Beware of Fake Invoice Scam, warns ASA

Anonymous

I vaguely remember a phone call a few months back from a company who said something about books for primary school children and would I like to sponsor them, I say vaguely because I really can't remember much of a conversation with them and whether I said yes or no to what they were proposing.

Anyway I received a phone call from them the other day saying my books are ready for dispatch and 'As Agreed' I would be taken off their list for future callings and an invoice would be sent to me for a 14 days payment. I received this invoice which came with a strong smell of a rat with it.

One entry into google of the company name and 2 pages come up, this one and Watchdog. I have luckly reported this to the police and not paid the money owed. £200 for 30 books.

Anonymous

I have received calls from Anderson Clark, also reminding me of my agreement to sponsor books for schools on Road Safety (I am a driving instructor, it sounds plausible) But when they tell me that the books are ready and would I like to have them distributed to a school near me, and oh by the way, the invoice will be ..... I tell them to go away in short jerking motions. They still keep ringing. The trouble with schemes of this nature I believe, is that they are just about operating within the law be actually sending out some kind of booklet. That might just make them legit. Only the powers that be, CID, DTI, Trading STandards, etc, can comfirm that. But there are more victims here. The ones on the receiving end, i.e. you and me, and the poor kids who are making the phone calls. I have been around and I know that these schemes run on the backs of youngsters who think they have got a bonefide job. It should be stopped. Can we get hold of the directors details? It is a limited company, the names should be a matter of record. Can we prevent them advertising for staff, do they use the jobcentres, because I am sure they would withdraw their services if they new it was bogus.

Anonymous

great ! I too had acall from Anderson Clarke and do remember a conversation from April apparently about bullying booklets. Yes I got the bill. Yes I paid but only after being made suspicious by another company saying exactly the same thing. When I question them they hung up. So I paid the bill assuming that the Anderson Clarke one was the genuine one.

Won't fall for that again - what a twit still it could have been for thousands. Thing is because the ammount isn't great, ie: just over £100 suspicions aren't raised.

Now I am just evil with advertising agencies - wouldn't like a sales job in that field.

Anonymous

A few points in dealing with this/these companies

1.Be careful you are not being recorded.If you make a verbal agreement and they prove this. YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY AS IT IS LEGALLY BINDING.

2.Ask to be taken off their computer lists. This protects you under the Data Protection Act

3.Watch for alias' ie Anderson Pike, Anderson Smyth -they are all the same company.

4.Make them prove you agreed to pay for books. Don't be soft. They are specially trained in scare tactics.

THEIR LATEST CAMPAIGN IS HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE BOOKS. BEWARE.

Anonymous

I recieved a call in 2004, telling me I had agreed to buy books earlier in the year, I very closely moniter all my adverting so when they told me I would pay £100 for 10 book, I knew "no way" and hung up. This January 2005 I got the same call with the same line so I hung straight up. I was over at a friends tonight and he was telling me how stressed he was about an issue that had arisen. When I asked about it it was this same company but he had fallen for it and they were making his already busy and stressed life a dire misery by calling him and issuing him with invoices. We are both calling DS Gogerty and my friend has als alerted Trading Standards who say they can do nothing. Mixing fraud and charity is the lowest of the low, when will government agencies get real on cracking down on these disgusting thieves

Anonymous

I have just recieved my second letter telling me that they are going to take me to court for non payment for these supposed books for schools. Up to press I am following advice given by DS Gogarty and the DTI and not sending them a penny. It is hard though. It is easy for somone to say don't pay but it is me that keeps getting these letters.

I just hope the DTI gathers enough information to close this company down soon.

Anonymous

I got an unsolicited invoice in the post from Anderson Clarke and certainly DID NOT agree to sponsor their pamphlets. I then got a call telling me they'll freeze my bank account if I don't pay up their and then with a credit card.

I started laughing so loudly it hurt upon which the guy said "he'll come around to sort me out". I said I'll put the kettle on and he just hung up. Never heard from them again.

Anonymous

Im sure you'll all happy to know that as of thursday the 10th febuary anderson clarke has gone into administration. Im not sure what caused it, thats all i know.

Ciaron Dunne
Member - 23 posts

DTI press release from Friday:

Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt has presented a petition in the High Court to wind-up Anderson Clarke Publications Limited in the public interest.

The Manchester-based company was concerned with the publication of a number of child safety and drugs awareness booklets for distribution to schools. The business involved cold calling businesses across the UK to solicit sponsorship payments in relation to the booklets.

The petition was presented following an investigation carried out by the DTI's Companies Investigation Branch under section 447 of the Companies Act 1985 and is listed for hearing on 6 April 2005.

Anonymous

Looks like these clients are still at it under the name of Adrian Smythe Publishing. I had two phone calls to my business today stating an invoice for £95 would be sent to me in respect of 10 Health and Safety books for primary age children. Following searches of the net the dishonesty of these people was exposed. They won't be getting any payment out of me. If they wish to pursue any spurious line of 'legal action' then it is they who will need to prove that they aren't attempting to obtain property by deception.

Anonymous

I've just had a call from a dodgy sounding Mancunian lad saying that, last year, I agreed to sponsor 30 books about drug abuse. I informed him that as Managing Director of the company, I have the final say on any sponsorship and I know I didn't sponsor any books. He then claimed that the books had already been printed and that we'll definitely have to pay for them. I told him we won't be parting with a penny and if he contacts us demanding payment, we'll see him and his outfit in court.

Anonymous

Adrian Smythe publications are definitely trading as they have been chasing me for payment for an advert i have never agreed to. £95 for 10 books.

I am not going to part with a penny to these devious sharks.

Gillian Nightingale
Member - 175 posts

Manchester Trading Standards have detailed advice and guidance on their website relating to this scam, and other similar sharp practices. http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/manchester/publish.htm

Anonymous

Phew, thank goodness I thought to check "Adrian Smythe Publishing Ltd" out on the internet before paying the invoice. Now I won't. I'll just return it to them with this webpage address for them to refer to!

Anonymous

I also had a number of calls from Adrian Smythe publishing - Shaun, Lisa and Genene(?) all claiming I had agreed to sponsor them for some books during a telephone call last year. They advised me they are now ready and I will be invoiced for £295! Their call was simply to ask me which schools I would like them to send the books to? I told them I couldnt care less as I had not agree to any sponsorship. I advised them that If they expect us to pay an invoice they need to provide confirmation of our instructions to them. Shaun then began to flap and tried to bluff me but unfortunately he referred to my alleged sponsorship phone call of last year 3 times and on each time quoted different dates...when pushed as to which one he flapped again (obviously new to the team)and tried to change the subject back onto his cafefully prepared script about how the publishing was now all complete and costs have been incurred by them so we must pay up ! I asked him if it was not good business practice for them to get any verbal telephone sponsorship confirmed before they committed to any publishing costs? (at this point the phoneline went quiet as he obviously hadnt been given an answer to this question in his script)After a mumbled dont know he then launched back into the script starting at the beggining as though he just phoned me.

Despite Shauns deviation from the script that got me suspicious they were otherwise fairly plausible and matter of fact resisting any urge to be lose their cool so its not surprising some poor unfortunates fall for the con.

Anonymous

I have been getting pestered by Adrian Smythe since Aug 04. After a letter threaterning me with court action I contacted the primary school that they my son goes too, suprise suprise they had not heard of them. The secretary of the school then advised me this was a scam. Since i wrote back to the company treaterning them with trading standards and telling them what i had found on the net and from the school i have not heard from them. Its about time the government sorted this sort of organisation out as they give genuine charities a bad name.

Gillian Nightingale
Member - 175 posts

The DTI announced yesterday that Anderson Clarke Publications Ltd (ACP) has been wound up following an investigation into it's activities. For more details on this story, see Workplace Law's news http://www.workplacelaw.net/display.php?resource_id=5608

Anonymous

I, too had contact from Adrian Smythe. After two chasing telephone calls, I visited the company in the Beehive Mill. The telephone sales staff went silent for the time of my visit. I asked to speak to the manager, who needless to say was not present. I asked for a copy of the book. Eventually one copy was found. It was surprisingly good. I agrred to pay c.o.d. and thought that I would hear nothing further. I was surprised to receive 40 copies of the primary school publication last Friday. Again well printed and good content. Rubbish selling techniques, or a con?

Anonymous

I too would like to express my concern over 'Adrian Smythe Publishing Ltd' and I am pleased that I made the decision to search for the company through the internet. I have received two phone calls within the same day for two different promotions. The first caller told me that that I had already paid and simply wanted me to select a school of my choice to send the books to. When I received the second call to confirm the details, the caller asked for my date of birth as proof of identity and mentioned that the books were not paid for. The invoice for these books arrived the next day including the cost of postage and packaging, this was not discussed in our conversation. I am an extremely busy person and cannot recall every phone call received from last November, and have since been contacted by other so called charities and publishers. These apparent publishing companies need to be investigated, and are stealing from those legitimate charities who work for a good cause, after this dilemma I will most certainly not be participating in any further conversations. I intend to forward a copy of the invoice together with a copy of this report to my local MP, and needless to say will not be paying those charges stated on the invoice.

Anonymous

Hi,

I've just had the pleasure of a phonecall from Adrian Smythe Publishing today thanking me for my past help (can't remember that!) & claiming I'd agreed to help them again in a phonecall last August.

I'd be grateful if anyone could supply a contact telephone number for the company?

Also just to warn people about a company (not sure if they are still active) called Allied Media (UK) Limited - based in Liverpool & selling non-existant 'crime-prevention' magazines. I was ripped off for £100 a year ago by them & would be very interested in any information re the current location of the company or directors...

Anonymous

I, too like the other people above have been hounded for some books. Have contacted the trading standards and sent a letter off to them today. I did smell a huge rat and got to work with the poison as soon as I could.

They wanted to charge m £ 202.00 for some 30 books to which I never agreed and have never seen a copy.

Let us hope someone sorts these nasty people out.

Happy business to all except the fraudsters.

Anonymous

The name and address of this firm now is Adrian Smythe Publications Ltd, Office 3Q, Beehive Mill, Jersey Street, Manchester, M46 J9

Thet phoned my partner several times and tried it on. They get very abusive shouting and swearing. Thanks for the CID contact number

Anonymous

Recieved a call today from someone called "Trevor Cassidy", straight way I twigged on to this, asked for a phone number - guess what?, it is not their number but goes through to a cosmetics company call centre.

When I challenged this "Trevor Cassidy" and advised that we had never ordered the books or agreed sponsorship, I told him he was scamming me, he bacame aggresive and abusive, ultimately admitting that he "was good at scaming people".

I have reported everything I have to trading Standards, I look at it that each new piece of evidence or facts they receive brings them a little closer to getting caught.

These clowns called me back psoing as a woman "Emma Frost", a supervisor who had listened to the first call, this turned out to the "Trevor Cassidy" impersonating a woman, a good female impersonator! - watch out and be aware, do not agree to anyting, if thay are genuine, they will provide proof they will provide a phone number.

Anonymous

They are trying it on with me at the moment. I got a call out of the blue a few weeks ago saying I had agreed to sponsor a safety publication. I replied that I had absolutely no recollection of this. They then claimed to have sent an invoice pluus the requested copy of this publication. Neither has arrived but I am now on my second threatening letter. A court summons comes next!! Thanks to this forum I will be contacting the police. I can confirm that it is Adrian Smythe Publishing and the above address is correct. I know some members of the press - may try to get them involved.

Anonymous

The phone number for Adrian Smythe is 0161 228 1253. If anyone can get through - they are better than me!!!

Anonymous

Many thanks to you all I have received a letter today from Adrian Smythe Publishing Ltd claiming I owe £243.60 for an invoice I have never received. I now know it is a scam as i'd thought.

Anonymous

Thanks to everyone on this thread for confirming my suspicions. I've had the phone call and the invoice. I think I might have agreed to pay the invoice on the phone but will not after reading this thread. It costs money to take it court so I can't imagine they will bother.

Anonymous

Has anyone heard of Community Initiatives Association who publish 24/7 Crime Prevention Journal? The journal "..is distributed free-of-charge to police stations, other emergency service stations, hospitals as well as schools, colleges and all local businesses"

Anonymous

I had an interesting discuccion with Peter Baker of Press & Publishing Agency who sponsor 365 Annual Journal based in Liverpool. Calls are recorded. Has anyone else heard of them?

Anonymous

My husband and I too, have had contact from Adrian Smythe Publishing Ltd. Once last October, after speaking with my husband, then sending us an invoice the following day for books for our childrens schools, which my husband had never agreed to, as they stated when they called me to find out where the payment was. They did say I could cancel, if I sent them a letter which I did the same day. We have now had the same thing happen again this week, with them saying the books had gone to publication, and we were liable for the costs, to which my husband protested again, then recieved another invoice the following day . I am just glad i have looked on here, to try and find out more about them, as I had been trying to contact them through the number on the invoice and can't get through as it is constantly engaged. Also I'd like to point out, that the two invoices that we have received from them, both have different amounts of books, and different reference numbers and different totals. So it is obviously a big scam, and if it is common knowledge by the trading standards, why is something not being done by them to safe guard people like us?

Anonymous

Thanks for the warnings - I had a call this morning from Kevin at "Child Protection UK" - based in Manchester with a number of 0161 951 9009 (always engaged when you try to call it back). Apparently I'd agreed to sponsor a set of books on Drug and Alcohol abuse and they were ready for delivery - cost £139. Reported it to DS Gogarty and the DTI and the local school in case they try to pull a fast one there.

Thanks again - this is what the internet and sited like this are great for!

Anonymous

Does anybody have the nimber for DS Gogarty please. I'm sick to death of these parasites

Anonymous

does anyone know if Adrian Smythe and Anderson Clarke Publications Ltd have the same directors?????

They've threatened me with leagal action (lol) and are claiming to have a tape of my phone call with them!!!! Is there anyone collating evidence??

Anonymous

Would appear there is another scam - a number of bogus letters / companies purporting to provide services relating to:

Data Protection

Health & Safety

I have received information on a company named 'Freedom of information Bureau' P.O. BOX 1167 Blackpool.

I have checked the Information Commissioner official web-site and this is now listed as a bogus company

If you receive correspondence from this company, you are advised to inform:

The Trading Standards Office

The Fraud Unit of local Police Force

Information Commissioners office

Further information is available on: http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id=3677

Anonymous

I too had a call from Community Initiatives Association about 24/7 Crime Prevention Journal. I have never hear of it and have now received an invoice for an ad that I apparently agreed to. I was in the pokcie for over 10 years and never saw a copy of this publication. Does anyone out there know if it's genuine or not? The invoice that they sent is very amateurish b/w with what looks like the www.police.uk logo cut and pasted on. The address on the invoice is Suite 61 in Chester - this is what set the bells ringing but I could be wrong of course? Info please!

Anonymous

ACP & ASP are owned / directed by Wayne Fearn.

Anonymous

Surely D.S. Ian Gogarty has only to read this web page and forward it to the relevant authority?

My elderly mother 81 years was confused into saying that she would like to help the local school by sending some books, but she could not remember exactly what was said and was expecting at least some paperwork to peruse. I received the usual £200 plus bill followed by a telephone call. I made my feelings very clear and was told I would be taken to court. This has nil effect on me but as my mother and father are of a different generation no amount of reassurance by me can stop them worrying about it. My poor mother did not sleep last night having read yet another threatening letter(June 4th). There must be many similar vulnerable elderly people who have never been in trouble with the law and become terrified enough to pay the invoice. The company will presumably go under again and re-emerge with a different name. Somebody do something please to stop this.

Anonymous

Please, please get your parents to read this column. ACP & ASP have no authority to take anyone to court. They have never taken anyone to court yet continue to do so. Any problems will be dealt with by myself who is sick and tired of these scam artists. IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE ME TO 'CANCEL' THE FICTICOUS INVOICES PLEASE EMAIL ME @ ... ripoff@writeme.com Please also report the company/'s to your LOCAL trading standards as this is the only way to stop these crooks.

Anonymous

Hello Bel L, Community initiatives Association (CIA) is a probable scam. I also have a series of invoices and threatening letters. I have passed these to the local police and DS Golgety's colleague. The use of the word "Association" in the companies title is restricted by Companies House, and CIA are not listed. Thus they are illegal in that aspect.

You will find that the letters and invoices become more aggressive, but ignore them.

You may later get a telephone call from Peter Baker of Press & Publishing Agency who sponsor 365 Annual Journal based in Liverpool. He denies any knowledge of CIA, yet his invoices and letters are the same layout and value, but the letters are more aggressive. This is a security publication. Calls are recorded on his computer. He will have a lot of background noise of a busy office on the line. This noise makes it difficult to follow his conversation. His approach is long on talk if you accidently agree to support the aim the invoice follows. This is followed by a very aggressive letter threatening bankrupcy proceedings. You are then offered the chance to listen to the record of the conversation as proof you ordered and then a forty pound cancellation fee is suggested as the way out.

Anonymous

Thank for your advice and comments Rob Re : CIA and the 24/7 Crime Prevention Journal. I have indeed just received my first demanding leter - slightly threatening stating that if they dont get payment "... we will have no alternative but to commence a collection strategy in order to clear the debt. This will involve one of our collectors calling either in person or on the telephone". Very professional !

Just as well I am not a shrinking violet and still remember my unarmed defence training from my police days! I'm quite looking forward to my visitor!

Thanks again - I'll keep this site updated and will report to Trading Standards.

Anonymous

Re:Peter Baker: Yes i have just been conned out of £130 by this sad man. I had a telephone call asking me for payment for an advert that i had placed In a local paper, I paid by my credit card and the money went into his own companys account. My details were taken from the yellow pages..

Anonymous

We too have been hastled and threatened by Adrian Smythe, their phone is constantly engaged and they do not respond to our letters. We have reported them to John Edwards Companies Investigation Branch, DTI, 10 Victoria St London SW1H 0NN , our local Trading Standards Office, and Andrew Penman at the Daily Mirror, all we can suggest is that everyone contact the DTI if they have had problems with AS. The more complaints they recieve the more ammunition they have to close down this rouge company.

We will not be paying their invoice and will not be intimidated by these con artists.

Anonymous

good info from Grosvenor we need as many as possible to lobby these people the press is a good option as Adrian Smythe will not like the bad publicity. I will be passing on all my "evidence" to them.

Anonymous

I am being hassled by ASP at the moment.

I have in my posession an amatuer looking invoice.

Charging VAT on the delivery of these ficticious books.

However there is NO VAT reg number on the invoice.

Isn't that illegal?

I will contact customs & excise.

The whole set up & poorly written demands for money is almost laughable.

I have forwarded copies of all letters from this lot to Andrew Penman at the Daily Mirror.

Lets put these scum out of business NOW.

Anonymous

I seem to be in the middle of the relentless chasing period. I am receiving invoices and telephone calls almost daily. I have sent the details to the BBC's watchdog via their website and have also told ASP that I am ready to go to court. I have been advised that once you have confirmed that you will not pay and that they should pursue it through the court, any further telephone calls should be considered to be harrassment that can be reported to both BT and the police.

Anonymous

BINGO. I have just checked the VAT number on Community Initiatives Association (CIA) invoices. It is not registered to CIA or to the address they give. For those who have invoices from CIA I suggest you use the confidential Customs and Excise report syste., email address customs.confidential@hmce.gsi.goc.uk or their free telephone 0800 595000. Telephone lines are very busy.

Let us now put pressure on CIA.

Anonymous

been contacted today twice by adrian smythe and could not work out what was going on till i found this page i have a number for them 01614805560 and when i called they answered so if you want to try and contact them its worth a go!!

Anonymous

Really interested to see whether they have any legal right to take us to court - any opinions?

(this re Communitiy Initiative Associations_

Anonymous

My father is a Chartered Building Surveyor. He received a call from a young girl who said that she worked for a company called Adrian Smythe Publishing Ltd and that a year ago, he had agreed to sponsor books on road safety and health and safety which would be distributed to a school of his choice. Of course, he couldn't remember this at all and asked for information and a copy of the so called book in the post. He then received a letter from them advising that the Invoice has gone beyond the invoice terms agreed with him and they wish him to pay the sum of £202.60 as the books are ready for dispatch. Luckily, he phoned the local school and they had never heard of them and thankfully, the secretary remembered this website and found this company out! This will definately be reported to the fraud squad and anyone else that is interested!

Anonymous

Had 3 letters over past 3 weeks from Adrian Smythe threatening to collect monies owing for these school books,

All letters saying the same as everyone else`s just DON`T PAY THEM and lets see what happens, not alot i don`t think

Anonymous

More good news. As I mentioned to Grosvenor Exec Travel via email the Daily Mirror are a great way to stop these conmen. Mainly in Greater Manchester although the industry did begin in Liverpool. No suprises there!

Please all read this article and pass on any information you have to the Daily Mirror. As I read the Daily Mail please also email me with any articles published in The Mirror so as I can add them to my new website which I hope to put live shortly.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/mirrorinvestigates/tm_column_date=26052005-name_index.html

Anonymous

Hi Paul

I suggest you warn the school tomorrow, our they also will be caught off guard.

Details of the confidential Customs and Excise report system, email address customs.confidential@hmce.gsi.gov.uk or their free telephone 0800 595000. Telephone lines are busy. They are interested in such cases

Anonymous

I recently had a client with a £202.60 invoice letter from ASP, claiming to have my client on tape agreeing to a verbal contract. I got through on the phone to ASP, who said they could not send us the tape due to the Data Protection Act, but would call back and play it down the phone (apparently that would be fine under the DPA ...). Needless to say, they didn't get back to me.

Thank you for this thread, which confirms my suspicions about this outfit. Threatening people with CCJs and bad credit-ratings in a scam like this is abominable IMO.

David Sharp - Workplace Law Network
Online advisor - 127 posts

Thanks to everyone for their contributions to this forum thread.

We have received dozens more comments than are shown, but the quantity of contributions on this site has now begun to skew the balance of the overall service we provide. As a provider of information and advice on employment law, health and safety and premises management, we need to ensure we maintain this focus.

We have therefore taken an editorial decision not to show any further contributions on this topic, though the thread to date will remain viewable. Any further contributions will be removed from display.

We have been in contact with BBC Watchdog about this thread and passed every contribution to them so far. We still await a response from them.

Sorry we can't do more here, but please do heed the advice of our forum posters, and do not respond to the threats of these fraudsters.

Anonymous

Fiona,
Please check their VAT registration by contacting HM Customs and Excise report system:

email address customs.confidential@hmce.gsi.goc.uk

or their free telephone 0800 595000. Telephone lines are very busy.

It is also worth checking their statud with Companies House

Also go to a solicitor or CAB and get them to write requiring that they stop harrising you. Cost around £25

Anonymous

I had a similar call today from a company claiming to be called 'Primary Care' suggesting that I had agreed to sponsor a drug awareness booklet for schools and saying it had now been printed. The caller (geordie accent) asked which school I wanted copies sent to. I straight away accused him of running a scam and asked for his name and company address, but he refused, swore and hung up. A few minutes later I had a similar call from the same office. This time a lady with a mancunian accent. I asked her for her name, but she refused. So I told her she was running a scam in the name of worthy cause. She hung up.

Anonymous

I have just been phoned by DRS - Data Removal Services.

They offer to remove your details from lists. As soon as I said that I was already registered with the official site and that I did not recognise them as a government agency the phone went dead.

Number was withheld. I am now going to start using Choose to Refuse. My starter list will be
ppa 0151 255 0655 0151 255 0299

CIA 01244 314140 01244 312344 01510 255 0622

Any one got any other numbers/

Perhaps we should all use the Choose to refuse system and block their numbers.

James Holt
Member - 1 post

Has anyone heard of a company called "all about it limited"? Asked for £235 for a school drugs awareness booklet called "Zack and Ella's Crazy Day". The named directors are KIngdom Thenga and Edward Lucas Jackson.
The company is registered to 81a Chorley Road, Bolton, and Thenga's address is 53 Tanfield Road, Didsbury, and Jackson's is 6 Spring Bank Court, Manor Road, Stockport, Cheshire - anything ring any bells with anyone??
Seems dodgy, but I'm trying to get more on them.

Anonymous

James, I do not know this one. However, if they are registered it is with Companies House check with Companies House - http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk
I would have done so for you but you have not given the name.

If they give a VAT Registration Number then check with customs.confidential@hmce.gsi.gov.uk or use their free telephone 0800 595000. If they number is not correct for the company inform the HMRC confirential line and they will be investigated.

I would be very ceraful what you say and what details you give.

Robert Hacon Williams
Member - 67 posts

James Sorry you did give the company name I have checked it and it does not seem correct. Detailes from Companies House are:

ALLABOUTIT LIMITED
FLAT 5
72 LITHOS ROAD LONDON
NW3 6EY
Company No. 04075230


Status: Active
Date of Incorporation: 20/09/2000

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Company Type: Private Limited Company
Nature of Business (SIC(03)):
7220 - Software consultancy & supply

Robert Hacon Williams
Member - 67 posts

James, Companies House have just found the company. They initially came up with the same reference as I did. Details are:

Name & Registered Office:
ALL ABOUT IT UK LTD
81A CHORLEY OLD ROAD
BOLTON
BL1 3AJ
Status: Active
Company No: 04830027
Date of Incorporation: 11/07/2003
Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Company Type: Private Limited Company
Nature Of Business (SIC(03)):
8010 - Primary education
Accounting Reference Date: 30/06
Last Accounts Made Up To: 30/06/2005 TOTAL EXEMPTION FULL
Next Accounts Due: 30/04/2007
Last Return Made Up To: 11/07/2005
Next Return Due: 08/08/2006
Mortgage: Number of Charges: ( 0 outstanding / 0 satisfied / 0 part satisfied)
Last members list: 11/07/2005

purple angel
Member - 1 post

being registered with companies house doesn't mean they are not scammers - anyone can register a business name with companies house - it doesn't prove anything - a bit like Corgi registration doesn't mean your gas fitter isn't a cowboy!!!

if they say they have a recording of you agreeing to something - don't worry - it isn't admissable in court because they are supposed to warn you that all calls are recorded.

It rarely gets to court anyway as they know they'll lose - they use scare tactics

my advise

say 'we do not do business over the telephone' to anyone who sounds dodgy

report all suspected cases to your local fraud squad at the police - get the name of the officer dealing with your case - and simply refer all callers to the fraud squad

usually sends them away

at the minute we have one persistent caller from MPH who sends us letters threatening us with legal action - I say 'bring it on'
they say they have a recording of us agreeing to their scam - I asked them if they also have a recording of my husband telling them to go forth and multiply....hmmm

Anonymous

We just got a call from someone from Manchester, at Child Protection UK about the high quality drug and alcohol education books we'd ordered for distribution at a local secondary school... they were just checking we were ready to pay so that "our details could be printed in the books"-looks like they're still at it!

Anonymous

We also just received a call from Child Protection UK claiming we agreed to buy books for a local school.When we asked when this was agreed she told us that they had sent us information in the post about a year ago and tried to make it sound true by claiming she had my address and phone details. She was also asking which school we wanted to give them to. Is this all the same company and what can we do about it?

james morgan
Member - 1 post

Hello,

I have just had a call from a company called 'Gainsborough' or something like that, usually story, witheld number and all the rest of it.

Be careful of a company using this name.

Thank You

Anonymous

Why do you all just say NO and put the phone down I cant understand these people that say yes and then decide to investigate the company they have just handed over their credit card details especially in this day and age. Then when a genuine organisation comes along people are using excuses left right and centre to avoid paying the bill which they agreed to do by saying yes!!! If in doubt say NO!!

Anonymous

We too have been targeted for sponsoring a drug awareness campaign booklet called "Zack & Ella's Crazy Day". This time the company is called PY Communications. It is a registered company, but I don't believe this publishing business is. Nor have we agreed to anything so them insisting that we have just gets the alarm bells ringing.

Anonymous

we have also been contacted by PY Communications Ltd about "Zack & Ella's Crazy Day Out".

They approached one of my company directors tale end of last week with the opening line that "they were calling back with regards to a previous agreement to supply etc..". Apart from this into they appeared to be quite professional and my director agreed to donate £150 for 30 booklets to go to my daughter's school!

Today a copy of the booklet - which is very nicely presented - arrived along with an invoice for the 30 books. This invoice was duly sent off to our accounts people for payment.

However, we received a call from another party, claiming to be from Thames Valley Police, asking for donations for a similar project. When my director mentioned PY Comms the so called TVP caller denounced it as a scam and that we should be wary. The alarm bells started ringing at this time.

They started ringing even louder when my director, now a little concerned, called Thames Valley Police direct to ask about their scheme...she was told that the police do not operate any such scheme!!!

We've since stopped the invoice...the cheque had yet to be written...and called PY who kept us on the line for a while bouncing us around from pillar to post. During that time I found this site and it provided some handy ammunition. Their response went from denying they knew anything about anything to suddenly knowing who all the dodgy companies listed above were and that they were apparently stealing PY's book. It all sounded very very fishy so we've pass the info onto the police.

BEWARE!

Anonymous

I have also had the PY communications 'Zack and Ella's Crazy Day' book sent to my company with the invoice for 150 plus postage. Having agreed over the phone to there 30 book deal for drug awareness in schools I assumed everthing was fine. On reviewing the booklet I decided it was not suitable, called PY to cancel only to be told 'see you in the small claim court!. The alarm bells started ringing and I have referred them to trading standards and the police.

Anonymous

Gainsborough Publications are operating from the same offices as Adrian Smythe Publications in Manchester Gainsborough House) and are using the same scam of asking for sponsorship for School Road Safety Awareness Books. The same modus operandii of hard phone sales followed by invoice (without agreement) and heavy follow up even after a written letter, stating we did not wish to participate, was sent in January (which they say was never received - twice). Names are Paul Pritchard and A Parks.

author parks
Member - 1 post

hello. i work in the accounts depatment of gainsborough publications and would like to say that we have many hundreds of very satisfied customers, who have told us how much they appreciate our work. also many hundreds more children and teachers who have also been delighted with our service and with the quality of our books. we are nothing to do with any dodgy scam people and if we have the occasional disgruntled customer, who is usually just a little confused, we can do nothing about this.

Guy Waite
Member - 1 post

Just been called by Gainsborough and despite the posting by someone (anon) from their accounts department (spelt incorrectly) they are still lying.

They claimed, yet again, an earlier conversation which did not take place and so were exacting the same crime of trying to obtain monies by deception.

So it is a dodgy scam, we are not confused, why else would a government minister refer them. And there is something they can do and that is to desist from further trading, simple.

Anonymous

all this makes very interesting reading-i have recently been approached from gainsborough publications about some books on bullying.i have a feeling that i have fallen for the same scam in the past and like a fool actually sent the cheque off to them-however i know the head mistress of the school i nominated fairly well and remember thinking it strange that she hadnt thanked me for sponsering the books and i wonder-did the school ever actually recieve them-well this time they can take a running jump-if they want their three hundred pouds they will have to present me with pretty concrete proof that i agreed to this,sharon

Caroline Halmshaw
Member - 1 post

I thought our company was alone in dealing with these shady companies!! (Either that or I was going mad and actually agreeing & then not remembering).

Has anyone had any dealings with a similar scam run by ABCi (Awards for Business Commerce & Industry) who allege I agreed to an advert in a publication in June last year - a day when I was on holiday in America!

I am currently waiting (since Feb) for them to produce a transcript of the conversation which they claim to have.

Thanks for all the useful tips though, I shall be in contact with all the above mentioned bodies, but have just also received a call from the Data Removal Service - I am now so sceptical that I am wondering if they are real - can anyone help?

Anonymous

I am sure that you have another problem on your hands. There is a service similar to the Telephone Preference Service but both are FREE.
I have done a check and found them listed on a complaint type web site as a Manachester based company - more bells ringing

Anonymous

There are a few organisations which offer similar services to the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) but charge consumers to register! TPS (as well as FPS/MPS/CTPS) are free services and the offical 'do not call register'. My advice is to be aware of these other organisations who charge for a service which is FREE! Visit http://www.tpsonline.org.uk for further details.

Anonymous

I'm afraid I'm another sucker who didn't say no clearly enough! I've just reported 'Gainsborough' to Manchester Trading Standards (they're based at M16DN) and am waiting to see what they say. In the meantime I'mnot sure from earlier posts whether the best response is to hang up the phone or demand transcripts? JOHN SCOTT

Anonymous

Another scam. I have just received an invoice from "International Business & Trade Database World Wide Web & DVD/CD Edition" postal address PO Box 210, 22000 Praha 120 Praha, Rep Czech.

Invoice for £395. However, this requires a reply with Banktransfer.

Invoice and envelope will go to the Police.

I am ignoring it but will let you know of any developments.

For John Scott I would not ask for transcripts as they probably do not exist or if they do they are manufactured with heavy background noise.

Anonymous

We are an independent clothing shop in Edinburgh. Today we had a call from a girl saying we had agreed last November to sponsor books to a local school on health and safety. The books were now printed and we needed to nominate our school. When we explained we knew nothing about any of this and could they show any such agreement, the girl's very slick PR manner deteriorated somewhat and she suggested we F**ked off as she hung up! Perhaps they're getting the message.

Anonymous

Just received 2 phone calls within 10 minutes of each other.
Call 1 - Allegedly from John at the Chamber of Commerce "checking my details" ie telephone number, fax, e-mail etc. When John asked for my surname I replied you must already have that sir he replied quite craftily "oh I'm not allowed to tell you sir due to Data Protection" I asked for a telephone number to call him back, quite casually he gave me a number of a pub in Manchester 0161 881 9390, possibly his local??
Call 2 David Evans - Crime Prevention thanked me for my support in assisting raising £16,000 and my proof copies of the Community booklet were in print and he wanted to check the details. Unfortunatley I had previously been scammed to end up on this call-list of suckers. When I queried him and asked for a signature or a voice-recording he said "Well you see sir it er er ...." and hung up.
Is there any way of removing my details from their call-list / database? as i am quite sure they are of the same elk as all other complaints above, Mancunian, smooth until questioned!

Gillian Nightingale
Member - 175 posts

Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, it is unlawful to make unsolicited direct marketing calls to individuals who have indicated that they do not want to receive such calls.

You can either contact companies directly and asking them not to call you or you can register (for free) with a central register - the Telphone Preference Service http://www.tpsonline.org.uk

Unfortunately companies with 'dubious' sales practises are probably less likely to comply with the rules regarding mailing/telephone lists.

Robert Goldie
Member - 1 post

We have also just got a fax from PY Communications Ltd. The fax claims we have ordered 60 books called "Zack & Ella's CRAZY DAY" for a local school and is asking form payment to be sent per their invoice for £249 plus p&p. Problem is we have never heard of them or the person they claim to have talked to within our company to confirm this order. Having phoned them to tell them they are onto plums if they think we are paying them a penny all we got was a rude woman saying they would see us in court. I didn't fall of a Christmas tree and in a small company like ours, call like these don?t get forgotten. On checking this companies directors details at Companies house this company is registered by a woman named "Marilyn Lordes Bernadette Norville" under the London address "95 Howards Road, Plaistow, London, E13 8AZ" using a company registration agent using addresses in Russia and the USA as their secretaries would you believe! On checking the voters roll for this address it does indeed list her on the voters roll along with a "JI NORVILLE" and "JENNAL C COLLINS" So my guess is this is where all these scam faxes may be coming from. We have forwarded all these detail to our local trading standards here in Glasgow and recommend you call your local CID and trading standards department if you get a similar fax claiming you owe them money for an order no one has actually placed as I can assure you are unlikely to have forgotten about their sales call.
If like me, you want to call them in person to tell them what you think of their marketing scam, please feel free to call them on 0870 755 9910 but remember to withhold your number before you do so and don't give them a contact number as they will just use that to hassle you even further.

( all the above details are freely available on the internet and can be confirmed if required at www.192.com and www.companieshouse.gov.uk )

Tony Rogers
Member - 3 posts

I have been plagued by charity organisations claiming that the books are ready, my artwork is ready etc. etc.

Now today, I have recieved a call from some claiming to represent the "Database Removal Service" - this person actually requested that I send the two wall planners to them via courier, which they will arrange. They also asked me for the names of the two charities to which I donated for these planners.
About an hour later, I received a phone call from someone claiming to represent a well known courier service, who said they were ready to collect my planners.
When pressed for details about this so called removal service, I was informed it was "Data Removal Service" note: not "Database" and that it was setp by the charities commission. Needless to say, I declined to send my planners away.

In all cases, the phone numbers were witheld. Unfortunately I only got the name of the courier concerned.

Is this "Data Removal Service" legitimate?

Tony Rogers
Member - 3 posts

Follow up to the above post.

I have just phoned the charities commission, and they have no knowledge of this organisation.

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk

Bryan Bell
Member - 1 post

Hi,

I got sucked in by all of this a couple of years ago. I ended up starting a spreadsheet at the beginning of 2005, logging which ones I'd agreed to and the passwords I given them. By September 2005 I ended up switching off my business phone divert because I was receiving so many calls that I 'couldn't remember'. Then passwords started getting repeated by different companies that claimed that I had 2 or 3 invoices outstanding from earlier in the year worth some £1000+ and that they could cancel all of them if I agreed to to this single invoice. Money was leaking out left, right and centre because of the threats and, being a 1 man business, I was getting to the end of my tether. By switching off the phone divert, I stopped being hassled; if the call was important they could leave a message.

This year, after switching the phones back on, the calls have started again, but I'm now able to resist their fantastic offers of placing an advert.

Only today (10 July 2006), I've had

1) a call from the Database Removal Service, who stated that the Charities Commission had advised them that they needed proof of me having placed an advert and did I have any wall planners or booklets that they could have as proof. I asked the guy who he really worked for and he was adamant that it was the DRS. I told that guy that I did not believe him and hung up.

2) a call from Davis and Crombie about an advert I placed last December (see my comments above about the phone divert). Eventually, Sarah, the sales girl, told me I was boring her and she hung up.

Last week I had a call from the "Chambers of Commerce" about leaflets needing to be sent out. The phone number in Liverpool just rings out.

I've had a good read of this thread which I came across just this morning. Been there, done that, and got a few wall planners and booklets to prove it.

I feel sorry for the people that haven't yet been submitted to the hard selling tactics of these warts of the business society, and I wish there was a way that the DTI or Trading Standards could send out warning letters to ALL British companies, advising them of these tactics.

I now use a Word Document to log the contents of all calls I receive - they will build up into a dossier and if I ever get fed up with specific companies hassling me, I will pass them onto the Trading Standards people.

I wonder if we could even go to the extent of having a public website where targtets could enter this sort of information into a web based database, again a public dossier of the tormentors.

Maybe someone can give me a good reason for not doing it.

BB

kevin kreissl
Member - 1 post

i have had several calls over the last 2 months from all kinds of companies saying i have verbally agreed to various deals from- Advanced Publications(for the police), yellow partnership(wall planner)-Davis and Crombie also wall planner i think?? and gargoyle for childrens frist aid handbook. this one i recieved a proof, a pretty good first aid book with their name on the cover and 2 full colour adverts on inner cover, unfortuantly my advert is a pretty poor black and white advert on a piece of A3 folded and stapled in the middle. is this a good deal for £499.00?
i had decided this year to opt to advertise, i decided that 2000 to 2500 should be enough. i think with just the scams alone i have reached my amount.
can anyone help me?
kevin

Stuart Haycock
Member - 3 posts

We have also been contacted by PY Communications whose operating address is now listed as 25B Broadway Market, London E8 4HP and whose registered address is shown as 67 Westow Street, London SE19 3RW. It was an unsolicited phonecall, followed by an 'order confirmation'. No order or agreement to order was discussed. I shall drop copies to the local trading standards people. I admit that I do get a number of these and always insist that I receive a sample copy before any participation is considered. Scams such as these and the very agressive Data Protection scams have sadly made me so cynical that there is a danger that something real and important from a genuine authority might be binned in error.

Stuart Haycock
Member - 3 posts

In addition to my previous post, I have noticed that when I tried to fax PY Communications, they have an 0870 fax number and that their fax must be set to the slowest receive rate, thus making them more money. I cancelled the fax and think that I shall wait and and enjoy the ribald conversation that will ensue when they try and chase their alledged invoice. If anybody has any experience of PY Communications, or any other such scam trying to pursue their invoices, do please post. All guidance is gratefully accepted.

Lauren Thomas
Member - 1 post

I have also recently been contacted by PY Communications by phone, informing me of their 'Zack and Ella' publication. As with most sales calls I told her to send me more information so I could look at it and decide whether it was suitable for us or not. But lo and behold I received an 'invoice' today for £249.00 for an order of 60 books which I did not place! I started to worry a bit, so I looked them up on the internet and came across this forum, which has been very helpful but I'm unsure what to do next as they have my direct line number and will no dobut be barraging me with calls demanding money. If anyone who has experienced such a situation with this company can offer advice I would be very grateful.

Stuart Haycock
Member - 3 posts

Lauren, having received a copy of the PY Communications material and passed it by a teacher and a drugs worker I know, it was deemed to be inappropriate for the age group, far too wordy, in an unsuitable format and more than twice as expensive as they would ever consider paying even if it was any good. I told them no thanks, emailed an explanation to sales@pycommunications.com and do not expect to hear any more. They were quite polite and welcomed my comments. If I hear any more I will let you know. I don't like their sales approach or material. They were cheeky enough to send an invoice with the material. My advice is don't bother.

LOUISE WEIR
Member - 2 posts

Our company has also experienced with PY Communications. They took advantage of my coleague whilst i was on holiday by claiming i had ordered 30 books for my local school, claiming i had ordered them and payment was needed that day. When i rec'd a copy of the book, i too was convinced the content was totally unsuitable. Too my knowledge my school have never actually rec'd the books and i am still being strung along with PY staff and since reading this site have now realized the whole thing is one big scam. Be aware, they are very convincing.

erika pringle
Member - 2 posts

My name is Erika Pringle
I have had the misfortune of being scammed at least 4 times in the past 12 months without realising (silly me)
my latest payment was picked up by my credit card company as being a problem
compant . this alerted me to your site through my daughter.I have been caught by 1st Interlock Media in June, followed by circular impressions, followed by crime prevention service, ( picked up on payment by my card company.) then Davis and Crombie ) a firm I have not heard of then invoiced me last week called Range publishing, followed by interlock media five days ago for a second bite, and today a company called Red Dot tried to have a go but now I dont even speak tothem, I just put the phone down each time they call. On a second try Circular impressions actually turned up a copy of their little book and very strangly a man called Mr Parker (number with me, rang and asked to have the book sent to him as it may provide him with further advertisers ( I dont think) TNT collected the book on his behalf the next day ( I retained the receipt ) all these copies are being sent to Trading Standards at Gorton and
london and the detective who is quoted at the begining of this article. This wont be happening to me again but I dofeel a fool.

Robert Hacon Williams
Member - 67 posts

I was with a client yesterday and the receptionist reported that she had been approached by telephone to arrange for her receive a prize she had won. All they needed was her home address and a time when she would be available to receive the prize.

Yes that old scam of

"When are you out of your house so that we can burgle it"

Please be aware that this is not new and has been very effective for tool to ensure the safety of burglars!

Anita Catlin
Member - 1 post

I to was contacted by PY Communications & feel that I should let you know that I paid for my books and duly received them. The school were very pleased and even ordered some more. I agree that the sales tatics were a bit heavy handed and told them so, they were polite and appeared to take on board what I was saying. There seem to be so many scams around it is difficult to know what is legit and what isn't. I agree with many of you that you should be careful, but slandering companies on this website as somepeople have been doing is just as illegal.

I agree that this is a good site but be careful it could be you on here one day just because you have annoyed someone.

Maybe more about how good companies are would be nice.

Keep up the good work though

Anthony Broadhurst
Member - 1 post

AJB - Flintshire
Thank you all for the information. We received a letter, invoice for £199, a certificate a copy of the books to be sent to a school, request for me to nominate a school to receive Heart, drug and alcohol awareness books, testiments from various sponsors and schools, etc. THe company sending this is called Child-Protection-UK-Ltd (C.P.UK) address 13 Hyde Road Denton Manachester M34 3AF. A quick search on the net confirms my suspicions that is is a SCAM. Please be advised that they are still out and about looking to con you. I am awaiting the follow up calls and no doubt threats.

CHRIS KNIGHT
Member - 1 post

I received a call today from Jackie at Taylor Christian a company apparently in Barkinhead, Cheshire. Another books scam that I did not agree to but they insist that I did, so I requested a copy of the tape that was used to record the original conversation back in February. I'll be interested to see whether or not anything turns up in the post. Has anybody had any dealings with this company?