Advice needed http://www.visiongroup.uk.net

[calibra]

Hi

Today I had a call from the Foresters Fund for Children asking if I wanted an advert in a magazine which is distributed around my area

At the time it sounded quite good since I need to get my business name out and I will be helping a charity too.

Then I get a call from http://www.visiongroup.uk.net which Foresters Fund for Children said I would to confirm I wanted to go ahead.

visiongroup.uk.net said they will first create my advert, then send me a copy of the magazine and finally ask for payment.

I am wondering, how do I prove that it really is Foresters Fund for Children and not a scam?.

Is http://www.visiongroup.uk.net a real company?. Vision Group will call me again today.

Thanks

James

 

[Thomas Tracey]

Hello,

I believe that vision group is an actually company, however what may be in question is it an actual charity contacting you and how much of your money will go to the charity. It sounds almost identical to a sale stechnique they use in cold calling for example: you ring up and say you are doing a survey and will be entered into a prize draw then you ring back from a different section of businesses sayting they have won £1000 pound off the product e.g kitchen, would they like a quote....and goes from there. However this sounds like it is playing on your kind nature towards charity to secure a sale.
I doubt that you will be scamed, as in you will recieve a slot within a magazine and it maybe a charitable magazine, but i would question the amount of money which goes to the charity.
Hope that helps, i Only know about that sales technique because i used to work for an aweful company who used it!

Take care
Thomas Tracey

 

[calibra]

Thanks for the reply.

This call happened today and I agree'd to the first call. Then http://www.visiongroup.uk.net phoned me to confirm I wanted to go ahead and I replied, hold on a moment, I have just read about these scams. What alerted to me was,

On Monday, we spoke to a guy called Stuart. He followed up with this email (see below) and I said go for it. Today after this call, and I said to the lady on the phone we're already dealing with someone called Stuart and she replied there is no Stuart here since they are all mainly female. I emailed Stuart and told him this and said I was putting the advert on hold until I investigate and find out his is genuine.

Hi James,

Pleasure to speak to you today. Costs for advertising in the above publication - distributed throughout the year to the business community in West Sussex - are as follows:-

1/6 page (beermat) £245+VAT 1/8 page (credit card) £195+VAT 1/10 page (business card) £145.00+VAT. Payable after distribution is well under way

The handbooks represent a golden opportunity to promote your services to the business community in Wet Sussex whilst supporting local children.

You may find the following links useful:

www.fffc.org.uk (A copy of a previous publication is on the homepage and please click the top banner for the patrons' message)

www.charity-commission.gov.uk (Please enter 327449 in their search facility to see our accounts and compliance history)

As arranged I will contact you tomorrow.

Warm regards

Stuart

 

[Thomas Tracey]

Thanks for the reply.

This call happened today and I agree'd to the first call. Then phoned me to confirm I wanted to go ahead and I replied, hold on a moment, I have just read about these scams. What alerted to me was,

On Monday, we spoke to a guy called Stuart. He followed up with this email (see below) and I said go for it. Today after this call, and I said to the lady on the phone we're already dealing with someone called Stuart and she replied there is no Stuart here since they are all mainly female. I emailed Stuart and told him this and said I was putting the advert on hold until I investigate and find out his is genuine.

Hi James,

Pleasure to speak to you today. Costs for advertising in the above publication - distributed throughout the year to the business community in West Sussex - are as follows:-

1/6 page (beermat) £245+VAT 1/8 page (credit card) £195+VAT 1/10 page (business card) £145.00+VAT. Payable after distribution is well under way

The handbooks represent a golden opportunity to promote your services to the business community in Wet Sussex whilst supporting local children.

You may find the following links useful:

(A copy of a previous publication is on the homepage and please click the top banner for the patrons' message)

(Please enter 327449 in their search facility to see our accounts and compliance history)

As arranged I will contact you tomorrow.

Warm regards

Stuart

Seems to be something up mate. definitly after stuart seems to be missing! either that or he is known as stuart during the night and Brenda during the day. haha. I think that this is one to stay clear from until you get to the bottom of it. However it is a great thing you thought about it first and decided to investigate, excellent business intuition there!

Hope you manage to solve the mistery of stuart/brenda!

Hope business is going well.
Thomas Tracey

 

[NuBlue]

Scam: http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Fo...s=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a

Would ignore all future calls if I was you.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=e...resters+fund+scam&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= have a read.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

beaten to it

 

[calibra]

Thanks. I sent them this email back

I have decided pull out of this (reference is WB1008) because I have been advised that there are many fraudulent operations working under foresters fundraising. I would have called you in person however you didn't not supply me with any contact details.


Apologies if you are a genuine fundraising company.


Regards

Hopefully this is the end. I have a feeling it isn't going to be.

Thanks for your advice

 

[KZCS]

have had calls from Vision Group a few months ago, I agreed initially , until they sent the art work through for an advert in a magazine , not only had they lied about cost , but the art work could have been done by a 4 year old , they clearly had not looked at my website as the logo and many details were incorrect. I sent them an email cancelling, and received a reply stating I could not cancel as it was more than seven days. I mentioned trading standards and haven't heard from them again.

For information Vision Group used to be known as Vardis and here is a thread on this forum from a few years back
ukbusinessforums dot co dot uk / forums / showthread dot php?t=50973

 

[doda]

These people [removed by mod] visiongroup they said to me to pay for a ad that i have placed with them in the forest fund for children, but i have only received an A4 sheet with a tiny logo and stated that i have 7 days to notify them with any amendments. I phoned them up and they said that i had to cancel it 7days after my conversation with them over the phone the first time. I said to them that i won't pay them because im not happy with it. And they sound doggy. but they said that we have a verbal contract.

 

[Joan1966]

have had calls from Vision Group a few months ago, I agreed initially , until they sent the art work through for an advert in a magazine , not only had they lied about cost , but the art work could have been done by a 4 year old , they clearly had not looked at my website as the logo and many details were incorrect. I sent them an email cancelling, and received a reply stating I could not cancel as it was more than seven days. I mentioned trading standards and haven't heard from them again.

For information Vision Group used to be known as Vardis and here is a thread on this forum from a few years back
ukbusinessforums dot co dot uk / forums / showthread dot php?t=50973

I am having the same problem with this scam. A guy called Mark rang me, supposedly from Foresters' Fund. Told him I had just been scammed by another company and he was busy offering advice. I didn't agree to anything, said I would think about it. 2 weeks later I am sent a pathetic proof advert and told this will go ahead if I don't contact in 7 days. Can only get as far as 'Sandra' on reception, no return calls, no response to emails. Have mentioned Trading Standards and told them I will not be paying any invoice!

 

[doda]

do you have any luck yet? Joan
vision send me a voice recording of my second conversation, and said if im not happy with my order that i have to phone them with in 7 day of resiving my copy, I did that but they said i had to call them 7 days after i spoken to them of my first conversation, no i want my first recording. They wont stop my add. I also notice they are a new company only opend in 2010.
This is what they send me
Please find attached a copy of your Vision audio file confirming your order. This order was confirmed on the 18th of August at 16:54 and has not been cancelled as it falls outside its 7 day cancellation period, which expired on the 27th of August. If you would like to discuss this any further then please contact me on 08452657054 quoting your reference number.
Now tell me they never said that over the phone to me and never staited that this is a verbal contract. And when i recived a copy of my add it say 7 days. and it was 2 weeks later.
how can i get them of my back?

I am having the same problem with this scam. A guy called Mark rang me, supposedly from Foresters' Fund. Told him I had just been scammed by another company and he was busy offering advice. I didn't agree to anything, said I would think about it. 2 weeks later I am sent a pathetic proof advert and told this will go ahead if I don't contact in 7 days. Can only get as far as 'Sandra' on reception, no return calls, no response to emails. Have mentioned Trading Standards and told them I will not be paying any invoice!

 

[mit74]

do you have any luck yet? Joan
vision send me a voice recording of my second conversation, and said if im not happy with my order that i have to phone them with in 7 day of resiving my copy, I did that but they said i had to call them 7 days after i spoken to them of my first conversation, no i want my first recording. They wont stop my add. I also notice they are a new company only opend in 2010.
This is what they send me
Please find attached a copy of your Vision audio file confirming your order. This order was confirmed on the 18th of August at 16:54 and has not been cancelled as it falls outside its 7 day cancellation period, which expired on the 27th of August. If you would like to discuss this any further then please contact me on 08452657054 quoting your reference number.
Now tell me they never said that over the phone to me and never staited that this is a verbal contract. And when i recived a copy of my add it say 7 days. and it was 2 weeks later.
how can i get them of my back?

We see post for these scams every week on these forums. Never ever take out advertising with charities/calendars, even if you speak with them they'll invoice you and start demanding money.

Every single case here the same applies: you tell them to take you to court! Guarenteed they won't show!

These companies make hundreds of thousands by scamming new small businesses because:

a) they think advertising in booklets/calenders work (it doesn't)
b) they think saying yes over the phone ties you to a contract.
c) they think their business/name will be blacklisted or the baliffs will pay a visit if it's a bill isn't paid.

The majority of these companies will intimidate anyone and only give in when you report them to trading standards. Many claim they send out 20,000 booklets but they're all sent to the advertisers! They try all sorts of tricks like fake baliff letters, voice recordings with confusing questions or edited audio. As a new company you need to get used to it and toughen up with these cowboys. Do you think these companies phone corperate business and take a phone call as advert confirmation? No they target individuals or sole traders who don't know the law.
Even the legit advertising companies who cold-call are in on it and will sell your details to scammers.

 

[Vending Siting Services]

Does the charity actually exist? If so, they should be notified as this type of scamming will bring the charity into disrepute by association.

Barbara

 

[redrob]

Yes these are scanners they contacted me about two years ago offering this and because I thought it was a charity and with my kind nature I paid. Made the biggest mistake of my life they said they will send me a copy of the magazine with my ad in it I never received one and lost about £300-£400. I will never trust charities because of this well anything to do with ads that is.

 

[lorny301]

Hello everyone,
I regret I didn't see any information about visiongroup before.
Last year in November someone from a charity contacted me to offer me an space to place and ad, I accepted and I give them via e-mail my own artwork but then they didn't contacted me until 2 weeks a go to claim the payment of an invoice that they never sent me. Then they said they had my wrong address and that would send it again and I asked them to send the publication as well as I never saw the "magazine". Last weekend when I came home a note from the royal mail saying that I had to go to pick up a letter and because a signature was required, I have been very busy this week and I haven't have time of goint to pick it up. Today a guy called Andy called me from Vision to tell me that the letter was the invoice from them and that I have to go to pick it up otherwise the it would be send back to them. I told him that I was busy and it wasn't possible to go to pick the invoice today so he asked me to do it tomorrow and that he would call me again. I am a teacher and since I have classes at different times during the day I told him that wouldn't be possible to go to pic it up the invoice tomorrow neither, I told him that I would do it on weekend or next week, but then he said that it was going to leave it with me, that it was in my best interest to go to pick up the invoice or not if I wanted and that since they need the payment a charge for late payment would apply.
I don't think it is fair, at the end of our conversation he was very aggressive and he just said that they need the payment.

What should I do? I didn't like the way in that he talked to me, that's why I looked up for reviews about vision and I found this forum, are they a real company or a scam?

 

[mit74]

Hello everyone,
I regret I didn't see any information about visiongroup before.
Last year in November someone from a charity contacted me to offer me an space to place and ad, I accepted and I give them via e-mail my own artwork but then they didn't contacted me until 2 weeks a go to claim the payment of an invoice that they never sent me. Then they said they had my wrong address and that would send it again and I asked them to send the publication as well as I never saw the "magazine". Last weekend when I came home a note from the royal mail saying that I had to go to pick up a letter and because a signature was required, I have been very busy this week and I haven't have time of goint to pick it up. Today a guy called Andy called me from Vision to tell me that the letter was the invoice from them and that I have to go to pick it up otherwise the it would be send back to them. I told him that I was busy and it wasn't possible to go to pick the invoice today so he asked me to do it tomorrow and that he would call me again. I am a teacher and since I have classes at different times during the day I told him that wouldn't be possible to go to pic it up the invoice tomorrow neither, I told him that I would do it on weekend or next week, but then he said that it was going to leave it with me, that it was in my best interest to go to pick up the invoice or not if I wanted and that since they need the payment a charge for late payment would apply.
I don't think it is fair, at the end of our conversation he was very aggressive and he just said that they need the payment.

What should I do? I didn't like the way in that he talked to me, that's why I looked up for reviews about vision and I found this forum, are they a real company or a scam?

Tell them you suspect their company is a scam, have contacted trading standards and you're willing to go to court over it. Don't worry you're not alone and if you speak to trading standards they'll tell you to ignore their demands for money. They'll try anything to get the money from you even pretending to be baliffs (will even send official looking letters).

 

[gordonB]

I suffered at the hands of Vision & Vardis & forresters fund for children last year and other charity advert companies so i went to The Advertising Protection Agency for help.

They specialise in charity advertising fraud. I appointed them to represent me and dispute their bills and went on to the national do not call register. The calls have now stopped barring the odd one every 2-3 weeks. Before it was about 10 a week. TAPA wrote to the companies that sent me bills and 5 of them have stopped pursuing me as a result. The other two firms send me letters but dont contact me by telephone since. I just pass the demands on to TAPA who are liasing with Trading Standards.

TAPA will also help you even if you dont instruct them. I noticed as well on their chat forum, unsolicitedsalescallsforum.co.uk, a dedicated section that lists lots of charity advert companies. It may be worth checking them out so you know who they are.

 

[mit74]

I suffered at the hands of Vision & Vardis & forresters fund for children last year and other charity advert companies so i went to The Advertising Protection Agency for help.

They specialise in charity advertising fraud. I appointed them to represent me and dispute their bills and went on to the national do not call register. The calls have now stopped barring the odd one every 2-3 weeks. Before it was about 10 a week. TAPA wrote to the companies that sent me bills and 5 of them have stopped pursuing me as a result. The other two firms send me letters but dont contact me by telephone since. I just pass the demands on to TAPA who are liasing with Trading Standards.

TAPA will also help you even if you dont instruct them. I noticed as well on their chat forum, unsolicitedsalescallsforum.co.uk, a dedicated section that lists lots of charity advert companies. It may be worth checking them out so you know who they are.

Wow you TAPA people sure do get around the forums. TAPA is a company setup by the fake charity companies to exploit more money from individuals once businesses realise the advertising is all a scam. Looking at the website the business is clearly growing. Please DO NOT use TAPA.

http://www.freeindex.co.uk/business-advice/business-internet-directory-ltd-scam?-or-not?_7115.htm

 

[Brodsord]

We see post for these scams every week on these forums. Never ever take out advertising with charities/calendars, even if you speak with them they'll invoice you and start demanding money.

Every single case here the same applies: you tell them to take you to court! Guarenteed they won't show!

These companies make hundreds of thousands by scamming new small businesses because:

a) they think advertising in booklets/calenders work (it doesn't)
b) they think saying yes over the phone ties you to a contract.
c) they think their business/name will be blacklisted or the baliffs will pay a visit if it's a bill isn't paid.

The majority of these companies will intimidate anyone and only give in when you report them to trading standards. Many claim they send out 20,000 booklets but they're all sent to the advertisers! They try all sorts of tricks like fake baliff letters, voice recordings with confusing questions or edited audio. As a new company you need to get used to it and toughen up with these cowboys. Do you think these companies phone corperate business and take a phone call as advert confirmation? No they target individuals or sole traders who don't know the law.
Even the legit advertising companies who cold-call are in on it and will sell your details to scammers.

Thank you so much for your information regarding the visiongroup, i was called a few days ago and agreed to spend around £350.00 with a chap called mark, i am a small plumbing business who has just recently started out on the web and an area in london were they claim they to circulate literature would have been good exposure for my business.
Its awfully sad that this sort of thing can go on, especially at the expense of children that there claiming the money will go to help.

Regards,
Graham

 

[joeeuk]

I have also fallen victim to this scam, they lied to me about almost every single aspect of what they would do it is just unbelievable how they can get away with it!

• they told me it would be £245 turned out to be £390!
• The magazine is literally disgraceful i could have made it within an hour on microsoft word!
• they said i wouldnt be invoiced untill 30 days after i was published, i got an invoice 14 days before it was published!
• i usually get around 1 call per 100 leaflets i send, they said they would be sending 20,000 and i have still not had one phone call from that add.
• they said i would be the only company of my kind in the magazine but sure enough there was an almost identical business a few pages before mine.

I also contacted this other company to warn them of this vision group scam, unfortunately though they had already paid the invoice, they did however say that they never ever received a single phone call from the add after paying nearly £400.00

I am currently in the middle of this mess, i have an overdue invoice from vision group and i have absolutely no intention of paying it! as far as im concerned they can take me to court because the amount they have lied there is no chance they will win.


I am unsure if this will go to court or not but i will post the final outcome on here and if i get out of this mess i will post how you can too!

 

[mit74]

I have also fallen victim to this scam, they lied to me about almost every single aspect of what they would do it is just unbelievable how they can get away with it!

• they told me it would be £245 turned out to be £390!
• The magazine is literally disgraceful i could have made it within an hour on microsoft word!
• they said i wouldnt be invoiced untill 30 days after i was published, i got an invoice 14 days before it was published!
• i usually get around 1 call per 100 leaflets i send, they said they would be sending 20,000 and i have still not had one phone call from that add.
• they said i would be the only company of my kind in the magazine but sure enough there was an almost identical business a few pages before mine.

I also contacted this other company to warn them of this vision group scam, unfortunately though they had already paid the invoice, they did however say that they never ever received a single phone call from the add after paying nearly £400.00

I am currently in the middle of this mess, i have an overdue invoice from vision group and i have absolutely no intention of paying it! as far as im concerned they can take me to court because the amount they have lied there is no chance they will win.


I am unsure if this will go to court or not but i will post the final outcome on here and if i get out of this mess i will post how you can too!

dont worry they won't take you to court they will hound you for payment but they know themselves no court will ever rule in their favour. For starters they need to turn up in person... and that would be dangerous considering the amount of people who 'would like a word'. Personally I can't believe people still fall for these scams by phone.

 

[Spencer1986]

Stay a million miles away from these Scammers!!!

They rang me a few months back asking if they could send me an information pack through for exactly the same thing as the member who started this thread. I agreed to them sending me the info purely out of being polite (will never make that mistake again). What came through was a crappy little magazine with an add with my details on it which they must have copy and pasted from another add. With it was an invoice for £250, I rang them up to say what the hell were they doing and they quickly played me a recording of the phone discussion where they had doctored the words to make it sound like I was agreeing to the advert. Since then they have sent me final payment requests and debt collecting letters.

To sort it out I rang up the fraud help line offered by direct gov and they confirmed that they were Scammers operating in the Liverpool area and just to ignore it until they went away. It seems as though they have buggerd off now.

Cheeky bas*ards!!!

 

[notsostupid]

Do not enter any verbal agrrement with this company. They are a fraudulent business saying that they are acting on behalf of sick children with cancer, promising that they will give you half an a4 size page to promote your business; then wham hit you with nearly £400 bill. The ad is only 5cm by 10cm and they put information on which you NEVER agreed to. I dont believe that this brochure EVER gets distributed, and when you ring them you are confronted by an aggressive man named 'Andy', who says that if you have any complaints write to a 'Mr Andrews', how concorted is that? They try to bully you with debt collectors and going to court. Please do not be fooled by these people. If they contact you, tell them to lose your number!!

 

[C-hele]

Hey all this is a SCAM stay well clear.. Vision is a real charity i spoke to the company chairman today peter thompson who advised me thatthis fraud has been happening... Someone is using the companys name and selling advertising space then demanding payment!!!... I called the real charity as i was looking for a number that wasn't 0845 as listed in their letters... Good job as i was ringing with payment details!! So glad i got through to the real company who sounded genuinley concerned and told me to forward all correspondence to him and certainly not to pay!! Beware people it all fake!!

 

[general]

Do not give these scammers a penny.I thought it was a good idea get my new business name out there.Luckily enough i found this before i sent my cheque off having recieved numerous letters and phone calls.Having recieved a letter a couple of weeks ago with a big PRECURSOR TO LEGAL ACTION across the middle thought i would give them a call.Spoke to Andy on 01695574755 and asked for evidence of a print run for the class m8 booklet and a copy of the booklet from that run and a distribution list so i can contact them to verify. He said he would get customer services to call me, still waiting. No evidence has arrived and no more treatening letters.The copy of the booklet they sent originally was printed on a laser printer you can feel the raised print on the advert pages, this is not how you print a large number of booklets.Plus we do some work in local schools who have never seen or heard of the class m8 booklet

 

[heatingdude]

just found this thread after a worrying phone call with account person at this place.

had a call offering the service and i said i'd check with wifey and would get back to them.

then had a call which i thought confirmed the price but not an order.

but on hearing it back when querying the 245+vat bill was apparently an order.

i even said on the call that i was up a ladder so they didn't have my full attention! they are saying its a verbal contract and the bill is in the post. the ad is **** and i wanted to check as i'm starting a firm up whilst still employed and didn't want to get in trouble cross advertising with my employer.

what do i do? ignore the bill? dispute the bill??

 

[mit74]

just found this thread after a worrying phone call with account person at this place.

had a call offering the service and i said i'd check with wifey and would get back to them.

then had a call which i thought confirmed the price but not an order.

but on hearing it back when querying the 245+vat bill was apparently an order.

i even said on the call that i was up a ladder so they didn't have my full attention! they are saying its a verbal contract and the bill is in the post. the ad is **** and i wanted to check as i'm starting a firm up whilst still employed and didn't want to get in trouble cross advertising with my employer.

what do i do? ignore the bill? dispute the bill??

ignore them they would never take you to court as it's a known scam. Next time they phone tell them you know they're scammers and you've contacting trading standards but don't message or mail them as they will hound you even more. They make their money from people paying just to get rid of them. They will generally give up after a few weeks.

 

[heatingdude]

ignore them they would never take you to court as it's a known scam. Next time they phone tell them you know they're scammers and you've contacting trading standards but don't message or mail them as they will hound you even more. They make their money from people paying just to get rid of them. They will generally give up after a few weeks.

Thanks for the reassurance - I am now receiving a large number of calls - daily - regarding an apparent invoice - however still offering me a 5% discount?! - has anyone had any luck in sending a letter to these people? My wife is worried.

Thanks!!!

 

[info@donna]

i just received a call from steve - vison group 07785469153 / 01695578344 regarding the same - advertsing space. at the time i did not know this was a scam and said yes book the space and i will do my own artwork. something just didnt feel right so i found you guys so rang back and asked for name reg number etc he said natile would ring form head office. i just text him ( same day as call ) to say i dont want to go ahead with the advert. dont call again.

is this to late, will they expect money. cant believe some one can do this about a charity scam. wrong! does me saying yes on the phone put me in a situation??

advise please

 

[heatingdude]

Did they say anything about an "order being placed" or a 5% discount if paid for now?

Apparently as a business and not a consumer there is no 14 day cooling off period.

 

[90DC]

People, people, people. If they're ignoring your calls and keep sending letters, just ignore them. I had a similar issue with a scam tenders company a few months back. They've backed off now.

They're hardly going to be able to stand up in court and say "We're a legitimate business/charity...etc." are they? If anything, threaten them with court action, then see what happens.

 

[sarahscleaningnottingham]

i agree with the last post about court

 

[RoseQuartz]

Hi

A couple of weeks ago and today I got a call from that number 07785469153. I asked who was calling. They said a company called Vision. I asked what they wanted, They were quite rude :| and asked if I was 'so and so', and I refused to tell them. Then I hung up. Why should I waste my time talking to hoaxers. It was the same guy a few weeks ago. He wouldn't tell me his name, again very rude a few weeks ago as well.

I am quite cynical and immediate feel its a scam. After looking at the internet, it seems that it is. I don't know where they got my number from. Maybe from a company advertisement. I was cheeky today though, I texted them back telling them not to call my number again, or I'll contact an Authority. They texted back telling me that Michael Caine and Steve Hendry are their patrons, and to please get my facts correct. Lol, and I am the Queen of Sheeba!

Ridiculous.

 

[RoseQuartz]

When I texted back, I told them not to contact this number again, or I will go to Trading Standards. They don't phase me no matter how rude they are. I never even got into conversation with them, maybe my suspicious mind is right on cue. As soon as the person on the other end of the phone refused to give me his name, and when he got arsy with me for not giving out my name, stuff him! Plain as day they are scammers.

And if they call me again, I won't even let them talk, I'll threaten Trading Standards and Court if they don't loose my number.

Lol, I'm usually a nice calm person, except where scammers are concerned.

 

[richwhite]

I am having problems with Vision now too. Late last year i got a call from a woman giving the usual speech - charity magazine asking local businesses to advertise. She told me there was cooling off period but didn't say how long it was. I said i'd be interested in reading the paperwork. I later got an email with the advert artwork (which was just copied from my site, but i don't think there's any copyright infringement as i made the site myself). I replied and said i didn't want the advert anymore as i couldn't afford it. I got a phone call a couple of days later from someone saying he was the manager or something, and said i was contractual obligated to the advert. I said about the cooling off period and he said it was only 7 days from receiving the paperwork. I told him i never received the paperwork, and he said it didn't matter, i'm contracted into the advert.

I later received my copy of the magazine and the advert was terrible. It was too dark to read properly, the font was tiny, and my phone number was missing a digit. I called up and said i wasn't paying for an advert that wasn't fit for purpose. The woman then discussed modifying the artwork and i got another email with revised artwork. It wasn't good, so we discussed it again. I never got another email with the copy. Then i got another letter asking for payment. I emailed and said i wasn't paying for an advert that wasn't fit for purpose. Never got a reply. Week or so later i got another letter saying if i didn't pay within 7 days they could pass me on for debt collection and that i was in breach of contract. I emailed again and said we had no contract, i said i couldn't afford it, i said i wanted to cancel but they wouldn't let me, the advert wasn't fit for purpose and i wasn't paying. Then after reading the forums about the company i called, the lady asked if i wanted to pay and i said no i want to discuss these legal action letters. She said she'd have accounts call me back. A few hours later i called back and said i want to talk to accounts, she said they'd call me back, i said they told me that earlier and i was having a busy day and wanted to talk asap, so she said she'd tell them to ring me soon. That was about 2 weeks ago and i haven't had a call, or any emails.

Yesterday i got another letter saying that despite repeated attempts to reach me for payment it hasn't been paid and in 14 days they will pass my details on to 'a Kent debt collection agency'.

I just want to know what i should do now? The fact they won't respond to my emails or calls suggest they are just using intimidation on me, but can they actually do anything? Should i just ignore all future letters even if it's from a debt collection agency?

Also, just as an FYI, i ran a VAT registration check on Vision's VAT number, and it's still registered to Vardis.

Would really appreciate any advice on this. Oh, and the amount "owed" is £195, which i'd say isn't enough to warrant them spending money recuperating?

 

[OldWelshGuy]

if the telephone number is wrong then you don't pay, but if it was wrong on the proof they sent then that is your fault.

If you didn't agree to an advert then you don't have to pay. But it sounds to me like you did agree and now you don't want to pay as you have changed your mind.

If you intend to fight it, it must be on a clear point, either you did or you did not place the order.

tell the debt collectors to go whistle they have no powers.

 

[richwhite]

I don't really think i did agree. It was months ago, but all i remember saying was yes i'd be interested. I was explicitly told there was a cooling off period if i changed my mine, i certainly wasn't told it's only 7 days. I changed my mind a couple of weeks after the phone call and i said in an email and on the phone that i couldn't afford the advert anymore, but they pushed ahead with it anyway.

I think it's more complicated than "either you did or you did not place the order" - firstly, they called me, not the other way around. Secondly, i told them early on, before they drafted any copy, that i didn't want it, and that i couldn't afford it. Thirdly, i've definitely not seen a revised artwork advert, nor have i received another copy of the magazine to validate if it is or isn't changed. Finally, this is a well known, long-running scam that people around the net are advising to just ignore when you get letters. So it's not like it's a reputable business than i'm just trying to avoid a payment to.

ETA: the original advert artwork i got in an email i can't find anymore, so can't check the number (considering they copied it from my site and called me on it though, they should have had it correct), but it looked readable on the screen. The problem in the magazine was its size and the background looked darker than on screen. Such things i can't check in an email because it doesn't look the same as it does in print

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I don't really think i did agree. It was months ago, but all i remember saying was yes i'd be interested. I was explicitly told there was a cooling off period if i changed my mine, i certainly wasn't told it's only 7 days. I changed my mind a couple of weeks after the phone call and i said in an email and on the phone that i couldn't afford the advert anymore, but they pushed ahead with it anyway.

I think it's more complicated than "either you did or you did not place the order" - firstly, they called me, not the other way around. Secondly, i told them early on, before they drafted any copy, that i didn't want it, and that i couldn't afford it. Thirdly, i've definitely not seen a revised artwork advert, nor have i received another copy of the magazine to validate if it is or isn't changed. Finally, this is a well known, long-running scam that people around the net are advising to just ignore when you get letters. So it's not like it's a reputable business than i'm just trying to avoid a payment to.

I understand all of what you say, but again you are contradicting yourself and if you do the same with them they will rip you apart, is what I am trying to get through to you.

Why would you ask about a cooling off period if you had not placed an order? Do you see what i am saying to you?

They will have recordings. your best bet is to carry out a subject access request under the data protection act, and get the information. they hold about you personally. As it was you personally that they spoke to you can do this. You will have to pay them £10, but make the request, and ensure you state you want all documents including internal notes and recorded telephone conversations.

 

[richwhite]

I understand all of what you say, but again you are contradicting yourself and if you do the same with them they will rip you apart, is what I am trying to get through to you.

Why would you ask about a cooling off period if you had not placed an order? Do you see what i am saying to you?

I don't think i'm contradicting myself. Maybe i'm explaining it badly.

1) I got a phone call enquiring if i want to have an advert.
2) I said it's something i'd be interested in (which is not the same as saying "yes please put my advert in")
3) She said she would send me the paperwork with the details, and that i would have a cooling off period if i changed my mind.
4) I moved house a few weeks after the call and my finances took a hit. They didn't leave me any details on the phone though so i couldn't contact them, so i had to wait until i received an email about the artwork. I replied and said i couldn't afford it anymore.
5) I got a call from someone claiming to be the manager, and i explained to him i was told there was a cooling off period. He said it was 7 days after getting the paperwork which i never received.

I think you're misconstruing the cooling off period - i didn't ask for it, nor did i place an order. I received a phone call, during which the advert and cooling off period were told to me. I didn't receive any paperwork, didn't offer any solid agreement, and didn't want the advert anymore.

What good is it getting the information anyway? All i'm really interested in is, as this is a very well known scam, is if i need to acknowledge them anymore? As far as i'm concerned i've tried contacting them multiple times and they're outright ignoring me. From what i gather, the bottom line this is a fake magazine, which Foresters Fund for Children have actually warned people against, that published a terrible advert that i didn't expressly agree to and did expressly say i no longer wanted, and that haven't sent me any further artwork to approve or a newer version of the magazine to check the advert, and that is ignoring all my correspondence and relying on intimidation to get money that i don't think they deserve.