World Business Guide - WARNING!!

[signalize]

A similar email appeared in our enquiries mailbox. Being wary of any unsolicited offers such as this I ran a search for "World Business Guide" and found numerous articles urging caution along with this thread.

The email wording is similar to other postings, although some of the details differ, so I thought it might be worth flagging up:

(1) The subject line is "Business Guide Registration 2009/2010".
(2) The email is sent from "World Business Register" although the actual sender's address appears to be "info .at. bestorganization4you.com".
(3) The submission address is "WORLD BUSINESS GUIDE, P.O. Box 2021, 3500 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands".
(4) They also provide an email address for submissions "register .at. wbgtoday.com" and fax number of +31 20 524 8107.
(5) The registration form states that "The World Business Guide is a product of International Directories Group Ltd., C/ Azcona, 58, local · BOX 252 · 28028 · MADRID · SPAIN".

They provide an email address to contact if "you are not the intended recipient" - "unsubscribe .at. wbgtoday.com".

The email clearly states "Updating is free of charge!" while the attached registration form states at the top of the page - in bold capitals - "UPDATING IS FREE OF CHARGE". It is only in the Order section near the bottom of the page (which uses much smaller, closely-spaced text) that they go on to explain "...I WILL HAVE AN INSERTION INTO ITS DATA BASE FOR THREE YEARS. THE PRICE PER YEAR IS EURO 995. THE SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDED EVERY YEAR FOR ANOTHER YEAR, UNLESS SPECIFIC WRITTEN NOTICE IS RECEIVED BY THE SERVICE PROVIDER OR THE SUBSCRIBER TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THE SUBSCRIPTION...".

They are right to say that there is no charge for UPDATES. But I won't be doing business with a company which markets its services in this way. I'd also be wary of contacting the unsubscribe email address, in case it is being used to harvest active email addresses for future email marketing activity.

 

[Essene Master]

I want to thank you for the "heads up" on the WBG ... I was checking up on seriousness of the company, by searching on COPERNIC AGENT for their site, when I saw the link to UK business forums and your (Bathead) warning.

Thats what I love about the CA search engine, IMHO it's the best one out there...and free... But the main reason is because it keeps me out of trouble and finds nice sites for our soon to start up company - Green On Demand.

Once again, thank you Bathead.

EM

 

[Essene Master]

AS,
What precisely is your relationship to the World Business Guide Company? What do you have to do within this company? What is your organizational position or title?

EM

 

[maciyvr]

This firm has been harassing my business, which is Convention Planning, for year. Prior to the wide use of Email in North America, they were using this approach through the fax. My own firm fell for it, as did a number of our Exhibitors.

They approach Exhibitors and lead them to believe they represent the Show Guide (Exhibitor directory) for the event. Exhibitors sign on unwittingly believing they have just complete one more show management form.

What follows a year later is the HUGE invoice from World Business Guide for a 3 year commitment. When the invoice is ignored, the VERY aggressive collections campaign begins.

It's a fraudulent, underhanded, nuisance of a scam and I will make it my business to ensure that no one else falls victim to it.

 

[eventdomain]

You would be much better off using a program called WebCeo to submit your website. And it's free to download and use.

These rarely work nowadays, as directories are set up to prevent bots from penetrating databases to prevent the spamming scumwads. Even if you managed it, you would find yourself deleted so fast you wouldn't believe it.

It's my vast experience of this industry, that spammers forced the heavy submission and subscription charges in the first place, and now the advice you give will only serve to encourage the few that don't charge - to charge a subscription.

All that's left for you now is useless, free, untargeted web directories, where the only things gained by submitting is possible penalty by Google, low to zero traffic and a waste of the submitter's time.

Quality advertising doesn't need any tricks or scams to succeed and spamming people's websites with rediculous tools will just drive listing charges/fees up - NOT down

 

[MReid]

Has anyone had any success in stopping the fax/emails from WBG?

 

[Essene Master]

Hi MReid,
Short break from our project...this just shot over e-mail. We really don't have the problem ...we use Kaspersky ...switched over from the Norton Corporation ...so our filters are pretty good. Only a few come through ...check through the JM files once a day, in case the "dolphins" get caught up with the rest of the Tuna...

EM
think G.O.D. say GOD

 

[poephila]

Hello everybody,
Please please help me. I am broker and i present companies for finding importers.One day WBG sent me an mail and form enclosed.
I filled form and signed,one month later they sent an invoice to company.
They are claiming 995 eur for listing. I said that sorry i made a mistake please cancel it. They just ingore and harassing me everyday.
They do not mercy me, i said i do not have 995 eur.
They have trapped me.
I am really stressful,the person is just having a joy for mailing me and repeating pay your debt.
What can i do? I can not pay it.
Please help me,who are they?
What can they do for claim?
IT WAS A BIG TRAP AND UNFAIR...

 

[Deleted member 9858]

2985 euros for the first 3 years!

If that's not a scam then I'm a Dutchman!

Your very own website can be created and hosted for much less.

read the small print!

 

[webpromoterservice]

submitting a website is not a very good idea unless it is a brand new website.

 

[FLAUK]

I wonder if half the people on this thread actually read the original post, or just looking to up their post count.

We also received this email and while I didn't read it all, I left it in my inbox for something to look into when I got a spare 5 minutes.- now I will just delete it so thanks for the heads up.

 

[Deleted member 9858]

submitting a website is not a very good idea unless it is a brand new website.

I wouldn't dream of submitting a website to these people, new or otherwise.

 

[Deleted member 55753]

I received the Business Registration 2009/2010 email this morning. Nothing particularly unusual about that, except that I don't have a business, am not planning one, and have no idea where they got my e-mail address from.

My advice? Bin it. Don't follow the unsubscribe link 'cos that just confirms your e-mail account exists and you're likely to get loads of spam later. If you have a spam filter, add their e-mail address to it manually. If you don't have a spam filter, add the sender to your "blocked" e-mail list or create an e-mail rule to delete anything from them immediately.

I just wonder, with unsolicited nonsense like this, if there is any scope to invoice them for the time you spend trying to sort it out and then setting a debt collector on to them? Maybe a form of your own with small print charging them for your time if they reply?

Probably living in fantasy land...

Cheers,

Peter

 

[boroova]

I had a similar problem with European City Guide a few years ago. After constant ignoring of their mailings and phones, they gave up. There is NOTHING they can do to your company, so keep your head up!

 

[escasports]

Hi

I have been in correspondence with them for the last few days and am fightinf back. This is a copy of the email i have just sent them:

Dear Sir/Madam

I have now taken further legal advice and have also investigated your company. I am instructed to inform you of the following:

1. Your original form and email was misleading and so we are looking at the trades description act for guidance both in the UK and the Netherlands as the original email and form indicated that the Upgrade insertion was Free of Charge. No doubt the Trading Standards Office from either of these countries will be in touch with you shortly about this.

2. As you did not send an order confirmation/acknowledgment within the times laid down in the Distance Selling Regulations Act, you clearly did not allow me the correct period of time with which to cancel the order. As you failed in your duty of care by not confirming the order received nor by sending the invoice within the specified days, the time for me to cancel is therefore extended under law to 30 days. As I emailed the cancellation upon receipt of the invoice you are obligated to cancel the order.

3. You further failed by not completing the contract by not issuing (a) Order Confirmation, (b) Terms of Trading, (c) Copy of a Contract duly signed by a company representative and/or (d) supply of goods in accordance with your own terms; therefore you have failed to fulfil your part of the contract thus allowing me the right to cancel. You can be prosecuted under the Fraud Act for failing to submit these documents which is a legal requirement on the part of your company under Law.

4. It appears that your actions in approaching me and the documents used were not in accordance with the requirements of the Distance Selling Act so as such the contract is null and void. I have been selling under this Act since its inception and as such I am fully aware of any obligations to it.

5. I recommend you visit the following website:stopecg.org/world_business_guide.htm. This obviously indicates to me and others that you may not be a genuine company with professional ethics but who appear to be endeavouring to entrap customers. As such you can and may be prosecuted under the Fraudulent Acts Law.

I now look to receiving your confirmation that the invoice has been cancelled and that I will no longer receive any further correspondence on this matter.

Should I do so I will have no hesitation in pursuing retribution in a court of Law for harassment and for your lack of duty of care.

I'm waiting to see what reaction I get!!!

 

[C M ASIM]

This firm has been harassing my business, which is Convention Planning, for year. Prior to the wide use of Email in North America, they were using this approach through the fax. My own firm fell for it, as did a number of our Exhibitors.

They approach Exhibitors and lead them to believe they represent the Show Guide (Exhibitor directory) for the event. Exhibitors sign on unwittingly believing they have just complete one more show management form.

What follows a year later is the HUGE invoice from World Business Guide for a 3 year commitment. When the invoice is ignored, the VERY aggressive collections campaign begins.

It's a fraudulent, underhanded, nuisance of a scam and I will make it my business to ensure that no one else falls victim to it.

Thanks for the post. This Fu**** WBG has been sending emails to me as well to pay this fee or else the case would be referred to the debt collection company. I don't give a **** to what they say but seriously this is a non-sense that I have to put up every time they send an email.

I would strongly recommend that a SERIOUS action should be taken against this unlawful and fraudulent company bothering people around the World. I am with you if you are to take an action. GO AHEAD.

C M ASIM

 

[C M ASIM]

Hello everybody,
Please please help me. I am broker and i present companies for finding importers.One day WBG sent me an mail and form enclosed.
I filled form and signed,one month later they sent an invoice to company.
They are claiming 995 eur for listing. I said that sorry i made a mistake please cancel it. They just ingore and harassing me everyday.
They do not mercy me, i said i do not have 995 eur.
They have trapped me.
I am really stressful,the person is just having a joy for mailing me and repeating pay your debt.
What can i do? I can not pay it.
Please help me,who are they?
What can they do for claim?
IT WAS A BIG TRAP AND UNFAIR...

JUST IGNORE THEM.. THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AS IT A TOTAL FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY.

 

[C M ASIM]

Hi

I have been in correspondence with them for the last few days and am fightinf back. This is a copy of the email i have just sent them:

Dear Sir/Madam

I have now taken further legal advice and have also investigated your company. I am instructed to inform you of the following:

1. Your original form and email was misleading and so we are looking at the trades description act for guidance both in the UK and the Netherlands as the original email and form indicated that the Upgrade insertion was Free of Charge. No doubt the Trading Standards Office from either of these countries will be in touch with you shortly about this.

2. As you did not send an order confirmation/acknowledgment within the times laid down in the Distance Selling Regulations Act, you clearly did not allow me the correct period of time with which to cancel the order. As you failed in your duty of care by not confirming the order received nor by sending the invoice within the specified days, the time for me to cancel is therefore extended under law to 30 days. As I emailed the cancellation upon receipt of the invoice you are obligated to cancel the order.

3. You further failed by not completing the contract by not issuing (a) Order Confirmation, (b) Terms of Trading, (c) Copy of a Contract duly signed by a company representative and/or (d) supply of goods in accordance with your own terms; therefore you have failed to fulfil your part of the contract thus allowing me the right to cancel. You can be prosecuted under the Fraud Act for failing to submit these documents which is a legal requirement on the part of your company under Law.

4. It appears that your actions in approaching me and the documents used were not in accordance with the requirements of the Distance Selling Act so as such the contract is null and void. I have been selling under this Act since its inception and as such I am fully aware of any obligations to it.

5. I recommend you visit the following website:stopecg.org/world_business_guide.htm. This obviously indicates to me and others that you may not be a genuine company with professional ethics but who appear to be endeavouring to entrap customers. As such you can and may be prosecuted under the Fraudulent Acts Law.

I now look to receiving your confirmation that the invoice has been cancelled and that I will no longer receive any further correspondence on this matter.

Should I do so I will have no hesitation in pursuing retribution in a court of Law for harassment and for your lack of duty of care.

I'm waiting to see what reaction I get!!!

Please keep us posted with the reply from them. They are fu***** nuisance which should meet the fate they deserve. BUST THEM IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. I am with you as I have also been getting these emails. A lady even called at my mobile regarding this from a "withheld" number. This shows that they are scared of revealing their identities. Keep us posted.

Thanks.

 

[escasports]

Hi. Well after a few more emails they appear to nhave disappeared. However, I did contact Netherland Trading Standards who are fully aware of these people. They advise not to pay any invoice.
I have received a reminder in the post which I have filed.
However, having said that two days ago I got 2 emails from their branch in Spain offering me a similar insert. Needless to say as they both went into my McAfee Spam box I immediately deleted. Also when I tried to enter their website McAfee blocked it immediately why a warning not to proceed.
For now I am waiting to see if they react or press the matter before going any further.
Be warned delete any email from World Business Guide or International Directories Group.

 

[C M ASIM]

Hi. Well after a few more emails they appear to nhave disappeared. However, I did contact Netherland Trading Standards who are fully aware of these people. They advise not to pay any invoice.
I have received a reminder in the post which I have filed.
However, having said that two days ago I got 2 emails from their branch in Spain offering me a similar insert. Needless to say as they both went into my McAfee Spam box I immediately deleted. Also when I tried to enter their website McAfee blocked it immediately why a warning not to proceed.
For now I am waiting to see if they react or press the matter before going any further.
Be warned delete any email from World Business Guide or International Directories Group.

Thanks for keeping us updated. I would really like to see these scumbags going down and out soon. They got to meet the fate they deserve..

Keep us informed if you hear from them again.

Cheers

 

[escasports]

Things have progressed since I last posted. As I have 2 websites they tried to chase me for the invoice again through the second sites email. I wrote and told them to clear off. Then I got a final warning email saying they were taking legal action etc. Out of the blue I got a letter from a debt collection company who supposedly handles such matters based in the Netherlands. I returned the letter saying gone away. I received one further email telling me I owed the money so I listed their email address as junk mail. No more mail. I am still waiting for any court proceedings? so far no news. I read somewhere that this is what they do. Send a demanding letter threatening action but don't follow it through. I have in the past listed my website and signed the form and not been charged.
I note that since they first started doing this they have changed their website and whereas I couldn't log on as McAfee blocked it now they have a proper site. I have lodged a complaint with Trading Standards both here and in the Netherlands. My only suggestion is to tell them to go away and sit back and wait and see what happens. It seems to me they will get people who are frightened about going to court to pay up whilst others who hold out may get away with it. As they are doing this all round the world if they get only 1000 people to pay that's close on 1,000,000 Euros per year for doing nothing but running a website showing a persons name and address. Check their website out to see how many people are listed. I could do this for that amount of money. I'd never have to work again!!!!
Perhaps if everyone lodged an official complain with their countries own Trading Standards and with the Netherlands Trading Standards then perhaps the authorities would do something about it?

 

[escasports]

Since my last posting I have received another invoice which I have not paid. However I have heard nothing from them since. This might be because they get the idea I am not going to pay them or they realise I no longer have the website they were invoicing for.