Where to report fraudulent UK-based company?

[VanoX]

Hello,

I hope UK guys advise me, where I can report or file a complaint regarding the fraudulent UK-based web hosting company i.e. their affiliate program scam.

Perhaps some kind of US BBB.org equivalent in UK, or better some UK state bodies, anti online crime agencies, etc. that can consider online fraud matter seriously and perhaps take some appropriate actions?

I appreciate any helpful advice, thanks.

-Vano

[streetslocal]

Errr the POLICE?:D

[ScottB]

Trading Standards would be the first place to look at I think. Your local office should be able to help you and are usually quite prompt at responding.

The Advertising Standards Authority may be another option if their ill-doings are related to their advertising campaigns in some way. Not sure this covers affiliate marketing though.

If it's a clear cut case of them taking money and not returning services or goods, then the police may be the best approach, although I'd personally go with Trading Standards first and see what they say.

Scott

[VanoX]

thanks for your suggestions. well, perhaps that was not quite clear from my first post, but I am not in the UK, and thus I am looking for some ways to do online..

Trading Standards could probably be an option, but it seems I got lost a bit on that site.. perhaps experienced members can post a kind of simple guide as 1-2-3 how to quickly find out if they can help me

see, I act not as a customer of that company. an affiliate program means: I did advertise that company on my site and they did not pay my services..

thanks,

-Vano

[ScottB]

For Trading Standards you can find the local council website and report it online through that. Best would be to go for the town that the business is based in and then Google for "trading standards (town name)".

For example, the Edinburgh page is this one: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/business/Trading_standards

And following the link to the online contact form (make a complaint): http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/business/trading_standards/CEC_complaint_or_enquiry

However, each local council website is maintainted independently so there isn't a lot of consistency in design there so you will have to do a bit of hunting around to find the contact form.

Failing that just use the Edinburgh contact form and ask them if they can forward the comments to the appropriate office (which they should do no problem).

From your situation though I think you might want to speak to a lawyer about your contract with them (if you haven't done already). Are you able to prove that you provided them with custom and should have had the affiliate fee paid to you? That might be the tough point unless they perhaps used a 3rd party affiliate site like CJ.com.

Unless it's a large sum of money due it might be a hard battle and not worth the effort - but if you do have a solid claim to make then I'd say Trading Standards would be the best bet (either with or before your own legal actions).

Scott

[VanoX]

Thanks for your help, Scott!

I suppose that company (like internet newbies) still thinks they are completely safe and nobody can get them online. The company is registered in UK, but the staff/owners are located elsewhere. I hope if they find out they can get issues with their company registration of their UK bank account, they would not be so careless and really consider to pay their debts..

By the way, do you know, if I can really report their bad business practice to their bank, do you know of such practices in UK?

As for the proof.. you know, it is difficult to prove online things in an offline court.. perhaps you could advise what would be the costs of going to the court in UK?

thanks,

-Vano

[ScottB]

I'm afraid I've no idea about the rest. :) Perhaps someone else will be able to help.

Best of luck,
Scott

[VanoX]

OK, thank you, Scott :)

some more suggestions, please. I appreciate any help re. UK features of the mentioned matters.

-Vano

[starsgazing]

Thanks for your help, Scott!

I suppose that company (like internet newbies) still thinks they are completely safe and nobody can get them online. The company is registered in UK, but the staff/owners are located elsewhere. I hope if they find out they can get issues with their company registration of their UK bank account, they would not be so careless and really consider to pay their debts..

By the way, do you know, if I can really report their bad business practice to their bank, do you know of such practices in UK?

As for the proof.. you know, it is difficult to prove online things in an offline court.. perhaps you could advise what would be the costs of going to the court in UK?

thanks,

-Vano

To be frank:

- You would be very lucky to get a penny out of them. It is extremely difficult to prosecute an online company based in the UK ... from the UK!
- Data protection laws mean that even if you try to report them to their bank, you wont get very far.
- The costs of going to court depends on the value of the claim. For a 'small' claim, you can go to court from around £100... But from experience, the small claims court is a bit useless. I sued someone once & won. Bailiffs went round and reported that he had no assets... He runs a mobile phone company FROM HOME *sigh*

So to summarize, unless you're talking about a large amount of money; just forget it & thank yourself lucky that you gave them a service as opposed to goods.

[noidea]

There isn't much you can do.

How much are we talking about here?

Care to PM me the company name??

[RobertG]

try this http://www.soca.gov.uk/ follow instructions on how to report.

[M-C Hoare]

We do have a specialist Technology Court which is pretty good at understanding techie things but it really depends on the value of your claim and whether the company concerned has any assets as it is pointless spending £££ to get a judgment against an assetless business.
Save for getting a director struck off for breaching his duties, I can't think of any other form of punishment for bad business practices not already mentioned above.
Marie

[noidea]

try this http://www.soca.gov.uk/ follow instructions on how to report.
I would have thought they would only deal with much much larger cases, but thanks for the link, it maybe useful for the OP.

[OldWelshGuy]

I would be careful not to name them as THEY might sue YOU. The language you are using is quite strong. Fraudulent. explain EXACTLY how they defrauded you, because it appears tyou advertised them but they did not pay you. Where is the contract? What is the deal? Did the deal say that they pay you for advertising or a share of any business generated from it. If the latter, do you have PROOF people bought and that they owe you?