A few weeks ago I got a phone call from a guy at West Midlands News who were apparently putting together a freebie magazine for distribution at the Bike Bash and wanting to sell me some advertising. After a little bit of a haggle we agreed terms and I paid up.
Now today I get a call from someone at Media Today Online who have a very similar story but trying to sell me an advert in their monthly travel and lifestyle magazine with a subscription of around 22,000 monthly.
The old deadline play and the fact that he came down from 175 quid for a month to 50 quid for 8 months set alarm bells ringing and I asked him to email me the details.
When I checked their website (www.mediatodayonline.co.uk) I found it blocked by google as a reported attack site. So I emailed the sales guy back suggesting he didn't bother me anymore.
I just realised that the 2 phone numbers are very similar so has a quick look at the wmnonline website again only to fins that is also blocked by google.
So is this a google error or have I been scammed??
Anyone in the Midlands heard of either of these publications?
Cheers.
WEST MIDLANDS NEWS LIMITED
ST. MATTHEW'S HOUSE
6 SHERWOOD RISE
NOTTINGHAM
NG7 6JF
Company No. 05557717Status: Active
Date of Incorporation: 08/09/2005Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Company Type: Private Limited Company
Nature of Business (SIC(03)):
2221 - Printing of newspapers
Accounting Reference Date: 31/12
Last Accounts Made Up To: 31/12/2007 (TOTAL EXEMPTION SMALL)
Next Accounts Due: 31/10/2009
Last Return Made Up To: 08/09/2008
Next Return Due: 06/10/2009
Last Members List: 08/09/2008
Previous Names:
Date of change Previous Name
31/12/2007 NORTH LONDON AND HERTS EXPRESS LIMITED
or
Phone us on:
01926 359857
01926 312982By Post:
The Lodge
Trinity House
Trinity Street
Royal Leamington Spa
Warwickshire
CV32 5YN
or
West Mids Times
First Floor,
34 High Street,
Sutton Coldfield,
B72 1UPTel: +44 (0) 121 354 9054
(switchboard)Fax: +44 (0) 121 354 8526
from wmtonline.co.uk
you been scammed
I got a call on Tuesday from some people based in the East Mids, offering great coverage in their publication. Listened to their patter, told them it wasn't for me and hung up. Same company ring back 5 mins later to tell me that they can do the same ad for 50% of the original quote. This time I told them no and told them that I didn't want to be bothered again.
Wednesday, I get a call from the same woman, this time on a mobile no. with an even "better offer". This time, I told her to go away in a manner designed to dissuade her from ringing again.
It seemed like a scam to me.
Domain name:
wmtonline.co.uk
Registrant:
Jason Law
Trading as:
Media Today Online
Registrant type:
UK Individual
Registrant's address:
Trinity House
Trinity Street
Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
CV32 5YN
GB
Thanks Mr M. Does that 01926 number relate to the West Midlands News in your first post? The 01926 number is virtually the same as both the numbers of the West Midlands News and Media Today Online. Only the last couple of digits different which suggests that I have been called from an extension a legitimate news paper in Leamington Spa.
Now very confused since when I go to wmtonline.co.uk I get an ISP holding page.
i doubt any of those numbers/addresses relate to anything tangible
http://www.wmtonline.co.uk/html/about.html
check out some of the past issues. looks like a quality publication
Spookily, the contact details on the wmtonline pages are for wmnonline, so obviously one and the same.
So next step is to change my credit card number just in case, although if they were going to try and hit it for something I think that they would have done it by now.
2nd is to see if the bank will call the payment back for me. I doubt they will, but you never know.
Lesson learned, possibly the hard way. I hate advertising!!