Call from police about advertising

[loveyourlocks]

Hi Geeks

I need some advice, I've been in the hair trade for 6 years, I've worked in salons and mobile, I am in the second week of having my own salon (only a small room)

I got a phone call this morning from someone claiming to be from the police for my county saying they were compiling their annual Emergancy service magazine.

For the amount of magazines they distribute (I would be the only hairdresser in the mag) and the cost it's seems very good.

I posted my details on some business listings yesterday so assuming this is where they got my details (they didn't know my name, but new my business name,address and number)

They said they will send me all the details from the phone call in writing for me to think over before I hand any money over

Just want some advice if this is legit or a scam?

X

 

[Metamorfosis]

Scam it almost happened to me when I started. Don't agree to anything x

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[Faylizzie]

I think Ive read on a previous thread that this was a scam that was going round, your best bet is to call your local police station an ask xxxxx

 

[virtues2011]

Advertising companies do call on behalf of the police. I had an ad in a their diary a few years ago, this was genuine. However the production of the diary wasn't the best so I didn't advertise there again, however they do call every year. ..!!

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[loveyourlocks]

just had another call..asked for the callers name and the company, name of the magazine too, sounded professional on the phone and again said I will receive everything in writing, asked for a contact number and he hung up....dialled 1471 and funnily enough the caller withheld their number...

looked up the company he claimed to be from on several search engines..it doesn't exist...the name of the magazine..doesn't exist either!

will be interesting to see what is in the letter...

thanks for your replies!
X

 

[rachirv]

My mum and dad have a farm and the police rang them the other night about the same if not very similar thing. They do this book every year. We dont do it though as we dont gain anything out of it like clients or anything as its just a farm. But i agree, contact your local police station and they will cofirm it all for you to make sure its not a scam x

 

[fozzyo]

You will get hundreds of these calls, hospitals, nhs, football clubs, playgroups, students, fire service, army, gp surgery appointment cards, dentist appointment cards ... the list is endless.

And oddly enough whenever I ask them to send me a sample of previous editions they never arrive. Nor will they ever provide me with contact details of the person with the organisation they claim to be working for.

Beauty business owners are seem as easy targets for these scams!

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

I agree with Fozzyo. I get calls like this fairly frequently supposedly representing various services, in fact I had one just the other day saying, "We are busy putting together a catalogue for Hertfordshire, and you have been selected as the only blah blah blah....."

Funny thing is I have never heard of, seen or even had a sniff at any of these catalogues or magazines. My response is always the same and I simply ask if their call is in relation to paid advertising and thank them and add that I am happy with the advertising I have in place. They are then always very quick to discontinue the call.

Scams or not, I think there are cheaper and more effective ways of advertising.

 

[Lynne Baker]

Beauty business owners are seem as easy targets for these scams!

I blame the colleges. On the whole they simply do not provide guidance on real world business.

 

[bloomingnails]

Defo a scam! They have been doing this one for years! It's a company called Cavendish Black. They use scare tactics to make you advertise! Trading standards are well aware of them.

Lilian

 

[Empress Debbie]

I had the same call a couple of weeks ago! It's definitely a scam.

 

[Pixie83]

Major scam Hun, whenever anyone rings me asking if I want to advertise with them, I simply tell them I haven't heard of them, therefore they can't be that good at "advertising " x

 

[natlaw]

They rang me on Monday with the same offer I declined saying I would have to check with my husband first x

 

[Mobile Manicure]

I had the same call a few weeks ago re some police publication. I told him that we had been discussing them on a beauty Internet forum and have notified everyone on there that they were scammers. He hung up with no further comment.

 

[Mimo9]

I left my previous job in a large software company having dealt with a dozen of these calls, they fooled us all and we directed them through to bosses etc thinking that the calls were urgent or important. Then I opened my salon and suddenly my girls were putting the same calls through to me. It's all very clever as who ignores a call from the police?? Just politely get rid of them and they stop ringing eventually.

 

[RachelBeautique]

Scam scam scam! I've had it twice last time they claimed to be the "watchdog magazine" which is a legit magazine, but they definitely weren't!

 

[Jennifer86]

Hi Loveyourlocks

This is going to sound bad on my part but when I was a teen I worked for a publishing company that involved me calling businesses who were already advertising and offer bigger spaces for an amazing price (usually knocked down from starting price) and that it would be sent out in a jobs paper nationwide, when in actual fact that paper was only printed for the people advertising and did not go nationally! Needless to say that company was raided recently and shut down!

I would say if it sounds too good to be true or a of a dodgy nature the. Steer clear!

I'm not proud to say I worked for a company of that caliber but at that age I was just interested in the money for the weekend! And I hope now I can warn people of the scam that these companies pull!

Hope this helps

Jen

 

[Dani04]

We have had this a few times just ignore them :-(

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[loveyourlocks]

Thanks for all your replies

I did think when something sounds too good to be true, r usually is!

X

 

[meandhim]

just had another call..asked for the callers name and the company, name of the magazine too, sounded professional on the phone and again said I will receive everything in writing, asked for a contact number and he hung up....dialled 1471 and funnily enough the caller withheld their number...

looked up the company he claimed to be from on several search engines..it doesn't exist...the name of the magazine..doesn't exist either!

will be interesting to see what is in the letter...

thanks for your replies!
X

As I suspected. Don't give them any information.:!: