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Vardis - STAY CLEAR

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We had something similar to this from another "company" regarding advertising in a School Safety leftlet or something like that. After a bit of confusion around the office, we found out that it was a scam (there was loads on the internet about them). When they phone you, they memorise a script to sound like it's just information, but they then twist it into sounding like you made an order. We rang them back to say we hadn't made an order and if they thought any order was made, then cancel it. They said they couldn't do that as we made a verbal contract.

A few days later, we had several phone calls and letters from them saying our invoice was overdue, but we kept saying we weren't paying it (as we didn't make the order and knew they were a scam). When we said we found out all this information on the internet saying they were a scam, they replied with: "It's out of date and all the websites have apologised for inaccurate reporting" LOL. They then sent us a letter saying if we don't pay within a few days, they'll take us to court. That was about a year ago now.

Don't let scam companies bully you into paying for non-existant/poor quality goods. A key piece of advice when anyone cold-calls you and you're interested, say that you won't agree to anything on the phone, but please send information. Ask for samples or portfolios. A legit company will (probably) jump through a few reasonable hoops to sell to you. When you're waiting for the information, Google them, because if they are scammers, you probably won't have been the first.
 
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Jiminite said:
We had something similar to this from another "company" regarding advertising in a School Safety leftlet or something like that. After a bit of confusion around the office, we found out that it was a scam (there was loads on the internet about them). When they phone you, they memorise a script to sound like it's just information, but they then twist it into sounding like you made an order. We rang them back to say we hadn't made an order and if they thought any order was made, then cancel it. They said they couldn't do that as we made a verbal contract.

A few days later, we had several phone calls and letters from them saying our invoice was overdue, but we kept saying we weren't paying it (as we didn't make the order and knew they were a scam). When we said we found out all this information on the internet saying they were a scam, they replied with: "It's out of date and all the websites have apologised for inaccurate reporting" LOL. They then sent us a letter saying if we don't pay within a few days, they'll take us to court. That was about a year ago now.

Don't let scam companies bully you into paying for non-existant/poor quality goods. A key piece of advice when anyone cold-calls you and you're interested, say that you won't agree to anything on the phone, but please send information. Ask for samples or portfolios. A legit company will (probably) jump through a few reasonable hoops to sell to you. When you're waiting for the information, Google them, because if they are scammers, you probably won't have been the first.
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Thanks for that, It makes me realise I still have so much to learn. My lesson to learn: Say NO to all cold callers......
 
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Littledot said:
Thanks for that, It makes me realise I still have so much to learn. My lesson to learn: Say NO to all cold callers......
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Whilst this is a tatic that could be adopted you could lose out on some pottenially good offers.
What i do is ask that they could put there proposal in the post or via email.
I will them check them out on the computer via search engines and via companies house etc,this usually throws up information if the company is bent.

Also just a quick one,this type of advertising claims to go out to doctors surgerys etc,but no one sees them,so is this not fraud?

If so and you paid by credit card then could you not get a chargeback,i did this with barrington house a few years back.
 
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Lo and behold, i have received yet another letter in the post this morning from Vardis stating;
Despite numerous efforts to assist you to resolve the matter of your outstanding account, you have not complied with the agreed payment schedule and your account remians overdue.
Under the circimstances we must ask you to bring your account up to date immediately, so as to avoid the matter being passsed to our legal dept and further costs being administered.
Signed:
M Andrews
Credit Control Manager

So whats my next best step, should i write to them and tell them where to go, or ignore it?
 
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Darren, and all from Sift Media,

I understand the reasons behind the Finance section being withdrawn and don't necessarily agree with them. However, I would just like to show my appreciation for keeping this useful and significant thread on the forums. It is an important thread for many businesses, and a fantastic way to get help, information, and advice about these particular situations.

It is important, may I remind everyone, to stick to facts only, and keep all feelings about a company professional and based on the truth.

I hope to see more threads like this outlining the business-models of certain companies to ensure all the genuine Small Businesses in the UK who use UKBF have a fighting chance.
 
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stugster said:
Darren, and all from Sift Media,

I understand the reasons behind the Finance section being withdrawn and don't necessarily agree with them. However, I would just like to show my appreciation for keeping this useful and significant thread on the forums. It is an important thread for many businesses, and a fantastic way to get help, information, and advice about these particular situations.

It is important, may I remind everyone, to stick to facts only, and keep all feelings about a company professional and based on the truth.

I hope to see more threads like this outlining the business-models of certain companies to ensure all the genuine Small Businesses in the UK who use UKBF have a fighting chance.
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Seconded from me
 
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I got cold called from Vardis over a year ago, asking if I'd like an advert in a charity book that was associated with Gloria Estafan.

I said I'd think about it, and told them I'd take their number and ring back... As soon as I put the phone down, I searched for Vardis on the net, ended up at Blagger.com just as Stuart had searched for on purpose, yet this was my first encounter of the site (Not the last I have to say!)

Absolutley Gob-Smacked by what people had been through because of this company, I immediately got worried, stories of people not saying yes, then a few months later them getting a bill for £400 with Vardis merely saying they have phone evidence..

At this point, I rang them back up and told them "I am not interested in the offer, I do not want an advert and I don't want any of your services"

Still worried, I made a word document, outlining everything that had gone on and what I had said, just in case they still went ahead and published something without my say so.

Since then, if I want something, an advert etc, I'll go and find the right publication and company myself, otherwise..you just don't know do you!
 
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As Stuart says, can this be made a sticky but change the title, if it's OK with you Stuart, to Vardis-stay clear, sign the petition.
 
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Of course it's ok :)

The petition itself though is generic, and is not intended to just be targeted at Vardis. Ideally, we're looking for more Government support when these companies try to take advantage of us Small-Medium Businesses :)
 
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The petitions are guaranteed a response if you get over 200 sigs. I got about 500 for mine and some minion wrote a rubbish response that was not worth a cent.

Oh well - we can only try
 
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Jiminite said:
We had something similar to this from another "company" regarding advertising in a School Safety leftlet or something like that.
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Watch out everyone - they're making calls again.

I had the same people ring me today claiming I ordered an ad in Aug last year. After 10 minutes I'm proud to say that I got them so wound up they told ME to go away! How chuffed am I? :)
 
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Haha! Well done!

I had one on Monday (it wasn't Vardis this time), claiming that I'd put an advert back in December.

I asked who had placed the advert and they weren't sure, but they were 100% convinced it wasn't me (and said it was someone else in my company)! Hah, nice try!

I'm the only person in the company!
 
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Why dont we try some vardis baiting ?

Let see who can wind these low lifes up in the most imaginable way ?

Could be fun.

Im going to tell them they owe me money for starters lol
 
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Had yet another call from "Andrew" at Vardis today, asking me to settle my suppossed acount.
I asked for proof that i agreed to the advertising and he confirmed that he has an audio recording of me accepting the contract and will send me a copy as requested.
Just wanted to know if anyone else has asked and received their "phone call contract" and is it legally binding?
 
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Hi mate,

If he took it to court, when the courts hear the name "Andrew Lownsbrough", they will laugh at him. Trading standards, DTI, The Police, etc. all know about his way of working.

Don't pay. Don't be bullied. And most of all, Don't Worry.

Sent him a formal written declaration to "F*ck Off"
 
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I feel left out, why don't Vardis call me :(

I'm sure I saw a programme about them last year, some company based in Birkenhead (over the water from Liverpool) was scamming loads of local businesses falsely promoting a charity calendar and inventing verbal contracts... sure sounds like the same scam.
 
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It probably is the same company, Dave their ethics are very questionable. If enough businesses complain or highlight that fact that they operate on an unethical basis they will either change their ways or stop doing what they do.

Either way your ability to type and post will help to stop businesses like this from getting sales and raise awareness.
 
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I recived a phone call from them last week and said no thank you as we only support local charity's. I got a letter this morning thanking me for my support and that art work will follow shortly. How do they get away with that I said NO do they not understand what NO means :mad:
 
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I have sent a strong worded letter recorded delivery to them as was sugested earlyier in this thread also contacted DTi and logged another formal compalint not much more i can do is there
 
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At the risk of being branded naive I'm going to add a bit of balance here. I was contacted by Vardis last year, saw some bad publicity and contacted Foresters Fund for Children. I was assured that investigations had shown most complaints to be spurious. But it was up to me. I agreed to the ad and was given 14 days to approve it. That's approve it. I didn't. It was grim and furthermore the ad was smaller than I had been led to believe. Not happy. However, I asked for the artwork to be changed. Slow communications by email but busy team?? Anyway they did it. I changed something else they changed that. They also reduced the fee I'd been quoted, because I felt I'd been misled, and made it slightly larger within space they had left. When I received the handbook I thought it rather good, exceeded my expectations with all the criticism I had read in fact. The human beings I dealt with via phone and email during this process had all been polite and helpful. At that point I paid. Yes I had delayed this because of my misgivings. I felt some twinge of guilt at the reduced fee when this was a charity publication but I have assuaged that elsewhere.

I have been contacted by other glossy publications asking for payment in advance of the publication being printed. I wouldn't agree to something and then not pay. When I didn't like the artwork I said so and it was changed. I also know website designers who promise initial designs within a week and produce decidedly dodgy versions just to meet that deadline. Change it. They do need to review their sales technique; the guy I spoke to has an unfortunately sleazy and offputting manner but overall I think they are probably more disorganised with paperwork and lacking in communication about distribution than they are dodgy. 12 or 12.5% I was told by Foresters Fund is quite a good return and having worked for charities myself they are probably right.
 
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AlexisB said:
They do need to review their sales technique; the guy I spoke to has an unfortunately sleazy and offputting manner but overall I think they are probably more disorganised with paperwork and lacking in communication about distribution than they are dodgy.
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The point is not whether its an effective form of marketing but the activities of the company that have caused serious levels of distress and brought many highly publicised complaints about their activities.

To take pitty on the "sleazy and offputting" employee in view of other awful services you have experienced does not excuse their activities, and your post seems a little naive.
 
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quikshop said:
The point is not whether its an effective form of marketing but the activities of the company that have caused serious levels of distress and brought many highly publicised complaints about their activities.

To take pitty on the "sleazy and offputting" employee in view of other awful services you have experienced does not excuse their activities, and your post seems a little naive.
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I'm not taking 'pity' it is a valid complaint because he was offputting as a salesperson and it needs sorting! I have at least posted according to my experience. I pulled them up over their shortcomings and they sorted things out. And they did it in a polite and helpful way and checked I was now happy with it. In what respect do you consider the post naive? (if you're not simply quoting me) Is it that I haven't jumped on the bandwagon? ... "I've just ordered but am really glad I've seen this post so will now cancel" ?

'Highly publicised' creates good headlines but doesn't make something right - or we'd all believe Mohammed Fayed. Before doing business with the company I asked on this forum whether anyone actually had genuine complaint and evidence of malpractice. I believe I had one measured response saying I should consider whether it would be effective form of marketing for me. Foresters Fund also told me trading standards were happy with them.

The local regional newspaper did similarly appalling artwork for me last year 'we'll do it for you' when I said it was too short notice to take advantage of their offer. And, it's common to take info off a website to 'save you time' which is another common complaint. Recently a glossy tried to sell me advertising space - I didn't have to pay until March and it's published in June. Some have agreed to place an ad, don't like the artwork, don't change within the specified time, refuse to go ahead, then complain about being threatened with small claims. And the advice from all is 'don't pay.' The company could have sold the space to someone else.
 
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