I can’t believe I fell for it.
Call out of the blue – The National Crime Prevention Agency offering advertising in our quaterly magazine going out to elderly, doctors schools etc and 50000 copies, would I like to be an exclusive supporter! This even included advertising stickers for the van. I even got a colour mag with the invoice, all be it dated 2014 and of very poor standard.
I was just about to pay but luckily I googled it and found It was quite well known, wish I googled first.
Anyone else had this??

Not fallen for it but have been rung by them, and also by the Houses of Parliament in house magazine for exclusive advertising. They usually get a swift and impolite “no thank you” (or words to that effect)

I have a simple rule in life. If I want something, be it a service, a product, or to make a charitable donation, I will research it, find out what I want, and go with that. I will never, ever, buy from, or give to, someone who canvasses me out of the blue, be that businesses or charities.

If I want something, be it a service, a product, or to make a charitable donation, I will research it, find out what I want, and go with that. I will never, ever, buy from, or give to, someone who canvasses me out of the blue, be that businesses or charities.

This is a good rule of thumb. We get cold called fairly often (do you want to appear in our directory/want your website optimised/etc) but never give them the time of day. (Feel sorry though for the lady from PPL who copped several robust earfuls before we realised that they actually were legit!)

Ta for the heads up though, not been called about NCPA (yet) but will make everyone here aware of it!

I gave the PPL person an earful too – they’re almost as bad a scam as the paid directory people.

I very nearly did not long after opening my shop. Asked them to email stuff etc which they did. Eventually thought to google it (I said to them that I would and they went to great pains to tell me exactly what to google. I searched what they said to then put scam at the end and my computer practically went into meltdown due to that many search results. It all seemed entirely plausible though up until that point.

I have had the calls where they actually word the opening lines like I have been a previous supporter and will I be doing so again.

[andhangup]

My sister fell for a scam (unrelated but it’s funny). “Paypal need you to confirm your account details, please click here” so she did. Cleaned her out of £500..

.. by PRE-ORDERING an iPhone 6! Lolz.. criminals are even more stupid than my sister 🙂

I had the same thing but they were saying it was a police magazine we were advertising in, apparently for the second time. Funny how no one at work remembered it, they lost interest very quickly when I said I didn’t have the authority to give the go ahead, sounded like a blatant scam. Funnilly enough they never called back to speak to the authorized person which is me!

I google earthed the address in Southport, I did have a chuckle to see a row of shops and the top storey what looks like dodgy meeting rooms.
I await the threats of bailiffs that apparently come next!!

I’m with Welshfarmer and tend to make it clear to callers much to my co-workers amusement (firm but very polite).

I nearly got done by some books for schools scam as apparently I’d pledged to give them a few hundred quid months back, which school did I want the book to go to, the book is wonderful, very informative, where would I like my company advert placing, what would I like the compliments slip to say that would go out with the books etc, where would I like the invoice to go to, we’ll give you a discount for credit card payment now (ALARM BELLS, ALARM BELLS)

The women I was talking to were very persuasive, very slick. I of course had no memory of pledging money to their cause (because I didn’t) and so challenged them and was put through to another equally slick, persuasive woman.

Apparently they record all calls so they’d get back with the recording of me saying Id pledged £x for my advert and to sponsor the book or i could pay by card for a discount.- errrrm, no thanks, I’ll wait to hear my recording of me sponsoring the book thanks…surprisingly, no recording or invoice ever arrived.

I didn’t pay of course but I was shocked that I nearly had…

bitches!

Hi they’re harassing me for payment currently , I agreed over the phone mid November as the company sounded legitimate and for a good cause but once I was home and did a little research I had my doubts . I tried to cancel after the 14 days but they keep sending me letters demanding payment ! They just emailed me a recording of the phone call of me agreeing to advertise saying they comply to uk distance selling but there’s I can’t find any details of the company on the FSA or companies house . I’ll happy wait for the bailiffs too

The magazine looks like my 7 year old nephew as put it together absolute rubbish!

JPB88 – The magazine is rubbish and I am constantly getting calls from different numbers. No company exists as far as I can see.
Street view Weld Parade southport and look at the virtual offices set above the shops – nice and modern.
Apart from it being a scam, legal get out is Misrepresentation Act 1967.

My Husband fell for this Scam. He paid but we have managed to get the money back via the credit card company. But now the same people are contacting him saying they are from a different publication called NCPA and are saying he has agreed to the advert over the phone and they have a recorded copy of the call.
How can we get them to go away and stop pestering us and also how do we ensure that baliffs don’t turn up at our door?

But now the same people are contacting him saying they are from a different publication called NCPA and are saying he has agreed to the advert over the phone and they have a recorded copy of the call.

Don’t quote me on this, 😉 but I think you’ll find a verbal ‘contract’ isn’t worth the paper it’s written on…

Ask them to send the recording (recorded delivery of course) and then forward it to the police.

I had a call last week, claiming the last publication we did was a great success. Would we be interested in doing it again? He said he was calling from a local police a station, but couldn’t name one. After a little persistence from me he hung up.

I think you’ll find a verbal ‘contract’ isn’t worth the paper it’s written on…

I’m fairly sure that a recorded verbal agreement is in fact a binding contract, even if you haven’t signed anything. Obviously, it is only binding if you’ve been given the full facts, otherwise the Misrepresentation Act applies.

I’m sure I had a call from these scammers a few years ago.

I thought it sounded dodgy so started quizzing them. I live in Greater Manchester and they kept saying Lancashire Police so told them straight if they are trying to scam, at least get some geography lessons 😀

I nearly fell for this scam too. Phone call from a local police officer offering all of the above. Couple things didn’t ring true during the call especially with him with a real strong Scouse accent and I am in Lichfield.

I asked to see an existing magazine which he emailed me, all pretty convincing but there were no adverts in it. I was being promised an advert so seemed strange, then I googled his phone number and the scam was revealed to me.. He rang me back about an hour later and I politely him to go forth and multiply.

From what I can remember as this is going back a few years it was not long after I had registered with Applegate business directory (that was another bad mistake)

So any dubious calls now I google the phone number.

Pip star – the bailiffs are very unlikely to turn up and if they do call the police, they will soon scarper. I lost it with them on the phone and now I only get letters saying about debt recovery etc.
I reported it to Citizens advise and also Action fraud. Keep everything though. I sent them a letter cancelling the “verbal contract” under misrepresentation act.
Don’t give in to them though

Scum of the Earth.