Posted By: Jim_Clennell
Life's hard enough without scammers. - 29/04/2018 19:44
MrsC and I are working pretty hard to make a success of our Smart repair franchise. Others I'm sure work harder, but we are doing our best and it's gratifying to see things slowly going our way.
So, it's pretty disheartening to have to fight off people trying to take our money dishonestly.
We are currently doing quite a bit of advertising in local magazines - carefully chosen for demographic, distribution, etc.
So, when we approached by a salesman working for a yearly magazine being produced in collaboration with the local authority sports facilities, with distribution in schools, doctors' surgeries and other council-run venues, it seemed a very good fit.
The rep then visited us and took our details, showing us a copy of the previous year's magazine. We agreed a quarter page and gave payment details.
Not an hour later, we were phoned by another magazine - this time punting space in a motoring magazine for retired members of the emergency services. At first, it seemed like quite a good idea; we discussed copy, the magazine and its readership at some length and finished up agreeing to view a proof.
But, after the call ended, we both suddenly looked at each other, realising that it was no coincidence.
We googled and rapidly established that the emergency services' magazine was a well-known and pretty sophisticated scam; there is even a fairly convincing website with a "how to check the legitimacy of our sales team" button. We felt gutted - and so foolish. I'm sure plenty of people reading this will be shaking their heads wondering how we could be so gullible, but if you're tired and the product is plausible - it's all too easy. Either the scammers produce nothing or - more perniciously - they print as many copies of the magazine as they have sold adverts. This way you get the glossy product and just end up assuming that for some reason it brought in no business, when in fact nobody else has ever seen it.
Anyway, the company sent us an invoice within minutes (bearing in mind that we had not agreed to anything more than viewing a proof - an invoice?).
MrsC thanked them for their email and informed them that their details had been referred to Trading Standards.
By this stage, we were convinced that the first magazine was also a fake - the rep had had no business cards, the letter of authenticity he had given us suddenly looked photoshopped, etc.
MrsC phoned our bank and cancelled her card, ensuring that no money could be taken (nothing had gone through by that time).
She then contacted the Council manager named as the reference on the supposed letter of introduction. To our astonishment, he told us that the magazine was actually legit!
We just couldn't believe it, to the point that we're now convinced that the scam has simply moved up a level - they've duped the council, not only the individual advertisers.
We're doing more research, so it will be interesting to see what we uncover.
However, all this took up precious time in our already ridiculously busy day. We've had the inconvenience of cancelling a bank card (possibly needlessly) and now potentially face the "police" magazine trying to get heavy with us over their "invoice" (all experiences of others).
We just don't need this.
Here endeth the rant...
So, it's pretty disheartening to have to fight off people trying to take our money dishonestly.
We are currently doing quite a bit of advertising in local magazines - carefully chosen for demographic, distribution, etc.
So, when we approached by a salesman working for a yearly magazine being produced in collaboration with the local authority sports facilities, with distribution in schools, doctors' surgeries and other council-run venues, it seemed a very good fit.
The rep then visited us and took our details, showing us a copy of the previous year's magazine. We agreed a quarter page and gave payment details.
Not an hour later, we were phoned by another magazine - this time punting space in a motoring magazine for retired members of the emergency services. At first, it seemed like quite a good idea; we discussed copy, the magazine and its readership at some length and finished up agreeing to view a proof.
But, after the call ended, we both suddenly looked at each other, realising that it was no coincidence.
We googled and rapidly established that the emergency services' magazine was a well-known and pretty sophisticated scam; there is even a fairly convincing website with a "how to check the legitimacy of our sales team" button. We felt gutted - and so foolish. I'm sure plenty of people reading this will be shaking their heads wondering how we could be so gullible, but if you're tired and the product is plausible - it's all too easy. Either the scammers produce nothing or - more perniciously - they print as many copies of the magazine as they have sold adverts. This way you get the glossy product and just end up assuming that for some reason it brought in no business, when in fact nobody else has ever seen it.
Anyway, the company sent us an invoice within minutes (bearing in mind that we had not agreed to anything more than viewing a proof - an invoice?).
MrsC thanked them for their email and informed them that their details had been referred to Trading Standards.
By this stage, we were convinced that the first magazine was also a fake - the rep had had no business cards, the letter of authenticity he had given us suddenly looked photoshopped, etc.
MrsC phoned our bank and cancelled her card, ensuring that no money could be taken (nothing had gone through by that time).
She then contacted the Council manager named as the reference on the supposed letter of introduction. To our astonishment, he told us that the magazine was actually legit!
We just couldn't believe it, to the point that we're now convinced that the scam has simply moved up a level - they've duped the council, not only the individual advertisers.
We're doing more research, so it will be interesting to see what we uncover.
However, all this took up precious time in our already ridiculously busy day. We've had the inconvenience of cancelling a bank card (possibly needlessly) and now potentially face the "police" magazine trying to get heavy with us over their "invoice" (all experiences of others).
We just don't need this.
Here endeth the rant...