Emergency Services Press [removed by mod]???

[kween]

This company (emergency services press ltd,espress dot biz site) has called me several times and have tricked me with bullyboy tactics and apparently recorded a conversation on my personal mobile, not business number that I said yes.
Initially when they did call. they said they were from the local police and fire department, helping small business to advertise in a magazine which is due for release in Dec 2010. And that they will circulate in local hospitals, dentists, gp surguries etc,,,

So I asked them to provide me with the recording, on which all i say is hmmm and not Yes to anything.
I have not signed or agreed to any terms and conditions.

They have sent an invoice saying that I owe them £230.00, otherwise they will sue me for breach of contract, plus add £40 for late payment and charge interest daily.

What can I do now??? Is this a scam??
On two separate invoices, they have used a diff bank for payment, barclays once and LLoyds the next. Doesnt make sense and unsure of what to do, as I dont want to be blacklisted.

Please advice of what to do, as Im stressing about this.
regards

P.s. check their site out, is it legit or bo

 

[Indigo Cherry]

Hi,

Relax! These idiots tried exactly the same to me when I owned a ran a Private Ambulance Service! It's a scam!

A recorded conversation is not a contract and even if they gave you some pre-conversation rubbish about calls being recarded and used as evidence etc... you didn't say YES anyway.

You didn't sign a contract and you didn't agree to anything so don't pay them!

They did the same to me but my bill was £410 and an extra £75 if I didn't pay!

Anyway ot turns out it wasn't actually Emergency services Press! It is a scam! See here:

http://espress.biz/emergency_servic...eadline=Emergency Services Press Scam Warning

Hope this helps!

PM me if you want more help.

Matt

 

[AlanGNW]

Why not pass it on to trading standards..

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Fourteen12,

'A recorded conversation is not a contract' - I think you need to review that comment. A verbal agreement can be enforced, however, it does depend on the conversation!

Kween, have you googled the company? There are several 'scam' companies floating about in the same area, of which these may very well be one.

 

[davisonconsultancy]

Whilst we are on the scam topic, beware of "reserving your space" in a charity calendar. Similar to your experience, the salesperson is very sharp and uses the agreement staircase technique to capture your commitment.

The best openning line was "Would you like to take a blonde out for dinner?". Bold statment, but then it was quickly followed by a hard sales pitch.

Most of the time the telephone number is not traceable, and/or the websites are dodgy. As times are hard, I think there will be a significant increase in scams.

Is anyone still waiting for their £10 million from the late Prince who would like to deposit £30 million in your bank account?

 

[sinclairsea]

They tried to pull the wool over my eyes as well, but I knew of them, so I played them along without giving them a verbal nod. I got a telephone number for them as well and I abused them by calling from different numbers, putting on a scouse accent (that's where they are all from) and asked if they wanted to get some advertising of me.

There phone calls sharped stopped - they knew it was me as they knew I had their number. I passed on all of the details to the police and trading standards, but they will shut them down, only for them to start up the following day under another name.

It's not on, but ask them to forward 'the contract' on to you - I am sure they won't

 

[deniser]

Gosh we had this one about 8 years ago, I'm amazed it's still going strong!

Best to register with the TPO so you don't get these types of calls in the first place.

 

[sapphal]

We had them about 12 months ago. Luckily we googled them first and found they were scammers so we strung them along a bit - we made them produce the brochure. We were the only advertiser in the single page brochure that a chiild of 8 could have produced in about 10 minutes. We never agreed to anything and they said that they had recorded conversations of our order which we made them produce - it was intelligible. Do what you wish but whatever their threat DON'T pay a penny. They also seem to swap collection companies. We reported them to trading standards. Haven't heard anything for a while.

 

[Indigo Cherry]

Fourteen12,

'A recorded conversation is not a contract' - I think you need to review that comment. A verbal agreement can be enforced, however, it does depend on the conversation!

Kween, have you googled the company? There are several 'scam' companies floating about in the same area, of which these may very well be one.

Nope! No need to review that comment, thank you! As what I said is correct! A recorded converstaion is NOT a contract! Not unless it is clearly stated with a predefined set of words before the conversation begins and you agree to such conversation being used as a contract!

How do I know this? Because I had to go to court with a company trying to charge me for Google SEO which they say I agreed to on the phone! I took them to court and their defense was the conversation! I didn't even get to the actual court date as it was dismissed!

The reason being I didn't agree to the conversation being used as a contarct! Without that there is NO contract!

 

[Lektra]

I've had people on the phone claiming to be NHS, ambulance service, fire service, police service, school charities etc etc etc- always a scam! I even got the police involved when one company claiming to be working on behalf of our local bobbies sent us an invoice out of the blue demanding payment for £225+ VAT for an advert we'd supposedly agreed to.

From what I gather, these people might try bullying you by sending out letters from debt companies, but on investigating these companies they're nearly always unregulated departments who are subsidiaries of the main advertising company. They don't have a legal leg to stand on, so don't pay up!

Also, if you can get the number it's worth getting their telephone number blocked by your phone provider. You can also report the company via the scam link at the Consumer Direct website- once they get a certain number of reports on a company they can investigate it, but don't seem to be able to so much in the meantime, so report every contact to them!

 

[CB Reps]

Tell them to Foxtrot Oscar, distance selling rules apply:

http://www.oft.gov.uk/about-the-oft/legal-powers/legal/distance-selling-regulations/

Chris

 

[TAPDoink]

Hi guys,

I've been scammed by a company called SAS Media that rang me up and pretended to be SafeGuard (a company I'd legitimately placed an advert with) and said I had yet to pay for my advertisement, got my credit card details and billed me for £149.00. I have chased them for 2 weeks at which point they produced a 'verbal' contract whereby they just ranted on for ages, asked me to confirm my last name and are claiming that that is confirmation of purchase even though I said nothing else in the rest of the conversation.

Any suggestions please on how to get my money (or at least some of it) back? I will be going to TAPA and Ofcom about it but that won't help me, it'll only hopefully work towards preventing this happening to other people.

Thank-you,

- Chris

 

[yourcreditmanager]

Hi

The only way to effectively deal with these people is to swear at them down the phone... They'll give up because they'll want to rip off softer targets.

If you show the slightest hesitation or weakness, your card will be marked and your details added to a "sucker list" and you'll receive call after call both now and in the future from similar scam outfits.

I wonder if any of these companies have been featured on tv programs yet? :redface:

Michael

 

[JHesketh]

Hi all,

I had an advert with emergency services press and they were good with me. The changes to the advert were dealt with quickly and I liked the magazine when it arrived. I did read some bad press about them online but Ive since found out that there is a copycat company out there ripping people off. The real one is contactable on 0845 474 9149 and they will provide you with a magazine on request. Watch out for other dodgy ones!!!

Good luck!!

John

 

[BusinessRookie]

There is one of these companies advertising telesales jobs and graphic designer jobs in Chester. Legit?

_____________________

http://www.uapl.co.uk/

http://www.jobisjob.co.uk/chester-c...ntatives/job-offer-2kamy54pbzkq37xdxgp6imo3le

07834 832311 and asking for Ian Daltry.

 

[JHesketh]

Looks like they do magazines for the Emergency Services but they don't do the 'Emergency Services Press Magazine' that I bought an advert in. I think it's legit yeah, I was just warning people against the people who are copying Emergency Services Press and giving those poor guys a bad name. I hear there are a few disreputable ones out there so it always pays to check up, give em a call and see if they will send you a publication or go for the interview and ask for some evidence of the product if you aren't sure.

Cheers

John

 

[stugster]

Why not pass it on to trading standards..

Becuase Trading Standards are about as useful at dealing with these scammers as my chocolate fire-guard.

 

[ThePublisher]

Looks like they do magazines for the Emergency Services but they don't do the 'Emergency Services Press Magazine' that I bought an advert in. I think it's legit yeah, I was just warning people against the people who are copying Emergency Services Press and giving those poor guys a bad name. I hear there are a few disreputable ones out there so it always pays to check up, give em a call and see if they will send you a publication or go for the interview and ask for some evidence of the product if you aren't sure.

Cheers

John

So is yours the Shiatsu business or the Reiki business then? Seeing that I've just looked at issue 1 of the magazine online and there are only 2 adverts in the 'magazine'.

I'm wondering how the heck this was printed given that it's 26 pages and printed magazines are usually multiples of 4 pages unless perfect bound.

 

[lockie]

Wow these scams are still going. A really simple way to deal with these people is to request a copy of the recording as you are legally entitled to under the data protection laws.At this point they will only be able to front it out as they dont have recordings.
The next step they normally take is to pass the debt to a debt recovery firm who is part of the same scam group.Obviously if you dispute the debt then they cant do anything.

 

[WirralPrinters]

I haven't even read any of the posts in this thread.

But as I was unfortunate enough to work for a Liverpool company doing this, I would STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST ALL OF THESE RIP OFF SCAMS.

The people who run them are mostly scum - ripped me off by 2k at least in wages.... Ripped clients off by much, much more!!!!!!

I might even name and shame??????

 

[WirralPrinters]

Also watch out for Charity Publications - EXACTLY THE SAME PRINCIPLE.

I may add though, that some are legit but please check them out before being held hostage to RECORDED PHONE CALLS ORDERS* - Which can validate as an actual order!!!!

* You get a phone call, they push you into a sale, the phone call is recorded and is held up in court, by these ripoff merchants !!!!

 

[JHesketh]

Hi there, I think you must just be looking at the one they've got online. The hard copies they send out have all the adverts in. They sent me 4 copies so if you want one let me know.
My copies only have businesses from my neck of the woods so I reckon the different mags are region specific. I'm gonna phone em today anyway to see if they can send me the advert they designed for me so I'll get some info and post it on here.

Cheers

 

[WirralPrinters]

Hi there, I think you must just be looking at the one they've got online. The hard copies they send out have all the adverts in. They sent me 4 copies so if you want one let me know.
My copies only have businesses from my neck of the woods so I reckon the different mags are region specific. I'm gonna phone em today anyway to see if they can send me the advert they designed for me so I'll get some info and post it on here.

Cheers

Usually a small run of the same mag is printed, maybe 500 - 1000 copies.

The only people who get some are the actual advertisers.

No money goes to the Emergency Services.

There is at least one legit mag out there though that has probably been damaged by so many other companies using the scam and giving it a bad rep.

 

[mit74]

Unfortunately it is a plague of small businesses at the moment. Also these companies scan the internet for forums like these and then threaten them with court action unless they remove the posts. I know a few business forums including this one who have had to take posts like this down and if they refuse the scam companies go to the ISP and threaten them. Bad ISPs will remove the content themselves unfortunately which I find incredibly annoying. The aim is simply to try and make the scam less well know.

 

[mit74]

Hi guys,

I've been scammed by a company called SAS Media that rang me up and pretended to be SafeGuard (a company I'd legitimately placed an advert with) and said I had yet to pay for my advertisement, got my credit card details and billed me for £149.00. I have chased them for 2 weeks at which point they produced a 'verbal' contract whereby they just ranted on for ages, asked me to confirm my last name and are claiming that that is confirmation of purchase even though I said nothing else in the rest of the conversation.

Any suggestions please on how to get my money (or at least some of it) back? I will be going to TAPA and Ofcom about it but that won't help me, it'll only hopefully work towards preventing this happening to other people.

Thank-you,

- Chris

TAPA are another scam btw But I suspect you probably work for them and are planting the name.

 

[mit74]

Hi all,

I had an advert with emergency services press and they were good with me. The changes to the advert were dealt with quickly and I liked the magazine when it arrived. I did read some bad press about them online but Ive since found out that there is a copycat company out there ripping people off. The real one is contactable on 0845 474 9149 and they will provide you with a magazine on request. Watch out for other dodgy ones!!!

Good luck!!

John

Another plant? They may provide you with a magazine on request but did they actually send any out to potential customers?

 

[WirralPrinters]

Another plant? They may provide you with a magazine on request but did they actually send any out to potential customers?

I don't even think that the legit ones do this!

I despise this scam so much having worked in the industry (not as a rep I may add).

The reps names are not even their real names, some made up one.

I have seen these reps come into an office - use the phones for 1 -4 hours per day, 1 - 4 days a week and walk away with £500 -£1000 in commission for a weeks work (if you can call it work) - Your hard earned money!!

 

[wauku]

I was called by Peter something (didn't really get his name) in early February regarding this adverstising in ESpress. He started off the conversation by saying that he was from the police department and that the reason he called was not because I was in trouble etc. However, it was because he wanted to give an opportunity to a new business like mine to advertise in a magazine that is circulated within my area and at the same time helping the police to alert the public on a new 'against crime' campaign. He did say at the beginning that the conversation was recorded. I agreed to the offer since I thought it was genuine. I asked for a copy of the magazine and his details in which he said he would send to me in 2 days. Well I never received any details about 'Peter' neither did I receive any magazine but I sure did receive an invoice from them. I ignored it for several weeks now and within the past few weeks, I've also received a few calls from them. When I told them that I'm not paying because I believe it's a scam and that I'd report to the police, the person just put down the phone. Just today I received a FINAL DEMAND letter from Daniels Silverman (debt collector agency) and now I am seriously disturbed. Can anyone tell me if I should pay or ignore it or what can I do so that I do not have to pay this scum. One thing though, they did not get my name correct, it is wrongly spelled. Can that save me from being dragged to the court?

 

[mit74]

I was called by Peter something (didn't really get his name) in early February regarding this adverstising in ESpress. He started off the conversation by saying that he was from the police department and that the reason he called was not because I was in trouble etc. However, it was because he wanted to give an opportunity to a new business like mine to advertise in a magazine that is circulated within my area and at the same time helping the police to alert the public on a new 'against crime' campaign. He did say at the beginning that the conversation was recorded. I agreed to the offer since I thought it was genuine. I asked for a copy of the magazine and his details in which he said he would send to me in 2 days. Well I never received any details about 'Peter' neither did I receive any magazine but I sure did receive an invoice from them. I ignored it for several weeks now and within the past few weeks, I've also received a few calls from them. When I told them that I'm not paying because I believe it's a scam and that I'd report to the police, the person just put down the phone. Just today I received a FINAL DEMAND letter from Daniels Silverman (debt collector agency) and now I am seriously disturbed. Can anyone tell me if I should pay or ignore it or what can I do so that I do not have to pay this scum. One thing though, they did not get my name correct, it is wrongly spelled. Can that save me from being dragged to the court?

If you've read all the posts you'd see that they can't take you to court!!!! It's a SCAM! Ignore them and they generally give up. They make money by targetting new businesses who don't know about all these scams, they send fake debt collector agency letters and threaten to backlist you etc. hoping you'd be scared enough to payout. Please don't pay them... they will eventually give up although they will try and threaten and intimidate you as much as possible.
As a new business you will be targetted like this for at least 6 months, sometimes they'll even insult you over the phone, you'll get used to it. I just laugh when they phone now.Also expect calls from TAPA or other 'database' removal services who will try and s[cam] you into getting your business removed from the scammers lists. They are the SAME people!

As a new business my advice is never to accept or agree to anything over the phone.. never give out your details especially personal details. You will get all sorts of scammers phoning you claiming to be a government agency or police. Some even tell you it's against the law NOT to give them all your details.

 

[Splashy]

Please, please do not send any money or agree to advertise with any publication that states it is for the Emergency services.

There is no universal magazine for the emergency services, any that are produced tend to be from crime prevention panels or internal productions. Unless you live on the moon you cannot have failed to notice there is no money in the public purse to pay for glossy mags. Why do they always state they are for the emergency services? Well it is supposed to make you feel safe that they are endorsed by the Police - they are not.

One idiot even rang me telling me he was from the local Police press office, we had a nice conversation until I told him I knew the press officer and guess what the phone went dead. I've even had a call from the Forresters Childrens Club trying to sell advertising for charity, what a load of B*^%$*ks it is another scam. I asked them to send me an email with details, guess what nothing ever turned up.

The truth is, all these are scams are offences under section 3 of the Fraud Act 2006. Do not pay them a penny send by return a without prejudice letter stating that they have committed an offence under the above act and if they continue you will report the matter to the Police.

The golden rule is never, ever buy advertising from a cold call. Only ever buy from something you have seen which has caught your eye as it is a good chance it will do the same to your customers.

Don't forget the following:

You cannot con an honest man and if it seems to good to be true - it is!

 

[WirralPrinters]

I was called by Peter something (didn't really get his name) in early February regarding this adverstising in ESpress. He started off the conversation by saying that he was from the police department and that the reason he called was not because I was in trouble etc. However, it was because he wanted to give an opportunity to a new business like mine to advertise in a magazine that is circulated within my area and at the same time helping the police to alert the public on a new 'against crime' campaign. He did say at the beginning that the conversation was recorded. I agreed to the offer since I thought it was genuine. I asked for a copy of the magazine and his details in which he said he would send to me in 2 days. Well I never received any details about 'Peter' neither did I receive any magazine but I sure did receive an invoice from them. I ignored it for several weeks now and within the past few weeks, I've also received a few calls from them. When I told them that I'm not paying because I believe it's a scam and that I'd report to the police, the person just put down the phone. Just today I received a FINAL DEMAND letter from Daniels Silverman (debt collector agency) and now I am seriously disturbed. Can anyone tell me if I should pay or ignore it or what can I do so that I do not have to pay this scum. One thing though, they did not get my name correct, it is wrongly spelled. Can that save me from being dragged to the court?

I would bet my bottom dollar that this is the old firm going by the name of 'Culture UK Associates'.

The guy running it was Peter Casey.

The entire operation was a scam, I know, I worked there as the graphic designer years ago.

They operated in Queens Dock liverpool, after being forced to move from Bootle, Liverpool.

This debt collection agency, strangely enough operates from within the same building! Coincidence, I don't think so.

You have a cooling off period.

They always record your telephone conversation, this is so that they can get some kind of legal binding contract.

I would report this to the Liverpool Trading Standards, call them today.

I bet you got some crappy advert attached to your invoice too????


Thanks,
Mark.

 

[shil]

Hi i to have been contacted by them they 1st guy told me he would email me the add and let me look at it and someone would call me back later that day well next guy called after 10mins his opening words to me was you have agreed to a contract with us i stupidly said yes aahhhhh i have now learned to keep my mouth shut i have had to letters in from debts Daniel Silverman who i called and shouted a few choice words down the phone to the girl at the other end these people make me sick you try to start a small business and they try to con you they are just sick in the head i have got lots of info on line about them they have different names the guy who runs them ALL is called Peter Daly i spoke to trading standers they told me to write to Daniel Silverman about espress limited but after reading everyone's comments im just going to rip the letters up and put then in the bin and forget about them

 

[Mkilroy]

I also had a call selling advertising space to the emergency services Magazine to be distributed to 400,000 people in 4 issues for £130 a quarter page ad?? This should have sent alarm bells to me however being a new business I agreed to proceed after a number of calls putting pressure on me to be quick and put the ad on. After agreeing I did some digging into the company only to find that the Magazines will not be distributed to local areas it is a [removed by mod] targeting small businesses. Although I cancelled 20 minutes after I gave my credit card details they informed me the art work had been completed hummmm I received a very poor advert with my logo on it together with a demand for full payment. Since then I have now started to recieve letters from a Debt Collection agency also based in Liverpool! I have reported this to Trading standards who are currently investigiating my case together with others, I would urge anybody who has got caught up in this to contact the trading standards to get this company shutdown.

 

[AshleyKayG]

SAS Media have scammed me too. I had a call from some Fire Safety people a week ago or so, blabbering on about thank you for my support etc. I was half listening and just figured it was a charity and let them say their thanks (though I wasn't sure what for) and then today I received an invoice for an advert in the sh*tiest little magazine.

My website was directly copied, included my homepage image, which is copy righted by someone else so they have illegally obtained this as only I have permission to this image.

Also, they've put my home address on there which I'd never agree to either.

Funnily enough their phone isn't answering. So I sent them an email explaining I'll take this further with my friend who is indeed a barrister and her husband who is indeed a lawyer if they don't remove it.

I can have an advert that small in Vogue magazine for the amount they want... They've got to me kidding me if they think advertising my makeup business in their homeprinted pamphlet would be something I'd agree to!

Ridiculous.

 

[mit74]

SAS Media have scammed me too. I had a call from some Fire Safety people a week ago or so, blabbering on about thank you for my support etc. I was half listening and just figured it was a charity and let them say their thanks (though I wasn't sure what for) and then today I received an invoice for an advert in the sh*tiest little magazine.

My website was directly copied, included my homepage image, which is copy righted by someone else so they have illegally obtained this as only I have permission to this image.

Also, they've put my home address on there which I'd never agree to either.

Funnily enough their phone isn't answering. So I sent them an email explaining I'll take this further with my friend who is indeed a barrister and her husband who is indeed a lawyer if they don't remove it.

I can have an advert that small in Vogue magazine for the amount they want... They've got to me kidding me if they think advertising my makeup business in their homeprinted pamphlet would be something I'd agree to!

Ridiculous.

i suggest you don't ring them or email them. Simply ignore them and they'll go away. The more you converse with them the more they'll hassle you as they'll think you will eventually pay to keep them quiet. Ignore letters and if they phone simply tell them you know they're a scam and stop calling.

 

[earlyhominid]

I have been pressurised by a company called Excel Media wit a St Helens PO Box address. Again they said I had placed and order for an ad when I had only expressed interest on the 'phone. They have actually produced a website which is full of spelling mistakes and very old information. It is not a patch on the real Emergency Services Press website.

When I asked for an example of their year planner, they sent me a colour printout which looks very amateur.

I will take the advice above and ignore their demands, report them to Trading Standards and contact Paypal.

Dennis