scams are a licence for the scammers to print money at your expense - who wants to pay extortionate sums of money for an entry in a particularly useless directory?

 

[tinksandfloris]

Hi yes I came across a few years back. It's been doing the rounds for ages. It's only if you reply to it that they try and sting you for the money.

I think we just threw it away and ignored all future ones. Never came to anything.

xx

 

[Terese]

tis a scam

Ive also had intellictual property services write to me in the last few weeks to be aware of the scam thats being done in their name........so thats another to watch for

Is there a scam board?????with which we can add these to??

 

[brandy1]

Received a "form" for the European City Guide this morning and put it where it deserves to be - straight through the shredder. Sick of being scammed. I think that the return address quoted was Valencia - where on earth did they get our details from I would like to know.

 

[hippy-chick]

Received a "form" for the European City Guide this morning and put it where it deserves to be - straight through the shredder. Sick of being scammed. I think that the return address quoted was Valencia - where on earth did they get our details from I would like to know.

Its good that we are becoming more scam-savvy. Thank goodness for the internet in cases like this. Two seconds on google and a pile of websites came up.

And no, I haven't signed it, feel mighty sorry for people that have as they have a few sleepless nights ahead of them.

I think they buy the directory enquires books, thats how they get them.

 

[Ruth Mills]

Its good that we are becoming more scam-savvy. Thank goodness for the internet in cases like this. Two seconds on google and a pile of websites came up.

And no, I haven't signed it, feel mighty sorry for people that have as they have a few sleepless nights ahead of them.

I think they buy the directory enquires books, thats how they get them.

Hey, you could always sign it as "Donald Duck" and change the address to Disneyland Paris

 

[fozzyo]

There are several versions of exactly the same thing.

Mat

 

[BotoxBoy]

I too got one from the IPO asking for me to pay £500 for my logo to be printed 'bigger' in a directory... As if!

 

[Ruth Mills]

I too got one from the IPO asking for me to pay £500 for my logo to be printed 'bigger' in a directory... As if!

What? The Intellectual Property Office? If it *is* actually them - then they really should know better - I mean they only charge £200 for a trademark registration for 10 years - so £500 to print a logo "bigger" in a directory??? Sounds like scammers to me rather than the Government quango who run Intellectual Property Office - Welcome to the Intellectual Property Office

 

[BotoxBoy]

Yeah it was a scam but they were purporting to be the IPO!