Vardis - STAY CLEAR

[stugster]

Hi Guys,

At the beginning of December I had a phone call from Vardis telling me how wonderful it would be to get my business printed on their calendars for only £100 or so. I thought: "fantastic! that covers printing costs, and delivery costs of a marketing strategy! Why not?"

Turns out that my name "MR S GILBERTSON" is easily construed as "MS S GIBSON"...

Not only that, the "artwork" they've sent me through the post is a rip of my logo from my site, watered down with a completely different colour-scheme, and crappy text in a shi*ty horrible font next to it about my business.

I'm sorry, but a nine year old could have come up with something better!

I've just checked BLAGGER.COM for their name, and I'm glad I did! Vardis do not seem to be the most reputable of UK organisations at this moment in time.

I phoned up just now to cancel my order, but was told because it's over 7 days since it was placed, I have to be referred to the Manager - fair enough, but don't think they'll be speaking to Ms S Gibson!

I've also taken the liberty to draft a formal notice to them about cancelling the order immediately and then confirming that it has indeed been cancelled - will send it Recorded Delivery tomorrow morning.

Just thought I'd start a thread here before other people fall into their trap.

Will update you all as necessary! Enjoy!

 

[dave_n]

sh!t...i got a letter thro this morning saying 'confirmation of order'.
I told them on the fone I'm interested and they said I have 14 days to cancel...but there is no process to cancel.

 

[Grassman]

I do like the way you 'name and shame' on here

 

[An Oasis]

They are a nasty bunch. Stick a post like this on yer blog to warn other businesses.

http://www.realoasis.net/?p=493

 

[Phild1973]

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!

 

[stugster]

sh!t...i got a letter thro this morning saying 'confirmation of order'.
I told them on the fone I'm interested and they said I have 14 days to cancel...but there is no process to cancel.

Send them a letter via Recorded Delivery to confirm you want to cancel.

I just phoned and demanded to speak to a Manager. At 16.32 I was transferred to a Mark Andrews (who apparently is the Manager) and he has confirmed that my order has been cancelled.

I asked him to also send me confirmation of this through the post. I await.

I will also still send my letter via Recorded Delivery - You can't be too sure with the telephone you see, and it wont hold up in court. Better to be safe than sorry in my books!

Send a letter Recorded Delivery, keep the receipt and staple it to a copy of the letter you sent


Job done!


P.S. if all else fails and they're having none of it, just do Vardis for copyright infringement

 

[dave_n]

cheers....they don't have a leg to stand on under the distance selling rights act...just can't be bothered with some scouser hassling me down the fone!

 

[streetslocal]

Aged scam im sorry to inform you,same people behind it.

Previous names include mckenzie campbell,Barrington house publishing
Plus Hamilton Forbes plus Price Chamberlain Limited and many more always selling advertising space on calenders for sick children and the others are:

Police crime prevention books
fire brigade
ambulance service.
Also they claim to sell advertising on screens in doctors and postoffices etc.



They have been shut down by the dti in the past so do report this company to the DTI and im sure you will find they know of them already.

Past archives include:

http://www.blagger.com/db4/company_id/3633/companyname/Barrington-House-Publishing-Corporation.html


http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/c...rticle_id=418301&in_page_id=19&in_author_id=5

Run by jeanette walker also Jan walker is an allias


I URGE YOU TO CONTACT THE DTI TO STOP OTHER COMPANIES BEING CONNED.

Maybe we could make this post a sticky warning members?

 

[directmarketingadvice]

Turns out that my name "MR S GILBERTSON" is easily construed as "MS S GIBSON"...

You're my sister. How's it going, Sharon?

Steve

 

[stugster]

Steve, after seeing you had replied to my thread, I quickly opened up the Internet browser in the hope of some sensible words of advice from your great self.

Thank you

 

[dave_n]

just phoned dti.....some foreign chappy didn't understand english very well put me through to another dept...the guy there couldn't understand a word of english and couldn't speak english either!!!!

 

[streetslocal]

If they claim to represent the local police force please contact your local police force.

Or do what i did a few years back when i was stung by barrinton,i simply cancelled they refused to let me cancel they dont take you to court or anything dont worry.
But they do send you loads of free calenders with your logo on,keep them for your office.

 

[stugster]

Exactly! What streetslocal says is what we should all be doing. Sit back, chill out, and relax. When letters pertaining to the Courts come through, don't get worried, but stick it in your big folder of "VARDIS CRAP" and then go have a coffee.

Far too many people in business get worried about owing money to these illegitimate fools.

Stand your ground, and enjoy the fact they're wasting your resources on you.

If you're really looking for fun, do what An Oasis suggests in his blog - Invite a sales rep to a neutral location and simply don't show up! Great fun!

 

[RayB]

cheers....they don't have a leg to stand on under the distance selling rights act...

That only applies to consumers - not businesses.....................................

 

[ColinL]

This is very interesting. I remember Vardis from a couple of years ago. The CEO of the charity I worked with at the time paid for an ad in a newsletter supposedly for the Foresters Fund. Fairly cheap but the newsletter was also cheap looking. Looked like something I could produce at home.

I remember being a bit suspicious but limited myself to checking out the charity they were supposedly working on behalf of. The Foresters Fund is a small charity with an income of £33K per year.

I remember a second invoice arriving shortly after the first with slightly different details. Looked like an attempt to catch the unwary into basically paying again. I approached the CEO and he told me to pay it but no more. I think he knew he'd been had. Unfortunately he was more concerned with keeping his pride intact than wasting our money.

 

[dave_n]

just chatted to my local trading standards...they are WELL aware of this company!

 

[Darren Falkingham]

I've come across this sort of situation before - as far as I can remember, if a company doesn't get a signed order confirmation from you, they can't enforce any subsequent invoice that they send.

PS - do keep the discussion on this topic nice and factual, eh?

 

[RayB]

PS - do keep the discussion on this topic nice and factual, eh?

Don't worry Darren - we have the franchise on that

 

[Darren Falkingham]

Don't worry Darren - we have the franchise on that

Nice one!! Thanks Mr B.

 

[lockie]

Just ask them for proof you placed an order.They will then say you placed a verbal order of which they have a recording so then ask for a copy of it under the data protection act. Now see how long they stay on the line . You are normally cut off within a second or two.

They target new start ups regularly and i had numerous calls until i took the approach above. My friend who is a copper did it one day and i learnt form that.

 

[dave_n]

it's a shame because I always try and sponsor one charity at xmas....and it makes u wary of other legitimate ones.

 

[CKG]

They ring me up quite often and ask if I'd like to help sick children by advertising in their crappy booklets.

When you say no they turn on you as if you'd just been caught snooping around the local playground with Garry Glitter in tow.

 

[streetslocal]

This is correct they do contact start up companies and guess where they buy the data?

Yell and Thompson Local.

 

[dave_n]

well i'm in neither so my seo skills must be getting better!

 

[streetslocal]

Have you ever had a free listing on any directorys such as these?

 

[dave_n]

kelly search maybe

 

[stugster]

it's a shame because I always try and sponsor one charity at xmas....and it makes u wary of other legitimate ones.

It does! As far as I was aware though, the Foresters' Fund for Children was actually a legit Charity. By teaming up with such an infamous company (Vardis), they've only but tainted themselves and the good nature of their own business.

 

[garyk]

Just checked it out for you. Vardis isnt a limited company, their address is;
31 burscough street, ormskirk, l39 2eg, telephone 01695 580082. Mark Andrews is listed as a 'senior exec'.

 

[streetslocal]

Wow...
Just a quick one if you google this name and 01695 in google its already showing as an archived cache?

How?

 

[Cred-X]

just chatted to my local trading standards...they are WELL aware of this company!

A shame they don't DO something about them then

And watch out for their debt recovery arm - Crown Debt Recovery.

 

[streetslocal]

Thing is they do they close them down but they reopen under a new name with a new director

 

[lockie]

These scammers appear in many forms.
In the locksmith trade there are several at present who keep on ripping people off and then wind it up and start under a new name. Keyedge franchise just went into voluntary liquidation and now they are trading as lockrite. The previous director is now an employee of his wife. Many more will part with their cash get no support and it will go on and on.
This is just one of many and im sure many other trades, charities etc suffer the same thing.

 

[SpeedyExpressCouriers]

Do me a favour guys, don't waste your time doing anything. This company won't do anything, they try to scare you and get you to pay up. I wasted months stressing about them, i'm surprised that you agreed to advertise with them Stuart after the advice you gave us.

We had the same problem with them (see below) and at one pint i was going to pay up but i stood my ground and waited to see where this will go.

Its almost 04.30 in the morning and still i'm waiting, going to bed now.

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=32029

 

[jdpos]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/invest...objectid=19117762&siteid=89520-name_page.html

If you want to donate to Andrew Lownsbrough, you need your head examined.

 

[streetslocal]

Very well known now this scam,plenty of coverage and by highlighting it here hopefully we shall save a new business being conned and pottentially using there advertising budget up on this poo...
Now its confirmed by the mirror can we make this post a sticky?

 

[stugster]

Lets just hope Mr Lownsbrough, or anyone for that matter, doesn't want to take a trip up to Edinburgh any time soon. For the good of their knees.

Please sticky the thread - I really think UKBF needs to be doing this to help the members. At the end of the day, its US who make UKBF, the least they could do was return the favour by helping its members.

P.S. All statements about Vardis by myself are TRUE and FACT. Nowhere have I speculated.... especially about the loss of knee caps upon arrival in Edinburgh.

 

[blazing_air]

Thanks for posting this guys, i've had Vardis on my back for a month or so now, claiming that i agreed to advertise on their calendar, to which i denied and asked for proof and still waiting for them to get back to me. I take it from all that i have read, that they can't do anything if i havent formally signed for and agreeed to the advert?

 

[Gemma1]

Thanks for posting this guys, i've had Vardis on my back for a month or so now, claiming that i agreed to advertise on their calendar, to which i denied and asked for proof and still waiting for them to get back to me. I take it from all that i have read, that they can't do anything if i havent formally signed for and agreeed to the advert?

No, dont pay it! Im one of the unlucky ones who did pay and with the loss of £360 it's not great for a small business like mine!!

 

[stugster]

I'm very tempted to start a petition to Government about addressing this issue...

Something along the lines of:

Small Businesses are currently being tricked into paying hundreds of pounds a month because fraudulent companies use scare-tactics (e.g. Debt Recovery Letters, and Court Hearings) to recover illegitimate debts. Trading Standards are aware of these organisations, but as they focus on the Consumer and not the Business Trade, they do very little to prevent this ongoing crisis. We, as legitimate Business owners, appeal to the Government to end this issue by providing Small and Medium Businesses with assistance when dealing with these fraudulent companies. We appeal that justice be served on the people running these faux-organisations who threaten, demand, and make false accusations of debt against a UK based Small Business.

 

[blazing_air]

Show me where to sign.......