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Vardis - STAY CLEAR

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Barrington house rings a bell! I think i did something with them last year and as yet nothing solid turned up - only did it as they were claiming to be Police News publishers!

I did have a call from foresters too - but the guy on the phone lied, so told him to shove it! lol! First claimed they were Cornwall based for local charities in Cornwall - then changed his story, saying they were in manchester!
 
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Can anyone tell me why these scumbags aren't yet enjoying cosy surroundings + 3 squares in the lock up...?:mad:

(do they still call it "at her Majesty's pleasure"? - or has my brain just made that up?):redface:
 
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Just had these w*kers phone me up and pretend that I had ordered something again from "The Emergency Services Publication" or some complete tripe.

Why the hell are these d*cks allowed to carry on doing this? Convincing unsuspecting business owners that they have a debt for print is surely fraud?
 
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One of our franchisees has just recently been caught out by these people. She quite rightly didn't agree to advertising with them and asked instead that they send her further information first.

5 minutes later, she received a call from the same company thanking her for her booking, telling her that she did now infact have a contractual obligation and that they would be sending her an invoice.

I have told her not to pay under any circumstances and will be contacting the Company myself to tell them to ******** but I am astounded that this Company continue to get away with it still.
 
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Claire B said:
One of our franchisees has just recently been caught out by these people. She quite rightly didn't agree to advertising with them and asked instead that they send her further information first.

5 minutes later, she received a call from the same company thanking her for her booking, telling her that she did now infact have a contractual obligation and that they would be sending her an invoice.

I have told her not to pay under any circumstances and will be contacting the Company myself to tell them to ******** but I am astounded that this Company continue to get away with it still.
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Just ask them for a number that you can pass to accounts to pay them - they slam the phone down quite quickly!! lol!

If you do get it, give it to the trading standards and the police as they are after them if they can find where they are now!

They use alot of names, sound sounding like the above board companies too, sometimes they even claim to be an above board company so keep your wits about you!
 
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Thank you :) we had a fair amount of contact from them a few years back when they went by the name of Barrington House.

I sent out an email bulletin to all of our franchisees today because our call logs from Thursday indicated that they had phoned around the entire network.

So far a small handful of our franchisees have agreed to placing an advert with them, so I have told them to write and cancel straight away (7 day cooling off period etc)

It is a hard lesson to learn but you do need to be very vigilant. On the whole, I never ever agree to advertise with anyone. That is my default response when people call me, infact I no longer take sales calls on the phone now - I ask them to email me instead. At least that gives me the time and space to evaluate the publication/website first.
 
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Don't worry about them trying to enforce anything - they just want credit card details etc.

I had them last year start as Barrington House, then they went by Forresters, then Sunny Meadows Publishing etc.

They nearly had me when they were barrington house, as I was busy and HAD placed an order with the REAL magazine printers Abingdon House who do the Safeguard magazine which is all official.

Anyway Barrington kept asking for money and I stated that I only dealt with Abingdon House. In the end Abingdon were given a security code - no code, no chat! Abingdon also show there number, so you know it is them calling!

Barrington tried it on a few times, and still call now - I just asked them for the security code and try and get a contact address or number everytime so we can send the security code to them, and they soon flee!

There were a case apparently where they sent collectors around to some businesses - not sure if true or urban legend, but if that is the case, just call the police, as they are a wanted gang - and collectors, official or not will have details of where to send payment!
 
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The law on this is quite clear but often confused. In the majority of circumstances your statutory rights give you a cooling off period of 14 days from the date of purchase, however if they are sending you a proof, ie finished art work the 14 days fooling off period does not start until the day you receive the art work.

My company solicitor has explained the cooling off period in great detail as it plays a huge role in contracts which have to be approved by Ofcom, ICTIS and Otelo.

Unfortunately as you are a business you wont receive any help from Consumer Direct or Citizens advice. If you have not paid yet write a letter confirming your cancellation and send it registered post keep a copy for your records.
 
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These people won't give you an address dave! They are crooks! lol! They won't push - they are just after quick easy touches, the more organised and demanding you are the faster they cut off the call.

What they feed on are small companies, and those that have not long started which makes it even more ruthless, as these are the companies that have limited budgets!

Just treat them for what they are!
 
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I have just done a credit search on this company which clearly shows your not the only person who has been turned over by these people. It has also showed that they have 3 addresses

44 Liverpool Road
Lydiate
L31 2LZ

Office Suit 4a Tower Building
22 Water St
Liverpool
L3 1BN

31 Burscough St
Ormskirk
L39 2EG

The owner of this business is Andrew Lownsbrough
 
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Yes, they certainly do seem to get around don't they? The 44 Liverpool Road address actually shows up as a Funeral Directors online!

Don't worry, they won't be getting a damm penny from us! :D
 
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Found out last week a fellow local start up had been collared!

Luckily he's a smart fella - being from the 'big smoke' - and didnae go for their BS...told them what they can do in - I understand - VERY graphic terms!!:D:p
 
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hi, i have an order in with abingdon house which i believe to be genuine as i have had correspondence in the post and invoices from them. i paid this as soon as i got it, then started receiving more calls saying i had not paid, i knew i had i had a reference and it was on my bank statement going to abingdon house. i had about 4 or 5 calls saying i definately still havnt paid and they would even reduce the price by £50 for me....then yesterday i had another call saying the same thing to which i responded well i have all my reference numbers and proof of payment so please check again....the guy said oh yes u have paid that this is an EXTRA 145 that you signed up for to be in our calendar aswell as the magazine -this is the first i have heard of this so obviously i refuse to pay,,,,the man said he would check and ring me back....i read on the forum that abingdon house do not keep pestering you and that they dont with hold their number....this number was indeed with held so i got suspicious, so i have rang abingdon house and they said no body from their has contacted me, my account is fully paid up and confirmed i have not placed an order to be in a calendar, the lady on phone said it is definately not them and not to pay any more as i am up to date!! Just wanted to warn everyone else as it now appears people are using genuine advertising names to get your money....from now on i will be asking for an email or ringing them back at the number i know is definately abingdon house. thanks
 
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laurasbeauty said:
hi, i have an order in with abingdon house which i believe to be genuine as i have had correspondence in the post and invoices from them. i paid this as soon as i got it, then started receiving more calls saying i had not paid, i knew i had i had a reference and it was on my bank statement going to abingdon house. i had about 4 or 5 calls saying i definately still havnt paid and they would even reduce the price by £50 for me....then yesterday i had another call saying the same thing to which i responded well i have all my reference numbers and proof of payment so please check again....the guy said oh yes u have paid that this is an EXTRA 145 that you signed up for to be in our calendar aswell as the magazine -this is the first i have heard of this so obviously i refuse to pay,,,,the man said he would check and ring me back....i read on the forum that abingdon house do not keep pestering you and that they dont with hold their number....this number was indeed with held so i got suspicious, so i have rang abingdon house and they said no body from their has contacted me, my account is fully paid up and confirmed i have not placed an order to be in a calendar, the lady on phone said it is definately not them and not to pay any more as i am up to date!! Just wanted to warn everyone else as it now appears people are using genuine advertising names to get your money....from now on i will be asking for an email or ringing them back at the number i know is definately abingdon house. thanks
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I also had someone CLAIMING to be Abingdon House - there is a warning on their literature, and they are aware of the problem.

Call abingdon yourself, and give them a security code - ask for this in all correspondance, no security code and no sale! They are pretty good and will comply, giving the code at all times - also check that the phone number is not witheld as they never do!
 
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Hi there

For my laundry and ironing business last June Vardis rang and rang and eventually I gave in and was stupid enough to pay them £115. By debit card. You know the story.. Foresters fund for children....

Anyway I have been had. So I rang them to play it cool asking if perhaps they had missed by area as I had never received it. (of course I knew that no distribution really had taken place)

The receptionist asked me to hold while she put me onto the distribution department. I knew I had smelt a rat when the lady came on with an offensive attitude and she said "of course 20000 copies were distributed in your area last summer, but not homes, just businesses and schools" I replied and said:

1. I have 6 children who attend 3 schools in this area and I have called the headmasters and no one has heard of the M8 book and so I called all the other school in the area and neither has anyone else. Also schools in Northern Ireland are closed for 8 weeks in the summer!!!!

2. I am situated in a town centre where no other street received the publication and we service other businesses and they have been able to verify this

so I asked where are the 20,000 places, could they provide a list or map. By doing so, she claimed, this could be a breach of the data protection act! I said she was unable to prove distribution and asked to double check it had taken place, as I said, mistakes can be made. I had been posted a copy of this publication and so threatened to phone all the other advertising businesses to ask them to check their surrounding schools and businesses.

She said she would put me through to the company manager, Mark Andrews. He was on his way out and was to call me back.. Obviously this will never happen.

So what to do next:

1. write and ask for prove of delivery?
2. report to trading standards?
3. ask debit card to refund cash or request refund based on fact service did not occur? give 28 days and then take to small claims?


can't believe I had been conned but you live and learn.

I was going to send a letter recorded delivery to them but what address to use? Maybe the one for payments... funny the way they ask for over the phone payments!
 
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Sobie said:
Think I had one of these calls back in November. Someone tried telling me that an order was placed by my company for some ambulance charity (don't remember excatly) it was for a calender. Basically I said That I knew nothing about it, and they said that another lady must have agreed to it. Thats when I hung up! So thanks for this thread cause I was a tad confused about this, I will warn other businesses in my area!
Rachel.
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I had them call again last week:mad:! Just over 1 year later.... prehaps they thought I'd fall for it this time
 
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Just joined this thread as it sounds like this is what I was on the receiving end of. Received a call from someone selling advertising space in some form of diary apparently benefiting West Yorkshire Police - and started the phone call with a preamble of it being from the police but nothing to be concerned about. Surely that's not legal?

Because I'm relatively new to the company I didn't quite cotton on until I'd given over my details thinking he just wanted to send me info. When he started talking about a security call from his manager alarm bells rang: I asked him what I was agreeing to, and if there was a number I could call them back on. When I asked if I could have a contact at West Yorkshire Police, he gave the area code and surprisingly the line went dead....funny that. Googled and found this thread. I suppose I should await a spurious invoice. Didn't get the company name, unfortunately, otherwise I'd contact trading standards but I'd guess it's probably Vardis.

Feel like I want to let people locally know about it, any ideas how?
 
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S4Computers said:
Thanks for the warning!

It's refreshing to have found a forum whoere you can name and shame. There are to many people waiting to rip you off online (and everywhere) and they should all be outed!
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I agree!

Most forums don't allow it because they have no understanding of slander and liability laws.

Fact is you can't say 'xxx company are sh!t', but you are more than within your rights to name the company and give a full accurate report of the service you recieved. so long as its fact.
 
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thegreatprevaricator said:
Just joined this thread as it sounds like this is what I was on the receiving end of. Received a call from someone selling advertising space in some form of diary apparently benefiting West Yorkshire Police - and started the phone call with a preamble of it being from the police but nothing to be concerned about. Surely that's not legal?

Because I'm relatively new to the company I didn't quite cotton on until I'd given over my details thinking he just wanted to send me info. When he started talking about a security call from his manager alarm bells rang: I asked him what I was agreeing to, and if there was a number I could call them back on. When I asked if I could have a contact at West Yorkshire Police, he gave the area code and surprisingly the line went dead....funny that. Googled and found this thread. I suppose I should await a spurious invoice. Didn't get the company name, unfortunately, otherwise I'd contact trading standards but I'd guess it's probably Vardis.

Feel like I want to let people locally know about it, any ideas how?
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I had the same call i think the other day........we get so many! We're West Yorkshire also.....they must be doing the rounds!
 
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I think I have an idea - why not get together and all have one premium rate number that we can give Vardis - or any other scam company - as the 'Advertising Dept'

We can scam them for a change! lol! All the profits can go to those whom are ripped off by Vardis!
 
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Hi all,

Received phone calls from the same companies listed on here and a simple google search has just saved me hundreds of £'s. I said no to the guy for the first time today as money is tight and he lost his usual cool. He turned very rude and unprofessional giving me the first hint that all is not as it seems.

I will pass my details on to trading standards and hope everyone that comes into contact with these people does.

I am based in Leeds so I got the "West Yorkshire Police magazine" story so many others have. I asked how he got my details from a previous company (that I think he said he used to work with) as it is surely a breach of data protection, purely speculation on my part. No answer.

If people do wish to record a voice conversation with them please cover yourself legally by declaring "All calls are recorded and monitored for training purposes" before you start to chat with them.

Hope to have more positive news soon.
 
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Finally I've had the honour of a Vardis call. I thought they were avoiding me. Women saying she was from Wiltshire Police thanking me for our support in 2008 charity magazine. I mentioned that I was ex plod and she put the phone down ..... wonder why?????
 
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Just a wee bump. Potentially had another one of these calls again today. Guy who pretends to have spoken to us before, trys it on, then when you ask if they're Vardis all of a sudden they can't hear you and hang up.

I've just cleared 8 hours of my diary today to constantly phone the number back.
 
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A bit more information:
Presentation & Design Service (PADS) looking for me to place an ad in a wall-planner for Prostate Cancer awareness.

Two limited companies associated with the same address - one is currently in receivership and the other has just begun trading.

Alarm bells ringing! :)
 
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i wonder if they work off the same address as the one on the advert for the driving school
 
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