Euro Business Guide

[Arhiann]

Just had an email:

lease print and fill the enclosed document and send it back to:
Euro Business Guide,
P.O. Box 2021,
3500GA UTRECHT,
The Netherlands,
updating is free of charge!

the fact that it said "updating is free" set the alarm bells ringing.

So, investigated a little further as it seemed a scam:

"The price of the first three years is Euro 2895" - buried under point 7 of the T&Cs

Thee may not be anybody daft enough to fall for it here, but just thought I would mention it. They do have a couple of big companies listed here locally, and I can't imagine they added themselves, so I think they are putting a few seeds in to whet your appetite.

 

[Aspect Investments]

There are always people daft enough to fall for these scams. People are still falling for the 419 scam.

 

[Arhiann]

People have died over the 419 scams. Scary really that people can be that gullible/greedy.

Of course though, we have the 419 eaters for humour as a result:

http://www.419eater.com/html/bigman.htm

...and I love this one. He gets a tat done:

http://www.419eater.com/html/okorie.htm

 

[stopecg]

Regarding EU Business Guide, this is more organised and sophistecated than most 419 scams

Alas, many people do fall for the trick forms mailed by this company and also by it's sister company EU Company Directory (Both appear to be owned by the same man).

Very often junior staff fill it out thinking they are doing their company a favour!

If you have signed you will be hounded for money, hasseled by debt colletors and generaly irritated for years to come, to date the threats have been hollow and no evidence has surfaced to suggest that this lot will actually attempt to enforce these dodgy contracts in court.

I have published advice on how to make official complaints here

OK, So I'm tooo new to post a link!, to find the advice do a Google search for
StopECG "eu company directory"


If you are affected please do write the letters.
there are many Cross-Border Business To Business scams that currently evade the law, only by constant pressure can governments and the EU be persuaded to act.

 

[MikeJ]

There's a similar scam called the "Fairs Guide", which mails out to companies that attend exhibitions. They invite you to appear in their Fairs Guide for free, free in this case being about a thousand euros.

 

[topletters]

Hi

I have to admit to being wary of businesses that only give a PO Box number for their contact details. That is not to say that a lot of these are not genuine, but I'm always concerned they may have something to hide and would be difficult to get hold of them if there was a problem.

Regards

topletters

 

[MikeJ]

Interesting.

We do that, but that's because the company was originally based at my house, and I didn't want that address as the postal address of the company. We also planned to move a few times in the early years, and using a PO box means you can move without reproducing stationary and informing your customers.

 

[topletters]

Hi

Thanks for your reply and my apologies if my comment caused any offence, and this was certainly not meant. The overwhelming majority of PO Box businesses are genuine and use such contact details for valid reasons as you rightly say.

Kind regards

topletters

 

[stopecg]

Alas with PO boxes like so may other things the few scam outfits who misuse them can give many good firms a bad name...

 

[MikeJ]

No offence taken. I'd never considered people may be suspicious of us, using a PO Box.

 

[lotramar]

It seems that they have moved their office to UK See what I receive today:

Dear Sirs,

In order to have your company registered in the World Business Directory for 2008,
please print out the enclosed form (PDF file), complete and return the form to:

World Business Directory
Suite 149 - Rosden House - 372 Old Street
Ec1v 9au London - United Kingdom

Updating is free of charge!!
If you want to unsubscribe send an email to

 

[stopecg]

Well spotted
World Business Directory
Is indeed part of the same scam outfit,
The page regarding this was updated yesterday but the forum rules keep stopping me from posting a link :|

You can find the page by googling eu company directory stopecg

Perhaps a more senior user could post the link here!

even if you were not fooled by this contract I suggest you complain to the OFT

The Office of Fair Trading,
Fleetbank House,
2-6 Salisbury Square,
London,
EC4Y 8JX

The reason I suggest this is that if the OFT acts swiftly then the UK will not be seen as a suitable home by the scam operators + it will send a clear message to other countries that they can and should act to stop cross border scams operation from within their borders

J

 

[karenhill]

I know someone that went through this problem. I don't know if this is still going on but if you have been a victim of this kind of scam, you can easily seek help, just contact your local authorites who will advise you in more detail.