Help!?!? police advertising scam

[BeautyPrincess.]

Man entered my shop premises claiming he is with Cleveland Police.
Then states he is not actual police officer works for company on behalf printing a diary with adverts in that gets passed around, asked me to sign a decleration which in short said I understood he was not an actual police officer and he could speak to me, so i signed it. I Told him i had just started up not interested in advertising at the minute. He said ok give you time to think about it, will come back in 2-3 weeks. First thing I did contact Cleveland Police, they confirmed they have a company that does this. Week later recieve invoice for 1/3 of advert page @ £240. Signautre was their but it was not what I singed also the date was wrong, the company claims this is legally binding and not subject to cancellation. I contacted over phone they said it would be passed to sales, also sent a letter. Got a reply stating the agent dealt with this in a correct manner and it would not be cancelled. Im getting no help from the police as they say its between me and the company! What can i do???

 

[Martin Duffy]

Contact CAB asap, they'll be able to help you.

 

[Ruth Mills]

Contact Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading. This company are using underhand business practices and are almost certainly breaking the Unfair Terms and Conditions in Contracts act. It would be excellent if Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading could come down like a ton of bricks on this company, and at the very least get your money back - and hopefully they should be stung with a hefty fine to boot for carrying on like that!

Actually, I would also go as far as saying that getting you to sign under false pretences like that is fraud, and you could possibly have reason to seek criminal proceedings against him. Impersonating a police officer is a criminal offence too.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[BeautyPrincess.]

he said he was not an actual police officer he was working on behalf of them, cleveland police have not heard of him but the cleveland federation had, ive contacted trading standards and they said they will contact me in 3 working days, i just really want this sorted out, ive just started out and i cant afford to be paying invoices i did not agree i wanted :cry:

 

[Marley's Ghost]

Without a doubt - these are underhand, but quite common sales tactics - get CAB onto it, you won't be liable once you explain. Get this taken up with the company and if necessary the constabulary, who will be very interested to know how their advertising space is being sold.

There are literally dozens of fire, Poilce and the rest diaries, wallplanners and all manner of other things that are looking for advertising revenue. First time I have seen one call 'door to door' though??!! That is alarming indeed!

 

[nixnewcastle]

Or reply to the company stating the police are now dealing with the case as the company has faulsified records and have illegally impersonalted being a police officer or working on behalf of them. Contact the police and inform them of what has happened also and they may be able to do something to help you but whatever you dont dont pay the theiving manipulative Bas*%"£

 

[persianista]

Please contact your local trading standards office (in the phone book) they will help you with this problem. They have a specific department that deals with rogue traders and rogue practices such as this.

 

[number1kitty]

Dont you have a legal 14 day cooling off period. Can you not get out of it this way.

If not don't advertise! They cannot put an advert in the mag/paper without your permission of sign off on the actual design. So they will send you a proof of the advert and I beleive that has to be signed off by you before being printed.

If it doesn't go to print or even if they fudge an ad, then don't pay for it. Sure they won't take you to court as they are dealing pretty underhand. If it was legit they would show up and prove their point - which they can't can they.

Report them to the police and trading standards too for fraud. Go to your local paper and tell them your storey even if its a letter on there letter page to warn other companies or find out if its happened to other people which backs you up!

What I would say is 90% of things like this are a scam or don't work. Don't sign anything without reading it and think what a small small man he is in certain depts. that he has to get off going around trying to come across as a policeman and then illegally create sales because he cannot get anyone to buy into the scam! What a Freak!!

Don't worry too much you will easily get this sorted.

Kate

 

[leonnib]

i had this also saying but the fire brigade not police.

i was told it was for information but ended up getting information abut payment. and i hadnt agreed to do it.

anyway i called the department who said id have to pay no matter what.
they sent me a deisgn proof you have to sign and i ignored it.
i then emailed the accounts/booking department to say i didnt want an advert etc so they would have it in writing i didnt want it.

i havent heard from them since.

it sounds very similar.

 

[Sharkster]

Souns like a real bad experience but one that you can get out of, just follow the previous advice given & don't pay a damn thing.

In the nicest possible way though, never sign your name to anything unless you know 100% what you are signing for. Anyone genuine will not mind leaving terms etc for you to read through in your own time before you sign.

I hate flippin' sales persons!

Hope you get it sorted.

Em x

 

[hippy-chick]

what an awful situation.
You'd think Cleveland Police would be more interested in maintaining a good reputation.

Get your boxing gloves on girl, go out there and fight it, get onto trades and CAB as already mentioned.

Do not sign anything else and if anything gets sent to you for proof reading return to sender.

Thanks for letting everyone know about this scam, it will hopefully help someone else in this situation.

 

[connor1]

DO NOT PAY This bill and DO NOT succomb to any pressure from this company. You gave your signiture as permission for this man to talk to you that is all. Did you agree on a advert? Did you recieve any artwork in relation for this advert for you to agree, proof read and sign off? They are obviously VERY underhand, do contact trading standards, C.A.B etc and definately ignore any pressure to pay this bill its is just a con, stand firm hunny good luck xx

 

[BeautyPrincess.]

:hug: thanks for your replys ..

i contacted CAB and to be honest they were useless too! i phoned the company again today and once again the receptionist just told me that she was still waiting to hear from sales!!

and yeah i asked about the cooling off period and she said it doesnt apply to their company which was really weird!

when i recieved the invoice they had already made the design and wanted me to sign for it thats when i phoned and said i hadnt agreed i wanted to be in the booklet at all; i also recieved a letter with a copy of what i 'signed' which is completley different to what the invoice copy is what i 'signed' and also the date is wrong, so in my opnion there just a big con!

so beware!!!!!

 

[brend]

Hey!

I had EXACTLY the same thing a couple of years ago.

I could not for the life of me get out of it.

They even sent me the brochure with an ad for me they'd made up in it and our salon name was seplt wrong!

And I got the same invoices!

I did NOT pay them a penny. They chased me for ages but I got very cross and eventually they left me alone.

And they used to phone me and say "it's xyz here from the police - don't worry, you're not in trouble"!!!!

Unbelievable.

No I wasn't in trouble but if we all 'gang up' then they will be!

Makes me really cross!

Brend x.

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

I would only call the company to tell them what a load of con artists they are...you will not be giving them a single penny....and that you have contacted the police and your solicitor. And I would go to get some advice from a solicitor as you can usually get a free half hour, it seems obvious to me that they tricked you to get your signature...ive never ever known anyone have to sign anything for anyone to be able to speak to someone...what theyve done is fraudulent! x

 

[hippy-chick]

their are various pages in the papers offering helps with scamsters, and consumer programmes on TV, tell them that you have contacted all of them and if they continue to contact you you will start proceedings for harrassement.
They are con-artists.

Its a horrible situation to be in, but stand firm.

 

[Poshfloss]

Hi Hun,
Someone tried something similar with us a few years agao, they telephoned to say payment was required for the advert I had signed for........I got a bit confussed as I had had many similar calls, But I did say show me the signature as I know I have not authorised this.......they slammed the phone down on me. So that time I was left alone.
We get so many of these type of calls, I now just get very sharp and tell them to get lost.....or similar :lol:.
I would contact your local paper and tell them of the scam.
Do you have a local Chamber of Trade, if so they too will help and pass the info to other businesses in your area, they may write to the company on your behalf too.
Fight it Hun DON'T PAY A PENNY.
x x x :hug: :hug: x x x

 

[Beautification]

OMG RECENTLY i've had 2 or 3 calls from west yorkshire police asking if i would like to advertise in their new community mag or domestic violence mag and taken ages to explain about their chosen cause saying i would be only therapist for so and so price but then after i've actually had their design company..wonder if this is same thing!